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Penney Hill Farm, Bridgewater, NS (2026)

06/14/2026

An idea whose time has come again?

This article as noted in Lauralee’s handwriting is about the Folk Schools that used to be offered in Nova Scotia. Every year Lauralee with the help of her children as they got to be old enough, collated (a word taken from the Latin word “collatus” that means to bring together and now means to collect, arrange, and assemble information or materials in a specific order or sequence) and glued on looseleaf paper all Grammie Penney’s newspaper clippings for the year which then went into a binder labelled with the year on it. Lauralee wrote: “Article in TIME magazine, Mom (Noreen Penney) about a school that mom attended.” The article is filled with valuable historical information. The article’s unnamed author used parentheses so this author’s sidebar comments are in {braces}. It reads:

“NOVA SCOTIA
School for Leaders (1955 is written in ink by Grammie Penney)

The hall over O’Brien’s general store in Kennetcook {This was common. The store in Parkdale Maplewood had a hall overhead where the Agriculture Society met regularly.}, N.S. (pop. 400) resounded last week to the rhythmic shuffle of dancing feet and the sound of hearty, untrained voices singing to piano accompaniment. From 8 a.m. to 10 at night {a typical day for many farmers, especially during the summer}, the periods of music and dancing alternated with group discussions, dramatic skits, and brief talks on problems of farm management and rural life. It was the final week of the annual eleven-day session of the Kennetcook Folk School, part of an experiment in adult education designed to enrich the lives of rural Nova Scotians.
In organizing the province’s first folk school eight years ago, the education department borrowed heavily from ideas developed in Denmark {Scandinavian countries are leaders in education of all types. sadly, Nova Scotia persisted in following American concepts when better ideas were readily available where Scandinavian education is far out achieving North America.}, where similar schools were started a century ago for adults living on farms in small towns. Their aim: to develop community leaders who could organize clubs and cooperatives, get other people “in the mood to talk and work and sing together”. {Note that the previous sentence uses the words “in the mood”. People have to decide to put aside differences and be willing to talk and work with others. Rural people can be careful about that.}
The eleven women and eight men in last week’s school ranged in age from 17 to 52 (average age: 30); most were high school graduates {In 1955, being a high school graduate required hard work. Students did not automatically achieve a high school diploma.} with families and some community responsibilities. All lived for the duration of the course in the nearby Kennetcook Hotel, lining up each morning for turns at the hotel’s one bathroom. {For Grammie Penney and probably many others there, sharing an indoor toilet would have been a treat. The outhouse was in regular use here on the farm until 1963 when Grampie Penney built and plumbed our indoor bathroom.}
School Director John MacKenzie or one of his four staff assistants usually opened the sessions, then unobtrusively turned the leadership over to the students (“members”). Discussion turned at various times to farm marketing problems, books about Nova Scotia, folk songs and dances and the history of the Acadians. {The Acadians were amazing farmers, building the d***s still used today. There is much to learn there, not to mention what happens when one group of people turn on the other which resulted in the expulsion of the Acadians between 1755 and 1764. That was a wise choice of topic.}. Said Guy Henson, Nova Scotia’s director of adult education: “This is not leadership training in itself but an educational experience that helps develop the individual, broaden his {Using the norms of the times, he spoke in the masculine despite the majority of members of the folk school being female, 58% in fact.} horizons and give him a sense of community responsibility.” {In fact, studies prove that empowering women in communities reduces poverty, improves health and nutrition, boosts overall economic resilience, and increases education levels as educated women are more likely to see that their children are getting a good education. Loaning women money to start small businesses in impoverished places around the world, brings the best results. As one person stated at a meeting this past spring, “Women know how to get it done.”}
Nova Scotia’s four folk schools, which have produced some 600 graduates, have proved so popular that the government plans to open an advanced course next month. And New Brunswick has decided to sponsor similar folk schools for its rural dwellers.”

Grammie Penney often talked about the Folk School affectionately, especially about all the wonderful and interesting people she met there. Everyone has a story to tell and she loved listening to others. She also loved to dance and sing. Her soprano voice was often heard in various choirs in churches around the county. She had as much vocal training as she could afford (which was very little in the way of money). Her mother and three of her four children were teachers. She firmly believed in education. She also got a break from raising her two children (two more were still just a twinkle in their daddy’s eyes.” Going to Kennetcook for eleven days would have been a major holiday. Calling them Folk Schools was truly inspired. The term country folk is still used today. Some consider it a bit of a snub but, here on the farm, we believe it to be a compliment. The word folk comes from the Old English word “folc” (same word, different spelling) that meant common people. (“Folc” also meant laity, men, people, nation, tribe, multitude, troop, or army. Old English did not have the expansive number of words that modern English contains.) It just makes sense to call a school for rural dwellers a Folk School.

