May 6, 2024

Spring is a season of newness! The mountain burst forth into greenness this week; a bright new green. We see it mistily, for we have had two days rain this weekend; a slow cold farmer’s rain that falls so softly on the ground there is no chance of runoff. It all soaks right in.

Spring is a season of nesting! The pair of eastern bluebirds who have made their home on the farm for years have returned and built a nest. Baby bluebirds will be seen later by every indication.

Mama cat also felt the nest-building urge. She would have preferred making a nest in the farmhouse, and darted through the door every chance she had. Often coming in unnoticed, she strolled through the house at her leisure, picking out likely spots for nests as curling herself up in them, like a rock that would not be moved.

Underneath beds seemed a good choice to Mama cat. She liked them because they seemed dark and secluded, just the best place for raising kittens. When she discovered the handkerchief box where the farmer keeps his large cotton handkerchiefs… ah, this was the best place yet! Set in a closet, this would be safe and dark, yet soft and cozy for the kittens. Denied this nest as well, Mama cat decided the storage area of an outbuilding (which boasted a couch awaiting its new home) would do as well.

The couch was covered by a dustsheet, and also by sections of cardboard box put there especially to deter Mama cat and keep her from sleeping on it. She slept there anyway, snuggling under the cardboard with her friends. The cardboard just made it safer and darker. It wasn’t as nice as a handkerchief box, but it would do!

Mama cat and her three little kittens now have a new home: a nice large cardboard box padded with old blankets and set in a corner. Mama cat has accepted the move well, only occasionally going over to check the couch. Are those boxes of jars actually still set on it? If not, someone is getting a new home!

Spring is the season for fence-jumping! The Morgan mares and colts were moved to another pasture as the one they were on was grazed down. Morning light saw the two yearlings in the old pasture and the dividing fence lying on the ground. Methinks it went this way:

“Can’t catch me!” said Twelve-Grand to Porker.

“Can so too!” said Porker, and the race was on.

Oh, what a glorious race it was! Faster and faster went Twelve-Grand, faster and faster went Porker. Suddenly the fence was right in front of Twelve-Grand… and she was running too fast to stop! Bam! Right through the fence she went with Porker hard on her heels. The fence, of course, tore.

“Should we go through again?” asked Porker, eyeing the pasture they should be occupying.

“Not a chance!” said Twelve-Grand and pranced away, head in the air and tail cocked just so….