A sad day on the farm

 Good afternoon, dear Blogger friends. As many of you know, I moved onto this farm in December 2017. I live in a small (very small) cottage between the two farmhouses belonging to Farmer John and Ron and Gavin and Nine (farmer's son, and DIL) 

Walking Skabby regularly up the farm road to the dam, I got to know the dairy herd very well. I did many, many posts about the cows and cute calves. 

Over the seven years I got to know the cows; saw the newborn offspring when the cows calved; saw the calves grow up and themselves produce beautiful healthy calves. 

Healthy, sleek and producing many liters of milk in the dairy, 

Then disaster struck. In May 2022, when the vets did a check, they discovered the herd was infected with CA (contagious abortion). It contaminates the milk so that was unfit for human consumption.  For several months the milk was poured down the drain. 

There is no inoculation against it and the herd had to go.  The only thing the animal's meat was suitable for is dog food. 

The factory which produced this product, was in the Eastern Cape, two to three days' travel away.  The cows had to be fattened (which, with the lush lands they lazed around on for many months, helped to increase their weight) as when transported they tended to lose some of the weight. 

James the herdsman knew every animal ...

Harsh; sad but it happened. 

This week the last of the herd was loaded and taken away...

The slogan on the transport truck said: quietly moving along

I like to think that the owners of that transport company have the welfare and comfort of the cows in mind. Even though this a final trip for them, I hoped that they were not stressed unduly by finding themselves removed from beautiful green pastures to being enclosed in a tin can on a trip which lasted more than two days.

I know farming is a business and farmers generally don't become emotionally involved. I quietly sent up a prayer and comforting thoughts for the beautiful bovine ladies... 

I'm linking to Saturday critters with Eileen here

A selection of birds

Hello dear Blogger friends. Thank you for your comments on the Fruit Dove I saw in Spain and shared last week. I also struggled to id it and went over to Phil Slade (Another bird blog) and asked his opinion. He also said he couldn't find any reference to it and also imagined it's an escapee from captivity. Thanks Phil!

However, following here below is a selection of birds seen in my garden and when Skabby and I walk on the farm.

Glossy starling

A pair of Egyptian Geese on the farm dam

A Grey heron perched on a branch over the dam

Cardinal woodpecker - the first of the season

I heard this bird while sitting indoors at my desk. I dashed outside with my camera. Creeping across the road between my cottage and Gavin and Janine's house, I prowled the length of their garden fence, head cocked, trying to locate it. I eventually spotted it. Voila!

I'm linking my post to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL!

Cardinal Woodpecker

 Good morning, dear Blogger friends. Once again, I have been AWOL but I am HERE now. 

On Friday night, after a particularly mobile day (meaning I was in the car all day, ERGH) I eventually parked in the carport at 5pm. I decided, that as soon as I taken the goods from my car, a packet of groceries and several boxes of Avon (to be unpacked!)  to pop over and say hello to my neighbor Ron They had been at their beach house on the North Coast for the past week and I had manned the office for her. 

As I walked back into the farmyard, I head tap-tap-tap. Of course, I dashed back into my office and grabbed my camera. 

And was amply rewarded... 

Cardinal Woodpecker, male

The male Cardinal Woodpecker has a red crown with a brownish forecrown. Its heavily streaked throat and cheeks eliminates confusion with the female. The woodpecker breeding habits are monogamous. 

The bright sunshine that evening prohibited me from actually seeing the detailed opening. This woodpecker has been hard at work in the jacaranda tree in my neighbor's garden. The opening faces my garden and I intend to keep an eye on it for future activity.

I am linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen, here 

HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Saturday walk and critters

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. Once again, I have been absent. But here I am back again.

Skabby and I have managed several walks here on the farm. Most times we see something different. But, always,  we see interesting things.

This mama cow warned Skabby not to come any closer - note his wariness! 

Further along, Skabby sniffed out a newborn calf sleeping in the grass

Along the road we saw this seed-loaded trailer stuck in a rut

Vick brought a tractor to pull it out

A Lab will always test the waters; the muddier the better

Skabby has imprinted the dam over the years: it's HIS dam! 

Red-knobbed coot on the dam

On the way back, we stopped to photograph the cows against the mountain peaks with snow

I'm linking to Saturday critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Leggy critters, birds and a farm scene

 Good morning dear Bloggers. 

This week I rescued several spiders from my bathroom at home and one from the bathroom at my office. When I gently pick up the arachnid, using a facial tissue, and transport it to the safety of the garden, my thoughts always go to Sandra who does not like spiders! 

