Solar dried

I know it's almost summer when I spend most of a Saturday running backwards and forwards to our washing line. There is usually at least one cat showing off by running up the washing posts. A wide girth is no deterrent to Mango in spite of his 8kgs fight with gravitational pull. He does like to help, which includes stealing pegs and jumping in the laundry basket on top of the newly dried clothes. This season has me humming "I'm going to hang out the washing on the Siegfried Line". I have no idea where I learned that song, but I can manage a few verses between laundry and line.

Mango always enjoys perfunctory roll around in the wood shed, which is less about marking his territory and more about scratching his neck on wood chips. He is currently having late night meetings with a beautiful stray cat who I believe he has fallen for. He is a complete failure protecting the homestead. We may as well roll out a welcome mat for all waifs and strays.

The plum tree is looking a lot bushier than last year, so, blackbirds and kereru permitting, we should have a bumper crop this year.

And the verandah awaits visitors, teapots and lazy weekends with library books. And love struck ginger toms and their sleek amber eyed companions!!!

Dances with wolves

I love the fact that even in middle age, you can experience "firsts" in life.

Today was full of them.

A delightful Jersey calf decided she would befriend me and proceeded to lick my shoes. They have never had a warm wash like this before, and the cats will be puzzled by the new smell on the shoes in the hallway. Here is Honey. Honey by name and Honey by nature.

I was also laughed at by a pilgrim goose called Lydia. She is an amazing bird with a lovely wobbly goosey undercarriage, all the better to be comfortable laying eggs, two of which she donated to me. I believe goose eggs are perfect for cakes. What a lovely thought!

And finally there was a stroll to the edge of the farm with three fluffy companions, with a combined age of around 80. It was a gentle Sunday constitutional, less "Dances with Wolves", and more "Waddles with Donkeys".

A perfect afternoon with grateful thanks to the family who hosted us.

Linus has a brother

Today has been a "snuggle up on the kitchen sofa day" for all of us. There is still a winter bite so we are taking all opportunities to snooze in front of the fire, me especially as I have a bad chest infection.

Our big lad is very protective of his blue blanket. It was the first item of warmth my husband gave him when he showed up as a kitten in the middle of a freezing winter three years ago. It had belonged to our dearly departed cat Otto, and was therefore bequeathed to his successor.

Wherever the blue blanket goes, Mango goes!