Promises, Promises

These photos were taken yesterday in between rain squalls when I'd gone out to bring more firewood up to the porch.  It's good to have these reminders, else I'd think it was still winter.  Bessie's look says it all..."Mom, you're crazy, and why are we out here, anyhow?"  The wind is howling and the rain is beating on the windows this morning.  It's like taking the truck through the car wash...I'm not complaining...I won't have to wash those windows for awhile. 

Tuesdays are not good days to sleep in.  I didn't wake up until nearly six-thirty, and it was a toss-up whether to throw on clothes and get the trash down to the big road in the rain or make a cup of coffee.  Coffee won.  Everything yesterday was an hour behind schedule...that made the goats cranky and the chickens had given up hope.  No one accepted my profuse apologies.  Every day I throw down a handful of goat chow for the barn birds and mice who come to keep me company while I milk.  Normally they wait until I'm well into the chore before appearing.  Evidently they all woke up on time, as yesterday they were lined up and waiting (no, really!).  There is just one species of sparrow that comes in for snacks.  Blue jays and blackbirds sometime come to the square wire on the window openings, but do not come in.  My intimidation factor for the mice is nil.  They duck out of the way when I switch out goats, but as soon as they hear the squirt, squirt into the milk pail, they come out to browse again.  In every handful of chow, there are one or two large kernels of rolled corn...the Willy Wonka Prize...it's fun to see which mouse will find it first.  Simple amusement for a simple mind. 

Bess (who shows great improvement), Frank and Pearl have made their forays out into the rain this morning to take care of business and dashed back in again.  The fire is stoked.  I'm back on schedule.