Our feature photo this quarter is of the Oregon coast as seen from Route 101 on our way to Yachats back on January 14th, a view which we will not be able to see again for a while due to the current pandemic.
The Pacific is a beautiful and powerful entity, from steady and serene on a calm day to a deadly force to be reckoned with at her worst. I find myself thinking back to much younger days, when our 9th grade English class read The Odyssey during our study of Greek mythology; its description of the sea-grey eyed goddess Athena struck me at the time for the poetic beauty of it. Goddess of wisdom and war, I can see her eyes in the restless grey of the Pacific.
The late President John F. Kennedy expressed his appreciation of the sea in his remarks at the America’s Cup Dinner Given by the Australian Ambassador, September 14, 1962. His famous quote came from that speech, from which I have included the excerpt below. One can listen to the entire speech at The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum site. His words often come to mind when I look out to sea, and finding tranquility in the tang of salty air, cry of shore birds, and the sound of waves breaking on the shore.
“I really don’t know why it is that all of us are so committed to the sea, except I think it is because in addition to the fact that the sea changes and the light changes, and ships change, it is because we all came from the sea. And it is an interesting biological fact that all of us have, in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it we are going back from whence we came.” – President John F. Kennedy, Newport, Rhode Island , September 14, 1962
News from the farm
The last three months have passed quickly, with spring arriving shivering, wet and cold. There has been little snow this year at our elevation, about 800 ft, for which we are grateful. This farm is nestled in a geologic bowl of sorts, with cold air ponding, and uphill water collecting down in the bowl.
With January comes the slow, but steady increase in light. Our daffodils, which began emerging from the soil in December in the more sheltered south facing locations, commenced their bloom cycle in mid January, the first golden trumpets lifted their heads to herald warmer days to come.
Dandelions bloomed throughout the mild winter, keeping leafy rosettes and sunny faces close to the ground. Rain pools formed in the low areas, soon followed by the nightly calls of chorus frogs. The grey foxes were still about, their unusual call and response growly barks and whiny screams could be heard back in the wooded area. One year, a fox came up to the big fenced-in garden where Rick was working on the other side and held a conversation with Rick for a while before moving off and returning to his haunts back in the woods.
The increase in daylight comes faster during February and March as the sun rises ever earlier and makes his way northward along the horizon. The transitional days bring a kaleidoscopic selection of weather and cloud forms as the aerial river of moisture travels up the Willamette Valley, condensing and congealing into some of Nature’s most beautiful displays.
Some days, the grey fractures, and one can appreciate the multilevel, textured sky, canyons and caverns of cloud given depth and character by angled sunlight finding its way through. Above it all, the riverbottom of blue sky. From sunrise to sunset, the sky is a work of art, a study in shades of blue, grey and gold, painted in the swirling, heartfelt brushstrokes of a keen-eyed master.
There is an old saying that if one sees enough blue to make a pair of Dutchman’s breeches, the sky will clear. Often there is only enough blue to make breeches for the Dutchman’s cat, but it may or may not clear anyway. Clouds pay no attention to human proverbs.
It is still the bookends of the day I find most intriguing, a time to see crepuscular wildlife wander though, and enjoy the quiet and Maxfield Parrish colors sometimes graced by a waxing or waning moon. On February 17th I recorded the following:
“I heard the heat come on frequently during the night, so I knew it would be on the colder side this morning. It was 34 degrees when I awoke around 6:30 AM, in time to see the waning crescent moon, still golden and bright against the deep blue tinted with first light from the east. Morning clouds had not yet obscured my view of her. Our sky has been filling in rapidly since then – these fleeting glimpses of the edge of night and day are lost to those not actively seeking such things. My last view of of the disappearing orb was 6:55 AM, peering out from a thinner area of cloud, soon vanishing behind the thickening mass. I will not see her again until tomorrow. Mists and chimney smoke stratifies and rises as the last barn lights on the southeast hill still send their beacons across the bowl. All is still as the light grows and sky congeals, soon area lights will be off for the day.”
Sometimes it is night’s deepening purple veil rising in the east as the last of the gold fades in the west that catches my eye. In the waxing part of the lunar cycle, a thin crescent moon can be seen in the west, at times with a bright planet, and the first bright stars in the deepening sky overhead.
I enjoy my time working quietly among the gardens and vines, and feel at peace and a part of things as only one can outdoors.
News from the Cats of Salmon Brook Farms
Mr. Nano, from the Feline Correspondents Desk of Salmon Brook Farms has asked for a brief update from the Northeast Regional Farm Cats Desk in Connecticut, given by Rosie, the sole remaining dog on the horse farm, who has been accepted into the feline correspondents circle. They have not had a report from the Northeast since head feline correspondent Otis passed away.
Without further ado, Corresoondent Rosie will present her report.
It has been a while now since my canine companion Sadie passed away, leaving me as the remaining dog on this horse farm in rural Connecticut. Otis is also gone, leaving my feline companion Izzy and two new recruits, Odin and Nick, to carry on where he left off.
Nick came to live with us a year ago November, a rescue from a feral colony. He sports a clipped ear and bears a very strong resemblance to his predecessor, Otis, although he does not have the size or stature of his predecessor.
Odin, or Odie as he is known to us, rode in from parts unknown. He is thought to be a Maine Coon Cat, and at an estimated 9 months old, and quite large already, has much to learn about farm protocol.
As for more general news, more land was cleared, new fencing was put up, the electrical to the house was upgraded, and the new generator was installed. There will be no more worries about losing power in our remote area Last year’s vegetable garden was a fine producer of greens and tomatoes, while the human master of the house is in a much better frame of mind now that his back is mending. Aside from the human master’s car getting totaled when a backhoe backed into a fallen tree, life has been good.
