Snippets ~ End of Summer Edition
☆ September 4, 2018
End! Of! Summer!!!!!!!!! I rejoice.
Summer is intense. And exhausting. And hot. There’s a lot I loved about this summer – it was a whirlwind of travel and human connection and bonding with the Farmily at dawn and dusk and under the stars, and midday work breaks under the trees, but I’m glad it’s in the rearview and that autumn is on the way. A week or two ago, when I noticed with wondrous relief that it was dark at 9pm, I wondered if the cottonwood trees feel this way, too, like, “I grew so much and contributed so much – beauty and shade and oxygen and habitat – and it’s been glorious, but now I’m glad that I get to slow down, and soon, soon, I’ll have a much-needed, very long nap.” And they let their leaves fall.
. . .
Sage (who is now one year old) has been howling when Charlie howls. Charlie’s howl is strong and elegant and Sage’s is the opposite. So earnest yet so wobbly! As Mike says, “he hits every note but the right one.”
. . .
3M and Fiona’s calf are joined at the hip. They eat together, they run around together, they nap together, they play together. The cuteness is epic. They are both chubby and strong and healthy and happy. Fiona has done an amazing job.
. . .
Daisy, Miss Daisy, Queen Daisy, Our Daisy is doing GREAT! I had my other vet come see her and he said that while she’s not going to live to nineteen, it’s just as likely that she has two years than six months. I’m holding on to that. I wish she would gain more weight more quickly, but other than that, she’s fantastic. She’s getting around perfectly well – leading the rest of the cows around the property and up the steep driveway and staying well in the lead – and she’s perky and bossy and as voracious as ever. She’s getting tons of love and literal tons of treats. I often go out and find her – to brush her and cuddle with her and take her treats – but sometimes I’ll open the front door and there she’ll be, waiting, looming silently, staring me right in the eyes, like she had been willing me to open the door, and her telepathic message is, “I’m ready for some treats right now.” Having her surprise me like that is always such a treat for me.
. . .
Longform has become one of my favorite podcasts. Here are three great episodes:
Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah
May Jeong
Elif Batuman
Last month, I listened to and loved The Opposite of Fate by Amy Tan. It’s a book – memoir – surreal, true stories beautifully told.
I’m a huge fangirl of Michael Pollan (author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and numerous other books); he’s on my list of “if you could invite five people to a dinner party, who would they be?” people. I recently found this talk he gave – titled Deep Agriculture – and it’s just incredible. I listened to it and immediately listened to it a second time. It’s from nine years ago and does not feel dated in the least. It’s fascinating to listen to it in that context, yet everything he shares is just as as applicable today – arguably even more so. I highly recommend giving it your time. You can listen to it HERE.
Have any recommendations? I’m always on the lookout for more podcasts. Leave ’em in the comment section, please and thank you!
. . .
The Shop is back open and filled with treasure!!! Check it out before I decide to keep all the new jewelry for myself. I have many more beautiful adornments to photograph, they’ll be popping into the shop randomly over the next couple of weeks.
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I’m working on a new book proposal (!!!) so blogging will continue to be a bit sparse. It’s easier for me to post photos and snippets on Instagram when I’m short on time, so you can check in on the Farmily on my Instagram page, even if you don’t have an account. The button in the sidebar will take you there too….
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19 Responses to “Snippets ~ End of Summer Edition”
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MY NEW BOOK!
More, Elsewhere
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September 4th, 2018 @ 8:20 am
I’m glad summer is ending as well and I hope the forest fires feel the same way and die out. That is a super photo Shreve, very unique! Thanks for the podcast titles.
September 4th, 2018 @ 8:25 am
You might like The Dirtbag Diaries; Home of the Brave; For the Wild; and She Explores.
I love podcasts! Thanks for the recommendation — look forward to checking out Longform!
Glad to hear all is well with your critters and REALLY glad to hear of another book in the works!
September 4th, 2018 @ 8:42 am
I’m always so ready for autumn…
Super excited about the new book!
