Monday 9th May

We finally have a sunny day, the last week has been unrelenting rain. Not heavy, well not all the time, just enough to keep the puddles filled, the ground saturated and the river slowly rising.

We’ve got back to 6.30am starts in the milking shed, new grain feeder installed and operating, and the cows running into the yard in the mornings to be first into the feed trough.

The other side of that, getting them out of the bail and off the rotary is a pain in the butt. I’ve got 12? 15? Cows that persist in trying to stay on and get more grain, a few are cunning about it. They will back out of the bail, then wait for the next cow to back out, and duck their head down and try to sneak back into the bail thinking I haven’t seen them. It makes a slow start to the day when I’m continuously stopping the rotary and chasing cows off. Some will back out just with shouting, but a few others just ignore me until I spray the water hose over their ears.

All the fantails are out in force this afternoon, chasing insects, about 8 fantails dancing in the air after midges and gnats. My black one is still here, hopefully it is a partner to carry the gene through.

I haven’t seen the weka families for a few days, but they let me know they are still around each night by holding a neighbourhood discussion group outside my bedroom window at 2am.

There was a pig hunting competition based in Collingwood the weekend. I went over on Sunday afternoon to see the results. Apart from the crap weather, rain, train and more rain, it looked as though everyone got something for the pot. A few deer, a couple of goats, the kids were after rabbits and hares, and several good sized wild boars.

I’m away up to Auckland this weekend for Damians wedding, after waiting this long for it to happen I’m not going to miss it. Jesse and Kahu are Flower Girl and Page boy, I hope the weather holds out and it is a sunny and dry weekend.