Month: September 2013

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They Followed Him to School

At Green Mtn College it’s not against the rules! In fact this professor-suggested move was encouraged and further approved by the farm crew. Who is this “they” of whom I speak? Let me introduce Corn, Beans and Squash, dubbed “The Ladies” by Lily. Purchased by our son during the “Yurt Summer of Sheep” to raise for dinner (I can’t quite bring myself to say the “S” word) they would remain at the farm near Montpelier until their time was up in November. Meanwhile, Benj would make all the arrangements necessary to turn them from crazy grazin’ sheep into choice cuts of chops and delicious sausage.

The ladies run to grain

The ladies run to grain

By a stroke of good fortune laid down by the farming fairies, Benj was asked to bring his close-knit trio to the farm at college.

The farm at Green Mtn College offers a CSA

The farm at Green Mtn College offers a CSA

This transport was to take place on Sunday and we happened to be there for visiting weekend and the Poultney Chili fest. The ARC floor (Academics, Respect, Community) FKA the Honors Floor, where Benj resides, won best student-prepared chili. After hanging out (and dining out) with Benj and Lily we’d drive with Benj to Montpelier and claim those lambs. A friend of Benj’s whose family raises sheep and turkeys has a covered pick-up truck that Benj was going to borrow, but her dad was coming on Sunday and generously offered to drive out of his way to help transport the sheep in a Popper; you know, because you just pop them in easily I guess. How great was that? One minute the sheep have to be moved, but how? And the next minute, things have fallen into place so wonderfully. Community. People helping people.

In she goes; ample room for three. No fussin' either.

In she goes; ample room for three. No fussin’ either.

Our paths diverged after the popping-in event; we back to CT and Benj with the wooly trio to Poultney. I really wanted to see the ladies set in their new home; “temporary home” Russ reminds me, but we needed to get back.

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Cormorant Circus

Late summer and the feathered ones- swallows, geese, ducks as well as those piggy cormorants, gather together before heading south. Safety in numbers is not a theme lost on any of them.

During much of the summer the cormorants went about their business of eating (fish, water snakes) and eating and well, doing their business! Then they decide- mostly because there’s more of them- that a boat mast top or spreader is the place to spend the night. Fortunately they are creatures of habit and when the captain waved his paddle they right got the message and only made a try or two to land on our mast top.  I’m thinking their little butts and webbed feet would be mighty hurting thanks to the spike strip we had installed at the top a few years ago.

Russ takes up arms against the cormorants

Russ takes up arms against the cormorants

Slip sliding down the backstay

Slip sliding down the backstay

Early on their motto was “one per boat” unless the newcomer was extremely determined. The first one would have a few choice words with the next occupier and that generally ensured that #1 had the night’s lodging all to him/herself.

By mid-Sept the small mono on the mooring south of us was the evening’s berth of choice for three cormorants. For the next two weeks the nightly circus routine was predictable enjoyment; for us anyway.

Each one would fly a huge oval pattern before attempting to land on the spreader or mast top. The first one was so punctual you could set your watch by it. The second and third acts often had trouble nailing the landing and would slide off, flapping their wings to maintain balance-futile effort that.

The pain I put up with just for good night's sleep!

The pain I put up with just for good night’s sleep!

Don't you dare crap on me!

Don’t you dare crap on me!

I'm sure I can balance here- all night??

I’m sure I can balance here- all night??  Wait- this isn’t a sail boat; not gonna work

We are ever grateful to the mono next to us.  That boat was plastered in cormorant guano and we were spared.  The owners never took the boat out, and only showed up once to check on it for 5 mins; it sat as a perfect bird roosting spot all summer long.

Preferred by Deep River cormorants 3 to 1

Preferred by Deep River cormorants 3 to 1