We had planned on shearing the first of the flock this afternoon. A thunderstorm had plans of its own, so we spent the afternoon inside watching rain blowing down sideways instead. With each lightning flash, the portable phone in the kitchen would ring once before the thunderclap. Mother Nature calling!

Ready for rain.

Around the corner of the house, another dove makes use of handy subtropical foliage for a more traditional nest.

Mockingbirds and Mourning Doves were nesting around my mother's house, making for an interesting morning serenade. Here is one dove that decided to use a hanging basket as a nest ready made to hatch her chicks.

For those who check regularly, my apologies for the lack of posts. I took some time off and went down to Florida to visit family. The picture above is the view from Caspersen Beach last Saturday, looking out over the Gulf of Mexico. I have been back since Tuesday night, but caught up in the press of work since then. After a short burst of vacation pictures, regular farm blogging will resume.