We wish our readers a pleasant evening ahead, and safe travels to wherever your destination in life may lead you.
– Canine Correspondent Rosie, reporting from the Northeast Regional Feline Correspondents Desk in Connecticut.
Music news (schedule posted on the Performance Schedule page)
For those readers who missed previous posts or are new to this blog, I will be posting on mostly seasonal basis now. Hopefully someday, I may be able to actually catch up on the many projects, including updating the pages associated with this blog, as well as stay in touch with all of you. I will keep the performance schedule updated regularly. New videos will follow as soon as I can get to it. After a very busy start to the new year, I fell ill with a tenacious respiratory bug at the end of January, requiring me to cancel most of my shows during February. It was a rough start when I did return, as my voice had not quite recovered. I had finally gone to Urgent Care after 4 weeks, where it was deemed a sinus infection, and given antibiotics for a week. I got in a few shows and then the pandemic hit, requiring venues to close down and people to self-isolate.
For those readers who are new or catching up, do visit the Salmon Brook Farms YouTube channel. Our first Tiny Farm Concerts one song music video was posted at the end of March, 2017. I am 17 years older and a good bit more grey since my first and only CD was released back in 2003, but still in the saddle. It has been an interesting ride, with more to come! For those who have missed previous posts and wish to view the channel content, here are links to the previous two videos. The coughing and what seemed like endless sleepless nights in February had been hard on me, and I have not attempted to actually record anything yet until I feel my voice is back to where it was. It is still a little rough. We are almost there.
The Orchard, our distributor, has placed some of our music from the Keepsake CD on YouTube. Anyone wishing to see the entire track listing and stories behind the songs should visit my personal page under MUSIC in the menu at the top of this post. Depending on what country you live in, the music placed on YouTube by The Orchard may be blocked. Readers can also access some songs from the CD via the old IUMA archive site.
Lavinia and Rick Ross
Salmon Brook Records / Salmon Brook Farms
https://salmonbrookfarms.wordpress.com
Beautiful photos. I always like the cat news.
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Thanks for stopping by, and for the kind comments, Tim! 🙂 The formatting came out a little strangely in the cat report, though WP doesn’t seem to leave me a way of fixing it I have found yet.
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There, got the formatting fixed.
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WP as been particularly difficult and annoying for me tonight. I’m extremely frustrated with it.
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I try to stick to simple things with it, but occasionally it has me buffaloed. 🙂
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It seems to get particularly touchy when I do a group of photos tiled like the one with Spunk and Silver tonight. Tiled is the default, and it’s also the most buggy and problematic.
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It kept deleting sections on me tonight, I am not sure why, but I was able to get the post out.
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It deleted some of my photos tonight. I had to reload some of the photos several times. Then it kept adding line returns. I’d delete the returns and it would add them again.
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There must have been software changes recently.
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It’s so nice to see you back! Lovely photos and music, wow. ❤️ The header image is incredible! I believe President Kennedy was a great man regardless of me being just two years old back then. God bless him.The Sky photo from March 25 is like looking into Heaven, wow! I hope your post schedule will be more frequent going forward. Be well! ❤️
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Hi John, good to see you! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments! I am glad you like the quote from Kennedy. I think of that often when I look at the sea.
My camera is now about 16 years old, a Sony 5.1 megapixel. She still takes reasonable photos, and I am no expert like you or Tim. Mother Nature does all the rest.
I may go back to posting once a month down the road, when I get through a few projects. Especially at this time, I have slowed down to recover my health and take care of the backlog of things needing doing.
Take care, and stay well, John. I do worry about those with pre-existing health conditions during these times. I will catch up with your desert photography shortly.
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Aww thanks so much for your kind comments. ❤️ I hope your feeling better soon. Yeah, I’m at higher risk but live alone which I believe lowers that risk.
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I will try to keep a closer watch on your site to make sure you are posting daily. Stay safe and well.
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I upload almost every day, probably too much but blogging has been tons-o-fun for over ten years! 😂
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I always really enjoy your pictures and descriptions, and the reports from the animals, Lavinia. I love the part about the ocean, Athena, and Kennedy. I’m sorry to hear you got sick this year, and I hope you soon have complete vocal recovery. Stay safe!
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Thanks for stopping by, Leah, and for the kind comments. Wishing you and your family, and little Franklin, all the best.
Readers, Leah has a book published, “Catwoods, Stories and Studies of Our Feline Companions” Please visit her site at
https://catwoodsporchparty.wordpress.com/ for more information.
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Thank you Lavinia, I appreciate that!
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Wonderful chatty post! I especially love the report from the fur folk!
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Good to see you, Luanne! Thanks for stopping by and the kind comments. The fur folk always have some thing to say.
Readers, Luanne is a published author with a number of books. You can visit her at https://writersite.org/ for more information.
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Oh, that is so sweet of you to add that info. My fur folk have been having a lot to say. My cats are thrilled I am home all the time, yet Perry, the youngest, is picking up on our anxiety. Poor guy. xo
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love the old saying… and what jfk said about the ocean… it is sooo true. We love Odie, a king high above wathing his kingdom. and thanks you for the music (sorry ABBA) it was great to listen to your voice while reading…
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My favorite Weimaraners! Always good to see you all stop by, and thanks for the kind comments! Our friends back in Connecticut will enjoy the comment about Odie. 🙂 I love watching the sea, and that quote from JFK always stuck with me.
Stay safe and well over there in Brittany.
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Hope you and Rick are staying safe and warm in these troubling times. There is the benefit of living in a rural setting to inspire and sustain one’s hope for a better time ahead. Flowers in bloom in the middle of winter! What a treat that must have been! Even the dandelions are a welcome addition to the scene (for me) as they offer up nectar and pollen for the few pollinators buzzing around.
