Baby Barn Swallows

These are not living in our barn, though, but...at our pond.



baby under watchful care of mama barn swallow

 

baby being fed (look closely -  the baby's beak is wide open accepting food from its parent) while parent (looks to be Dad) is airborne - amazing!

The Day Awakens

 5:15 AM. 

 

There is just a hint of light in the sky. I can distinguish the tree line as an undulating darkness, but I cannot define individual trees.

 

The birds are beginning their morning ritual…morning music.

 

At first, I hear a solitary bird. Soon, another bird joins in with different notes.  Shortly, I can no longer differentiate the number of participants.  The song transitions into a subtle symphony.

 

The music is happy.  I am happy.

 

The sky continues to lighten.  I can now see the pasture fence and the hint of green grass. The distant mountains come into view. Stillness prevails.

 

I feel like I am one with my immediate, natural world.  I am content.

 

Friends of Gladys Taber Reunion - June 19-21, 2015

Another Friends of Gladys Taber Reunion has come and gone. 

 

This one was a bit different for me as it was held in my home state of Virginia which meant that my driving time to attend was greatly reduced from the usual day of driving Interstates to only just over an hour on  beautiful mountain roads.  It was the same in that the comradery of the attendees was tremendous as always.  Loyal Friends of Gladys Taber just have the best time when they gather.

 

Lynchburg was the venue for this 2015 Reunion.  Gladys had lived in Virginia for about 10 years when her husband served as Chair of the Music Department of the Randolph-Macon Women’s College, now named Randolph College since recently transitioning to a coed institution.

 

2015 Friends of Gladys Taber Reunion attendees in front of Gladys and Frank's home in Lynchburg, VA

back side of Taber home

As a group, we shared good food, good conversation and several organized presentations/tours in Lynchburg. 

 

Two other Friends, Janet and Penny, and I took off on our own during some down time to return to the Taber home and to Randolph College for more photos and spontaneous adventure.  We were thrilled when our outing developed into a private tour of the Music Hall on campus. It was Saturday and summer break, so we had the place to ourselves.  We quietly, and not so quietly, roamed the hallways and rooms envisioning the time back when Gladys and Frank were a part of this college scene in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s.  This side expedition was definitely the ‘icing on the cake’ of this year’s reunion.

 

 

 



possibly the entrance to Frank Taber's office in Presser Hall

Presser Hall - Home of the Music Department

After the formal event, I had invited all attendees to come out to my farm for a barbeque of our farm-raised meats (beef, lamb and pork) with fixings which included three menu items from Taber’s own cookbooks (Rancho Baked Beans, Col. Murray Edwards’ Vichyssoise and Lemon Bisque - yummy) and to experience my small part of the Shenandoah Valley.  A good number of Friends accepted my invitation.  My husband Glenn was the tour guide as he offered mule rides (not the four-hooved variety, but the four-tire variety) around our farm.  Although I did not partake, I am sure Glenn spoke to our farm management practices which he is very passionate…mob-grazing and rotational grazing. 

 

 

getting ready to leave for a 'mule' tour of the farm

 

I certainly hope our visitors had as good a time on the farm as I had in sharing it with them.

 

I offer my sincere thanks to the two wonderful members who organized this 2015 Reunion (it takes a lot of time and heart) and to those who attended and contributed to a wonderful weekend.

 

Yes, another Gladys Taber Reunion has come and gone, but the memories will last forever!

 

 

NOTE:  If you are interested in joining the Friends of Gladys Taber, please go to www.friendsofgladystaber.org for the specifics.  New friends are always welcomed!

Future Flutterflies

wonderful color and pattern - Mother Nature knows her stuff!

Today while gardening, I noticed a caterpillar on my dill weed.

 

It was pretty, green and just about blended in with the feathery foliage of the dill to be unnoticed.

I guessed it was a monarch caterpillar because of the coloring.  I was wrong.  On further searching, I determined it was a caterpillar more favorable to a swallowtail.

 

Whatever…this caterpillar was beautiful.

 

The fact that the caterpillar was eating my dill did not bother me as that dill was a volunteer from the previous year’s planting and I have no real need for dill this year.  I had not planned to put up pickles nor had I planned to dehydrate any dill for my spice/herb shelf.

 

That caterpillar was on its own and it could eat until content.

 

In truth, it was not alone.  As I glanced over the dill, I saw another caterpillar and another, and in total, I saw five caterpillars.  They were all the same species, but of varying sizes.

 

I will let all five be with the hope that five future butterflies will enhance someone's world.


Maybe that someone will be me!

 

Dead End

Cherry Picking/Pitting Time

Two nights ago, I ended, so I thought, my work for the day by finishing weeding a large section of my garden. It was after 8:00 PM. I felt I had accomplished quite a bit for the day which began with my morning walk with the dogs at 7:00 AM and included straightening the house, making sloppy joes, washing dishes, paying bills, and weeding twice.   I was tired and hungry.

