This afternoon I spent a pleasant hour visiting with Jackson and his Mom Ashley…We were watching the sheep grazing enjoying the fresh tender green grass. We discussed terraces and how they work their uses and what they do for a field, and how sheep graze. We made a plan to give shots and check for worms Thursday, I will have good help! I am so blessed to have good friends…Gerry, Ilona, Linda, Sylvia, Ashley and many others!
During our visit Jackson found a small bird nest Empty now. But what a story it told.The Story of my farm…
The nest was very small about 3 inches across. Maybe 1 and 1/2 inch high. it was very light. it fell out of a Magnolia tree my Daddy planted for my Mother some 47 odd years ago. There are about 20 Magnolia trees up our drive way Daddy planted. (And I did my best to mow them down) as a young girl my job was mowing the yard, and I hated ANYTHING that I had to trim around! But in spite of my laziness they survived! I love them now! They are beautiful, sweet and a wonderful memory of Momma and Daddy!
The nest was made of horse hair, a twine string from a round bale of hay, dried grass, fine twigs, some dog hair, a bit of moss I think ,and lots of work. What a fine job the unknown bird did for its family!
The horse hair came from Tuff and Cheyanne. It was out of their manes. We have had horses since 1989. All the wonderful rides on all the good horses…the memories of Mt Rogers, Croft, Brickhouse, Yellowstone, Uwharrie, Jackson Creek, and so many other places…What a wonderful time we have enjoyed because of the horses. And we continue to enjoy!!!
The twine string from the hay we feed the sheep in the winter. The twine was orange. I was busy keeping it all picked up! I left some I guess !
I remember picking up square bales of hay in this very field…the diesel tractor sounds and the smell of sweet hay…of riding back to the barn on top of the trailer full of sweet stacked hay my Uncle Richard was the best stacker ever! We never lost a bale! We had a few tree limbs to dodge on the way to the barn… the honeysuckle smells and the sweet wild grapes we would be right there and able to grab a hand full! Life was good! and Still is!!!
The dried grass from the fields on our farm.( The nest was likely a Spring nest.) Fields that my Grandpa and others before him worked hard to remove the rock and prepare the soil to make a good field for crops and now we use it for hay and grazing.
The fine twigs and bits of moss came from the forest…Not much remains of the fine old forest.It lives on in my memory! But the bird made use of what it found.The forest where my Great Grand parents cut timber needed for farm projects. I was told proudly by my Grandpa how his mother (my Great Grandma Essie Skeen Delk) could cut wood as good as any man. She used a cross cut saw! She was an awesome cook too!
The dog hair was contributed by my English Shepherds I figure…They have been a part of my adult life since 1982. Before that all my childhood.What good dogs…All the many things we do…horse back riding, herding sheep, and just living life to the fullest!
Memories of barefoot going down the cow path with Lady a wonderful black and tan English Shepherd to bring the cows to the barn. I had the Shepherd’s Job all by myself! Even at 4! Amazing that is my job now!
Sigh…
This unknown bird brought back so many wonderful memories. It worked so very hard to gather and weave a good place to raise its little family. Just like my Daddy, and Grandpa did…And now I continue the same work of love. Maybe in a different way…but still that work of love…continues…
And then…I was given the most amazing gift! A beautiful Magnolia Bouquet from sweet Jackson! And that is “it” …No words!
