According to my farm weather forecast, there was a 64% chance of rain for the day. Starting with 100% at 6am, tapering down to 30% at 9pm.
Herbie got home early from work, while I was milking Dolly, and then at about 3pm it bucketed down. The chickens all hid, in the chicken house, under the house eves, none under trees or bushes as they were no protection, the cows continued to eat, Dolly stayed in the lower barn, the sheep all huddled under their cover, but the ducks and geese stood in the ever-growing puddles, facing the storm.
Welcomed a new family to our herd-share programme today. Melissa and her daughter, Eva, came to tour the farm and sign up to collect milk on Wednesdays. They're from the other side of the State, now living in Saranac. Didn't meet her sons, or her husband, but they also have bees, 2 hives, so we'll work out how to help each other and then share the use if our honey extractor. Yippee. Herbie doesn't want to work with our bees at all, but Melissa does, and Jordan, her husband, works the smoker for her, so this should be great. They were on a farm in the Howell area, and know how to hay, whereas we're just learning how to do that.
Eva loved going up and down the ladder to the milk parlour. They watched while I milked Dolly, and she was climbing over all the hay bales up in the shed ! Little farm girl !
Larry didn't come get Boytjie today. We SMS'd yesterday, he's looking for a suitable butcher. I gave him info on Jones and Pinckney Hills, the 2 processors in Saranac, advising I could deliver the bull to either one for him, then he just needs to advise them how he wants the cuts, and how he wants them packaged, and then can drive down in about 2 weeks and collect his processed and frozen beef, no live bull to deal with.
Not sure which Dispatcher is working, but it's been great to have Herbie home early for the past 3 days. Just hope that doesn't mean he is overworked tomorrow and Monday. We were hoping to go to Sleeping Bear Dunes on Tuesday or Wednesday. Only a day-trip due to the need to milk and feed and water the various beasties, but neither of us have visited these dunes, and we need a relaxing, new-experience day together. Making memories, always good :). We have the GPS from my dad, so maybe we'll take it for a spin.
Saw a consequence item on FB today that I shared with Herbie. At a watering hole somewhere in Africa, an adult male buffalo was walking towards the water when a young bull-calf elephant decided to confront him, and chase him off. The buffalo just lowered his head and tossed the elephant head over ass. After this humiliation, the elephant went and hid behind his mum. The older herd of elephants stood and watched the youngster get his come-upperance, not interferring while he was put in his place. What a great way nature has of dealing with those little snots. Not at all like the American system of never raising a hand to a wayward child. But I learnt from the foster care session. Parents can discipline a child, as they have a large bank of stored love, whereas step-parents, foster parents, teachers, other relatives and adults don't have that same bank with the child. Made me see physical punishment in a different light. I remember being spanked as a child, by my dad and Trudi, and as a result I never disciplined Kevins' kids. He didn't believe in spanking them, preferring the "reason" method and I just ignored their bad behaviour, but do remember once shaking CheVawn in Empangeni telling her that she was making me so cross and I didn't want to be cross ! But I never hit them. As I get older I appreciate the "distract" method more. Works on the animals too :). Of course, the threat of the "big stick" works wonders as well. I don't hit our animals, but sometimes wave a "big stick" behind them and make a noise hitting a tree, pole, wall or something while saying "big stick" repeatedly. Now I just have to call Anni, and say "big stick" and the cows conform :).
Helped my friend Heidi, now living in New Zealand, delete a fake FB account someone eatablished. Neither Herbie or I understand what someone has to gain by stealing someones' FB identity.
Well, my rooibos tea is finished, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is still running on TV, but I think I'll toddle up to bed. Lekker slaap, almal.