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Hi Doug, always good to see and the boys stop by this blog for a visit. Living in a rural area does indeed have its advantages, especially in western Oregon, much milder than my native New England. I forgot to mention the primrose that blooms in mid winter every year, It was one I rescued from out by a dumpster where I worked many years ago. It thrived here, and sends up white blooms every year. Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are both beautiful, and edible. We eat the greens, only taking a few from each plant.
Best to you and kitties Andy and Dougy, my favorite Persians. 🙂
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Thanks! I’ve been curious about edibility of dandelions. I suspect one would have to get the tender first leaves and do something to deal with the bitter sap.
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The new leaves are best, but I have stir-fired or cooked like spinach the older, more bitter leaves. 🙂
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sounds wonderful to me. I like stir-fried greens, and i understand they (dandelion greens) have lots of what’s good for you.
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Hi Lavinia. Thank you for keeping us up to date with what’s happening on the Farm. The cherry tree garden looks very beautiful. This is really my favourite season of the year, seeing everything waking up outside in the nature.
Always enjoy reading the news about the cats too. Jimi sends his regards to all the cats on the Farm!
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Always good to see you, dear Herman! The cherry tree garden in honor of your mother, brother, sister and cats Glippie, Mrs. Jones and Mr. Bowie is a special place. Spring has a beauty like no other season, with life awakening everywhere.
All the best to you and Jimi cat, and your father. Stay safe and well!
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This special place means a lot to me, Lavinia. I cherish it deep in my heart and think about it in difficult moments.
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Thank you, dear Herman! The old cherry tree is close to blooming now, too. The wild cherries open their buds first, then the plums, the big Black Tartarian cherry tree in your garden, and the Bing cherries and pears. It’s a cold raw day here and raining at the moment, but good to see nature forging ahead. 🙂
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You certainly have the most wonderful skies. How disappointing that your gigs have had to be cancelled. You’ll have plenty to keep you busy with during the lockdown. We’re taking the chance to try and get on top of the woods. Hard but very satisfying work. Keep well and your voice should be bursting forth when it gets the next chance.
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Thanks for stopping by, Annie! Good to see you, and thank you for the kind comments! I am hoping your vineyard has an excellent year. Yes, boredom is not a problem during the lockdown. So much to do here.
I have had a residual cough, and am still slightly wheezy if I breath wrong. It is slowly getting better.
Readers, please visit animalcouriers.com/on-the-road-with-animalcouriers for stories and beautiful photos of Annie’s animal transport company. Beautiful passengers and they see some amazing scenery along the way!
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Such beautifully written poetic prose as befits a songwriter. I played Jackie the recordings this time. She enjoyed them too, especially when I told her who it was.
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Always good to see you and Jackie, Derrick! Thank you for stopping by and for the kind comments. I am glad you enjoyed the music. 🙂
Jackie has a real way with birds. I enjoy those stories of Nugget and his fellow robins, and Russell Crow, too.
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Odie looks like he’s been caught in the act. Lovely post, Lavinia. I’m happy to hear all is well on the farm. I enjoyed your photos. Stay well!
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Thanks for stopping by, Jill, always good to see you!
Readers, Jill has a number of published books. Visit her at jillweatherholt.wordpress.com for more information.
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That is so kind of you, Lavinia. Thank you. ❤
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It is always so nice to hear you and your farm news dear Lavinia, Good Morning! It is not an easy days that we all living but life goes on… your photographs made me happy, I loved them all, but you know which ones are the favorite of nia 🙂 Thank you dear Lavinia, Blessing and Happiness to you all there, be careful and be in safe, Love, nia
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Always good to see you, dear Nia. Thank you for stopping by and for the kind comments! No, not easy days we are living through, everywhere in the world, but they will pass, eventually. Thinking of you and your family over in Turkey. Stay safe, and well.
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I love the way you describe, even in this pandemic-ridden world, how Salmon Brook Farms is waking up to Spring. Plants beginning their growth with new foliage and flowers, the feline press team getting out and about collecting their news. Your posts are always a pleasure to come visit and then I relax enjoying your music!
Thank you, Lavinia.
(Is it time to remove the covering from Michael’s tree?)
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Good to see you, GP, as always! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments. Yes, it is time to remove the deer netting off of Michael’s tree. His tree is the tallest of the line of five sequoias. I got two of the five trees done, his is next. The weather is getting better, and so am I, so I will get some more photos going. 🙂
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Fantastic!
Are the grape vines showing sprouts?
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The vines have not reached bud break, yet. Won’t be long though! 🙂
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Lovely to read of your developing Spring. And Odin is one magnificent specimen of Cathood! And on the sea, do you know the ‘Sea Symphony’. to words by Walt Whitman? Music to enthral!
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Thanks for stopping by, Musiewild, and thank you for the kind comments! Our friends CM and RM will love the comment about their Odin cat. 🙂
Sea Symphony is one I will look up. Who does the song?
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It really is a symphony, for a full symphony orchestra plus choir and soloists. There have been many recordings over the years since it was composed in 1910.
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So good to hear from all of you at Salmon Brook Farms, Lavinia! As always, your photos are amazing. Odie looks like a handful:) Stay well and try to enjoy your spring!
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Thanks for stopping by, Becky, and thank you for the kind comments! Stay safe and well, and enjoy the best of the season.
Readers, Becky is a published writer. You can visit platformnumber4.wordpress.com for more information.
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Thanks so much, Lavinia!
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Great skies in this post. I am glad that you have a generator. Reliable power is a great boon. I hope that you get some good growing weather.
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Always good to hear from Scotland, and thanks for stopping by!
I wish we had a generator. The cat (or dog in this case) report came from our Northeast Regional Correspondents in Connecticut on the east coast. They have done what I would like to have done, but that will have to wait.
