A Perfect Morning

During the more temperate months, I spend Monday mornings by my self on the farm.   This is golf day for Jack.   Not wanting me to have too much work, he typically sneaks in a bit of morning chores the evening before.  I tell him he needn't do extra - I can handle it all.  And, certainly, I can.  It's actually not that much work. 

 Truth be told, it's my favorite kind of work - caring for my beloved animals and cleaning up poop.  I know that sounds strange... the poop part, but there is a satisfaction in cleaning - returning my surroundings to their pristine beauty. 

 

The dogs and I headed out in the gator.  Riding shotgun were Bobby (cat) and Forrest.  

First stops were the pond to feed both ducks and fish, then the pig yard to change Ginger and Faith's water.  After that, the barn - where fly masks are donned and everyone is turned out for a little grazing time.  Opening the gate to the front pasture is always a little dicey.  Ginger, of course, is there demanding her breakfast, 

while the equines try to get out to the pasture without stepping on her.  Truth be told, she freaks them out just a little!

After morning chores were finished, I headed home to fix a cup of tea and a piece of homemade bread, toasted with peanut butter and homemade bramble berry jam.  This light breakfast I then packed in the gator and headed out to my she-shed, Maven Haven, with the dogs in tow.

(I am thinking that perhaps next spring I will re-paint my little cottage and change the color... any suggestions?)

After months and months of heat, the morning was cool enough to allow me to build a fire in the stove.

Then, I sat and enjoyed my breakfast in the company of my bestest four-legged friends.  Annie

 and Chester love spending time in the shed with me. 

Forrest, tried, but couldn't understand the allure of a warm fire and a soft rug.

"Boring!" he muttered as he headed out to investigate the area.

There in the peace of the morning, I was able to complete my morning NYT word games (Wordle and Connections) as well as the WP game, Keyword.  Each morning, a few friends and family share their scores - a little friendly competition to bridge the miles between us.  We're in the second year of this daily exchange.  It's something I look forward to each morning.  After exercising my brain cells, I settled in for a little knitting as I finished my cup of tea.

Most of summer's blooms have now faded from the cottage garden in front of my tiny getaway.

Summer's color replaced by a couple of fairy toadstools.

Next on the list, before bringing the horses back in from the pasture for their pellet breakfast...

 was the task of cleaning our outhouse with its composting toilet.  Of all the extras we added to the farm, this was the most ingenious.


Having a bathroom at the barn is next to essential, because our barn is a quarter mile from the house. There are times when it's just easier to not have to return home.  A secondary benefit of having a composting toilet is the fact that no water is needed.

Unlike an old fashioned outhouse with it's smelly pit beneath, this outhouse has a muck bucket, filled with pine shavings housed beneath the seat to catch any deposits - which are then covered by another scoop of pine shavings.  There is absolutely no smell to this system.  The bucket compartment has a ventilation tube through the roof of the tiny building.

 I believe that even without this ventilation, there would still be no smell.  The pine shavings seem to take care of this.  The contents of this bucket are eventually composted along with our animal manure, plant matter, and food scraps (uneaten by the chickens)... harmful microbes killed by the heat of the compost pile, and nutrients eventually returned to the earth... perfect recycling.

Comments

jaz@octoberfarm said…
your mornings sound blissful! we have 3 more days of summer heat and then fall might just settle in. i can't wait.
Jody in GA said…
I look forward to your blog as it is always a great way to start my day. As I sit here at my desk, I have a big light blond cat sprawled across it already back to sleep. As usual, thanks for sharing!
Marcia LaRue said…
For part of my childhood, we had a stinky ole outhouse and used a pot to pee in at night and then had to take out to the outhouse to empty the next day! It was a blessing when we finally got an indoor bathroom!
My suggestion for your she-shed: keep the green door and white trim, but the rest a robins egg blue!
Forrest has to be worn out in order for him to enjoy the comfort of the She-shed! He's still such a puppy!
THE BEARDEDD ONE said…
WHEN I LEFT HOME FOR THE ARMY...WE WERE STILL USING AN OUTSIDE TOILET...WHEN I RETURNED FROM BASIC TRAINGING DADDY HAD PUT IN A BATHROOM IN THE HOUSE...I WAS THE HOLE DIGGER FOR THE OUTHOUSE...GOTTA GO TO THE DENIST...HAVE A SUPER DAY !!!!!!!
This N That said…
Sounds like a perfect morning..
I love the gray color of your buildings or did you want something different for your she-shed? ?? DARK rust/ginger?? Barn red I Like the grey..
Enjoy this lovely weather!! Hugs

Judy G said…
How about bumble bee colors for the shed—black and yellow.

How do you not lose all your cats to predators, etc? We have lost 6 cats in the past year. It breaks my heart because I really love them all. I don’t even know what’s getting them. And we HAVE to have cats to keep the rodent population down.
Bee Haven Bev said…
We’ve never lost a cat to a predator. I think coyotes are the only predator that might go after the cats, but we’ve never had them anywhere near our barn… perhaps because of the donkeys and large animals?
I’m still waiting for it to cool down. It’s still too hot in the Poulailler (she shed) to make a fire. I’m like you I love fall. ❤️❤️

Lisa
Leora said…
I think the Maven haven would look lovely in a bright color-coral, or a bright purple!
Lynne said…
I enjoy beginning my day with WORDLE .. .
My group is five and those in my group
are in other groups as well.
No hints in my group!

Like the thoughts of your beginning days . . .
(Good idea to have that composting toilet
handy near the barn.
Fast run might not make it to the house.)

Cooler temps arriving here in Western Michigan
With rain as well. We have been mostly rainless this summer.
We need some moisture.

Not sure about color, please not pink though.
I will vote my favorite . . .deep fresh forest green, white trim.