The question is, were these folk schools successful? We cannot speak for others but it most definitely empowered Grammie Penney. She went on to form the Women’s Institute in Upper Northfield. THAT was a powerful group of women who made a real difference in this community. They became educated on women’s issues. They bought and paid for the new cemetery, realizing that the old cemetery was getting “full”. The women did that. At various times Grammie Penney was on the executive of the United Church Women’s Aid, also a formidable group along with the Lutheran Church’ Ladies Circle. They got things done. They held community suppers as fundraisers for their various projects. They kept churches running. Grammie Penney was quite involved in the local Agricultural Societies, working as secretary or treasurer at various times. She volunteered with the Red Cross and countless other organizations. When she could not go collecting for various charities, she sent children to neighbouring houses to learn what it is to give one’s time to making the world a better place. There were 19 people at that Folk School. If even only a few went on to make their communities a better place like Grammie Penney had done, imagine what those “folk” did to make Nova Scotia a better place? This is an idea whose time has come around again.

06/13/2026

Weird things happen. Often there is an explanation but sometimes one can be exceedingly difficult to find. Nikita and her human were working outside in the fields, planting sunflowers and buckwheat. When they headed back into the farmhouse, the human bent down to pick up the leash that always sits on an old workbench just inside the fence by the gate. Sitting perfectly on the wooden slat was a tiny brown speckled egg. Carefully picking up the egg, the human looked around to see where it could possibly have come from. The question of what kind of egg it was had not yet occurred to the human. We knew about all the swallows nesting everywhere around the fields in their human provided nests. We knew about the grackles nesting in the chimney Grampie Penney used to use on the side of the barn. We suspect a northern flicker has a nest somewhere nearby as one is seen frequently now. The American goldfinches twittering about everywhere eating seeds are probably nesting in forks of trees or saplings. Where this egg came from, sitting there so perfectly, was a mystery.

The egg had not a mark on it anywhere. Whatever or whoever had found it appeared to have gently sat it down on the neck for Nikita’s human to find. Gently it was picked up and taken into the old farmhouse for further investigation. Research has led us to believe that it is a chickadee egg as they are described as being tiny, white, and having reddish-brown dots or speckles. The confirmation appears to be the fact that the reddish-brown markings are more concentrated in the larger end of the egg. That appears to be the case with this egg. Chickadees are a constant here on the farm through all the seasons so maybe this was Mother Nature reminding us to pay attention to the tiny bird with an unmistakeable cheery call, “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” or a whistled “fee-bee, fee-bee” with the “bee” being on a lower note than the “fee”. Properly called a black-capped chickadee (for obvious reasons with black feathers on its head, as well as on its “bib”), this song bird is scientifically known as Poecile atricapillus. The genus Poecile comes from the Ancient Greek word “poikílos” that means many-coloured, spotted, or dappled. The species name atricapillus is made by combining two Latin words: “ater” that means black and “capillus” that means hair of the head or cap. Put them together and one has the apt species name black-hair-head. Little chickadees nest in hollows in rotten trees (one reason for allowing some to remain standing), often doing their own excavation. The male helps with that but the female alone lines her nest with soft materials like moss, animal fur, and soft plants. Then the female lays a single egg each morning for 6 to 8 days and then incubates them for a further 12 or 13 days until the eggs hatch. If you see a chickadee with a bald spot on its breast, that is a mother chickadee with what is known as a brood patch where the feathers wear away from incubating her eggs. After the eggs hatch, that is when the male chickadee comes back into the picture, helping to feed his offspring. With over 500 trips a day, both parents provide spiders, insects, and caterpillars for their children’s dining pleasure. Birds are great at insect and spider control. None of that is a mystery and easily discovered by reading bird books. The mystery is how that egg got to be on the bench where Nikita’s human always sets her leash.

