Ayako Hirose "Ally"

Ayako Hirose, 廣瀬綾子, from Japan was with us less than a week.  She was in the USA for a year learning English and spent her last days on Harmony Hill learning to care for goats, horses, chickens, a parrot, and a Llama.  I think her favorite thing was picking, squeezing, and drinking fresh orange juice.  She was a cheerful, helpful, delightful visitor.

Easter Happiness, new beginnings

We had the good fortune to host two sweet and beautiful creatures for a week.  My visitors enjoyed grooming and loving on Scooter and Smokey.  We took them for walks and Smokey enjoyed two visits in the goat pen where he flirted with and kissed Harmony, our Nubian.  He also kissed many humans in exchange for cookies.

Smokey and Scooter have found a perfect new home. 

They are in the care of two fantastic and knowleadgeable women, and will have the best life I can imagine.  Scooter  has his own little girl, Patsy's Grand Daughter Drew. 
 Jade fell head over heels for Smokey AKA Llarry the Llama.  There is a lot of love in the air this Easter.  Last night a sweet drenching rain to help the green stay longer and this afternoon a bright rainbow over Harmony Hill.

Llama kisses

Two new arrivals and Two Celebrations

Tianna gives snacks to Smokey

Friday Jerry pulled in with his long truck and borrowed Brerenderup trailer after driving about six hours from Bonsall. He brought Smokey the Llama, Scooter the oversized Mini horse, and lots of hay and supplies. 

Scooter kicked up his heels and the Llama began in munching grass.  Jerry settled in Gabe's room to recover from his journey.  That evening at Monet's we were escorted though the small kitchen to the back room.  Jerry met our friends Debbie and Steve Johnson as did Mic and Tianna.  Fred the amazing Chef started us off with  prawns and Steve ordered Escargot so Mic could try them.  Both  were drowning in parslied garlic butter.  Allen joined us and later our friend Therese.  The salads and meals were fabulous as usual and followed by rich deserts, Black Forest and German Chocolate cakes.  I had fresh berries with almonds and honey.  During the meal, Rob came in with his cello and we sang THE WATER IS WIDE and DANNY BOY.  Mic sang "I am Australian."  Caleb joined us later as did our good friends Ken and Sarah.  Caleb was in rare voice and sang a haunting love song and his spine chilling version of Amazing Grace.  A night of music, laughter, crazy good food and new friends.

Sal's Party in Three Rivers was the next night.  Mic went on a baking frenzy making wonderful wheat free cookies and banana chocolate chip muffins and regular Chocolate Chip.  Sal did deep pit and a huge assortment of salads and side dishes and deserts brought by other guests.  We went down by the river and sat in his swinging bench closed our eyes while it rocked and the river roared.   Grace and Sarah were staying with Sal so the four met and exchanged addresses.  We left as they were lighting the second round of firecrackers and stopped by Teriz's ranch to pick up seven fertile turkey eggs which we all cradled to keep warm till I could I place them under four brooding hens.

Smokey and Scooter checking out the horses across the way

Tianna, Mic, Elena, Grace, Sarah @ Sal Natoli's Party

Mic & Tianna

Two new Wwoofers, Mic (Micaela Williams) from Melbourne and Tianna Christopher from Texas.  Both are 19 and ready for horses, goats, weeding and planting.  Mic has milked cows and did great milking goats.   We took Turkey on the mule to pick greens at Glena's.  Roasted vegetables for dinner with salad graced with fresh picked oranges and arugula.  Life is good.

Goodbye Facebook, Hello Sky

Why I decactivated

What started as a fun way to connect with human friends became an addictive advertising tool.  I became manipulated by parts of myself I do not want to encourage - vanity, eavesdropping, and desire to connect superficially and virtually.

 What was once 'my' newsfeed  became an advertising billboard for events I cannot remove.  FB does not respond to 3 dimensional humans with blood in their veins, only to algorithms.

I wish to connect with 3D people  I have actually met, in meaningful ways.  I rejoice in the time and space I now have to look at the earth and sky. 

