The Riley Factor #69

The Riley Factor June 13, 2010
(All the Rock Creek Farm news that's fit to print, along with unfit to print rumors, prognostications & bloviations.)

FORT PLAIN NY, June 13 --
Planting and Plowing -- Approaching the end of planting -- Australian Butter squash, rosa blanca eggplants, butternut squash, some herbs and another 50 tobacco plants went into the ground over the weekend.  The potatoes planted last week are all bursting up onto the scene, along with the navy beans.

Riley -- The Golden Boy's newest favorite activity of the day is playing with the steers.  The Herd of Five is frequently now a herd of six as Riley endeavors to get into the head-butting game.  So far, his quickness makes up for his giving-up 100 to 500 pounds to his combatants.  Although, he may be one hind leg kick away from becoming an astronaut.

The Herd of Five -- Zeke (the youngest, born February 13, about 150-200 pounds now) suffered some sort of war wound on Saturday, bleeding from his right rump from a piercing of sorts.  A bit of colloidal silver from Dr. Susan and an order of stall-rest and the patient was cured.

Fowl Weather -- One of the senior turkeys (the one that spent a night missing last week) has adopted the role of perimeter warden.  Dawn to dusk, alone, she patrols the street front, yard and barn yard, and assumes her post in the front of the barn, right at the door, squawking an alarm whenever some large being or chicken is present.  Susan corals her to move her occasionally, but when she stubbornly refuses to move she will sit down and stay fixed (the turkey, not Susan).  A bit of a mystery.

Mowings, Musings and The Woods -- Deer Sighting Season erupted with energy and quantities.  We saw five deer Saturday afternoon and evening, all does, one at a time each at five different points here and there.

Tales from Freysbush Garage -- What could be a better story than spending 18 years building an airplane in the second story of a building with no external doors, stairs or ramps leading to that floor?  How about building a submarine and sailing (?) it down the Erie Canal from Fort Plain to Buffalo?  Credit (again) Leon Douglas with this amazing feat. Of course, no photos exist of the underwater voyage.  We won't even bother regaling you with the tale of his installing a V-8 engine in a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle -- pales by comparison.

Quote of the Week -- One of our favorites ... a classic ... "All man's troubles come from being unable to sit in a room alone and do nothing." ... Blaise Pascal, French mathematician and philosopher.