Every day is full of stories

The mares where playing with Freeda. She was outside the fence, running up and down to see me mucking. The horses where really excited and followed her on the inside of the fence.

One cold morning, the muck puddle was steaming as the sun came up!

Every morning I sing songs about mucking. “I’m mucking in the rain, I’m mucking in the rain, what a glorious feeling, I’m happy again” (it’s not raining, but I like the song). Or another song, blues-gospel style “every mo-orning, before the sun comes u-u-up, I take my shovel – pause – and I start shoveling shi-it, Oh lord shove-e-eling shi-i-it” I call allthese songs “poo poo songs” and they are my morning meditation!

When the horses are cleaned, fed and watered, it’s time for the chickens and cockerels. Once I come out with the bucket of food, I have forty really hungry chickens following me. Everyone else is very scared of them. But I just find them funny! They fight over food but I still can’t find any eggs! I was told to put one marked egg where I want the chickens to lay eggs.  I have done so in two places around the farm. I am checking every day, but to no avail… One day Clio came to me and said she has a surprise for me! Five beautiful white clean eggs where on a stack of hay! They made THE perfect omelet! 

 Then it’s time for Heidi, the goat. She is Julietta’s goat. She eats some of the chicken’s food, but I found another purpose for her. She will be my “vacuum cleaner” for weeding the garden! All the summer goods have gone, so I need some clean space for the winter garden. Every day, she gets a little walk in the garden on a lead like a dog and I let her eat away! She seems happy and she is now best friends with Freeda! In the garden, Freeda digs the holes and Heidi weeds. I have two lively tools, to make my life easier! He he!

Vaccuum cleaning by animals was introduced as an idea by Clio, my innovative French co-worker. She is using Pyrros – Amandas’ big horse – to strip the leftover hay from the ground. Why break your back sweeping, when he can do it in three days? He is satisfied.

After the chickens we feed the cats. It must be twenty cats waiting in the barn to be fed. Cats are of two kinds. The fat bullies and the thin bullied. Cats cannot wait. They will be around you, all screaming for food like there is no tomorrow. I can’t recognize all of them, but Martha sleeps in the house and Mary is always ready to jump in the house to steal some more food. Mary usually sleeps in the bucket of almonds and walnuts. Another cat I will never forget is Hitler. They called him by this name cause he has a Hitler mustache. He is fat and will not come down from the vine unless it is for food. Charlie and Hunter are the beautiful strong males. They were here three years ago. They will be seen around the farm, sleeping in places you never expected them to sleep. Stachti is here and she is now big and has afunny face. Do you remember her?

Last but not least, the horses. Victor, the stallion is still here. He is beautiful and he as now fathered most of the foals. Sylvia – Marika’s foal, I was there when she was born – is a lovely three year old lady. So is Kaya, not a baby anymore! I have trouble recognizing them, but Clio is helping me. Never bored to explain over and over again who is who…

Me and Clio are having so much fun! One day we decided to get rid of all the junk in the front of the farm. With Georgies’ and Ruths’ help, we put all of it in Amandas’ big truck and went to discover the dumping grounds of Skyros. First stop were the gypsies in the marina. It was one of the scariest things I ever did. We were surrounded by kids who wanted food and clothes. Ok, we dumped the metal as fast as we could and left. We tried to find the dumpster, but we ended up on a really high hill overlooking the island. It was quite a drive! Skyros is so beautiful, and very green in some places! We ended up coming back and throwing a little bit of trash in every bin on the way back… It is still going to end up in the dumpster, right?

Another nice trip, was on the beach of Agios Petros. I remember sleeping on that beach three years ago. This time it was empty and cold. I did not even dare go into the sea! The other day, we went to Palamari, the beach near the farm. It is ten minutes on foot. Clio rode Pyrros and I was with Freeda. It was so hot, so I swam!

PS I am sorry - no I am devastated and shocked - to hear that a small dog back home passed away because she had a fight with Freeda. Aparently she had a bad trauma on her head that caused internal bleeding. I thought it was not a bad fight, but it was bigger than I thought. I will keep Freeda more restrained from now on. Good bye Myrto, you will always be remembered!