The Guardian

Jesse, in true Great Pyrenees Guardian fashion, choses a high spot overseeing the property.

Having been trained by Pyrs, he does his guardian work well. I never tell him that he's really a Samoyed; but after all, they are guardians as well, when they choose to be serious. And Jesse hasn't lost his Samoyed roots - he acts the clown and makes me laugh at least once every day, keeping me rooted in the joy of life.

Autumn Leaves

The big leave maples happily share their lovely leaves with the evergreens.

And the lane.

Liquid Sunset

The Old Man

Wherever Charlie settles, he gets joined by others. This is the first time I've seen the Peacock choose to sun next to him, though.

The cats, on the other hand, are often found attached to the big white boy.

Magical Horses

Magic, my lovely Spotted Draft mare, gave me a lecture last night on the Care and Feeding of Magical Horses. It started when she saw me stacking alfalfa bales next to the grain bins. She called me over to the gate, and told me about how cold clear nights are, how damp it is out, and how much big, magical horses need more alfalfa in their diets. Grain is good too. Grass hay just doesn't cut it.

So she got a large flake of alfalfa. The other horses got some too. She's a bit happier now, but I'm waiting for the next list of demands.

Slow Feeding

I'm loving my new slow feeding nets. Here's Molly, showing her adeptness at eating through one.

Random Beauty

Fungi

There are some upsides to lots of moisture - there is an explosion of fungi!

The Watcher

My lovely Zander, watching everything going on. It's a good thing there's wire there to rest his head on. That big head is pretty hard to hold up on it's own.

Charlie and Friends

Not everyone is enjoying the water.

While I was looking out at yet more rain thinking more gloomy thoughts, I caught an unexpected movement. My determined hen has hatched out one of the many eggs she's been sitting on.

Looking out on the big new world!

Why I Love Geese

It's pouring rain. I'm sitting in the living room looking out the window, thinking gloomy thoughts about rain and mud. What is the point of all this rain, how can this be a good thing?

Then my geese walk by, and one of them drops her head and chest down into the mud, bathing in a puddle. There is never too much water when you are a goose.

The Joys of Hay

I saw my first Alligator Lizard this spring. Until then I hadn't realized we had a native lizard. Now I am seeing them all the time. Like the snakes they love my hay stacks, especially the one in a canvas carport. This little guy is waiting to see if I'll just go away and leave him alone.

Beacon in the Woods

As I walked by I caught a glimpse of something very bright in the woods.

Closer examination revealed the remains of a huge tree, now providing sustenance for several new plants.

The orange beauty has been nibbled on by something, and looks like it is losing it's grip on the stump. I hope it survives through the winter, adding light and beauty to this patch of woods.