We are back to more “normal” wet and cold weather with plenty of rain today, just as the plums, pears and cherries are starting to bloom. The pear, which is an early bloomer, seems to suffer the most.
I could send you a little rain if you are in short supply. 🙂
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I am sorry that I didn’t read the post carefully enough.
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No worries. My posts are a bit long. 🙂
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I love your sky watching reports. I’ve been watching the moon fatten up. That is also a fascinating story of the fox coming to the garden fence–probably to say “why the fence?” Also, you must congratulate Rosie on her reporting.
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Always good to see you Lisa! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments. I wish I could see the moon, but it has been too cloudy and rainy the last few days.
The foxes here have personality. 🙂 And I’ll send Rosie your congratulations. 🙂
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Whoops, and I hope you keep feeling better and get in voice soon. Certainly stay home as much as possible now!
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Will do! 🙂
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The wonder of the sky is one of the things you tend to lose in the city. Love the photo of the daffodils. Ours have just started to bloom!
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Always good to see you, Jason. Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments! We have past peak daffodil here, and fruit trees have just started to bloom, starting with plums and cherries.
The open skies and space out here are one of the things I love about the west. I can see the weather coming in from a long way off.
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Hello, Hello Salmon Brook Farms, creatures big and small, furry or not 😀 Spring sounds like it begins as summer ends in your part of this world. How awesome to have daffodils over the winter and gentle rain instead of snow.
You write so beautifully about the goings on. It’s not a wonder that you’re a singer/songwriter. I don’t know that you watch American Idol, but there’s a gal on this year, a guitar player, cute as can be, she wrote a song for her moma and grandma that was so gorgeous. I’m really rooting for her.
Was nice to hear from correspondent Rosie from Connecticut, even though the news of pets passing is rather sad. Otis looked so cute with his paws hanging over the rim of that barn loft. I guess saying goodbye to those we love makes their lives that much more special and meaningful. Even so, we could never know them long enough. Take good care through these tenuous days dear one. xoK
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Always good to see you Kelly! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments! I am glad you like the writing, it is something I like to do. Your beautiful comments make my day!
No TV service here, but I will root for that gal too!
CM and RM will enjoy hearing you loved Rosie’s report. Old Otis was a force of nature, and is sorely missed, still. No, we can never know them long enough.
You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers, Kelly. Stay well.
Readers, for you crafters and appreciators of fine crafting, please visit Kelly at https://kellymadeit.com/
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You’re so dear to recommend my site to your readers that might be crafty, thanks so much Lavinia!
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A lovely look at spring on the farm, albeit still cold and rainy most days. My husband and I were in Yachats last summer, and you’re right that none of us will be doing much traveling his year. But we can still admire the sky and the nature all around us. Lovely post. Take care.
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Good to see you! Thank you for stopping by and for the kind comments! Yachats is a beautiful town. I played music there in better times, and hope to again. I grew up on the Atlantic seaboard, and loved it, but there is something unique about the Pacific.
Readers, D. Wallace Peach is a fellow blogger and published author. Please visit https://mythsofthemirror.com/books-by-d-wallace-peach/ for more information.
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I was an east-coaster too, before following my kids to Oregon. 🙂 I do love the Pacific although my sense of direction is still backwards! The ocean is on the wrong side. Lol. Thanks so much for the link too. ❤
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Beautiful photos! 😇
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Thanks for stopping by SaaniaSparkle, and for the kind comments! Glad you enjoyed the photos!
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It’s a pleasure, Lavinia! 💖
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🙂
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It’s always lovely to hear news and happenings at the Salmon Brook farm. Thank you always for sharing your beautiful and peaceful world.
I must say, even though it is not good to hear that you fell ill with a respiratory bug at the beginning of the year and had cancel your shows, but thank goodness you managed to get into Urgent Care, have a proper diagnosis and treatment before this unsettling pandemic paralyzed the world.
I hope you have recovered and got your got your voice back. Keep well and stay safe, Lavina.
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Always good to see you Khaya! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments! I am grateful for this farm, especially in these times. We strive for peace and tranquility here.
I am glad my illness fell before the pandemic hit, it was bad enough. I still have some residual coughing from it, but I hope that will be over soon.
Stay safe, stay well Khaya.
Readers, Khaya Ronkainen is a published author. Please visit her at https://www.khayaronkainen.fi/books/ for more information.
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❤
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I enjoyed reading your post. The view of the ocean at sunset reminds me of happy times I had at a friend’s anniversary party in NY cruising the Great South Bay at sunset. The skyscape, the garden and that picture of Odin up high are precious. I love spring and your daffodils are beautiful. We are now in full spring mode and spring flowers are blooming everywhere. I pruned my roses and my tomatoes are just over a foot high. Hope you are feeling better. Stay safe.
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Always good to see you, Rosalinda! Thank you for stopping by and for he kind comments! I know your roses will be beautiful, and I look forward to seeing them on your site. Too cool here still for tomatoes.
I put in more daffodils every autumn. The King Alfred daffs seem to do the best, with reasonable blooms and strong stems. They do bloom early, so I mix them in with other later blooming varieties. Daylilies do well too, naturalizing easily.
This residual cough is slowly going away, and much better today.
Readers, Rosalinda has and educational site, free for anyone who loves or wants to know more about the Philippines. She is also an avid rose gardener. You can visit her at:
https://subliblog.com
https://stop-and-smell-the-roses.com
Stay safe, stay well.
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I am so pleased you are getting better after your infection and subsequent visit to hospital. This is a very worrying time for those of us with underlying health problems, especially bronchial and heart ones. Take care, dear Lavinia.
I always look forward to your beautiful skyscapes and descriptions of the weather from Salmon Brook Farms; the first photo of the clouds with a silver lining is awe-inspiring!
