Mother Nature Nurture's

It's the time of the season for eerie storms...

... cool moon lit nights...

... fragrant air filled with floral essence that lifts the senses to new heights!

Portraits: Butler

Butler is a mix - Saanen goat and Apawah - which we purchased from a dairy farm in Madison County.  He is really sweet, for a buck who is capable of so much power - he only gets rough when grain is involved ie. anything standing in between him and the grain - look out!

His horns are statuesque, his stature is on the smaller side for a buck, yet solid.

He breeds with precision so he charms the does.  We have 15 kids that are grown up and all his offspring.

Assisi: Week Two

Soon we can reintroduce the fawn into the wild, partly because it is starting to browse!

Born Free...

It has been a nice experience to be with a deer - a rare privilege.

Assisi: Week One

Gene has taken to milking the fawn when I am not around - he takes to animal care naturally - as I do.

Anyway, animals bring us joy even as we do the tireless chores of mucking and bottle feeding (as the case of our first fawn - Assisi).

Assisi: Day One

Here in the Northeast, our "perfect" Spring weather days are rare and a long time coming.  This week, at last, we are getting fine weather.  Along with Spring, comes babies, lots of them - from birds to deer, to woodchucks, to cattle (calf), goats (kid), and sheep (lamb) - and deer (fawn).

Here is the first fawn I saw this Spring.

While I never interfere with nature - unknowingly I came upon this newly birthed fawn and her mother.  Unfortunately, this fawn would never see her mother again.  It became road kill - another statistic in the long list of animals killed on the road by people each day.  Sometimes you can avoid wild animals by using brakes... keeping ones peripheral vision in check.... and sometimes it is unavoidable - adding to the list of unfortunate events in our modern society.

The fawn will become part of our farm life.  That is, until she is strong enough to join the herd on our longstanding wildlife reserve of old growth forest behind our farmhouse..  Now, she'll house with the goats.  I have named her Assisi, in honor of St Francis - a caregiver of animals and the environment  - a lead we have tried to follow in the near and long term.

Caring for animals, a list which grows longer over the years, is a huge responsibility.  Of the many species on this Earth,  it is endearing to learn of the uniqueness of each and every creature.  We do our best to support a great quality of life for those in our charge.

"...where there is hatred let me bring you love...where there's despair in life, let me bring hope, where there is darkness, only light, and where there is sadness, ever joy..."

THE SWEET SMELL OF SPRING!!!!!

Finally  - blue skies and warmth...  It is May 10th and the night temps just rose above 30 degrees.  The day temps appear to be 70 degrees going forward.  Yea!!!
Such a long cold spell.

Here is Bucky and Buckeye ("DJ") sniffing out the Spring.  While others are enjoying tulips, cherry blossoms, and blueberries (in Florida) we are just now smelling hyacinths!  AAAH - THE SWEET SMELL OF SPRING!

My Prime

Photos take me back to happy times - this photo of family at the farm - happiness seen in my face.

Of course, being around family, on those rare occasions - is joyous.  The farm is far away from my relatives - not on purpose.  The land I fell in love with is far from the Metro area - which to me represents noise and crowds.  The unfortunate tradeoff is that my family some 200+ miles away.

I believe everyone needs to seek their own corner of the Earth - the place that makes them feel fulfilled. UpState New York had been that for me in the Prime of My Life!