Look - it's sunshine!
The air is not grey!
Colors are rich and deep again!
The rain actually stopped Thursday, but the ground was saturated - every footstep left a deep print in mud. Although I'd optimistically planned to plant something - anything! finally! - that day, it was still far too wet.
Even when all the vegetation is dripping wet, Moxie and Della choose to come outside with me. Actually, they aren't really coming "with" me; they would be happy to be running in and out at will, all day long. But I am very concerned about hawks, so if the cats are outside, Piper or I must be out there too. And since Piper takes one good look around and then heads for her secret spot under the porch, her role as hawk-deterrent is negligible. So that just leaves me.
Here they are, my little jungle cats:
Fortunately, yesterday was again not-raining, and the soil had begun to dry a bit. I was finally able to plant two rows of pole beans. Hallelujah!
It looks like one row in this picture, but there is a little aisle between the two sections. The end of the second row is where you see the yellow bucket, which is full of rocks.
All that lush greenery between the garden rows looks pretty good to the goats, who poke their noses through the fence when I'm working. Every time I straighten up, I pull handfuls of greens to share out.
The goats tend to keep moving, though. Rain or shine, the mosquitoes are absolutely horrendous. Despite frequent applications of non-toxic repellent sprays, the goats are covered in itchy bites and so am I. LeShodu, who hates both the bugs and the sprays, spends more time in the barns and less time out browsing than some of the other goats. So today when I came up from the garden, I brought LeShodu a whole hatful of fresh alfalfa, picked seconds before, just for her.
It's the little things, isn't it, Shodu?
~~~
Dear readers, I hope you are all having a lovely weekend, and if you are hiding from mosquitoes or anything else, I hope someone will bring you a hatful of fresh alfalfa.
Or, you know, something equivalent.
Or, you know, something equivalent.
~~~~~
A hatful of alfalfa sounds like a great novel title. Or a book of goat farm photos.
ReplyDeleteI have definitely been having the equivalent of handfulls of alfalfa. I hope you enjoyed the sun - more rain today!
ReplyDeleteYes, it's raining here right now. I could have gotten a little work done in the garden around noon, but it was so hot I decided to wait...now I wonder how long I'll be waiting!
DeleteA hatful of fresh alfalfa sounds pretty good actually. More rain here today - and more predicted tomorrow. Will it ever end?
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like I've moved to another climatic zone!
DeleteWe've had a lot of rain, but fortunately the mosquitoes haven't been too bad ... or maybe I haven't noticed because it's turned hot (90+) and spent the weekend inside. The gnats on the other had are THICK. I hope your mosquitoes disappear so your time outside is more pleasurable.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping we don't go straight from soaking wet to soaking wet AND super-hot. Raining again today (Monday)...
DeleteBugs sympathies
ReplyDeleteThey are awful this year so far. What's more, I see more hawks in the air than I recall being usual.
There are always hawks and owls here - bald eagles not far away, but I've never seen one fly over my place. I lost chickens to a hawk last year, so I am trying to be extra-vigilant. Trouble is, Della is mostly bright white, and Moxie is incorrigible.
DeleteIt's so sweet that you bring her alfalfa while she hides in the barn. I remember those bugs from my NE days- they can drive you batty! But I love your columbines, and I'm happy that you planted pole beans!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's been wet again since yesterday, so hopefully those beans will sprout soon! I hope they aren't the ONLY vegetables I can plant this year, but this weather - and the resulting "weed" bloom - is quite an obstacle! I'm pondering creating a waist-level bed with a cover for next year, but it would be a big (and costly) endeavor. Something to think about while the rain comes down ;)
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