I hope you and Rick can weather this terrible pandemic without too much hardship.
best wishes, Clare x
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Good to see you, Clare, we’ve missed you! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments. You and your family are all in my thoughts and prayers, too. With great deal of carefulness and a bit of luck we will get through these difficult times. I am grateful for this farm and all it offers. I got outside today to work in the garden, preparing beds for the planting time, while Rick did some mowing. On 4.25 acres, there is plenty of personal space. 🙂
The transitional skies in spring and fall present some very beautiful cloudscapes, as well as colorful sunrises and sundowns. If there is any silver lining to the corona cloud, it will be that it sparks resourcefulness and creativity, and makes people realize we all live on the same planet and need to be responsible to each other.
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So very true, Lavinia. I have noticed this in my small community and have been involved in more things locally since this pandemic started than ever before! Socially distanced, of course!
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So happy to see a new newsletter from you 🙂 Oregon is a state we’d like to visit but who knows when. Stay safe!
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Good to see you, Teri! Thanks for stopping by, and for the kind comments! I hope you will get to visit Oregon sometime. It is a beautiful state with many things to see. 🙂
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Hi Lavinia – always so glad to read your lovely descriptions of the natural world around your farm and beyond. Thanks for that lovely quote from JFK and accompanying photo. Also, may I add, you have outdone yourself with the magnificent sky shots. And Odin is such a beauty. Stay well and safe – both of you and all your creatures. Jeanne
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It is always good to see you, Jeanne, thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments! I am glad you the quote and photos! 🙂 CM and RM will be happy to you you love their cat Odin. I have not met him yet, or Nick, but it will be a while before travel opens up. Stay safe and well,
Readers, Jeanne Balsam is a blogger and graphic artist, who also creates the most wonderful note cards. Please visit Jeanne at https://stilladreamer.wordpress.com/ and https://jeannebalsamgraphics.com/
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Amid all the delights here, I especially enjoyed the photo of Sadie and Rosie by the wood stove. It’s just a perfect photo; they look at peace, and happy. It sounds as though the rest of you are happy, too — although I’m sure you’re relieved to be rid of the worst of your illness, and will be even happier once it departs for good.
I enjoyed the quotation from JFK. Once I read it, I remembered it, and thought for a few minutes about how good a leader he was, despite the inevitable flaws common to us all. It was interesting to read that you haven’t come to bud break yet (or hadn’t when you wrote that). On Sunday, I was able to be out in the sun, and I found a large patch of dewberries — our native, blackberry-like fruit. I’m not exactly a forager, but I did pick a fat handful, and ate them with pleasure. Still warm from the sun, they were sweeter than usual, and delicious. Wishing you much sweetness in the coming weeks!
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It is always good to see you, Linda! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments. Between illness, world politics and COVID-19, I will be happy to see 2020 in the rear view mirror. 🙂 JFK certainly had his flaws, but was a good leader. I still remember when he died. That was a long, long time ago.
The grape vines are still not at bud break. Our weather has been cool side which has been advantageous for making sure fruit trees and vines don’t bloom too early. Our plums and pears are in blossom, as well as the wild cherries. The Black Tartarian and Bing cherry trees are not far behind. The apples will be along in a few weeks. I would love to be picking blackberries, but that is a long way off. Oregon has plenty of invasive Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) and evergreen blackberry (Rubus laciniatus), although it also has one native specie, the trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus).
Dixie’s iris has come up, and I am hoping it blooms for you this year.
Readers, please visit writer Linda Leinen at either or both of her blogs,https://shoreacres.wordpress.com/ and https://lindaleinen.com/ You will not be disappointed!
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I was sorry to hear on the news this morning that John Prine has died of COVID-19 at the age of 73:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/john-prine-obit-253684/
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Thanks for stopping by from Portraits of Wildflowers, Steve. Always good to see you! I caught that on the news this morning. I loved those songs “Hello In There” and “Paradise”. I was lucky enough to see him live in concert when we lived back east, many years back. It was a triple show with Karla Bonoff, John Prine and Arlo Guthrie.
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I first hear “Hello in There” on Joan Baez’s “Diamond and Rust” album in the mid-70s. That was quite a “triple play” you caught live back east.
I’m relieved that your respiratory problem turned out better.
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Yes, that was some show with John, Karla and Arlo! I got to see Donovan live once, too, in a pub gig he did in Connecticut. The place was packed with people, a thunderstorm going on outside while he sang.
What respiratory bug I had was bad enough. I hope to never see COVID-19.
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Wow! What a stunning JFK quote. He really was a thinker, wasn’t he? I love your sundown image and in fact all of your sky photos, Lavinia. Rosie looks quite at home in the snow, but equally comfortable by the wood stove with Sadie. I’m sure she really misses her companion. Dear Otis would probably be very happy to know that his chair isn’t vacant. Thanks for the update on your life at Salmon Brook Farms. It all sounds very peaceful, except for the totaling of Rick’s vehicle of course. 😯 I’m sure you managed to soothe him with your beautiful voice and guitar music though. 🙂
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It is always good to see you, Silvia. Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments!
This quarter’s cat report was given by Rosie the dog from a horse farm in Connecticut, not one of our crew out here in western Oregon. Occasionally we have guest “cat” writers from Connecticut or Sicily. Our friends CM and RM have the horse farm over on the east coast. Sadie and Rosie are their dogs, as are cats Oden, Nick and Mr. Otis. Sadly, Otis and Sadie have passed on. That was a photo CM had given me of Sadie and Rosie back when. That was CM’s husband RM’s car that got totaled. Rick’s car is doing well. 🙂
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Oh my goodness. That all sounds quite complicated. No wonder I got mixed up. 🥰
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No worries, Silvia. My posts tend to be on the long side, so it is understandable. 🙂
Give my best to Grandpa Igasho. 🙂
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I also had to keep scrolling back up to your post to get the names, as my comment was way down. 😳
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I sometimes open two windows on some blogs where there are a lot of photos or the posts are long, so I can see the post in one and the comment section in the other.