Nikita definitely did not gently set that delicate egg down on the bench. All humans on the farm have been quizzed and none have admitted setting the egg down there. Did someone wander by and tantalizingly put the egg there to be found? It seems to be inconceivable that another bird stole the egg from a nest and did not eat it. It was windy but that egg did not blow out of a nest and land ever so gently and coincidentally atop the old workbench. It is possible that this might be a brown-headed cowbird egg, the lazy bird parents where the female lays her eggs in another bird's nest and leaves the “adopted parents “ to raise her family. They are brood parasites but a cowbird egg is supposed to be white or greyish-brown with brown or grey streaks. Possibly (huge emphasis on that word), this was a cowbird egg that another mother discovered was not hers and got rid of it. However, the odds of that bird landing the egg on top of the leash bench are minimal indeed. Potentially, someone who knows more about bird eggs may know more about the egg layer of the unidentified egg. What we do not (and probably will not) know is how that tiny songbird egg came to be sitting on the leash bench for Nikita’s human to find. It is a mystery and, frankly, just plain weird.

06/12/2026

Their great-grandmothers were sisters. Grammie Lois and Aunt Tessie grew up together on the Morton homestead in Watford that no longer exists which seems strange since there were fifteen children in that family. One would think that there would be enough family to keep the farm going onward in time. However, that was not the case. Of the fifteen children born to Freeman (His first name was Joseph but he went by his middle name) and Hannah Hawkesworth-Morton, only two stayed in Lunenburg County, Grammy Lois and Uncle Leo. Uncle Chip (Edward Chipman, it seemed to be a family trait to go by middle names. The same is also true for Aunt Olla, Hattie Olla, and Aunt Jane, Eliza Jane.), all but two left Lunenburg County. Outmigration is nothing new for Lunenburg County. Of those Morton children, five went to Massachusetts, two to Maine, two to British Columbia, one to Pennsylvania, one to Alberta, and Uncle Chip went to New Hampshire but returned to the homestead after the tragic death of his wife during childbirth. Their son named Arthur only lived one day. He never remarried. Aunt Deborah died at the young age of twenty-seven. That left only the 11th, Grammie Lois, and 14th, Uncle Leo, children of Freeman and Hannah Morton here in northern Lunenburg County. The majority of the Morton family spread far and wide across North America.

One of those that left was Aunt Tessie, almost five year younger than her sister Lois. Moving to Drumheller (married to Thomas Hollis), she made her life there. Two of these young women were her great-granddaughters. One is Grammy Lois’ great-granddaughter. That makes this trio of young women third cousins. This picture was taken more than a couple of decades ago when the Alberta cousins were “home” for a visit here on the farm. Somehow, this farm draws people back (and that is a good thing). One can see a a family resemblance in the shapes of faces of two of the cousins. One thing they certainly all have in common are smiles. As a family, we try to pride ourselves on teaching people to smile often. The myth that it takes fewer muscles to smile than frown is exactly that. A smile requires a minimum of 10 muscles with a maximum of 12 to 17 muscles used. A frown requires a minimum of 6 muscles with a maximum of 11 to as many as 43 for a full face grimace. The smile wins out on the maximum but loses on the minimum in the smile versus frown muscle use competition. However, a truly genuine smile engages the muscles around the eyes, known as a Duchenne smile (named after Guillaume Duchenne, a 19th century French physician and anatomist). When one sees the crinkles around the eyes, six more muscles go into use. A Duchenne smile is difficult to fake. It indicates pure joy and happiness. That is what one sees in this photo of three cousins.

What is fascinating is that of these three young women, two of them would go on to defy the odds. The chances of having twins is currently about one in 250 pregnancies. Worldwide, about 3-4% of all births involve having twins. Two of these teenagers (little did they know it at the time and it is just as well that we cannot see into the future) would have a set of twins. Joined by genetics (although rather distantly as third cousins) but, even more importantly, by friendship, these three photographed by much loved Grampie Penney (one of the probable reasons for the Duchenne smiles. Heaven only knows what he said to them to get those looks.) while sitting on his couch are proof that families can stay connected, not matter how far apart they may live.

