TKG Sustainable Sunday Newsletter - Distractable.

Living with inclement internet isolates a person. I find myself working here and there over the property, unfocused, checking often to see if I am online and can write yet.

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And yes, am working without internet again. Sigh. All on data. Data is not free.

Rural living!

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The Moth this Morning.

The moth was trapped between the screen door and the heavy outside glass door. In the dining area just off the kitchen. It was early morning. The scent of dawn approaching. I had awoken to the clattering of wings. I could hear it through the open windows across the porch, the sound clattering in through my studio windows. I leapt up to search. I thought it was a bird. But no. A big moth. Big as my hand. The moth must have been flirting with the dark shadows in the garden, maybe seeking nectar, pollinating flowers in the night meadows, before being distracted by a light inside the house. It had slipped through the gap between the pane and the screen.

And was trapped.

Seeking moons and stars it saw a forgotten desk light through the open door. Hit the screen. Then turned and tried the other door which was closed with that screen behind it.

The only light in the night should have been fireflies. This piece of land is usually a dark corridor for moths and natural sleeping. All lights should be off. Moths and night birds have enough trouble navigating through endless windmills and towns of light. I loathe those huge search lights attached to dawn buildings. Give me dark. Freedom in the dark.

Behind the screen its panic rise, frantic, luminous, wings battering inside the trap. It had wings as big as a robin’s, with vast eyes flapping in horror on its back. Its wings were too wide for the gap between glass and screen. It would damage itself.

I have a horror of cages and capture. I cannot bear to lock doors, close curtains, or be in small dark spaces. I felt its terror like my own. I didn’t wait to watch it, or take a photograph, or examine it for identification. I rushed across the room half in and half out of my T Shirt, my bare feet flying, soundless, I reached through and pushed the outside door open, away from the screen, opening to the cool dawn air, and immediately the battering ceased.

The huge moth wooshed out into the gathering light. Soaring up.

In a flash, its terror leaving no trail in the morning air, it banked and dived into the dark under the porch.

The dusty winged vampire.

Folding back down into the shades of dark.

Gone.

I put on the kettle, stepped into my boots and left the same way. Out into the dawn.

Today we will have the rundown on the farm - but I will hold the other good stuff until next week when hopefully the internet returns and I can use my keyboard.

A Farmy Round-Up

Dogs and Cats

Boo spent last night under the bed again. Because. You know. Fireworks. (yes I know this is a picture of the gingers - Boo is a dog!).

Rescue Pigs (this heading should really be Pet Pigs)

Or Pet Monster Hogs.

FreeBee really is dear though. He just loves mud.

All pet pigs are doing well as the weather cools downs. We are back in the 70’s - lows in the 50’s - perfect pig weather.

Calves and Cows

The cows and one little white calf are in the fields.

The two black calves are still in the dim barn recovering slowly from pink eye. Recovering, though one is not seeing too well yet. The world is cloudy for him. I know the feeling.

Chicks

The new flock of layers are much better behaved now that the turkeys have gone to live in their own house.

They are such a collection of different colours and sizes. And personalities. It is fascinating raising a mixed mob.

Ducklings

Enjoying their freedom the ducklings still manage to stay within sight of the barn.

Which means they spend quite a bit of time hanging about the house. They are alarmingly sweet. Have not found the pond yet thank goodness as we still do not have wings, but they go to bed when they are bid.

Turkeys

And yes. As mentioned above the turkey poults have been located into their next house in the pig garden. They will be locked in until they are big enough to roam.

I shifted them this morning because every time I go out to check, at least two of them had flown out of the enclosure they shared with the chicks. And we’re roaming off already. At this size they would get lost super fast.

So they have moved into the tin tank in the developing pig garden. (More on that at the kitchensgarden.com this week).

The Charlottes

You can tell these rascals were not raised by their mother. They have no social niceties at all.

They are really funny to work with but they nibble at me all the time. If a mother sow had raised them she would have sorted out that behaviour quick smart. So I go into their run in the late evening after they have taken themselves off to bed, to clean bowls and reset their feeders.

So much safer.

The Kitchen’s Gardens

All I want is zuchinni - we call them courgette in New Zealand - and they are my favourite vegetable. And they are already fruiting.

Other than the big sweetcorn planting and the pumpkin patch and a big bean garden that does not seem to be taking off this year, and the medium size tomato garden (about thirty plants) most of my herbs and veges are tucked into pots or corners in flower gardens by the pond that are easy to water and handy for picking.

I have no interest in massive gardens. I just like fresh food in the season it is offered.

The Corn Fields

Acres and acres of corn. And yes! We are surrounded but it is all organic! No sprays. So that’s ok.

Have a lovely Sunday or Monday!

Celi