by Pa Rock
Farmer in Summer
The sun is finally peeking through today after a long weekend of cool drizzle and showers, The rain was slow, drip-by-drip slow, but constant. Now the yard has lakes, but hope romps and splashes in the sunshine. August is rebounding!
The air-conditioning at the house went out of Friday night, and it took until yesterday to get someone here to check it. The repairman had to order a part out of Springfield, and it will hopefully be here and installed sometime tomorrow - just as things start getting warm again.
Everyone at Rock's Roost is tired on the constant wetness. The straw-covered ground in the peacockery is soaked and spongy, and the birds are anxious for the farmer to show up with some dry straw. They hope it will be today. The little cat who has headquartered in and around the chicken coop since his arrival at the farm two months ago has now decided that he is a barn feline. That's fine with the farmer because there are mice in both locations, but the peacocks are noticeably uncomfortable at having kitty so close. The cat eats much of what the big birds' feed on, and it seems to be particularly fond of the dog food that gets thrown to the peacocks as well as the bits of bread. The only time there is open conflict between the cat and the peacocks is when the fur ball bounces too close to "Peewee" the baby peacock - then Mama Peacock intercedes with realistic threats of violence.
The baby chickens and two baby ducks are nearly a month old now and ready to be turned out of their nursery enclosure. Any time the door to the nursery is opened - for feeding or watering - all of the little guys (and dolls) rush forward trying to burst through the open door. Occasionally one will make it past the flustered farmer and out onto the yard. Invariably when that happens, the free bird panics as he or she tries to figure out how to get back inside. It's beautiful today, so perhaps this is when the farmer will decide to forget to close the door to the chick nursery. Yard bugs beware!
It's been less than ten days since the last mowing cycle ended - number 10 for the season - but there are several areas of the yard already looking desperate for another good mow. The farmer dreads starting up the mowers, because once he does it becomes four days of hard work. A few leaves have already fallen, so fall is coming - and with the arrival of fall, the need to mow becomes less frequent.
Does anyone remember Gale Garnett's "We'll Sing in the Sunshine"? That's the farmer's song of the day. He's puckered and ready to whistle, but first he has baby chickens and ducks to free!
Farmer in Summer
The sun is finally peeking through today after a long weekend of cool drizzle and showers, The rain was slow, drip-by-drip slow, but constant. Now the yard has lakes, but hope romps and splashes in the sunshine. August is rebounding!
The air-conditioning at the house went out of Friday night, and it took until yesterday to get someone here to check it. The repairman had to order a part out of Springfield, and it will hopefully be here and installed sometime tomorrow - just as things start getting warm again.
Everyone at Rock's Roost is tired on the constant wetness. The straw-covered ground in the peacockery is soaked and spongy, and the birds are anxious for the farmer to show up with some dry straw. They hope it will be today. The little cat who has headquartered in and around the chicken coop since his arrival at the farm two months ago has now decided that he is a barn feline. That's fine with the farmer because there are mice in both locations, but the peacocks are noticeably uncomfortable at having kitty so close. The cat eats much of what the big birds' feed on, and it seems to be particularly fond of the dog food that gets thrown to the peacocks as well as the bits of bread. The only time there is open conflict between the cat and the peacocks is when the fur ball bounces too close to "Peewee" the baby peacock - then Mama Peacock intercedes with realistic threats of violence.
The baby chickens and two baby ducks are nearly a month old now and ready to be turned out of their nursery enclosure. Any time the door to the nursery is opened - for feeding or watering - all of the little guys (and dolls) rush forward trying to burst through the open door. Occasionally one will make it past the flustered farmer and out onto the yard. Invariably when that happens, the free bird panics as he or she tries to figure out how to get back inside. It's beautiful today, so perhaps this is when the farmer will decide to forget to close the door to the chick nursery. Yard bugs beware!
It's been less than ten days since the last mowing cycle ended - number 10 for the season - but there are several areas of the yard already looking desperate for another good mow. The farmer dreads starting up the mowers, because once he does it becomes four days of hard work. A few leaves have already fallen, so fall is coming - and with the arrival of fall, the need to mow becomes less frequent.
Does anyone remember Gale Garnett's "We'll Sing in the Sunshine"? That's the farmer's song of the day. He's puckered and ready to whistle, but first he has baby chickens and ducks to free!
1 comment:
"We sang in the sunshine
"You know, we laughed every da-a-aay"
"We sang in the sunshine"
"Then she went on her way"
Post a Comment