I was fortunate to be able to take some time off this weekend to spend on the farm with the animals, mainly the dogs, but also to see two new additions in the form of new ‘wassi patow’ female calves. There is always great joy at the birth of female calves as when they are artificially inseminated by the local government vet. They are able to used as milk cows, the which is the whole reason for having a herd. This when contrasted with the birth of a male calf, who whatever one does to prevent it ends up one day as eaten flesh! See some of my previous blog posts relating to that inevitability.
The most important task this weekend was to spend some time with the dogs that I spent the least of my time with due to my disability, and whom I have not even named properly. They were called Yakshi and Surakshi, not altogether suitable names, but which came naturally due to their nature of jumping up to bite one’s nose when they were acquired as pups. They are a pair of Rhodesian Ridgeback bitches who hitherto have been brought up together in their own kennel, and not really trained or let out side of their dog runs.
What is unique is the coloring, which I have not seen. It is a ash or fawn hue. Anyway they are now not as aggressive as they used to be and have calmed with age. I just hope the instructions of giving them fresh milk in the mornings along with their meals later that usually include fish will fatten them up. They being very active means that however much they eat at the moment, is not evident in their size.
The other disappointment was that we have not been able to sell any king coconuts for the past month. This is partly due to the wet weather but mainly because a company in Homagama, which used to send staff to pluck and buy from the property at a reasonable price, ostensibly for canning and export is not doing this anymore. Apparently the canning king coconut is no longer being performed for reasons that I can only guess. I always thought that canning takes away the freshness as well as the chemical process used to preserve king coconut water make the whole idea of a natural nutritious drink fade into oblivion. There was a time when I sold about 2000 king coconuts a week from the back of my pickup truck to small timers in Colombo, along Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, where the Foreign Employment Bureau is located and along Reid Avenue where the Colombo University is located. They have now been banished by the Ghotabaya clean-up campaign and replaced with Coca Cola sales, a typical Americanization by the American Citizen, another example of deeds by the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
in April 2011
Nice photos,
ReplyDeleteWhy do you keep your dogs locked up in kennels?
What is the point in having such a large property if they can not run around???
and so how many dogs do you have now??
ReplyDeletewill you have to rush off from your home on the range with the latest challenge to the UNP leadership? we're looking forward to some interesting stories, hopefully posted in a timely fashion!
ReplyDeleteThe dogs are generally put in the kennels due to a host of reasons. One being that they start fighting or develop a pack instinct if they are allowed to run riot.
ReplyDeleteSo usually two are allowed out at any one time, a male and a female so that they do not wander outside the perimeter of the property.
I have the oldest Sinha Bahu, then I have Hugo Parakrama who are the two male Ridgebacks. Then there is Megha the male and Soma the female of the Dalmatians.
Finally the youngest two are the ones shown here.
For photos of the lot, go to www.sinhabahuridgeback.blogspot.com
As far as the UNP leadership contest is concerned it is a normal event that happens once a year and the press the people have blown it out of all proportions.
I do not get involved in the nitty gritty of that as the NYF is more concerned about building the party, and as far as the young people are concerned they want an alternative government that addresses their concerns and we in the NYF are determined to give them solutions when elected.
Do not despair we are working to a plan and we will get there. We just have to have patience as the resource constraint is what we are have to contend with which reduces the speed to achieve the change and not any internal leadership battles that pale in comparison to those of the UPFA which are swept under the carpet as they are in government.
we're not worried about a quick change in leadership. we're happy with the things as they are now.
ReplyDeletehow is the new southern superhighway, by the way? how about the new southern port? or the new bridges? or the new cultural center? or the new cleanliness in the city? or the new peace in the country? hmmm?