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My memory of the Oregon coast is from 1980. I was going to college in Seattle. My roommate, who had a car, would be working in Alaska for the summer. I drove his car back to California. I got off from Highway 5, just over the Columbia River, travelled west to Astoria, then took Highway 1 all the way to San Fransisco. Being young, adventuresome, and naive, I just camped out on side roads for a couple of nights on my way south. – Oscar
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Hi Oscar, thanks for stopping by from Hermits Door! Highway 101 is a beautiful drive along the coast. We didn’t move here until 2003, and I imagine the coast would have been a little wilder back then. 🙂
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how lovely to hear from you! And such wonderful photos! The sundown on the pacific is beautiful as are your flowers in the cherry tree garden. Welcome to Nick! I just love the pic of Otis, very special … Stay safe dear Lavinia
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Julie, always good to see you stop by from Frog Pond Farm, and thank you for the kind comments! You should be into autumn there on your beautiful farm in New Zealand, and posting a harvest report soon.
I will let CM and RM know how much you like their kitties Nick, and the late Otis. The cat report from from their farm over on the eastern seaboard, 3000 miles away. That has confused some readers. 🙂
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A beautiful visit Lavinia, I enjoyed your skies and all the news from the farm. I’m definitely tied to the sea and that sunset is gorgeous.
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Thank you for visiting, Andrea, it is always a pleasure to see you, and thank you for the kind comments. Yes, you would love the Pacific and the views down Route 101, which runs all the way down into California.
Readers, Andrea Stephenson is a blogger and published author. Please visit her at https://harvestinghecate.wordpress.com/ for more information.
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I loved reading your description of the Pacific Ocean, Lavinia, viewed from the road along the shore. I feel this very much. Here are some views of the sea “la Manche “near Dover destrait : https://youtu.be/USFLlPjuvkI
Your farm is located in a place in symbiose with the nature . Wonderful.
I liked too the dialogue Rick-fox!! 🙂
Love ❤
Michel
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It’s wonderful to see you, Michel! Thank you for stopping by from France, and for the kind comments! The foxes here seem to be quite vocal, and quite loud. I heard one the other night.
Give our best to Janine and the family. ❤
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Your beautiful photos of the Oregon coast remind me I might actually end up with enough free time to blog about our trip there in 2018! We so enjoyed driving from San Francisco to Astoria, and then on down to Portland. We may even have got near you when we went along the Columbia River and visited someone in Boring.
What breed are Sadie and Rosie? To me, they look like Australian kelpies 🙂
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Good to see you Gwendoline! Thank you for stopping by from Australia, and for the kind comments!
On your trip, you were about 2 1/2 hrs from where we live, over in the Cascade Range foothills east across the Willamette Valley, roughly southern mid valley. We are about 2 hrs south of Portland, so not near the Columbia River. The Santiam River is the closest one to us. When the current virus plague ends, if you are ever back over here again, let me know!
I will ask our friends CM and RM about Sadie and Rosie, as the dogs belong to them. Old Sadie passed on a couple of years ago. They do look like kelpies. 🙂
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I suspect that if / when this virus ends, there will be a lot of bloggers reaching out to their virtual friends if they are travelling. I’ll surely keep you in mind.
As you say, we didn’t quite hit your area, but I’m glad we got to Boring when we did, as we were privileged to have afternoon tea with the long-lost relative. She passed away a few weeks later.
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I am glad you had the chance to see your relative before she passed away, Gwendoline. That was a precious last afternoon tea.
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I also checked in with RM on Rosie and Sadie. They are half Australian Kelpie. Not sure what the other half is, my own guess is possibly Labrador.
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That made me laugh. An over friendly always hungry Labrador, crossed with a hard working sheep herding Kelpie. The mind boggles! Although of course, both breeds are very trainable with certain labs excelling as guide dogs
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The characteristics from both breeds you mention seem to apply to apply to these dogs. 🙂
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And I’m sure they make (made) wonderful loyal companions. My kelpie, a rescue who had never been a working dog to my knowledge, still had the instinct. She used to round me up as I hung out the washing!
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Some of my cats must be part kelpie as I find them herding me around the house. 🙂 When I had cancer surgery years ago, Mr. Nano would herd me back into bed if he thought I had been up too long. He stayed right by my side.
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What a comfort to have a caring cat beside you in what must have been a worrying and distressful time. My siamese was quite a character too.
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We started calling him “Dr. Nano” because of his white coat. 🙂
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Lovely update, Lavinia. Happy Easter. 🙂
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Good to see you Kevin, and thank you for stopping by and for the kind comment. Wishing a Happy Easter to you and your family, too!
Readers, Kevin Cooper is a published author and musician. Please visit him at https://authorkevincooper.com for more information.
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Aw, thanks, Lavinia! 🙂
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I thoroughly enjoyed your words and your dramatic images describing the skies above us. Thank you for the update on your beautiful farm and family. I found this quote calming the other day, and I am sure it will resonate with you.
“Nothing in Nature Blooms all year round. Be patient with yourself.”
Best Wishes, Charlotte
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It is always a pleasure to have you visit, Charlotte, and thank you for the kind words! I do love your quote about Nature, and it certainly applies to me. 🙂
Readers, Charlotte Hoather has one of the most beautiful and clear coloratura soprano voices I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Charlotte also has a YouTube channel.
