The day the birds stopped....

A week ago today, the birds stopped their singing... The tucu tucu's were still... There was a quietness about the farm, if only for a bit.

And it was sad.

This gentle giant, Ricky, passed away.

Feeling rich...

Female handler has this thing about clean windows, especially in the summer. I was sitting at my usual spot on the kitchen rug as she was maneuvering a stool around me to access the window above the sink. She wanted to bring in the new year with clean windows. She had one last window to attend to. I wasn't making it any easier for her... She says that looking out clean windows makes her feel like a million bucks (face it, she is a strange one...or "unique" as one family member might say).

This was her 7th clean window. She must feel like 7 million bucks. Ummm, I could use some more cans of sardines...

Now she can clearly see the geese on the front pond levee...through the kitchen window. She can also see them meander to the freshly cut flax field next door...

Almonds ready...

Say what?

No, really, some of the almonds are ready for harvest.

Checking the date...we are not at the end of January or well into February, but rather this is December 22, 2016, and some of the almonds are ready to be harvested.

Just say it. Go ahead ...say it....

Surreal.

Summer Solstice

14 hours, 24 minutes and 43 seconds of sun today.

My thought is ...best to stay indoors.

The main reason is because I was out prowling last night...and I'm tired.

Mochi, on the runway

Mochi is our semi-feral Billy goat. He's a big boy. Suffice to say, that's a big tire he's on (the pallet beside the tire is a standard size pallet). He seemed particularly keen on getting his picture taken and shifted into this pose...

Hard to say what he's thinking most of the time. Perhaps he fancies himself a model.

Cracks

The cracks in the orchard are wide, and really, who knows how deep.

Help me, something has my hand!!

Princess Bed

Nostra has a new bed next to the wood pile.

This is her attempt to not look so sheepish about it.