A beautiful early morning. It isn’t often I manage to rise with the sun in summer, but this time I was close. On my way to the cows, the sun greeted me in such a splendour that it struck me with awe.
Early morning
Category: Farmlife
Just a visit to the cows
I went out to check on the cows. I found them in their favourite place, a hill where the wind could blow more freely. I wonder if they also like the view. I go there for both the view and for the peaceful atmosphere. Small and bigger woods are followed by fields in a pittoresque pattern which makes it special.
Country roads
One of the best aspects of summer is to be able to go by bike, to run or to walk to the different pastures where our cows are grazing.
I often go partly through the forest and partly by road. It is lovely to follow the road and watch the butterflies in the flowers.
On one occasion a butterfly decided to rest on my hand, a beautiful moment.
Picnic
Isn’t it one of the most loveliest things to do, to go out on a picnic in the green, under the trees, among the flowers, listening to the birds?
To just pic a basket, pack some cinnamon buns, prepare some lemonade and be on your way.
A privilege of spring and summer…
Noticing the beauty in the small things from busy ants, to tree roots covered with wood anemones, the rustle of the dead leaves, the peculiar call of the woodpecker, the trees solemnity. Individually and as a whole, they render the gift of awe.
I just passed the lake..
On my way to catch the horses which had found a much better field to graze in than their winter paddock, I passed the lake. Just a simple moment of beauty, the little house, the sky and the relection of the bushes and the clouds on the surface. A lack of time to contemplate, simply to receive, be grateful and to continue… Farmlife.
Garden time
Spring is here and with it gardening. My favourite time. Toby enjoys it in his manner, eating a bone. I enjoy my time with the first sowing in the cold frame. Sallad and celery are the first crops. Next in time are carrots, parsnip, and dill. But that will be in the field.
A walk across the pasture
I walked across the pasture and found the young animals on the hill where a young boy once had a dream of building his own house. A dream unfulfilled. A field still with grass and flowers, witnessing of solitude.
A little paradise
Perhaps it is a too strong word, paradise… However there are moments when beauty reveals itself a little more than usual, the response is awe and joy. I was late with work and took the opportunity to give the cows water during the evening. Standing there while the drinking troughs were filling up, I witnessed the evening play of the lambs. I love to see them play. The sun was setting and shone with a warm yellow light on the hill while the lambs, quite unaware of the light, had found a stone of interest to climb up and jump off from. The restfulness of the windless evening the light green colour of the newly sprung leaves and the evening light, created a sense of paradise; beauty, peace, joy, and of course goodness.
Spring is close
Nature is shifting its appearance, winter is in the process to change into spring. Late winter and early spring are both present: The snow is still here and the nights are cold, but the sun warms the ground during the day, softening the ground and melting the snow, making it slowly give way to earth and dead straw.
This evening gave perhaps the most beautiful sign of spring. I was out walking with Toby, and as we were almost home I heard the blackbird a little hesitantly, in the forest. We stopped and listened, rejoicing in the beautiful song.
Yesterday he came much closer and there was no hesitation in his voice. I was out removing old fence net in the corner of a big field some hundred metres from the farm. The fence streched along the forest edge of the pine forest on the other side of the ditch. As I stood there with the sun shining on my left side, he began to sing in a tree very close to me. His song echoed in the forest and together with the sunshine, epitomized the reasons why I have chosen this life.
Lambing season is here
I have always mixed feelings when lambing season starts. I really love this period of small lambs bouncing of life. I love to just sit there watching them discover stones and tussocks or just running around. However there are so much that can go wrong during lambing. Last year was a difficult year with many still borne lambs. I always bury them, for me it is the least I can do for that little animal which never got the chance to live out in the grass. So it is both joy mixed with sadness.
This year however has been a blessed year with just one still borne lamb out of 14 lambs. So now the pasture is full of black and white little happy lambs and despite the risk of sadness I would not like to change this time for anything.
Wonderer of Nature 