Black cows graze the emerald hillside
Bright strips of candy cotton clouds cross robin's egg's blue sky
The sun drops behind the hill,  the cattle fade into into her folds as we darken into night.
Harmony Hill sunsets are music to my eyes

Sunset, Chick rescue, and oranges

 After a brilliant sunset, darkness fell on a moonless night.  We decided it was time to rescue the chix in the barn that the ravens were picking off.  15 chicks down to four.  The previous hen who hatched in the barn lost a dozen as she tried to transport them to the safety of the coop.  Grace and Sarah and I took Turkey on the mule to the barn.  We put plywood over the area where they had been nesting in the insulation and they trusted us somewhat since we have been bringing them food and water each day,  so it was relatively easy to catch mom and 2 chix.  I thought I had all four but soon realized two were not in the bag.  We established the three we had in the safety of their new home with in the coop with lots of nesting material, chick feed and water.  We returned for the other two who now, being almost 3 weeks old and having successfully warded off Raven attacks, gave us a run for our money cleverly evading capture.  We got the first one but heard no sound of the second fearing it was lost or captured by a cat while were were gone.  After reuniting Mom and chic #3, we decided to make a third trip to the barn just in case.  There was dead silence and we were very sad till Grace moved the hay bale and the little black chic ran out.  This one was the most clever and even three of us could not corner it as it darted in and out of corners.  Finally it ran outside the barn and played dead.  Grace spotted it in the dark and scooped it up but dropped it back in the barn.  Sarah was able grab it a few minutes later and held it firmly next to her heart till it was reunited with Mom in the coop.  Of the 45 born in the last month we have only 13 safely in the coop where they will stay till big enough to free range safe from Ravens.  Now the ravens are catching and feasting on squirrels.

This morning we enjoyed fabulous sweet orange juice from the oranges we picked yesterday. We breakfasted under the thatch by the pool.

I write this looking out my window as Grace and Sarah plant eggplant and two kinds of squash while constructing a chicken proof netting out of baling twine over the garden area.

Life is Good.

Another day in Heaven

Stunning weather shared with two great Wwoofers, Sarah Smith and Grace Brown from Maine.  They pulled massive amounts of fiddleneck and harvested greens for our salad, Chervil, Miners letttuce, Dandelion, to be added to Arugula we have.  They helped groom Uly for his first lesson in almost 4 months.  He worked up a foamy sweat and with Merrie's help we can bring back the muscling he lost while recovering from an abscess.

After lunch sat out by the pool and watched the chickens and goats play.  Sarah cut my hair very short and asymetrical.  I love it.

Greens & Chicks and Andrea Haug

Escaped a 13 inch snowfall in Chicago and returned to Harmony Hill last night.  Our vet, Davita, checked out Ulysses foot this morning and he is ready to ride again.

Andrea (from Switzerland) did a good job riding Cabarina and it felt amazing to be back in Uly's saddle after almost four months.  Enjoyed our ride together.

Andrea, an electrician, brought us Chocolate and reluctantly taught us to sing the German Swiss National Anthem.  She also repaired the short in the light switch in the barn which was greatly appreciated.  Andrea and the wonderful Makenzie  Maupin from Houston, took excellent care of Harmony Hill while I was back in Chicago visiting Ilmi and her family.

Discovered 15 trapped chicks.  Rescued and reunited them with their anxious Mama.  More to hatch any day.  Since they are free range we never know where they have been hiding till we hear the music of little peeps.  We hope to find and shelter them before the hungry Ravens do.  I don't mind too much sharing eggs with the Ravens but it is painful to watch them carrying away the little chicks.

Greens are sprouting.  Beautiful Mustard greens almost ready to harvest.  Andrea and I picked some of Glena's fabulous Arugula and mixed it with our own Miner's lettuce for a lunch of fresh salad, deviled eggs and goat cheese.  We took Andrea to Glena's for Eddye's 93' Birthday party and dinner.

Yoga tonight.

So very happy to be home.