Prairie / April 23, 2021 April 23, 2021 / By admin
“When you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. “
Cheshire Cat, Alice in Wonderland
A fitting quote as I pour sweat and tears working behind the scenes of this blog and website while attempting updates with the trepidation that comes with not knowing precisely what I am aiming for. The spotty internet connection causes most of the tears.
Some subtle changes are coming, one of which is including photography that isn’t about sheep or a dog but is all about prairie. A small and fitting step in rising up into the title of Photographer at Wool, Stone & Prairie.
Prairie / January 14, 2021 January 14, 2021 / By admin
It is late in the evening and as I write I am listening to the roaring noise of wind. Brief bursts of rain spurred by the high winds make a slashing sound on the metal roof. It is January on the northern prairie; this kind of weather is unreal. The weather has been unusually warm for January. A good occurrence when you’re feeding hay to livestock but a worrisome occurrence in all other matters.
It is early the next morning, sleep was brief, there is still the roaring of wind. The internet didn’t stay alive long enough for me to post last night. The rain became snow and morphed into a blizzard. There is a thick blanket of snow/rain on the ground. I’m anxious to head outdoors and see the flock but it’s early hours and it will be full dark for awhile yet. The Kelpies showed no concern about heading outdoors this AM so I’m hopeful that bodes well for the actual conditions. Maybe it’s just the roaring of the wind that has me rattled.
The routine here right now is – well – very routine, which I’m sure I comment on every year. The morning chores consists of getting hay feed to the sheep, cows, horses and then feeding guardian dogs. In the evening we return to the pasture and feed guardian dogs a second time and just have a look around before nightfall.
It’s easy to become impatient with this small, every day occurrence and livelihood. Then brutal weather comes along and makes you appreciate how precarious it all is and in that precariousness is a measure of appreciation.
And you begin again, your routine made anew by way of nature.
There are more than the usual number of Ravens and Crows here this year. The birds caused a healthy does of trouble around lambing time by killing young lambs. I take a little bit of solace in knowing that in due time Mother Nature will check their abundant population. Where ever the Crows and Ravens showed up the Magpies would be right behind them, forever hopeful of getting their pickings of a kill.
Once lambing wrapped up the trouble ceased but the birds show up where ever the flock is. The Crows and Ravens keep a healthy distance but the Magpies are a bit more trusting, or desperate, I’m not sure which. They’re keen about any opportunity or potential of food. It might seem odd to want to photograph the birds but I do. I haven’t been able to decipher if the ewes are pestered by the birds or if they have a certain amount of curiosity about them, like I do.
I don’t feel any deep fondness for Magpies, but I like them because they are always around. Wherever the flock goes they are there, wherever I go they are nearby. If a dog dish is left unattended they’ll be there shortly to investigate. They are a constant within this prairie life and that provides a sort of reassuring routine in and of itself.
