Direct Sunlight

Today I am thinking about how all the colours in the garden are shining bright and how everything looks crystal clear. Some days, time seems to slow down and not matter so much. There isn't that feeling of being rushed from one thing to the next. These are the days when we can really enjoy and absorb the beauty around us. These are the days when we can appreciate all we have. We have the warmth of the sun, the sound of the bees at work in the flowers, the colours of the trees and flowers in the earth, the joyous chatter of the birds busily tending their nests or feeding their young. 
In my small village, the clouds often reign supreme over direct sunlight. For this reason, days like today are all the more treasured. I know that this glorious sun is heating up our forty solar panels and therefore providing us with power. Knowing that we can work with nature to provide our basic needs is very satisfying. Using a resource such as the sun helps us to take responsibility for sustaining our beautiful, bountiful earth.
Today I am grateful for all the wonders in my world!

My Secret Garden

When I was a child I lived in a small house,
With a secret garden out the back…
It was an old soldiers cottage that my father lovingly restored.
My mother loved to garden.

I had a dog who followed me about.
We would wander around and get lost in the garden…
There were the prickly rose bushes that we’d push past,
Trying to avoid the thorns.
The scent of roses now, takes me back…

Behind the shed were climbing vines,
Some were passionfruit and some chokos.
I loved the way their tangled extensions groped,
To find something to touch and wrap around.

My favourite place was the giant weeping willow.
My dog and I could hide inside the long curtain of branches,
It was dark and quiet inside,
Our very own world where no one could find us…

Pig scales metre high fence in front of startled onlookers!

Just the other day, my city slicker sister dropped by for a visit. She, and her two children followed me around as I showed them all the things that I'm proud of about our farm. Also in tow were my four children and my lovely brother-in-law who had come to stay for a few days.
We meandered through the garden, stopping to watch the chooks, ducks and geese scratching around. The rooster even "cock-a-doodle-dooed" for us! We strolled past the calves munching away, batting their big brown eyes, stopping so that my little four year old niece could pat one of the calves.
Now, when we got to the pigs (I'm calling them pigs now as they are not little piglets anymore) we stopped so that I could introduce Pinky, Spot and Fudge. As usual, my two dogs were with us. The dogs went up against the fence, nose to nose with the pigs, to say "Hello". The next thing that happened seemed to unfold like a slow motion film...
I lent over the fence to pat Spot. As I did this, she stood up, placing her two front legs onto the fence. Usually when one of the pigs does this, I just tap them on the nose and they stand down but, Spot did not get down. She continued to lean on the fence with her front legs, while lifting up her back legs, one after the other until she was literally climbing the fence! As a group, we all just stood there, mouths agape, and watched her climb right over the fence! Spot casually landed on the ground, oblivious to us startled onlookers, and proceeded to eat the grass.
Only hours before, the dogs had been seen talking to the pigs through the fence...the very same fence that Spot had just now climbed over. Quite suspicious really as last time the pigs made an escape, the dogs seemed to be involved. 
Watching her climb, I had visions of all three escaping again and, of me spending all afternoon chasing three pigs while trying to lure them back to their pen...
Quickly my brain went into overdrive as I tried to figure out a way to get Spot contained before Pinky and Fudge followed her lead! Instead of thinking rationally, the first thing I did was to dive at her. I thought that if I could catch her, I could somehow lift her back into the pen (with help of course-she is quite large now). Instead, I ended up on my knees in the grass as she swiftly moved out of the way. She wasn't just going to stand there while a big human lunged towards her!
My apprehension soon vanished when I realised that she did not have any notions of trotting away. She was content to be close by, which was a big relief. 
My brother-in-law tried to direct Spot towards the pen opening but, the dogs were trying to help too. They were rounding Spot up and pushing her towards my brother-in-law! It's all quite funny when I think about it now. Spot was probably secretly laughing at us.
As usual, food was the key to successfully walking her back into the pig pen. She happily joined her brothers in a meal of bread and fruit. And I breathed a sigh of relief, for a moment at least.