June 2001

Okay, I am back from the cattery - and yes, I did ensure that Mum was told about the catnip spray, although she hasn't found any in the shops yet unfortunately.

At last it is hot and sunny, so I can enjoy sunbathing and bird watching from the farm and the back garden.  I know I should be catching birds (and indeed I do occasionally) but for some of the larger ones, there is just something quite "zen" about watching them....for some reason, some more unusual species have been in the garden and I have had to look up what they were (jays and a green woodpecker) 

Mum and Dad had a fab time in Canada, they stayed in different places every or every other night and so saw a lot of Ontario - Toronto (that is the capital) and lots of other places - they even stayed in a lakeside lodge which had squirrels come up to the decking for food.  I have never seen an actual squirrely - I wonder if we ever have or had any grey ones around the farm....I will have to investigate.  The day after they came back, Micky and Rachel moved house so everyone was helping them move - humans have such a lot of "stuff"!!  It is possible to "travel lightly through life" and "tread lightly as you go with minimal bad impact and maximum good" too.  Mick and Rach's new home is lovely and they are settling in well.

This is normally the "quiet before the storm" on the farm ie it's the slow bit (June and July) before it gets really busy and stressy for the harvest - this normally coincides with key bits of machinery breaking down, or developing previously unknown quirks and issues (honestly, some of them are as tempramental as humans!) To try and avoid this, the combine harvester has been serviced and a few other bits have been for a service or had some checks done.  The pototoes have been sprayed and everyone seems (for farmers) quite calm at the moment........Will is a bit bored when it is not busy but he has been content to lie in the garden with me as it has been so warm - he is not a very restful companion though, all that snuffling, grunting and wriggling about (not to mention the barking at thin air!) Whereas I am more, "learn to be silent, and let your mind listen and absorb" and there is a quote which says, "how is it possible for the world to know peace when we have lost the gift of stillness?"

Me - lying and sunbathing in the house - this is from May when it was their anniversary (hence the flowers!)