06/11/2026

Spending a great deal of one’s day in the great outdoors has its advantages. There is time to think and just be. There is also time to observe the wonderful world that surrounds us everywhere, including up in the sky. As children, the sixth generation could frequently be seen lying on the grass and looking up at the clouds passing by, picking out pictures and faces in the clouds. Humans like to see faces everywhere as our human brains are hardwired to find meaningful images in random patterns, inanimate objects, and clouds. There is a word (of course there is) for this phenomenon, pareidolia. The psychology term comes from the Greek words “para” that means beside or instead of plus “eidolon” that means image or shape. According to Johns Hopkins University, humans naturally look for images and faces. It is tempting to lie down on the grass and watch the clouds but, as children, the sixth generation never had to worry about the scourge of ticks. There were none here in this part of Nova Scotia. We romped and played freely in the tall grass without worrying about Lyme disease. That is no longer the case. Cloud gazing now happens while standing or sitting comfortably on the couch on the porch of the she-shack. There is a particular type of cloud we have been looking for, but it is not a face or a shape. We have been looking to find mammatus clouds.

Mammatus clouds are also called mammary clouds (for obvious reasons) or mammatocumulus to scientists who study clouds known as nephologists (from the Greek word “nepho” that means cloud). They look like the udders of cows hanging from the bottom of the clouds. The International Cloud Atlas recognizes about one hundred different cloud types and sub-types. Mammatus clouds are considered uncommon but not rare. That may be true but ever since learning about them a few years ago, at least one human has been trying to spot them in the sky. Mammatus clouds are found on the underside of cumulonimbus clouds (just like udders are on the undersides of cows) that bring us thunderstorms. They are actually bubble clouds created by sinking cold air. Generally, they are seen after a thunderstorm has passed.

Seen on Tuesday morning (8:27 a.m. to be precise), there was no thunderstorm in the area. Those may not be mammatus clouds but it certainly looks like there are bubbles sinking downwards in that cloud. It may not be the best of examples but a careful look does show what appears to be cow udders hanging downward. Maybe it is a case of pareidolia, not seeing faces where there are none but seeing mammatus clouds when they are not. A nephologist would have to rule on that. Nevertheless, clouds are as fascinating to look at as the stars. There is something about looking above with wonder and amazement, realizing just how small one human is in the grand scheme of things, especially a human who enjoys being outdoors as much as possible.

06/10/2026

In case you are ever wondering about the resilience of plants, we have one tiny example here on the farm. Growing up in the middle of the lane, surrounded by crushed rock pounded down by vehicles passing over it, is a dandelion plant. Not a plant native to North America, dandelions were brought to the “New World” by European settlers, most likely for their medicinal uses. Dandelions can take root in places that are downright miraculous, just like the one growing in the centre of the lane. Dandelion leaves can shove their way through gravel (we have proof) and cement making it able to thrive in habitats that other plants cannot. Growing quickly, those bright yellow dandelion flowers can go from a bud to seed in days, the seeds blown by young children (and some of us not so young) to make a wish. A dandelion flower, like a sunflower, is in reality a cluster of hundreds of individual flowers called florets. Dandelion florets each have a parachute for it to catch the wind and spread as far as the wind can take it. Over the past several days, that would have been quite a distance as the wind was howling over the hill. (On a bright note, that kept the blackflies at bay.) Each floret produces a seed and a single dandelion flower has, on average, 150 to 200 seeds. That single dandelion plant can flower up to ten times per year. Do the math and you will see that is a lot of dandelion seeds created. The other reason dandelions have spread so far and wide is its longevity. If left undisturbed, a dandelion can live up to thirteen years. Those dandelions growing on a playground are probably older than the children playing there but do we respect these “senior” plants?

Some people dig them out relentlessly from their lawn when, in fact, dandelions are good for lawns because of their deep roots. Those roots (some as deep as 4.5 metres) loosen hard soils, aerate the soil, and reduce erosion. That deep tap root reaches nutrients, like calcium, deep in the soil, making those nutrients available for other plants. Dandelions actually fertilize the grass, naturally. Another reason dandelions survive for so very long is their cloning ability. A 2.54 centimetres piece of dandelion root can grow a whole new plant. Dandelions brought by early settlers are, undoubtedly, here to stay.

