The Autumn Garden

Crocuses have been flowering at the base of the old oak tree by the drive but after just two weeks they've withered and disappeared back into the lawn. Meanwhile the red hollyhocks and roses still look lovely while everything else begins to look tired so that the entire garden resembles a large dried flower arrangement. To be proactive this morning I dug over two of the built up gardens in preparation for planting some winter veggies as well as cutting back the larger sage plants.


The grape vine on the front pergola is laden with fruit. I have encouraged visitors to pick themselves a couple of bunches before they leave while the thrushes have been picking single grapes from high up on the vine. Even the landlord hopped over the fence one morning to help himself to an armful. Whatever is left drops onto the concrete to be picked over by the chooks. There have been a few drunken hens staggering about the place while some others have developed mild cases of the runs.

With all the harvesting going on around the farm there are hundreds of birds feeding in the fields. Most of them roost in the oak tree and a thick layer of guano is forming a nice abstract painting on the driveway. Being severely outnumbered the cats just stare in awe at all the bird life. One negative aspect is a hawk that has decided to hang around in order to feed on the small birds. Unfortunately he took one of Gine's chicks on Tuesday so she is now down to six. He was is cheeky that he flies down into the backyard and scares the hell out of everyone including me. Fortunately this particular bird is too heavy for him to fly off with.

Sunrise, Moonrise

Gypsy wakes me at 3.30am most mornings by hopping over my head while I'm sleeping. A couple of nights ago she was so bad that I swore at her and put her off the bed only to hear a happy purring from the end of the bed where Peaches was taking great pleasure in seeing her sibling getting told off for once. Eventually I get up only I'm shivering as it is becoming quite chilly in the mornings now. When I open the back door the sun still hasn't risen but is usually just peeping over the eastern hills as I head outside to check on everyone. Within a few minutes the sun has put his hat on and it's all downhill from there.


Last week we had a rad orange moon but by the time I dashed inside to find the camera it had faded to a sickly cream but it was still pretty impressive. So much so that I had to resist the urge to strip off and do some naked tree dancing on the front lawn.

On a sad note- Amber, a cantankerous old golden bantam fell off her perch Wednesday morning. I was just getting over digging the grave in the afternoon when I found one of the white chicks dead with a broken neck. Of course it had to be a pullet as roosters are made of stainless steel and never die. I can look back now and realize that I must have made a fascinating sight sitting on the lawn giving a white chick mouth to beak resuscitation but when you're in shock you don't think straight do you.

Phoenix's Farewell, Goblin's Centrefold and Cat Vacuuming

A bit of a shock last Sunday when I went out to feed the rabbits and found Phoenix dead in his cage and blue around his mouth. He hadn't been under the weather although he had been a bit picky with his food. Phoenix had lived up to his name when as a young rabbit RHD went through the rabbitry killing his mother but leaving he and his brother alive. He was a pretty good sprayer like his Dad which is why he had to be placed in a cage some distance away from the other rabbits. Even so he occasionally got a runny eye from getting some of his own back. Every afternoon we had a ritual as he waited patiently for me to top up his drinking bottle with fresh water, standing up as I filled it before attacking it with relish.

Meantime his half brother Goblin has got into the new Ashford "Book of Hand Spinning" by Jo Reeve illustrating the section on angora. I received my complimentary copy this week. As a reward I put a young doe in his cage but unfortunately he decided to turn into a SNAR (Sensitive New Age Rabbit) who only wanted to cuddle and snuggle.


And Kit has returned to being a very sucky kitty after watching Mishka getting a quick vacuum. She jumped up on top of a chair and we were back in business, me sucking her tail up the metal hose and she biting it.

A friend told me recently that this is a madhouse. I wonder why?