Summer Reflections

It is a peaceful summer morning and I am sitting in a hammock listening to the birds and cicadas  sing.  The chorus of cicadas and the underbrush beginning to turn yellow always is a sure sign that we are nearing the end of summer.  The birds are beginning to group together, the goldenrod is blooming and my tomatoes are ripening all at once.  My poor Australian Shepherd, Cody, is scratching excessively from his seasonal allergies.  Fortunately, everyone else is pretty healthy and enjoying the wonderful mild temperatures we are having this August.  It does make you feel lazy.

The temperatures this summer have been reasonably mild making it feel like a more normal summer in the southeastern Pennsylvania.  It was a pleasure not to have the heat waves and droughts like past summers.  It appeared most of our garden flowers and wildflowers in our meadow bloomed longer providing us with much color and the birds, bees and butterflies with food.  I enjoy having the extra time to appreciate and marvel in the simplicity, but also intricacy of the natural world.  It inspires me to live a simpler life.

Here are a few of my most noted experiences on our farm this summer:

Barn swallow nest on light fixture.  We had several nests this summer.  Parents flying overhead  while I fed the goats and chickens.

Picked and froze blackberries

Broody Buff Orphington (right) nesting on eggs and the Brown Legborn decided to lay her egg in the same box.

Milkweed Tussock Moth or Milkweed Tiger Moth munching on a milkweed leaf

Monarch butterfly caterpillar on Swamp Milkweed!

Nellie relaxing one morning as I was mucking the stall.  She has the life.

Philadelphia Fleabane

Cody my string bean mooch outside of our vegetable garden.  He pulls the entire plant out so he isn't allowed in while I pick. 

A Tribute to our First Foster Dogs

Puppies!  Mark and I volunteer for Mid-Atlantic Jack Rescue http://www.majr.org.  I received a call 3 weeks ago requesting us to foster two, 10 week old Jack Russell Terrier puppies.  We picked up the puppies from their transport and started our first adventure into fostering.  The poor things were a under weight and a little sickly from parasites, but with a little TLC and better food they were looking so much happier in a few days. 

I have only had 2 dogs right from puppyhood.  Most have been 6 months to 2 years of age where I had to help them through their fears and all the training that goes with adopting a rescue.  These pups were so bold, smart and confident right from the beginning.  So it was very refreshing and exciting to see them flourish quickly without having to work on any behavioral issues.  They took to stairs instantly at such a young age without any reluctance or coaxing.  So cute to see these sweet, little 4 pound creatures leaping, grabbing and prancing about investigating and learning about the world around them.

It was fun to see their eyes open wide the first time they saw our cats and parrots.  It was definitely a WOW moment for them.  At first they were not sure of the goats and by the time they left they were play bowing and very curious about these big creatures.  Their innocence, curiosity and spirit were so refreshing and deeply touched Mark and I.

My adult dogs got along great with them.  I especially was surprised how well our Jack Russell, Baxter took on the foster brother role.  He was so good about the jumping, biting and pulling.  He began gently teaching them doggie body language so they learned how to appropriately interact with other dogs.   Anyone that knows Baxter would know that this was a jaw dropping moment for me!  He is an absolute maniac and has even been nicknamed the “White Devil” by one of Mark’s clients.  Yes, Baxter matured and reinforced in me that male dogs finally mature when they are around 5 years old.

Lacey, now named Sadie, left a week ago and is in a wonderful new home and gets along great with her new Jack Russell brother.  Casey now known as Clyde, left 2 days ago for a wonderful forever home and will become a Virginian gentleman with his sweet new Welsh Terrier sister teaching him how to treat the ladies well. 

I have to admit it was harder to see them leave than we expected, but knowing we helped two little puppies flourish by providing a little TLC on our farm so they could move into two loving homes was a blessing for us.

Life is a bit quieter now and getting back to normal.

Their first day with us.

Tiny Lacey

Taking Baxter for a walk.

Getting bigger

Hanging laundry wasn't easy around Casey

Casey the day before he left for his forever home.