redpinemountain.com

Everywhere I Turn

Thanks everyone for visiting us. I hope you had a fantastic weekend. Did you watch the news last week? Better question is how could you possibly escape all that was transpiring? It left me discouraged for many, many reasons and because this is not a political blog, I’ll just leave it at that. Needless to say, I’ve been sickened about the depths to which people and the media can sink. I’m not here to blame but instead to feel compassion but I was deeply upset. I count myself fortunate to have grown to adulthood in a different time that seems so innocent now.

And if you have read my blog for awhile then you’ll know I find sanity and perspective when I step outside my door, turn off the news and the computer and wander our farm.

If you’ve never had donkeys, you’re missing out on a treat. They are unique unto themselves with cheerful dispositions. And you can’t make a donkey do anything. You have to reason with them, appeal to their good nature and offer something in return and then, only then, will they agree.

But the most amazing thing about donkeys is the way they bond so closely to each other. I now understand why the majority of breeders will only sell donkeys in pairs or to a home where another donkey resides because of that special donkey-donkey bond. Bella and Esme are inseparable and I mean inseparable.

I can’t tell where one starts and the other ends as they walk.

Horses also love each other.

But when you have more than two, love gets a little complicated.

And what about the chicks you ask? They are growing quickly and are somewhere between fluff and feathers and they are eating me out of house and home. “Eat like a bird” has taken on an entirely new meaning as I lug 50 pound sacks of chick starter home.

Mama Cochin and babies have been moved to their own space. Among the many things I’ve learned is that chickens are fantastic moms. She really does tuck her babies under her wing when she feels they are threatened. (I’m starting to think English language analogies all come from raising chickens.) She even speaks to them in different tones none of which I’ve heard before. Different chirps call them to dinner, to drink water, to come under her warm body for the night. I’ll never think of chickens the same way again.

Alas (does that sound too Victorian?), there will be no guinea babies. I’m not even sure how guinea babies are born because the birds are always in motion. They drop their eggs and keep on running. In fact, Mountain Man found one guinea out playing kickball with an egg the other day. Just rolling it around on the hill with his foot (or should I say claw?).

Guineas are noisy, yes, but they are fun; the comedians of the bird world. But even they have changed as they’ve aged. No longer do they do everything in one big group but instead a male splits off and wanders with a few females searching for bugs and eating them with a vengeance.

Of course there is always the goofy guinea who much prefers to play hide and seek.

I can tell the changing of the seasons by the wild animals who are starting to visit. First a turkey. He’s living right on the edge of our woods and every day at dusk, he comes to serenade my hens who have unfortunately been most interested in the song he’s singing.

But it is the deer who roam our farm I most enjoy. Every morning this week, I’ve found them grazing with the horses and donkeys as I go to open the barn but it is at dusk they venture down to our house. A Mom and her young one I do believe.

I tell them they are welcome as long as they stay away from my pumpkins. Yes, I’m once again trying for the giant pumpkin prize.

They don’t trust me yet, they aren’t sure of my motives so they watch for a moment and then disappear into the edge of the woods.

I head into the house, stand by the wood stove and warm my chilled body. Once they are sure I’m gone, the deer reappear again. I am content to watch them from afar. No, I will not disturb their twilight grazing. I will let them be to enjoy their life thankful our farm serves as their sanctuary.

I think if our politicians stepped back out of their day to day city lives and spent time on a farm, observing nature, caring for animals, understanding the cycle of life, primary loyalties and bonds then perhaps there would be less foolishness in our world.

As always, Mountain Man and I appreciate the time you spend on Red Pine Mountain.