One of the visiting spiders in my space this week

Yesterday I drove out to the Valley to deliver Avon to several customers. Once again the view was stunningly beautiful - all golds, reds and russets. I stopped several times to take photos. Unfortunately I didn't have my Canon in the car. My smartphone takes photos, but as a scenic capturer, it leaves much to be desired. 

A peaceful farm scene

Leaving a resort, I stopped at a to photograph an ibis sitting on a log and a pair of Egyptian geese on the dam.

Interesting focal point of young "Dev's" signature! 

As I walked to my car in the shopping center car park, 

I stopped to photograph a wildflower on the verge

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Stinky critter, a dog and some cows

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. Once again monthend got in the way of my posting. Oh whey.

Here I am with a few happy snaps of our walk last Sunday and again today

A stinkbug landed on my bed yesterday. I snapped it and then placed it in garden 

The weather was peachy all week - typical early winter in the Central Drakensberg

Dipping dog! 

A pretty shrub growing in the shallow water

A good shake! 

Today, much cooler than last week, I had to cajole Skabby to go for a swim. Here below he seems to be questioning my instruction! 

Who me? Eish Mum, it's cold!

He did jump in for a few minutes. Above is today's good shake from nose to tail! 

Cows often lie down when it's cold

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY WEEKEND TO YOU ALL! 

Sunny day; will walkies

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. At last we had a third sunny day which dried up the muddy farm roads. 

At midday, I leashed up a very, VERY excited pooch and we set out for a walk. 

As we headed up the road on the way to the dam, I took in the calm and bucolic scene of the cows grazing in the top paddock. While focusing on the animals, I ensured there was plenty of sky as it was a deep blue. When Europeans visit South Africa, they always remark about how "high" the sky is. A very quaint way of describing our big sky all year around. 

I could "hear" the creamy milk being created by these placid animals 

Such a happy doggy running along the road

Every so often Skabby stops and "points" at something, reminding me that he has retriever in him 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 

 

Amethyst Sunbird

Dear Blogger friends, once again I'm playing catch-up. Oh dear.

Thank you for your kind wishes and all the comments. I had a great two days with Aunt Gill and very successful Weigh-Less meetings in the two days in the city. The travel was a great challenge but I made it. And I feel I will be able to go again some time soon.

Two weeks ago at Parkrun, I managed to snap a sunbird busy on the red-hot pokers. These photos were taken from my vantage point as Parkrun Volunteer. I have just had my 50th stint as Volunteer. 

Amethyst Sunbird male 

While I was in the city, I manage to buy a charger ( I bought two) for a birding pen and book. This pen and the bird book had been given to me by a good friend, Rudi, who has since passed on. During 2015, I blogged regularly about Rudi's visits to our home in Marquard. 

A really nifty gadget which has awakened my desire to listen for bird calls in and around home

Many months ago, Ronnie asked if I knew where to get a charger for her pen which is identical to mine. You can imagine how thrilled she was when I brought her one home. You point the pen onto the image, and it delivers the exact call of that particular bird. 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen, here

HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU ALL ! 

Early morning walk

 Good (Sunday) morning dear Blogger friends. It's been a bit busy these days. Holiday season is upon us and I have had back-to-back guests. Thandi and I feel we can clean, sanitize and prepare for next guests in our sleep. I am very grateful for the business. And after three years, we do seem to have it off pat! I now offer breakfast which is a challenge as I live 20km from my holiday unit. But I worked around it...

My  Inhouse Self-Service Two-Day Continental Breakfast

Back to this post: Skabby and I walked very early today. We've had several days of good rains which makes our going very muddy! 

While Skabby ran ahead and sniffed at interesting trails, I stopped to photograph these LBJ's. I imagine they are female and juvenule Pin-tail Whydahs. When I downloaded the photos, I found that the birds had interesting expressions on their faces, causing me to make a little story about them! 

I'll just ignore the fidgeting next to me 

Ergh, let's get to that itch!

Do you have an itchy toe now? 

At last: peace!

Uh-oh! What's that? Who has an itch NOW? 

Mr Skabby is 100% after his recent illness and vet visits

His coat is still quite short, but the last grooming session takes place here tomorrow. So off we go for a summer clip

A pair of White-faced duck were on the dam, when Skabby jumped in for his daily dip 

Then with great noise and honking, a Spurwing landed on the water 

I'm sure it has a nest nearby as it made a big fuss until the other duck and Skabby left the water! 

White-fronted Bee-eater are prolific in my garden and all over the farm

The cows at the milking shed 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here 

HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU ALL!