Pino's having a lavender sale!

Hurry on over...oh wait, Pino would not advocate hurrying. Take your time and go donkey style over to Pino's place and buy some lavender bud or bundles - up to 50% off. It's time to make room for this year's harvest.

The terrified sunflower and the industrious goat

"You're not allowed to eat anything in this enclosed perimeter," one said.
"Who says?" he asked.

"It's a fact. It's the way it is here," the newly forming sunflower replied.

"No one told me. And they eat the lettuce," the goat said.

There was a collective "sigh" heard from the lettuce bed.

Nap of a king

To nap is never a waste of time, nor is it ever a waste of my time to observe the king of cats napping. What is it about his delectable white sock that makes me want to touch it and say smooshy words in his ear?

Head troll

Very few know the secret password to get past Frankie. To make matters more difficult, she changes the password weekly just because she can.

Read more posts about Franklinia, aka Frankie.

Chickweed's great adventure

"Will there be girls?" he asked.

"Yes, lots of them," I said.

"There's lots of girls here but I never seem to get as many as I feel I need," he sad rather sadly.

Chickweed is very polite. Born into our first lambing season, his mother was our beloved Rosie and his father the infamous Joe Pye Weed. He was red, which always gets extra points in my heart.

"That's why you are going on this adventure, Chick, you're going to have your own girls," I told him.

He seemed to perk up. "No sharing with T or the new guy?" he asked.

"No, you can have sex in the fall and relax winter, spring and summer," I said.

And so we said farewell to Chickweed today. He is off to live at another small farm with a very kind couple with a small flock. It always helps to like the people who haul one of your first borns off. I learned after our first lambing season to distance myself from the lamb rams, but one always has soft spots, I mean I am human and Chickweed and I are both redheads. He witnessed my early shepherd abilities and probably was thankful to just be alive, and he let me learn how to do all those lambie things one has to do, all on the fly. He trusted me to doctor up his ear and never complained once. He never rammed me - now that's a compliment.

So this breeding season, I'll be thinking of him with his gentle expression as he is introduced to his own group of ladies. I know he will be a complete gentleman.

Part of small farming is moving with the shifts that are necessary to keep the farm healthy and vibrant and that means saying good bye to animals, especially rams. I'm so pleased he is going to live in a good place to get a day in the sun, as the man. Remember, Chickweed, say "please" and "thank you".

Smiling pig

She speaks. I shan't mention what she said, it was directed to me personally.

Rosie is fitting in very well, surprisingly well. She awakens and eats breakfast, privately, so there is no need for her to rush. Then she attends to bathroom duties outside in her natural Rosie Ladies Room in the lower barnyard. She returns to her stall to receive her morning oil massage and eye clean up. Then she snorts around with Stevie in the pumpkin patch - note, we won't have a very good pumpkin harvest this year. She naps precisely on the quarter hour, every hour. And one thing I know for sure even after only 4 days....you do not want to wake Rosie up from a nap.

If Rosie looks a bit hairless to you, she is in her shedded out stage. I am new to pigs too so had to ask. She needs to have oil massages to help her dry skin, which can also burn so I'll be headed out for more sunscreen today.

I am raising some money to send to Sanctuary One with different gift levels. Feel free to contact me if you prefer to send a check.

Gift Levels

$20 No Gift $20.00 $50 Mini Book $50.00 $50 Lavender $50.00 $100 Book or Lavender $100.00 $100 No Gift $100.00

How to meet a rooster

"Chicken Jack," said the rooster as he barely stopped in front of the new arrival.

"My name is Stevie, I'm from the South. Have you been here long?" the polite goat asked.

Fishing trip for a pig

"I'm going to take you fishing," I told the Dirt Farmer.

His expression showed delight, as he hadn't had time to fish since fall. He had worked tirelessly on so many projects all winter and spring, then went right into Pie Day prep followed by field work.

"I have a little Inn all picked out and it will be my treat, " I continued.

More delight danced int he Dirt Farmer's eyes.

"We'll fish some Saturday, and all day Sunday if you want...and then Monday we'll pick up the pig," I went on.

"The pig?" he asked.

The mysterious...thing

"Prehistoric?" asked Honey Boy.

"No, more likely from the swamp," stated Wilbur.

"Ithe liketh the thail," Granny lisped.

Stay tuned....

Old goat nappin'

Going to spend the weekend old goat style, snoozin'. See you all next week, if I wake up.

Good bye, Sweet Jane

I knew she wasn't well about two days ago. I saw her standing in the coop that morning, somewhat listless. I held her for awhile and asked her if she was going to die.

Visit of the Higglebottoms

Grandmere Chat discovers two very small visitors underneath her porch one morning.

A very short story: Long ago but now

They lived together long ago, the three of them. It was in the North, way North where there wasn't land, just sky or what we call sky today.

The chicken never left her arms and she chose not to lay eggs.

They spent generations together in the North sitting on leaves, only needing the nourishment of the air. But wind blew them South over the years, encouraging the leaves to grow roots and the water appealed to the woman, chicken and donkey.

Now the chicken lays eggs. The donkey is still blue under certain atmospheric conditions, a detail the woman never fails to notice.

Sunset of ears

As the sun sets, her ears recline, softening, knowing she is safe, fed and amongst friends. It's what we can all hope for at the end of any given day.

Accepting eyes

My animals know my heart. They know the nuances of my voice and movements. At the end of a hard day, I only need look into their eyes to see their compassion. But there is a reflection in those eyes, and it is me. I stand before them worthy of receiving as well as giving.

A garden and tails fourth

Freedom is a precious thing. We'll be here enjoying our farm and each other, free to love, share thoughts and opinions, gaze at the gardens and eat food from our land.

Huck, Muddy and BW were gracious enough to assist in this little photo session for your enjoyment - The One Eyed Pug was napping inside, as were Big Tony and Itty Bitty Etta. BW never turns down an opportunity to pose though.

Mind of Mud

"Calm. Calm myself. My tail is resting so I must rest with it for only a second, a second, to calm myself, for this one second, one second."

Podcast of Katherine shining on about Pino

I had a wonderful chat with Rice Freeman-Zachery this week on her Podcast series with artists. We talked a lot about Pino Pie Day and how it all came about and how little Pino is my muse.It was a fun conversation for me and when I listened to it later I had a 'pinch me' moment. I do have to practice not saying "You know" so much!