Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Bird House & Barn

... a Farm Report

Here's a moment at the start of our weekend project, when we added pavers to the goat yard.

Ada and Tasha wasted no time testing out the warmth and stability of the pad Geoff was laying out. This first pad was just to see what pattern he wanted to create, but right away we could see they were most appreciative.

Are you noticing the missing siding on the goat cottage? Right. I was going to repair that, wasn't I? Well, either I am lazy or ingenious, and let's be honest sometimes those two characteristics are closely tied! The goats love situating themselves in their cottage so they can peer out and keep everything in sight, while still being sheltered. So, what seemed like a problem is perhaps a solution. I propped their door shut, so they have three walls (I promise to make a prettier fix for this, soon) and otherwise the new opening in the cottage is simply a goat initiated design choice.

I am thankful for Tasha Tudor Goat.

I am thankful for the beard on her chin, the white hair that accentuates her smile, and the look of sheer bliss she gets when we brush her.

I am thankful for Ada Lovelace Goat. I am thankful for her kind face, her wooly coat, for how patiently she waits when Tahsa is hogging the brush.

No eggs! Any day now. But so far they don't know a nest box from a stump. Today I am going to post a notice for those hens, because while the calendar tells us that their egg laying days are nigh, they don't seem to have received the message!

In the goat's cottage... they appreciate the open floor plan, too.

Gee wiz, it looks like I interrupted a private meeting. Moments before, they were clucking in hushed, conspiratorial tones. Could they be organized?!

Here come the tools! Tasha and Ada love-love-love tools, and helping with projects. They always have!

The chickens... they love-love-love the goats's food. And the bunnies love the goat's food, and the chicken's food.

And the goats love ALL the food!

Thompson, Thomson, or Tamsyn.

I am thankful for my chickens. Chooks, chicas, hens, biddies, feathered ladies, dodoes. They make lovely sounds, and funny sounds. They are flighty, and boisterous, inquisitive, and curiously clever, yet wholly daft. It's charming.


I am thankful for this safe space for our animals, for the fall weather, for bales of alfalfa or Timothy hay, for the easy way the bunnies, goats, and chickens live together.

Geoff. I am thankful, everyday. Sigh. I'll thank him some more, later.

Our eight years & three-hundred and fifty-nine days old daughter.

Gratitude proclamations always make me feel a bit uneasy, because I worry about leaving someone out, or overstating one gratitude, while understating another. I gush and gush over goats and chickens, and what?! Nothing about my children, or peace on earth, or the polio vaccine?! Well, trust me I gotta a whole lotta thanks in me for everything good and wondrous, and blessed, and even silly and confounding. My cup runneth over, my heart bursts. All the feels. I cannot say enough, so sometimes I say nothing at all.

Not a word.

Just a smile across my face, and a willingness to go out into the cold, wet, dark, flashlight in hand, to catch a runaway rabbit and bring her home. Ahem.

Sometimes our gratitude, our affection, shows in what we do. Right, Inara?


Here are more Bird House & Barn moments...








Happy Thanksgiving!
We send warm wishes,
and our thanks to you for sharing these moments,
for connecting with us.

6 comments:

Sylvia said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
I'm thankful that you share your life with us!

judy in ky said...

This is so beautiful, your little farm and those lucky animals. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Anonymous said...

NICE photos of your farm animals.

Jennifer said...

The joy, the gratitude, shine through always; no words needed.

judy in ky said...

I just looked at your post again. You are raising your children to be animal lovers. What a wonderful legacy.

nikkipolani said...

I think you ARE giving thanks every time you post, Natalie. It's the marveling and enjoyment and loving portraits of everyday. Hope you had a lovely time celebrating together.

p.s., goats in chairs! who knew.