 

I looked up and glanced into our tiny orchard where I noticed our sour cherry tree glowing red. Hmmm…I better go and check out that tree.

 

Sure enough, a good portion of the cherries had ripened and were ready to be picked.  I did not chance waiting another day and letting the birds discover my loot.

 

I called Glenn to see where he was.  Glenn was out in the pasture moving the cattle herd onto fresh grass.  I asked him not to dillydally, as he frequently does, because WE needed to pick cherries.  Glenn loves sour cherry pie.  Promptly, he returned to the house.

 

The cherry tree is small, yet a ladder is still required to reach the upper branches which were full of fruit.

 

Nearing 10:00 P.M., we had gathered the ripe cherries, washed and pitted them, added sugar and placed them into quart containers for freezing. We had three full quarts which does not sound like much, but it is plenty when standing and hand-pitting those cherries at the kitchen counter, so back-breaking, and all before we even had dinner.

 

 

My schedule is full for the next two weeks, so I am unable to make a fresh cherry pie now.  Glenn will have to wait.  The cherry-picking could not wait.  A second picking will be ready in a few more days.  Besides, I am still harvesting strawberries and we do eat those fresh on a daily basis.  A person can only consume so much fresh and delicious fruit in a day.

 

Glenn’s mouth is watering for his first cherry pie of the season…actually two seasons since we did not have any cherries last year. All I can say is…darn birds.

 

This morning, I realized that more cherries had ripened and were ready to pick.  The ladder was still in place under the cherry tree.  Glenn picked while I pitted, and pitted and pitted. This time I made myself a cherry-pitting station so that I could sit and be a bit more comfortable.  It included using a large cooler for a tabletop, large bowl to receive the pitted cherries, small bowl to receive the pits and stems, and of course, the plastic colander of washed cherries which was refilled several times from the large bowl of cherries-in-waiting.  Juice ran down my arms and dripped on my legs and floor, but my back was spared the stabbing pain which I experienced from my earlier cherry-pitting session two days prior.  Glenn picked for two hours and I pitted for five hours.  At the end, we added six more quarts to our freezer.

 

notice the radio to keep Glenn amused while diligently picking the cherries

That is a lot of time spent to harvest such a small quantity of cherries, but then they are fresh and our own.  All I can say now…I hope Glenn appreciates, really appreciates, his cherries. He did mention something about nine pies as he licked his lips.

 

There are still more cherries left on that cherry tree - ugh!

 

Where are those sneaky birds when you need them?

 

 

 

 

 

PATRICK TAYLOR - A New (to me) Author - On my 'Favorites' List

Recently, I discovered an amazing author that was completely new to my library and my readings.  And, where have I been?

 

I cannot even remember where I first learned about Patrick Taylor and his Irish Country novels, but I am so glad I did.

 

The Irish Country novels are set in Northern Ireland, mainly taking place in the 1960’s with flashbacks to the 1930’s. The central character is a lovable, in his way, country doctor.  (Mr. Patrick is a doctor, himself, and obviously following the age-old advice to authors - write about what you know.) There are also many wonderful supporting characters introduced and continued from story to story.  Within just pages, I connected with these colorful people and wanted to read more and more.  Also, I found the Irish ways and historic medical data, peppered throughout, quite fascinating.  Intertwine the novels with romance, war, family and Mr. Taylor has an appealing formula for success.  I must mention the wonderful Irish recipes and informative ‘Ulsterspeak’ at the end of every book.  You just got to know some Irish language to understand the locals portrayed in these wonderful books.

 

To date, Mr. Taylor has written 10 titles in his Irish Country series.  I started reading the first, An Irish Country Doctor published in 2007, in January of this year and have continued through all 10 finishing with the last a week or so ago.  Of course, you can start reading any book (#1-10) in any order and not be disappointed.  I am an ‘order’ kind of person, so I had to start with numero uno.

 

I enjoyed the books so much that I had to purposely read only a few chapters at each sitting to make sure each book lasted longer.  I could have easily read an entire book in one day as I adored each one so much.

 

The jacket art is by Gregory Manchess and is truly works of art. Each cover is a fabulous essence of that particular book.

 

I have been in e-mail contact with Mr. Taylor and am pleased to know that # 11 in the series will be published this fall (October) and that he is has just completed  writing #12 (2016 publication). Hurray!

 

Of course, I am anxiously waiting for October.

 

Have I sparked any interest in those of you who haven’t read Patrick Taylor’s Irish Country books yet?

 

I hope so!

 

Those who are loyal readers of Mr. Taylor need no further encouragement.

 

Patrick Taylor has certainly earned a prominent place on my very short ‘favorite authors’ list.

 

Kudos to Patrick Taylor…please keep writing!