New arrivals at the farm

Day in the Life, Part 2

I counted 15 last night while freshening water, but oldest ram was hobbling, like me, with bad arthritis. I wonder if he just keeled over, or coyotes took down the weakest. By 10 am, nature had pretty much taken back what it had given

Late Breaking News on the Farm

Predators

At right is our chicken coop, containing five hens and a rooster. The coop is portable; I drag it around the yard so the birds can find fresh greens, worms and bugs.

At center is a large bird, I believe a turkey vulture, who, on a windy day, soaring high drafts with fellows, spotted something he might like to eat and decided to check it out.

Removing stains from red wine

Older people can extend their lives by drinking several glasses of red wine in the evening. A hazard is that red wine spills occur. In my case, I often have an unfinished glass on my bedside table. During the night, I reach for the nose drops and accidentally knock over the glass of wine, which spills on the bedclothes and floor.
Remedy 1: Cursing helps relieve tension. I usually say some combination of goddamit, fuck.
Remedy 2: Don't leave the wine glass anywhere near where you are sleeping.
Remedy 3. Step 1.Remove all the stained bedclothes, clothing, etc., ASAP, and soak in water. You'll notice that the bright red turns purple. Attempt to flush the stain.
Step 2. Some people recommend soaking the cloth with white wine. I have never tried this. Others recommend using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, which is a mild bleach, and vinegar. (Of course, we all know that we can use regular bleach if the cloth is white.)
Step 3. After vigorously flushing material in sink, applying remedies such as HP, bleach, stain remover, etc., we use regular hot water washing cycle (not overloading but underloading to provide maximum flushing action).
Red wine can extend our lives but can be messy. Prompt action after an accident can prevent stains or the need to replace permanently stained fabrics.
p.s., I don't have any white, shag carpets, which can be hell, but only have finished wood flooring all over my house, so that's not a problem. Also, the last couch we bought at Rooms to Go has some kind of miracle petroleum fabric that is impermeable to wine spills if you wipe and flush.

Spring Fever

The delicate new blossoms on my plum tree are being ravaged today by a motley band of bees, flies and wasps in orgiastic frenzy. I wish the flowers had more time to grow up.

Heralds of Spring

The sun came out briefly this afternoon and pushed out a few white plum blossoms,

then cast a pinkness across the southern clouds and horizon.