For Grampie Penney, the first dandelions were cooked up as his first spring salad. He learned that from earlier generations who had spent long winters eating root vegetables stored for food. Science has proven that dandelions have more vitamin C than tomatoes, more vitamin A than spinach, and contain exceptional amounts of iron, calcium, and potassium. Those were all nutrients lacking from the farming diet of early settlers over long, cold winters. That first “mess o’greens” (“mess of greens” in a Lunenburg County accent) was important to good health. Grampie Penney always only ate the early dandelion leaves as he said they got bitter over time. His children thought they were bitter from the first taste. To give Grammie Penney credit where credit is due, she never made anyone else in the family eat the dandelion greens she made for her husband, probably because she prided herself on not being a hypocrite since she did not eat them herself. Not only are dandelions nutritious, herbalists also use them to help remove toxins from the liver, working as a gentle diuretic (taken from the Old French word “diuretique” from Late Latin “diureticus” which all came from the Greek word “diouretikos” which was the combination of “dia” = through + “ourein” = urinate). Apparently, a cup of dandelion tea is great for a hangover as it helps flush the toxins out of the liver that cause hangover symptoms. Finally, dandelions are expensive. What are you talking about, you ask? Dried dandelion roots that are used as a non-caffeine coffee substitute sells for $31. 75 per pound (0.45 kilograms). That is more expensive than the current price of prime rib ($15 to $23 per pound or maybe even more), lobster (currently $15 to $18 per pound in Nova Scotia), and other expensive foods. Who knew? Apparently, enterprising folk have even created dandelion ice cream. Our dandelion growing in the middle of the lane is safe. We will just admire its beauty (they are a gorgeous yellow) and its toughness in choosing a difficult place to grow.

P.S. The tiny spider living atop the lane dandelion flower was only noticed when, while being photographed, a large bumblebee came along but left quickly, perhaps because of the human but also perhaps of the spider. Spiders are predators in the insect world and that spider may be small but mighty.

P.P.S. In order to clear up a statement in yesterday’s post, “According to the Government of Canada website, Upper Northfield is located at a latitude of 44.501642 North, almost exactly halfway between the North Pole and the equator.” The key word is “almost”. Stewiacke has the exact claim to fame for the halfway point. Upper Northfield is 0.498358 degrees south of the exact 45 degree point, the equivalent of a distance of 55.5 kilometres (one degree of latitude equals 111 kilometres). To use a Grammie and Grampie Penney phrase, over the distance of approximately 10,000 kilometres between the North Pole and the equator, “That is pretty darn fine close.” Apologies for any misunderstandings on this issue.

06/09/2026

Taken last night at 10:59 p.m., that is not the glow of the horizon as we approach the summer solstice. These two pictures were taken facing north, not to the west where the sun sets. That can mean only one thing, the northern lights or Aurora Borealis were glowing in the northern sky. According to the Government of Canada website, Upper Northfield is located at a latitude of 44.501642 North, almost exactly halfway between the North Pole and the equator. That means the northern lights are visible over quite a distance.

The opportunity to see northern lights is supposed to be quite good in 2026 because our star, the Sun, is at the peak of its eleven year cycle for ejecting solar flares and coronal mass ejections. It is the particles from these two events that hit Earth’s protective magnetic field that create the bright colours we call the northern lights that is actually a geomagnetic storm. Without our magnetic field, our atmosphere would be ripped away and dangerous solar rays would ruin our DNA that makes us who we are. The magnetic field also works to deflect solar wind (filled with radiation) around the Earth, collecting the dangerous particles at the two poles where the fireworks are "set off" that we "ooh! and ahh!" over as humans. The next peak for solar activity will not happen again until the mid 2030’s.

Last night’s display was not with the shooting colours but a steady glow that brightened the night sky. With an absence of moon and clear skies, it was the perfect night to watch the sky, other than having to get up to go to work or school the next day. The stars were out (as many as we know see with all the light pollution from Bridgewater to the south, Halifax to the east, and the Valley to the northwest) with the Big Dipper that most people can recognize and Cassiopeia that is the large W or M to the north. Orion’s Belt is no longer visible as we cannot see it during the summer months in the daytime sky. If ever you see Aurora Borealis, remember to be grateful to the Earth’s magnetic field that keeps our Garden of Eden planet safe. As pretty as the northern lights are,without that magnetic field, the solar winds would be deadly.

06/08/2026

Somehow, almost a month has gone by since our last TTNT (Tea at Ten in Northfield on Tuesday). Tomorrow we will gather again at the Upper Northfield Community Hall on the Cross Road for tea, coffee, “goodies” and a chat with others. As always, everyone is welcome. You will be greeted somewhere near the door by someone but they are not there to check for your Upper Northfield passport. The only qualification for entry is to just be yourself. We sit about and catch up on everyone’s latest news. The main purpose is to get out and enjoy the company of other humans. Do come along if you can, tomorrow at 10 a.m. We hope to see you there!

