The whirlpool (old school washing machine) - how things used to be done and are still done in rural Romania

Happy Lesbian Day of Visibility! I just finished mowing at the farm. It’s dusty and I’m dirty and I feel perfectly at home.

It's still horrendously wet most days & disgustingly muddy everywhere but spring has sprung. We got out during a brief dry spell on Friday afternoon & took some pics. Suddenly the countryside is vibrantly green & wildflowers are showing all along the hedgerows & down in the fields. The last of wild daffodils, violets, wood anenomes, cowslips, forget me nots, celandines & even the bluebells are starting to make their appearance.

Oh & in non-spring related happenings, we also spotted this big old brown owl, carved out of an old tree! It watches over a country road leading into town... must make visiting drivers jump from time to time!

Somewhere near Great Falls, South Carolina

“When we pay attention to nature's music, we find that everything on the Earth contributes to its harmony.”―

Minimalist Finland, vol2. Минималистичная Финляндия ч.2

Hello rhubarb … 🤗

⍟ Farmers Daughter ⍟ Take 2

Summer meadows

El Teide desde El Sauzal

Sânziene - the Summer Fairies

Each year, on the 24th of June, Romanians celebrate the pagan holiday of Sanziene. Along with the Fates, Sanzienele are part of the big and charming family of Iele - gracious fairies with magical powers. Unlike the most of Iele, Sanzienele are always good and kind to humans. It is said that on the night before their day, they use to fly over meadows, smelling and touching the wildflowers, enriching them with special healing properties. Sanziene is also the Romanian name of a wild yellow flower, commonly known as the Lady's bedstraw, frequently used in ancient healing potions. So, the 24th of June is the perfect day for collecting this flower, along with other local medicinal plants. Moreover, on Sanziene’s Eve, it is said that they bless the animals and the fountains, strengthen the marriages, heal people of different diseases and then like to dance and sing until dawn

A-wand’ring

   Out a-wander’ing on a May morning. Accompanied by a dog and two cats, of course. I picked a very small asparagus harvest from the older plants, and looked very carefully at the soil above the new plants. No little sprouts there, yet! I will keep staring at them until they sprout. Or die. Down in the creek bottom the sun was just starting to pop over the ridge; there were alternate pools of sunlight and deep shadow. Bluebells belling, the future wildflowers of summer growing vigorously, a couple of ferns fronding with ancient grace. I enjoyed a little swing across the water. What is it about a rope swing that passes over water! So enjoyable. I found one more little sprout of poison ivy that I will need to pull when I have gloves on. Also a single large morel! In an odd spot I’ve never seen them grow in before. Right under a huge sycamore tree. I picked a couple of multiflora rose sprouts for the chinchilla and headed home.

   Time to return to the Dreaded Statistics Problem

[ID: Four small spears of asparagus, two green rosebush sprouts, one tan morel mushroom, and wild garlic bulbs from a prior walk.]

Visit to Deer Park with Flynn, March 20th '24. The trees there still look wintery but it feels like spring. A warm breeze in the air, all the little song birds were singing away in the hedgerows, lambs out & about, soft green grass growing & flowers beginning to appear as well.

Flynn got very excited about the prospect of going to a stream & the pond, which you can see in the background of the pic below. In his hurry to go have a paddle, he ran far ahead. A bit too far! However, despite the distance between us & the temptation of nearby water to play in, when I called Flynn's name, he immediately stopped & when asked to sit, he sat nicely & then recalled happily.

Spring flowers, plus a sneaky collie in the background... lying in wait.

Jesus Saves From Sin - North Carolina

Herd - Rebanho

Mértola/Portugal (28/04/2023)

[Nikon D7100; AF-S Nikkor 500mm F5,6E PF ED VR with Nikon AF-S TC-14E III; 1/2500s; F8; 400 ISO]