Buzzards Poop?

I have quite a healthy farm grass and lots of it. It is too hot in summertime for me to cut, so I usually cut the grass on the weekend after the dog walk. In the summertime, I must cut it every week.

I'm a little behind my grass schedule, so I'm catching up. My grass is quite long. Last night, I thought I would do it today, and then I could rest tomorrow. So, instead of walking the dogs, I took out the mower and cut from about 7 pm until I could no longer see.

Lilly my German shepherd, is play mad. Anything I do, she wants to play. If it's in the outdoors, she is in an extra element. If I sweep she likes to take the broom away, if I mow, she wants to get the mower wheels, if I'm using water, she wants it all over her. For the first 15 minutes of my mowing, I'm trying to get Lilly to forget about the mower and focus on her ball.

As she approaches the mower, I tell her "leave", to which she stoops her neck low, standing, her tail at full gale and the eyes of a mischievous child. I roll my eyes up to the sky, take a long deep breath, and calmly say "Lilly, where is the ball? Bring it here". At the mention of the ball, her face lights up, her tail wags, and she sniffs around looking for her ball. I turn on the mower, and her focus resumes on the mower, and so it continues. Lilly is obedient and trained, however she has 100% selective hearing. She's not bothered with the mower, she just wants to have fun and test my patience, it's fun, even I laugh... Eventually. Eventually, the mower bores her, and she has a ball.

Now Lilly is in her obedient mode. She wants me to throw the ball. I'll be pushing the mower. She will be lying about halfway up, in the direct line of my path. She is in her resting tiger pose with the ball waiting at the end of her outstretched leg. She is keenly watching me. I then reach her with the mower, she sits, and I throw the ball - I don't say anything. Lilly learnt this trick from Duffy. Duffy now prefers to rest in a shady spot, his spot, all sprawled out while we ladies are busy. He still does his duty of alerting us to activities such as passers-by or cars, but at this time luckily, most people are otherwise occupied, so Duffy makes the most of it.

Last night, as I was mowing, and Lilly was being Lilly and Duffy Duffy, I suddenly noticed ducks flying in the sky over my garden. Did I mention that I skipped the dog and duck walk and feed today?

Let me explain. The dogs and I walk each day along the canal. When we reach the canal bridge the ducks are waiting for us. They know us from the sound of Duffy's bark. As I'm throwing pellets for the ducks, the dogs also want me to throw pellets for them. It's partly the dog's play drive but also that they love duck food. I keep telling the dogs that they aren't ducks, but I'm not sure they believe me. Therefore, during our walk along the canal, the ducks follow along and sometimes back again. So it's a dog and duck walk and food.

Back to the ducks flying over my garden whilst I'm mowing. Well, it seems the ducks had decided to see what was happening, what we were doing and why we weren't where we were supposed to be - at the canal? The first time, I saw three ducks flying over, and I said "Hello, and hope you are all ok". The second time, two ducks flew over, and I shouted over the mower "Sorry mowing the lawn today, must get it done, will see you tomorrow". I sighed, how sweet, but then in the same breath, how did they find us? Then, one duck flew over the house in wide circles about five times, making me feel that perhaps something was happening here. I was just about to drop everything - being completely covered in grass and mud, bare muddy feet, smelling like goodness knows what - and taking the dogs for a quick walk to check on the ducks. Luckily, I saw sense. My priority was the grass. The ducks continued to fly a few more times before giving up.

I have cows in the fields around me. I'm not sure if it's the sound of the mower or the smell of the grass, but the cows also like to collect at the hedge, munching away and watching the amusing antics in the garden, perhaps making sure I am doing a good job?

Yesterday, a grasshopper visited my desk. I picked him up and we went outside to sit and talk for a bit before he bounced off.

I have the ducks on patrol, the cows in the gallery and a grasshopper chat. Spoilt aren't I?

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