Wednesday 23 February 2011

Still plenty of work to do.





Since Saturday, when we had snow, the temperature has risen and is eleven degrees Celsius this morning. For the first time for quite a few days the sun is shining, albeit hazily. On the lane the first few flowers are out on the gorse bush and that is often a sign that Winter is saying good-bye (according to the farmer's folklore). Tess and I walked down the lane to look at the gorse, to see if it was out. We met a lady on a very frisky horse. The horse was dancing all over the lane and she seemed to have little or no control over it, so Tess and I retreated into a field until she had gone out of sight. At one point I saw she was leaning forward and presumably giving it a good talking-to in its left ear. I am scared of horses at the best of times and this one was quite a big chap.

Although the Winter is drawing to a close, cattle still have the prospect of another two months inside. The grass has to begin to grow and the fields have to dry out so that they are not all churned up when the cattle are let out (they go mad with delight the first time they are let out into the field again.)

So silage for feed and straw for bedding are still needed in huge quantities. You saw on my blog the other day that we had fifteen tons of straw delivered. Already the farmer is putting it into the loose housing each morning. He puts it in in a pile here and there and the cows spread it around to their liking. In addition they have salt licks, to which they appear to become addicted (rather like me and the biscuit tin), so I managed to take a photo for you to see.

They are inquisitive creatures. You only have to stand by the housing for a couple of minutes and they will come to see what you are up to.

Today is our Poetry day - one of my favourite days in the month, when we all take our favourite poems and read them aloud. I am concentrating on Childrens' Poetry today. My view has always been that if you get children interested in rhyme and rhythm while they are small then they end up with a lifelong love of poetry.

16 comments:

steven said...

weaver the gorse is out! then it can only be amtter of time before the lovely weather in north yorkshire washes across the big pond and thaws out my side of the world. hurray!!! steven

Arija said...

Cows get cabin fever too, just like people, they just don't understand why they have to be in a barn all winter long and then some.

Caroline Gill said...

Please, let us know, Weaver, which poem(s) you have chosen to take! I think I might have chosen 'Overheard on a Saltmarsh' here.

NanU said...

Me too, as soon as it's warm enough and I'm not stuck in my office I'm going burst out in the yard and jump for joy. In the mud.
Happy pre-spring!

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I had to go look up gorse - never heard of that before. Funny thing is Wikipedia says they grow very well in dry conditions. Got completely engrossed in the information, they regenerate well after a fire, are considered a weed in some areas etc etc. Very pretty all the same :)

Heather said...

I remember my grandmother's goats enjoying their salt lick - it got to look like a house brick with a big dent in it. Today it is wet and grey again here, but milder thank goodness. There is no fear of overdoing things in the garden as the soil is like porridge.

mrsnesbitt said...

The poetry theme sounds just up my street Pat! I have so many favourites. Enjoy your time - I envy you, I really do.

Pondside said...

We had snow overnight here and I'm just now trying to get up the nerve to go out to the road to see if it's passable. Nothing blooming here yet.

angryparsnip said...

I too had to google gorse bush. Besides looking at the plant and blooms I also had to read about the dog walker who died from a gorse bush scratch...

Love the story about the cows. How very sweet and funny that they like to come over and see what is going on. I rather like that.

Hope your spring is indeed coming.

I also would like to know what poems you have chosen to read.

cheers, parsnip

cheers, parsnip

MorningAJ said...

"Winter is saying goodbye". I love that!
My dad always used to say that you could tell when winter was on its way out because the moles were busy. And they've sure been busy round here of late!

Gerry Snape said...

Couldn't agree more about the importance of giving children rhythm and rhyme. So glad that the weather has eased up on you over there.

Maggi said...

I do hope that the farmer's folklore is correct as I am heartily fed up with the grey days that we are having at the moment.

Tess Kincaid said...

I'm smiling at the thought of cows going mad with delight.

Jo said...

Things are ready to burst here in Missouri, Weaver, but I must say, I've never heard of a gorse bush. I can't wait to see what the blossoms look like.

I do think you'll need to post a video of the cows going mad with delight at their first outing!

Thank you for this delightful peek into your world.

Jo said...

Weaver, I have to share this with you...it's what I found when I googled "gorse bush"

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/raf-rescues-man-stuck-in-gorse-bush-for-two-days-502240.html

I'd say you need to be very careful 'round them! :-)

Reader Wil said...

Cows are interesting creatures. It's funny when they are allowed in the fields after so many months in the stables. They jump up and down and are so happy. You have a lot of work on the farm! What would your and my country do without dedicated farmers!!