I went to check the roost this afternoon and found our white Leghorn dead in the egg box. She left a single egg behind, I imagine it was her last act. We don’t name our chickens any more, we are fond of these industrious and peaceable creatures. I carried her to the deep woods behind the house and left her for the coyotes and foxes, earth to earth.
I can’t say I love our chickens, I am fond them and the Leghorn was especially independent, a good egg layer as well. I thanked her for her time here and gave her a good toss into the woods. We will replace her, I think we need to have more than two hens.
Donkeys are the most spiritual animals I have encountered in my life with animals, they are the most intuitive, the most intelligent, they have known people for thousands of years and while they maintain their independence, they have a strong need for connection with human beings. Once or twice a day, Maria and I visit with them, Maria is an animal whisperer in many ways, an animal shaman, she has a connection so powerful with animals I do not believe she knows it or is aware of it. But the donkeys and dogs and chickens are aware of it, when she kneels down to be with them, she speaks with them, opens a dialogue with them that is rich and powerful, and spiritual.
They do not speak in words, they speak in emotions and feelings, they become one and the same thing.
At Maple View Farms, Red wanted no part of the alpacas. The fearless warrior of the sheep pasture wouldn’t look at them, pretended not to see them or know that they were there. They were curious about Red, they edged up to the fence but they didn’t want to have much to do with him, either. Red can be wise sometimes.
Saturday Morning. Showing Us How to Split Dahlia Bulbs
Saturday morning in the rain. Maria is spending the afternoon with her mother, who was 85 this week. She’s taking her to a four-hour telecast of the New York Metropolitan Opera in an Imax theater near Albany, I’m going to see Captain America this afternoon in Burlington, Vermont. A brief trial run in separation. In less than two weeks, Maria is heading to Alabama to spend four days with the Gee’s Bend quilters there, this will be a wonderful experience for her.
I’ve spent a lot of time alone in my life, but this will be the longest time Maria has gone away from in our time together, the first time I’ve been alone in our new home. I expect to cadge a few free meals from friends during that week, and I might just move a cot into the Round House Cafe. Loneliness is something I have no felt in awhile, but voluntary loneliness is different from the other kind, it can also be cleansing and spiritual to be alone, and I could not be happier that Maria is taking this trip. A triumph for her on many levels.
This morning, we went to Ace Hardware for sewage counseling, our sinks and toilets are burping, we probably need to get the septic pumped out. There has been so much rain that a lot of septic systems are filling up with water, I suspect that has happened here. Then we went to the Round House for breakfast, we had omelets and a wonderful rhubarb scone which we shared. Then we went to the Hubbard Hall Garden Sale – gamely held out in the rain – Bliss, one of the town’s wonderful gardeners sold us a bucket of Yellow Dahlia’s – we are expanding the Dahlia garden, now all red Dahlias. Maria got a bunch of other stuff as well, all for $32. I love our town, a sweet Saturday, even in the rain.
I’ll catch a matinee of Captain America, I can’t think of a better place to be on a rainy Saturday.
On the way to Brandon to pick up Maria’s yarn, we stopped at a new place for us, Perry’s Main Street Eatery, the hamburger was first-rate, and we got to see photos of our waitress’s recent cruise aboard a giant ocean liner. I had a feel she was the Queen Perry.