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I’ve never been on the west coast but my boyfriend David’s family is from Oregon. His great grandfather (or great-great grandfather) started the Oregon Forestry Division a long time ago.
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Welcome aboard Stine Writing! Thank you for stopping by and for the history lesson. Would his relative be Peter Daugherty, agency executive and State Forester?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Department_of_Forestry
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Actually I found out that his mother’s grandfather started the Oregon Forestry Service and they named a forest after him – Elliot State Forest. His name was Frances Elliot.
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I looked up the location, it is over in the Coast Range. That was quite an honor to have a forest named after him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliott_State_Forest
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Yes, Frances Elliot actually took a bear home for a pet! I have to find the pictures but I saw them! Funny!
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Beautiful spring photos. We are skipping spring and pretty much went straight to autumn from the winter in the US. In the backyard of the rental place, we found Feijoa and I made a crumble pie with it. The fruit has a pretty amazing flavour. Leaves are falling. Winters are not severe here but we do have storms once in a while. A
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Always good to see you, Benji, Anarette and Sky! Thanks for stopping by from your new home in New Zealand! I had to look up feijoa. I bet it tasted good! Yes, that must have been interesting going from winter in this hemisphere into autumn in New Zealand. Wishing you all the best in your new home! 🙂
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Thank you Lavinia! Feijoa does taste good. The problem is keeping Benji away from it, he pointed it out to me in the first place. The plant and seeds are poisonous. We are renting the place and can’t (re)move the trees. Luckily, it will be just a short time that I have to keep an eye on Benji while he is roaming the yard. A.
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Beautiful photos and writing. My spirit felt soothed as I read your descriptions of nature.
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Good to see you,Laurie! Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments! I enjoy writing these posts about life here on our farm, and am always pleased when someone finds something of value there. 🙂
Readers, Laurie is a blogger hailing from Maine, and is a published author. Please visit her at https://hinterlands.me/ for more information on her work.
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Oh, thanks for the shout-out! Yet again I clicked on the box at the end of your post to receive notices of new posts by email. Fingers crossed that I get them.
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No worries. I am only posting every 3 months these days. Next one will post around the end of June. 🙂
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Fingers crossed that I get a notice. WordPress is sometimes funky when it comes to email notices. At any rate, I will be sure to check in. Reading your posts is as refreshing as drinking from a clear spring.
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Thank you, Laurie. Your comment made my morning bright and cheery! I am glad these posts bring pleasure. 🙂
It is 35 degrees here at sunrise today, although it is forecast to get into the lower 70s today. Our temperature swings quite a bit on a sunny day! I got the bed made for the chives finished yesterday evening, and hope to get the soil in and all transplanted today. 🙂
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Such pleasure. Holy cats, that is a huge range.
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One mid summer, I noted 38 degrees on a July morning, only to soar over 90 later that day. The highest temperature I saw was 112 on the porch thermometer of the old house.
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We had a beautiful day here in the low 70s, and I had a wonderful time out there in the garden.
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Perfect weather!
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Hi there, this is my first time to visit your blog. Just wanted to say hello.
That is a lovely cat, love all the photos. Is the house made of logs ?
By the way, I am new in blogging and just made a challenge to myself to visit at least 10 blogs daily. During my visit, I will made a connection by leaving a comment and putting your link on my blog. Hope you can visit to check it out.
I followed your blog too.
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Welcome aboard and thank you for stopping by and visiting Vanessa, and for the kind comment. Wishing you the best on your new blogging challenge.
Our friends on the east coast have a log home, and that is their kitty Odin. 🙂
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Water, earth, air, fire: your beautiful post looks having an aristotélician structure, Lavinia
Love ❤
Michel
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Always so good to see you, Michel! Thanks for stopping by from your lovely gardens in France, and for the kind comment! I am glad to see you are blogging again, and hope you are feeling better. ❤
Much love to you, Janine and the family, ❤
Lavinia
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You live really in the nature whom you underline the beauty aand its maaagic .
Rick speaks to the fox while you love the carpet of Dandelion .
About dandelions One of my sons makes wine with them , a true wine by alcoolic fermentation.
Love ❤
Miiichel
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It is wonderful to see you visit again, Michel! Thank you so much for stopping by and for the kind comments! I hope all is well in your area of France, and that your gardens will produce an abundance for you and Janine. It has been a long, cool spring here, and is still a little too early to plant tomatoes and peppers. Every season has its beauty here, and Rick and I are lucky enough to live on this farm and watch the animals and yearly procession of plant life.
I have never tasted dandelion wine myself, but I would bet your son makes a very delicious wine from dandelions. 🙂
Much love to you, Janine and your family, ❤
Lavinia
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Haha, strange days indeed with a dog among the feline correspondents. Thanks for this wonder-filled newsletter, Lavinia. Hugs on the wing.
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Always good to see you, Teagan! Thanks for stopping by from Teagan’s Books and for the kind comments. Yes, poor Rosie is outnumbered by cats, but managed to get in a report with their blessing. 🙂
Hugs on the back back to you and Crystal!
Readers, Teagan Geneviene is a blogger and published author. Please visit her at https://teagansbooks.com/ for more information. You can also find her on Amazon.com, https://www.amazon.com/Teagan-Riordain-Geneviene/e/B00HHDXHVM
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Well, Correspondent Rosie is vying with you in the storytelling and journalism departments, but your nature writing still blows me away with its beauty and telling details. Wow, Lavinia. Though I must say I also feel a touch of envy that you had daffodils blooming throughout a mild winter. Mine just started to bloom, here in Ontario. Thanks for this long-awaited newsletter, which I will no doubt read again at least twice. My best to you, Rick and your household.
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It is always a pleasure to see you here, Cynthia! Thanks for stopping by from Canada, and for the kind comments. It is good to hear your daffodils are blooming now, and spring has arrived in Ontario!