September 4th, 2018 @ 8:45 am
Pardon my lousy memory, but who is Sage? And any chance of some kitty pics? :)
September 4th, 2018 @ 9:35 am
There’s an episode of This is Love called something large and wild that will fill your wonder-tank right up to the tippy top! The whole podcast is great, but that episode is head and shoulders above the rest.
If you like nerdy fantasy stuff, the Adventure Zone masquerades as a DnD actual play podcast but is really a vehicle to tell ever-evolving, epic, beautiful stories. It’s an incredibly rewarding listen.
September 4th, 2018 @ 10:03 am
A new book??!!!!! Wonderful.
September 4th, 2018 @ 10:42 am
Great news about Daisy! Shower her with treats & love. The calves sound adorable. Sage howling with Charlie would probably make me smile. I too am looking forward to autumn. This summer has been way too hot for my liking. Love your pictures on Instragram. Excited about the book proposal – no matter what it may be about. Thank you for the podcast recommendations!
September 4th, 2018 @ 10:50 am
So happy for the update on Daisy. I’ve been wondering how she–indeed, all of you–have been. May your autumn be blessed.
September 4th, 2018 @ 12:50 pm
I will encourage you, vets can be wrong about how long something will live.
Years ago, we had a milk cow/angus mix who was pregnant and losing weight badly. We thought we were going to have to do a cesarean to save the calf it was so bad. When the vet came out, he looked at her and said she probably had some fatal disease that was common in milk cows. We declined tests because we figured there wasn’t any point if they couldn’t do anything.
She made it to calving, and gave birth on her own. We figured we’d pull the calf off and put it on a healthy milk cow, but we left her to mother it. A while later, we look out and she’s having a second calf. Both were alive. Once she had the calves, she started doing much better. Turns out the vet was wrong. She was just not doing well because she was carrying twins. She didn’t calve the next year, but she went on to have more calves, then she died in her sleep one winter. (I say in her sleep because when we found her, she was curled into a ball, in a way you wouldn’t notice because she looked so peaceful.)
September 4th, 2018 @ 4:22 pm
Thanks so much, Shreve, for the update. I’m doing happy dances for Daisy ~ I hope and pray she continues to do really well for years to come.
Glad, too, to hear about the possibility of another book. Yippeee!
I, too, am looking forward to the fall. I’ve had my fill of hot, steamy, excessively rainy. However, I am not looking forward to winter. Too bad one has to follow the other….
Hugs and blessings to all, and special kisses for Daisy!
September 4th, 2018 @ 10:43 pm
Yes, I can’t reme who Sage is either! Please share a photo and recap on who this is, please
September 5th, 2018 @ 6:40 am
great to hear an update – thanks!
i’m so done with the summer here too in MD and i wonder often how the farmers from whom i get my veggies and meat manage in this heat – they are all looking a little worn down at the farmers markets.
Great news about Daisy – way to go – both of you! and does she startle you when you open the door and she’s standing right there?? LOL
oh book!!! :)
September 5th, 2018 @ 1:23 pm
Daisy will be with you forever. In her offspring and fosters and in all of the bad habits she will have taught them that will linger for generations.
Better get that porch reinforced.
In the meantime brush, cuddle and treat. She has no idea how lucky she is.
September 5th, 2018 @ 3:29 pm
All hail, the queen!
September 5th, 2018 @ 5:30 pm
It’s good to hear about Daisy — beautiful Daisy with the big kind eyes and the sweet face. It must give you not only a big surprise but a feeling of love seeing that sweet face when you open your door! :~O
September 5th, 2018 @ 5:32 pm
P. S. Could we get some more photos of Daisy, please!?! Pretty please!!
September 6th, 2018 @ 6:29 am
A & A ~ Thanks for the recs!
JR ~ thank you…..
J & R ~ Sage is our Australian Shephard – he’s cute and crazy and you can see tons of pictures of him on my instagram.
S ~ I’ll direct you to instagram too! I’ve been posting photos of Daisy there quite often.
September 11th, 2018 @ 7:40 am
I am so happy to hear that Daisy is doing better.
October 13th, 2018 @ 12:52 am
Who/what is Sage? Are there pictures? Where is Chloe? I was on a break and apparently missed something big. Thank you.