Mowing Season Begins

Although it started out cloudy and cool,
yesterday turned into an absolutely beautiful sunny day.
We have had such a lovely spring thus far...
occasional rain showers and lots of sun.
Everything is blossoming, and leaves are popping out more and more each day.


The pastures are green and lush right now... and in need of a mowing...
(which, by the end of yesterday afternoon was accomplished...
"Thank you, Anna" - who helps us with the enormous amount of mowing here.)
The horses are enjoying their daily time in these rich fields,
and don't seem to mind the required grazing muzzles.


Every day, when the horses and donkeys return to their dry lots,
I open the gate between them.
Every day it's the same routine:
The donkeys hang out in the horses' lot...


and the horses all try to crowd into the donkey shelter!
(They have three large stalls and shelters in their own lot...
but they always prefer somebody else's digs!)


We have lived on the farm for ten years now...
I know, it's hard to believe!
When we started, there was a barn and a ramshackle front pasture fence.
The fence was torn down and replaced, and over the next few years more fencing was added.
We added four more pastures and several animal yards as well.
And still, ten years later we make improvements that help us to be more efficient.


Hubbs added a new gate to the front pasture yesterday.
Now, we don't need to drive the gator the whole way down to the lower gate
by the old log cabin to clean the pasture.
This new gate will make pasture cleaning and mowing much easier.
It's a smaller gate and easier to zip through without any animals escaping.


Although, watching Moonbeam eye the gate reminds me that 
he will always be checking to see if it is locked.
After all, it will be quite a convenient escape route for him as well!


I swear this fellow does a perimeter check on all of the gates whenever he enters
a pasture.
You see... it's a well known fact that no matter where one is... the grass is always greener on the 
other side of the fence!

I spent yesterday afternoon weeding around trees, rose bushes, the grape arbor,
my perennial garden and the swing.


While I was looking up at the wisteria vine, that wind's itself all over the swing,
I noticed a birds nest tucked in the corner, surrounded by vines.


I climbed up and stood on the swing
(yes, I told myself that this might be one of the dumbest things that I have done in a while)
and held tight to the swing's wooden frame as I pointed my camera
down into the nest to take a look.


It looks as though this bird is just getting started laying eggs.
She was no where to be seen at that moment.

Back to weeding, I enjoyed visits from Moll, one of the barn cats...


who came to have her belly rubbed...


She's never subtle about what she wants.


Of course, Tom and Fred stopped by for a visit as well.


Next Monday, these two will be getting shorn for the summer season.
Last year I donated their fleeces to the 4H for the kids to learn to spin wool.
I will probably do the same this year.
Their wool is really only good for rugs... 
of which I have a few that I made from past years' fleeces.


Yesterday when I posted our bear photos,
I forgot to post this one.

Interestingly, while the bear was on our porch, he took a little nap.

This is one of the reasons I believe it is the same bear as last year.
Last year, this fellow took a little nap out in our front lawn.
PS.... thanks for the "bear bangers" suggestion in yesterday's comments.

Comments

That Moonbeam is a rascal. Your place is just beautiful. When my folks retired, they had 5 acres at the edge of town with gardens, pasture, chicken house, fruit trees, woodshed, and grape arbors. In one of the arbors, a robin built a nest and she would come back every year. Dad didn't have the heart to tear it out. Your pictures reminded me of all of that. Thanks.
That's quite the tummy, Moll!
This N That said…
This is the best Spring we have had in a long time..So you've added a Bear to the menagerie?? With temps being in the 80's today, I'm sure the sheep will be happy to give up that wool even if it is a one day thing , it won't be long when it will be a regular occurrence...Looks like that could be a robins nest..The egg looks a little large but that may be the photography..Ten years..WOW!! You have done so much in those ten years..so many stories to tell..
Anonymous said…
You may already know this, but mama Robin will lay an egg every day or so until she gets her full clutch. Once the clutch complete then she will start setting.
Nichole said…
Beautiful animals! Beautiful green pastures too. Everything was green here too but now it's starting to turn brown already. The trees are all leafed out and now everyone is counting down with dread to the hot days.
jaz@octoberfarm said…
so, the dogs didn't go crazy when the bear was on the porch your place looks amazing. i haven't even started outside yet. i've had painters here every day and on monday willie gets his eye operated on so we won't be doing much other than watching him until it heals. a very slow start to spring around here!
Denny144 said…
Did you notice that an escort service posted to your comments yesterday? Don’t know if you can block them or not.