When morning gilds the skies, My heart awaking cries: May Jesus Christ be praised! May Jesus Christ be praised!
This hymn pops into my head most mornings as I get ready to tackle the day. I ask the Holy Ghost to help me through my tasks and my Guardian Angel to keep me safe (and in line) from waking to sleep.
This morning was a challenge. We had thunderstorms starting overnight, which totally freaks out my little dog, Blue. She shivered and tried to hide beside the bed from about 2:30 a.m. until around 5 a.m., when things seemed quiet. I got up later than usual, around 6:30 a.m., threw on my jeans, went out to the kitchen to take my daily lo-dose aspirin and tab for the irregular heartbeat (that I've taken for over 30 years), then went out to feed the barn cat. She was waiting impatiently for her chow. It was raining lightly, and I decided to wait awhile before checking on the chickens. They probably were staying under cover for the moment. I picked up the morning paper, saw that Blue had bravely followed me and performed her morning lawn watering/ Then I went inside to make my coffee.
While waiting for the coffee I turned on the computer and checked my e-mail, which every morning is full of stuff I just delete. The mail I want to read will wait, as will the internet sites that get my innards in a twist. Coffee made and Blue's breakfast kibbles in hand, we both got back to the bedroom. I turned on my CD of some quiet Gregorian chant and prepared to spend an hour at my morning prayers, beginning with the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a short form of the Divine Office. Blue curled up beside me and went back to sleep.
Thunder and lightning began again about 7:30 a.m. I decided to get my boots on and my rain hat, plus a long-sleeved shirt and go check out the chicken situation. Opening my blinds I saw that our flag was lying on the grass. The high winds that regularly accompany the storms had blown it down. Not only that, when I went out to pick it up I saw that the part of the telescoping metal pole closest to the ground had snapped. Sigh! So, the flag is propped up on the veranda until later.
A little aside: The other night, about 2 a.m. the wind picked up, as it will around here, and I mean PICKED UP! It picked up the large market umbrella that fits through the hole in the middle of our 6 foot patio table. My daughter woke up, hearing the wind, and figured she should wind down the umbrella. We tie it 'round with a cord to keep it from flapping. She looked out, and there was no umbrella! The wind had lifted the whole thing, which from sand-filled base on the ground to the top of the umbrella, must be seven feet high at least, and deposited it on the roof of the house! My grandson, having been called out, could just reach the edge of the umbrella which had slid down with one corner just over the eaves. From now on we wind down the umbrella each night - just in case.
Continuing - In the shed I filled the container for the pullets with their grower feed and a small container of scratch to keep the hens happy. I then filled a bucket with water to replenish the pullet's large watering container (they drink a lot of water!) When I got into the temporary enclosure separating the pullets from the hens, I saw that their feeder reservoir was damp. Not only that, even though I had covered the top of the hanging feeder, water had seeped in and some of the feed was clumped together, preventing more from flowing into the reservoir for the chicks to feed. I had to get all the wet feed out of the way and clear the thing. It was obvious that I had to move the feeder. I took it off the hanger, removed the chain and set the feeder up on bricks under the shade cloth area of the enclosure. I HOPE that will keep the feed dry.
As I went to check on the hen house and the hens' water and feed (which were o.k. this morning), I saw that one of the roosts had falled down. How that happened I can't imagine; but I put it back up before heading out. Meanwhile the lightning and thunder were really revving up again. One thunder clap just rolled and rolled, from a distance and then right over the top of me. That's a little disconcerting, you know. The area outside the chicken run and free range area was two inches deep in water. I was glad I had the foresight to put on my boots.
The garden shed had some boxes close to the open entrance, so I pushed them back to keep them dry in case the wind blew in that direction. I had plans today, and depending upon how the weather is they will be accomplished, to use the shop-vac to clean out the brooder room, now that the babies are out. It was full of pine shavings for litter, and, of course, full of other "stuff" after a couple of months, as well. Yesterday my grandson shoveled out the whole room and deposited the litter in a growing pile we have down by the end of the property. He had to work late yesterday, but managed to get that done for me. He works today, also, and I want to get that room sanitized. I need to take a mop and bucket with clorox and water to the floor and wipe down all the shelves. Pine shavings are dusty. The dust covers everything after awhile. I had to take a fan apart recently to unclog it. It was doing no good for the chicks at that point. It is now in the hen house, since the weather is getting into the 90s. We also need to get the misters going or the hens will stop laying due to the heat.I need to scrub the tops of feed containers in the brooder room as well since the little clucks decided they were good for roosting, and, well, you know........
As I headed back to the house I saw that we had forgotten to bring in the trash barrel after pick-up yesterday. So, o.k., I was already out in the rain, I figured that I might as well go get it and put it in the garage before the wind came up again and blew it away. Then I saw that the mailbox, which is across the road, was open. The wind had blown open the door. Another chore was accomplished. But that was not the end. In my wild bird feeding area the little bistro table was knocked over - again - this time it might have been the wind, but usually it's the raccoons, and a lid was off the container which holds extra feeders, etc. I righted the table, put the lid back and opened the feed container to get out fresh seeds, nuts, and sunflower seeds. Refilling all the feeders I finally managed to get into the house. This sounds like a lot, but, actually it was all accomplished within a half-hour, since I was back in my room to read the paper and make a couple of phone calls by 8:30 a.m.
After reading the paper and doing my daily brain exercise with the puzzles, Blue and I came out to the kitchen and I made my breakfast, an English muffin and one egg, the usual. Checking the computer, I found the daily unsettling things to contemplate and looked at facebook to see what the family is about. I clicked off and went back to make the bed before cleaning up the kitchen. I usually harvest a little from our garden in the morning, but I'm waiting today because of the weather.
Our mower guy, Wayne, has been working on the sprinkler system, which covers most of the almost four acres. It has been a mess. He's been at it for two days and planned to come back today, hoping to finish it. He also did the mowing while he was here. The pasture was getting knee-high again.
On the Farm, you see, there is always something to do. I'm actually getting a tan for the first time in years and losing weight, to boot! Work is healthy - at any age. I'm lovin' it. Ora et labora. Pray and work.
5/31/12
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