Saturday 18 June 2011

Drama on the farm.

Farm - indeed Country - life is always full of drama. One drama ends (happily or sadly) as another one unfolds. Birds, particularly young ones who have only just learned to fly, have a nasty habit of hitting our kitchen window at speed and leaving in a flurry of feather (usually the greeny/yellow ones of the tit family). Such an incident happened this morning and the bang of beak on glass was a loud one. I went outside and there was the little bird, winded but intact. I put him on the hedge and after a couple of minutes he flew off seemingly no worse for the close encounter.

When the farmer shut the hens up last evening one old Rhode Island Red hen was missing. She is getting a bit ancient so we were rather worried, thinking that the fox might be round for her overnight if she was still around. We need not have worried. She had roosted high up in the straw and as soon as the hens came out this morning she joined them none the worse for a night 'on the tiles'.

We have just walked round the fields and luckily the farmer spotted, half way down the field, deep in the hedge bottom a lamb had got stuck. Swaledale sheep have horns and they begin to grow when the lambs are quite small. This lamb had pushed through the square wire netting after a succulent morsel of grass (yes there is a field full but you know the old saying - the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence). There was no way that lamb could have got out on its own - each time it pushed it got further and further in. It took the farmer several minutes to extricate it and then it ran off to find its mother. By this time of the year the mothers are a bit fed up with their boisterous youngsters and the mother didn't seem all that delighted to see it.

An old friend has died today. She was almost 90 and had been failing for the last few months. Now her end has come and we are all sad to see her go. Rest in peace Joan.

13 comments:

Heather said...

Condolences to you and your friend's family on her passing. She had a long life, and I hope it was a happy one.
We often have birds flying into our windows but they all seem to survive, thank goodness. Glad your hen and lamb are safe after their adventures.
You will find instructions for the pixie boots in issue No.70 of Stitch magazine (April/May 2011, and for fairy shoes in issue No.50 Dec.2007/Jan2008. Keep warm and happy shoemaking!

Mac n' Janet said...

Sorry to hear of your friend's passing. Your blog reminds me so of the circle of life, not easy to think of it, but also comforting in ways.
I enjoy your blog so much, look forward to it each day.

angryparsnip said...

I have walls of windows in my home so the sky is always reflected in them. Unfortunately the birds crash into them quite often. Twice they didn't make it and I felt so sorry.
I am thinking of hanging a few prisms to reflect the light and distract them... don't know if it will work or not.
Sorry to hear about your friend's passing.
I am glad that the missing chicken was not lost but on a small adventure.

cheers, parsnip

Grizz………… said...

I know what it's like to lose an old friend, and I'm sorry to hear that one of yours has passed away—though it sounds like it was expected. She made it to a good age. Still, time never seems quite long enough for those we enjoy.

steven said...

it would be nice to be able to pull back our friends and family when they have psuhed their heads through the fence a little too far. i am sorry to read of your friend's flying away weaver. steven

Midlife Roadtripper said...

I guess you don't have to worry about being bored on the farm.

So sorry about your friend.

Pondside said...

I'm sorry to hear that you have lost a dear old friend.
I loved the image of your ancient Rhode Island Red spending a night 'on the tiles'!

MorningAJ said...

It's always sad when we lose a friend. My sympathies.

John Going Gently said...

old friends even when they are 90 will be missed

Auntie gladys here in the village is 92
I will be gutted when she eventually goes
have a nice weekend weaver
x

Totalfeckineejit said...

My God Weaver, that was a sad end to such a wonderful hopeful post. May Joan rest in peace.

Arija said...

Never a dull moment on a farm . . . any chicks yet?

The Weaver of Grass said...

I shall do a post on my friend next week one day because she really was a remarkable woman. Towards the end she did become rather trying but that spirit was the same spirit which kept her going for so long.

Thanks for the condolences. Thanks also to Heather for the details of the fairy shoes.

Dominic Rivron said...

Regarding Joan Cairns: Joan made a massive contribution to the cultural life of Wensleydale. Though first and foremost a musician she also wrote poetry. Although she never used the internet herself, three of her poems appear in Poetry 2010. (Scroll down the page and you'll find them).