Sunday Muse

The summer ends, and it is time
To face another way. Our theme
Reversed, we harvest the last row
To store against the cold, undo
The garden that will be undone.
We grieve under the weakened sun
To see all earth's green fountains dried,
And fallen all the works of light.
You do not speak, and I regret
This downfall of the good we sought
As though the fault were mine. I bring
The plow to turn the shattering
Leaves and bent stems into the dark,
From which they may return. At work,
I see you leaving our bright land,
The last cut flowers in your hand.

~ "The Summer Ends" by Wendell Berry

While We Were Lambing

During lambing season, we decided to take the back way home to catch a glimpse of the wildflowers.  The beautiful show of white trillium, red trillium, trout lily, wood geranium and violets made the trip up the steep, narrow, rough road well worthwhile.
Each time we come home this way our thoughts are drawn to what must have been going through the minds of our Great-Great Grandparents Andrew and Amy and our Great Grandparents David and Hannah as they made this trip by horse and wagon carrying all their worldly possessions to our high mountain home.
What a blessing it is to have the opportunity to travel so often in their 'footsteps'.

Roadside Beauty

It's that time of year when the roadsides are full of color.  You can't miss the beauty as you make your way through daily chores, wander a bit farther down the road or sneak a stroll down the proverbial 'road less traveled'.
Don't miss your chance to win a skein of our Hogget Millspun Yarn, just comment on yesterday's blog post. 

Weekly Top Shot

The daisies are blooming beautifully, filling un-mown areas of the yard along with red clover and yarrow.

Please don't forget to comment on Monday's blog - you could win a Sheeps and Peeps Farm 2014 Calendar!

 

Weekly Top Shot with The View From Right Here

 

Meanwhile Back in the Barn

Spring has definitely sprung in our little corner of the world.  The redbuds are beautiful lining the river road.  The coltsfoot that provided that very first pop of roadside color have given way to the soothing white of the bloodroot, and coming up Rowlesburg hill the trilliums, both red and white, provide a blanket of blooms on the hillside.

Meanwhile, back in the barn, things are slowly moving along.  On Monday, Sweet Pea had beautiful lincoln-cross twins, a ewe weighing 11 lbs 5 ozs and a ram weighing 11 lbs 9 ozs.  Patience, not to be out done, also had a beautiful set of twins; a ram weighing 11 lbs 10 ozs and a ewe weighing 10 lbs 12 ozs.  She had them at the bottom of the hill, but kindly brought them almost to the top.  They were so cute following her up the hill.

We worked in the barn most of yesterday afternoon, moving things around and setting up additional lambing jugs.  So, in a very 'be careful what you wish for' kind of way, we are wishing that lambing kicks up into a little bit higher gear.  After all, we have four empty lambing jugs in the barn.

Signs of Spring

"Spring has returned.

The earth is like a child that knows poems."

~Ranier Maria Rilke

Not quite sure if you can see it or not, but there is a slight hint of red in our mountains, a sure sign that spring is finally arriving.  Flocks of starlings are flying through, coltsfoot are blooming by the roadside, bluebirds are back at the nest boxes and maple tree buds are swelling. 

Solstice to Solstice :: Sweet

The summer sun is nearly done

Frost will follow soon

Asters and chrysanthemums

Light up the afternoon

The dew is on long after dawn
Mornings are a haze
One swallow's song is holding on
In these fading sweet summer days

~ excerpted from "Sweet Summer Days by Dennis Caraher

response to week thirteen of the thirteen weeks of summer
the solstice to solstice project with urban.prairie.forest

Sunday Muse

"The Amen! of nature is always a flower."
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

(comments close at 8 p.m. on the give-away... please don't forget to enter)

Into the Woods

While we're waiting for that first lamb... a woodland update 

~ the little stream that runs from our spring has slowed to a trickle... although hard to wish for with lambs on the way, we could really use some rain

~ the ferns' fiddleheads are unfurling and providing a delicate, lacy green in the forest

~ the mayapples are opening their umbrella like leaves, popping up everywhere

~ the delicate little yellow wood violet is a wonderful surprise when stumbled upon tucked in between rocks or at the base of a tree

~ and the trilliums... trilliums. triliums. trilliums... they are beautiful this year... white or red, found in a clump of two or three... or covering a hillside

Out and About

After a quick decision to come home by the river road, and a climb over the guard rail, we found a pretty spot not already taken by fishermen.  The river was not really high but was running fast and loud, providing some beautiful scenery and moments of peace.  Just as I was taking some final shots of the river canyon, that peace was suddenly broken by the appearance of a helicopter from Camp Dawson.  The decision to leave was hurried along a little, as I told myself that it was hovering nearby just to make sure that I didn't fall down and break my crown as I climbed back up the steep bank. ;)

We thought we might as well continue our adventure and come up the back way... up Rowlesburg hill.  Spring time is a great time to see the wildflowers emerging along the roadside, and as you can see from the picture below, without summer's dense forest undergrowth, it is a great time to capture the true character of the road .  It is no longer maintained by the state road so it is full of ruts and bumps, but you are definitely not bothered by a lot of traffic.

So it was not a problem to stop along the way and enjoy the wildflowers... the yellow coltsfoot is still blooming but fading.  Bloodroot is now putting on the show with its delicate white flowers.  Spring has definitely sprung... everything is blooming about three weeks earlier than usual.

Closer to Spring

Slowly but surely we are inching closer to spring ~ the maple tree buds are swelling and  so are the daffodils.  The roadside wildflower coltsfoot are popping out and beginning to bloom.  The cardinals' springtime dance has begun ~ with first a glimpse... a glance... a flit... and a flutter.

In just one short week, it will be official... it will be spring!

Signs of Spring

One sure sign of spring are Roger's baby calves making the most of weekend sunshine. It was a blessing for both the four-legged and the two-legged creatures to have a full weekend of nice weather. We are doing our best to enjoy the neighbors' new babies before we are caught up in thrill of our own lambing season.

Another sure sign of spring in our neck of the woods, is the emergence of the wildflower Coltsfoot. There was much excitement this weekend when the first yellow flowers were spotted along the roadside.