The Circle of Life

Have you ever noticed how the world smells fresh and new after a day of rain?
Everything looked so clean and green yesterday after Sunday's 2 ¾ inches.


The sun came out giving the garden the growing boost that it needed.
With no watering chores to tend to,
I donned my bug net hat (effective, but not very fashionable or flattering, however)...


and set out to prune some grapevines and weed the coneflower box...


which has just begun to bloom...


Hidden deep between two echinacea, I found these...


guinea eggs.

We have found that our guineas have not been very good at sitting on their eggs.
It seems they lay them and forget them.
(When I find a clutch like this I discard them.)

To me, gardening is a chance to have daily surprises,
like this foxglove (digitalis) that has just bloomed.


I planted several inside a metal cage.
The cage is decorative, but also serves to keep this poisonous flower
out of the reach of little hands.


I harvested a quart of sugar peas and a quart of strawberries from the vegetable garden yesterday...


as well as fresh parsley for last night's paella.


As you can see... the broccoli is just about ready for harvesting as well.


I will be absent from the produce aisle at the grocery store for the next several months.
I love being able to eat from the garden each day.
Our daily salads are now eaten with greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, and chard) from the garden...
as well as homegrown radishes, onions, sugar peas, broccoli and asparagus, chopped, on the greens.

After using the last of my homegrown saffron in last night's dinner,


I ordered 60 new saffron crocus bulbs.
(my old bulbs were lost when we rebuilt the garden last year)
Saffron is so darned expensive, and I have had good luck growing it in the past...
so I am giving it another try.
It will be planted in August and will bloom in late September.

Yesterday, Dr. Becky and I had a discussion about Jill.


She is our oldest fainting goat at 18 years of age.
She's getting thinner and thinner... so it's obvious that he health is declining.
She's the sweetest old goat and as leader of the herd, will be a big loss.
For now, we will be thankful for her presence in our life... aware that it is temporary.


The eventual loss of each of our animals is not something that I can dwell upon.
Each passing will be sad, that's for sure.
I chose to hold on to the fact that having these lives to care for has been a privilege...
one that has brought us all so much pleasure.
Despite the pain of losing them, there is satisfaction in knowing that 
we have given our animals an exceptionally good life.

I am also aware of the fact that most likely, my donkeys will out-live me.
That is, unless I am still around at 105!

Comments

Dee J. Hartman said…
Bev, have you priced saffron in the stores? ...$169 an ounce
Lynne said…
No doubt about it . . . you have given each of your animals “the best” life!
jaz@octoberfarm said…
oh poor jill! but what a life she has had. i planted those crocuses and i think the squirrels ate the bulbs.
Growing and harvesting your own saffron -- very cool!
Wow, that's a sobering thought isn't it? That some of the animals in our care might outlive us? I often worry about what would happen to all of our critters should something happen to us....

Jill has had a wonderful life - thanks to you.
Bee Haven Bev said…
Wow!! Then I am even more glad to be planting 60 new bulbs....for a fraction of the cost.
Bee Haven Bev said…
Yes...that thought crosses my mind as well. I love my animals as if they were my children...and would hate to leave them not knowing their eventual fate.
farm buddy said…
Hello,
Your pigs or dogs would love those guinea eggs! That is what I do when I find surprise nests of eggs. Just crack them open outside in case they are really rotten, but I bet they are fine.
This N That said…
Jill is an old lady indeed..hope she is comfortable...You'll know when it's time..She has had the best life possible..I, like you, worry about my pets outliving me...but I just can't imaging life without a pet..Eggs should come with "date laid" on them!!
An American in Tokyo said…
I'll bet you will live to 105 easily with all the great veggies and things you are growing yourself! Much healthier than the grocery store! =D