Saturday 14 July 2012

We made it!



Just a quick blog before my visitors arrive for the week-end, to say that we have made it - the grass is being baled up as I write. Not hay, sadly - that would take a few more days and we haven't got that sort of time before the rain arrives again. But at least we are getting silage.

Neighbours are so good - that is the super side of farming - we all help one another and Geoffrey who lives opposite, has just arrived with the baler and has got stuck in immediately. Well, that's a relief - the start of silage for Winter feed.

One of our bird boxes on the Scots pine trees by the kitchen window, has a family of tree sparrows in it. How busy the parents have been toing and froing from the bird table with sunflower hearts. Well now, one little face sits in the hole waiting to pluck up courage to emerge. Two parents sit on a nearby branch chirping encouragement. I keep standing and watching, but I have no doubt I shall miss the actual moment when he/she takes that first tentative flight. Isn't nature wonderful? How can anyone be bored living in the country?

11 comments:

Heather said...

Good news that the silage is in - what an awful summer it is for farmers and growers alike. Good luck to the baby sparrows and all other baby birds. We had a sparrow hawk on our garden wall the other day - that explained the racket kicked up by all the other birds in the garden. I think it may have taken one of their babies.

kristieinbc said...

I am so glad you were able to get your grass in, but it is a shame you couldn't leave it to dry long enough for it to be hay instead of silage. The horrible summer you are having in Britain must make it very difficult for anyone who farms.

Pondside said...

Our farm friends here got all their hay in by Thursday, and on Thursday night it poured - and then again last night. Good timing.
You're so right about living in the country - there is never a dull moment. Your description of the action around the nest was so sweet!

Joanne Noragon said...

When we moved to a more rural setting nearly thirty years ago first I started learning the names of all the different birds. Then I needed to learn the names of all the different kinds of each. There seem to be more kinds of sparrow than any other local bird. I love their little selves. So important.

angryparsnip said...

So happy to hear that you got the silage in and crossing finger you cn get the hay in too.

I so agree about living in the country.
I live in a rural area and the fact that there are no cats running around, except for Bobcats and Mountain Lions, I get to see so many more birds that a city person.
I love it !

cheers, parsnip

Sandy said...

I had to look up what "silage" is...LOL! I'm a city gal all the way. We are watching the most interesting TV series on Public Television here in The States called "Michael Wood's Story of England" which is about one village in central England that has had its history recorded since the 11th Century. We just don't have records like that here. Amazing! I love English history and hope someday to visit England.

Bovey Belle said...

Oh well done. Better silage than ruined hay anyway. Bet the farmer will sleep soundly tonight.

I agree - there's always something to see in the country. Today as we drove up our hill, a buzzard flew up, and then a buzzard which it had pinned down sideways beneath it, also took to the air. Don't know what they had been scrapping over.

Tom Stephenson said...

Well done you, Weaver - nice timing.

Dartford Warbler said...

Pleased that you have some silage in but I`m getting worried about the hay situation for next winter.

Enjoy your weekend with friends visiting.

ArcticFox said...

those "townies" don't know what they're missing!! Unless they read it here of course!!

Good luck little sparrow!!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Rain again but there is news of better weather on the way for the weekend.
Thanks for visiting.