Another Tale

Pluviophile:
a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.


It's funny, the things you come to understand about yourself.
I have grown to love rainy days...
so I am adding this descriptor to my bio.


There is a certain peace here on the farm when the sky is grey,
and the rain plays its calming refrain.

Chores still get done, but less time is spent playing.


On rainy days we are content to watch the world from our shelter.


On my rounds around the farm yesterday,
I thought about how this is the wild season...
when all that was tamed over the summertime and neatly manicured


now gets a little wild and wooly!


The old log cabin changes with the seasons...
each season different and beautiful in its own right.


I so look forward, each autumn, 
to the pink popcorn that appears on this European Spindle Tree, (Euonymus Europaeus)
 in front of the old log cabin.


The duck pond is re-populated with last winter's mallards and their families.
It's nice to know that we provide a winter habitat with ample food and 
un-frozen water (thanks to the aerators that bubble in the middle of the pond.)


I so enjoyed all of your comments regarding yesterday's post.
It was a fun post to write and I am happy it was enjoyed.
I thank you for all of the book suggestions!

I remembered one more interesting tale that I learned last summer when we were in Africa...
about communication between trees.

Giraffes, being ruminants (they chew their cud), graze on grasses, leaves, and twigs.


Their favorite food is the foliage of the acacia tree.
A giraffe can consume 29 kilograms of acacia leaves in a single day.


In response (to this attack), the acacia tree sends tannins out into its leaves
giving the leaves a bitter taste.
Of course, the giraffe moves to the next tree.

The truly amazing thing is this:
The acacia tree communicates with the other trees around it
and those trees send tannins to their leaves as well...
making the entire area distasteful to the giraffe.
The giraffe will then have to travel about 100 yards away to get to 
edible leaves.

Trees are truly under-valued in this world of ours.
We cut them down in alarming numbers.
We clear them away to build our homes and businesses.
What do the trees do in return?
They just keep giving.
(If you have never read "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein...
I highly recommend it!)
Share it with all of the children in your life...


Happy Friday, friends.
Have a wonderful weekend.
We'll be back on Monday with more Tales from the Farm.
💖

Comments

daisy g said…
Another amazing fact about trees. I have to put myself in the category of rain lover as well. When drought hits, I find myself missing it so.

Enjoy your weekend.
Kathy said…
I just learned the word pluviophile last week while reading an article, and now this is the third time I have read something referring to it! The article was titled 7 Signs You're a Pluviophile and I definitely meet all the criteria!
littlemancat said…
Love rainy days and night too! They seem to bring a meditative, peaceful feeling - good for the writing muse.
And thanks for the book suggestion too. Also want to second the thumbs up for another reader's comment on "Braiding Sweetgrass." It's excellent - she's also written about mosses.
Love the wild look on your shed.
Mary
Jody in Georgia said…
Add me to the list of rainy day lovers! I also very much enjoy the antics of your runner ducks! They just crack me up! Your blog always follows my online devotionals and contributes so much to my day! Thank you!
This N That said…
I also am a fan of rain..All that's missing is a roaring fire to cozy up to...Interesting tree post...I become more of a tree hugger the older I get...Have a fun weekend..stay warm...