I am only posting four times a year now, at roughly the end of the equinox and solstice months. This gives me a little time to slow down, virtually visit others and get some work done here without burning the candle at both ends. Yesterday I moved an entire pile of alpaca manure, one wheelbarrow load at a time, from the neighbor’s place to our gardens. Today I am catching up on reading, although there is plenty left to do everywhere. It’s raining today, anyway. 🙂
Wishing all the best to you and your family!
Readers, Cynthia Reyes is a fellow blogger and published author, hailing from Canada. Please visit her at https://cynthiasreyes.com/about/ for more information about Cynthia and her books. I have read them all, and treasure them! You can also find her on Amazon.com
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Nice nature descriptions, it seems it’s a good area for farming.
My yellow daffodils are also in bloom, we were still having minus temperatures last week. I was watching them and wondering how they’ d come up. I just planted everything last July after my most current move.
I love the white daffodils more actually which you have on a photo. I suppose, they will be blooming later. Ontario weather has been really terrible this April. The only spring while I have been in Canada and when it was nice, was 2005. I remember that because that year my dad passed away.
I have no pets because of art everywhere and no time, but I can understand the good care you take of all of them.
Music is always great, such a talent.
Thanks Lavinia for all good news and do not work too hard, but stay safe!
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I always enjoy your visits, Inese! Thanks for stopping by from Canada, and for all the kind comments. I’ve planted fall discount sale daffodil bulbs as late as January, and had them come up and bloom in late March, but our climate here in western Oregon is much milder than where you are. I love those golden trumpets, but love the white ones too, and have some of the Mount Hood variety planted near the house. I have been meaning to get some Poet’s Daffodils, too.
Readers, Inese Poga is an writer, life sciences specialist and artist whose works are available for purchase. Please visit her site at https://inesepogagallery.com/ for more information.
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Hi Lavinia, Thought I’d better stop by before the calendar flips to May. I hope you and Rick are doing well, staying well and staying safe. Since we live rural, we don’t see how things are except when it’s time to shop at the supermarket.
In your writing on the sea, some of the best sailors are from places far from the sea. I have a fondness for lighthouses and a lot of things nautical. But, I kind of like the sort of cowboy life I’m leading, riding horses. I only ride Deborah’s G-Man. He’s not one for the equestrian pursuits; more than happy with trail rides and when we’re checking fence lines. We have done 2-3-4 day rides, which are very cowboy like.
About cats that like high places, I have and had them. It seems to be a special attraction for my crew.
PS – I thank you for your kindness. We truly appreciate it very much.
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Always good to see you, David, thanks for stopping by from the ranch in Colorado, and for the kind comments! We are all OK here, so far, and grateful to have this farm to work on, and roam about. Yes, shopping is a bit of a surreal experience these days.
All the best to you and your family, and may you all stay safe and well. I know your family members are on the front lines, being in medicine, and you all are in my thoughts and prayers. I will give you a heads up this fall when I have your father’s daffodils planted.
Readers, you can visit David and his family on their ranch at Through the Viewfinder. David and Laurie’s daughters are professional equestrians, as well as medical students.
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Thank you, Lavinia. You made my daughters’ day; they’ve been wearing a smile all day long. 🙂
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I read with attention the correspondence between the two farms cats.. What amazes me is the the correspondent of the northeast farm ‘s cats is a dog ! Beautiful lesson of tolerance .
Love ❤
Michel
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Always good to see you, Michel! Yes, our friends C & R only have the one dog left now, so the cats outnumber her. They all get along quite well. 🐱 ❤
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Love your blog 🙌🏻
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Thank you, Saania! We strive to make it a peaceful place for people to visit.
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It is! Followed you 😻
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I rread the musical part of your post , Lavinia and I learn you got respiratory worries until March, on this year 2020. I hope you are fully healed and Rick has not been ill.
Love ❤
Michel
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Good to see you again, Michel! Everything seems back to normal now. Rick was sick with something a few weeks before me, but it was not so severe, only lasting a few days. Both of us are fine now. Thank you for asking, dear Michel!
Much love to you, Janine and the family, ❤
Lavinia
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I hope it was not the nasty virus, cause of the epidemic in the world!
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Urgent Care took a swab, but deemed it bacterial.
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Has it really been so long since I visited? Your skies are, as usual, wonderful, and your interaction with wildlife is always a pleasure to read.
I hope your sinuses are recovered and your voice too. My singing voice is appalling at the best of times, so it’s never a worry, but I have had sinus problems in the past and it’s not an experience I would care to repeat.
Best of luck for the rest of the year.:-)
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It is always a pleasure to see you, Quercus, whenever that may be! My voice has recovered. I miss not be able to perform now because of the pandemic, but things are what they are, and the music will go on, in a new way. I think it will be a while before venues are really open again. I was working with the video equipment today, and working through a set list of about six songs I can perform in a video, about 30 minutes worth. Hope to have the first short set out in the next week or so.
I’ll get your father’s daffodils planted this autumn. My heart goes out to you and your family at this time of loss. Give our best to Julia.
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Thank you, I will tell Julia. It is good to know there will be daffodils in spring.
Good to hear your voice has recovered.
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And I will think of your father whenever the poem about daffodils comes to mind.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45521/i-wandered-lonely-as-a-cloud
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Thank you.
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It looks like this was the most current update.
I know how we all are so busy. My garden is tiny and I still spent 2 full months working there.
I hope you are fine and everything is good.
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Hi Inese, I am only posting 4 times a year now, at the seasonal changes. We are all OK here, so far, eating sensibly, attempting to get plenty of sleep, fresh air and exercise. It is about all we can do in these times. Good to hear you are well, and getting in a lot of garden time.
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