A day in the life of …

Sunday, July 15, 2012

 

It has been some hot this month. Not as hot as Ontario, but pretty darn hot by Cape Breton standards. After Saturday’s brief and less than effective “rain day”, the sun and the accompanying heat have returned today in full force.

We have lots of (major) outside work to do but since we’d spent Thursday and Friday making hay (around Dave’s crazy work schedule) and because neither of us ever really have a day off we thought we would try to enjoy the day while getting some of the smaller jobs done.

While Dave was catching up on his sleep I went out and did the morning chores. When he woke we began the day with our traditional Sunday morning breakfast of homemade waffles and “camping coffee” prepared by Dave and served on the deck. After breakfast we reluctantly left the peace and tranquility of the deck and moved on to our “to do” list. It was hot, so we didn’t feel like moving very fast.

So, after our relaxing breakfast this is how our day unfolded:

• Set up the new bistro set on the deck. Remove a few more “glass” panels to let more breezes through (where is the screw driver?) Fix the closures on the deck door (different screws = different screwdriver … where is the screwdriver?)

• Bring the mares in for the day. Those bitey bugs are just hateful so the girls are anxious to come in.

• Of course, I can only bring them in one at a time so watch Beauty almost run the gate as she is so desperate to get away from the bitey nasties (Lady got to go to the barn first.)

• Laugh at the role reversal of me in the barn and Dave hanging his laundry on the line.

• Relocate the five young roosters (born in April) from the “nursery” to the garden where they will hopefully do some much needed weeding.

• Move the mother hens and their babies from the hayloft into the nursery with the remaining four young hens (born in April) and the two stray hens.

• Open a “window” in the barn to allow for more air circulation. Missed the photo op of Dave using the wheelbarrow as a step ladder.

• Sharpen blades on lawnmower and finish cutting the lawn (did you ever get that done Dave?)

• Stop everything and hunt down a missing dog … aka Jack.

• Use the super powerful weed whacker to clean up along brook and other areas of overgrowth.  (Note to self – goggles were a good idea but next time wear long pants.)

• Stop your task and repeatedly help Terri start and/or fix the super powerful weed whacker (which is why it took so long to sharpen the lawnmower blades and not get the grass cut).

• Take ride up hill to check on the wild blueberries. (Don’t forget the cold, refreshing beverage to enjoy on our “break”.)

• Detour over to the neighbours to remove the present Arctic left for them the day before.

• Now go up the hill.

• While checking on the blueberries take updated pictures of the farm from hill (camera? Check!)

• Forgot about lunch so had an early supper before evening chores. It really wasn’t early once we looked at the clock.

• Stop to watch a duck have a bath in the water trough.

• Evening chores … oh look, a sunset!

• Run back up hill to get a sunset shot for the website main page – go fast though, the mosquitoes are hateful!

• Okay, now to the chores. Oh wait, there is a rooster loose. Better chase him back into the garden.

• Unload eight bags of chicken feed, one huge bag of llama feed, three bags of alfalfa – this job was postponed until after supper when would be cooler. We’re not sure which would have been worse – the heat or the full tummy.

• Oh look, it’s nearly dark. Head out to pasture to bring girls into paddock for the night.

• It’s dark. What time is it? Now, can we sit down?

The day was a bit more eventful than we had hoped, but then, one never knows what the day will bring around here!

Oh, did I mention my “farmer’s tan”? It’s between the top of my rubber boots and the cuff of my shorts. Yeppers, I’m a Glam Girl!

 

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