06/07/2026

Last evening’s walk in the growing dusk brought much joy to Nikita the farm dog’s human. While walking down past the seventh and eighth generation’s house, an unmistakable song was heard, one we have been waiting for. Sadness was beginning to take hold at the thought that this mighty traveller had not returned. Looking around for the source, high up in the tippy-top of the pear tree was where the song was coming from. It was not a partridge in the pear tree. It was hard to see the reversed tuxedo with the yellow trim in the dusk but the shape and form were exactly right. Closely related to blackbirds, the bobolink’s song could be clearly hard ringing out over the field, bob-o’-link, bob-o’-link, spink, s***k, spink. (That is the interpretation given by William Cullen Bryant. See an excerpt from the poem below.) Nikita’s human paused to listen to the joy of the song that brought even more joy to the heart.

Bobolinks face many dangers during their long migration from South America each spring. So much can happen during their 20,000 kilometre journey. To give some perspective as to how great a distance this actually is, it takes a commercial jet flying at an average speed of 850 to 960 kilometres per hour approximately 20 to 25 hours to fly 20,000 kilometres. Add to that time, wind conditions and the mandatory refuelling stop as, at this time, there is no jet airplane currently in service that can fly that distance nonstop. The longest distance a commercial jet can fly now is the Airbus A360-900ULR (ultra long distance) that has its longest route presently being JFK New York to Singapore, a distance of about 18,000 kilometres. The 20,000 kilometres that the tiny bobolink songbird flies is about half of the circumference of Planet Earth. That is quite a feat that includes a long trip over the Gulf of Mexico’s open water. With an average lifespan of five years, that means a tiny bird will have flown the circumference of our planet five times. THAT is impressive!

Nesting in grassy fields and old pastures, current day farming methods do the bobolinks no favours. First cuts of hay have already been taking place elsewhere but not here on Penney Hill Farm. We attempt to make our property a haven for birds from the nesting boxes for the swallows, the undisturbed nest in the old chimney Grampie Penney put on the side of the barn, and uncut hayfields until we know the bobolinks have fledged (a word that means to acquire feathers since 1560 that came from an Old English word “-flycge” that meant having the feathers developed or fit to fly that came from Proto-Germanic “flugja” that meant feather). Last summer the hay was never cut because by the time we were getting ready to do so, the drought had such a strong grip that the Department of Agriculture was telling farmers to keep equipment out of fields to prevent a spark starting a fire. We listened. The bobolinks nested and went on their merry way back south when the time was ripe for them to do so.

Bobolinks are polygamous, a word that comes from Late Greek with “polys” meaning many and “gamos” meaning marriage. Okay, bobolinks do not get married but what it does mean is that male bobolinks, as Grammie and Grampie Penney used to subtly put it, “Get around.” However, the last laugh may be on the reverse tuxedo wearing males as the females also practice polyandry (having more than one husband at the same time). Scientists have discovered that a clutch of eggs laid by a single female may have multiple fathers. Female bobolinks know how to “get around” too. Hatching the eggs is up to the female alone but let us give credit where credit is due; the male bobolink helps feed all those hungry mouths until they fly the nest, a grass lined hollow in the ground. After a summer of raising his brood, the male starts to resemble the plain brown colours of the female, only getting his fancy colours for mating season to impress the ladies. That change to dull brown, however, is in the future. For now, the bobolinks have returned once more to nest in the fields in Upper Northfield and may there always be fields for them to do exactly that.

“Robert of Lincoln”
by William Cullen Bryant

… is telling his name:
Bob-o’-link, bob-o’-link,
Spink, s***k, spink;
Snug and safe is that nest of ours,
Hidden among the summer flowers.
Chee, chee, chee.
Robert of Lincoln is gayly drest,
Wearing a bright black wedding-coat;
White are his shoulders and white his crest.
Hear him call in his merry note:
Bob-o’-link, bob-o’-link,
Spink, s***k, spink;…” (an excerpt from a much longer poem)

P.S. You have to imagine the male bobolink in the top of the pictured pear tree, singing to all the world below him with gusto. No photo taking device was at hand.

Penney Hill Farm

06/14/2026

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