It could be spring, it may be autumn....if it would not be for falling leafs and mist shrouded mornings, it would be difficult to figure out. Narcissus shoots are rising out of the earth, rhododendrons are bursting into bloom, and annuals keep renewing blossoms as if they were perennials. Days are getting shorter, though, so it must be fall.
Sunrise over Saanich Inlet - October morning.....
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| Rural Cowichan Valley |
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| Farm Zinnias.... |
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| The fourth crop of hay of this extended summer has just been harvested and stored |
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| A bumper crop of mushrooms makes local gatherers get up early to beat the competition to their favourite picking grounds. |
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| Cedars shine in gold and green |
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| As an intermezzo to tango one visits the Crofton Pub for a little Sunday afternoon live jazz.... |
avoiding the tempting local brews on tap, and indulging in a 'kiddy beer' sans alcohol. After all, no drinking and driving, and all that jazz.
My resident buck is in prime condition, and the local 'girls' seem to know it, as they keep hanging around in small herds awaiting his pleasure.
During my turn at 'farm sitting' (3 horses, 2 cats and 25 chickens) this little hawk got into the chicken coop with no good intentions in mind. When caught in the act of demolishing the flock, he could not find his escape route. (He queezed in through a hole in the wire, but could not figure out how to flee out of it). Nothing else to do, but open the wire gate to liberate both, chickens and hawk. The chickens enjoyed an afternoon at liberty, albeit a dangerous pleasure with bald headed eagles, resourceful ravens and said hawk hanging around entertaining murderous thoughts.
Here they are, the layers, scratching up the yard with a will and oblivious to the new dangers lurking above. The hawk flew out, of course, and appeared to put paid to this adventure and winged off into the distance.
He had ripped part of this one's back open, with the result that the rest of the flock (when still in the cage) proceeded to complete the hawks initial work with trying to peck this little one to death. The opportunity to hit the open range though, changed their little bird-brained minds, and they pecked at the dirt instead of the injured chicken for the rest of the afternoon.
There is always a casualty, though, one of the cluckers on 'free range' had the bad luck to look too appetizing to some kind of predatory bird and finished up as raptor dinner.
How do tangueras spend their time away from tango? Some raise dairy cows and sell their product. How to balance organic tango with organic food.....easy!
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| Tango Coiffure on Rosie |
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| Seductive eye make up on Maisy |
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| Sexy lip balm on Daisy |
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| ...and the haughty cabeceo of Madonna |
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| Milonguero surveying the scene |
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...make my day.....
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One spends the last days of fall in bucolic surroundings, sniffing the aromatic country air, and listening to the far off barking of California Sea Lions. The last gulps of rural tranquility before heading off to the BIG CITY down south again.
