Dorset memory - 14 Standing on the gate!

Emily woke to sunshine not quite streaming through the window, but what looked to be a satisfactory late spring day. The morning was yet early but the will to accomplish more than the hours of the day would permit, she pattered several paces over to the dormer window & peered out over the top field. She called it the 'top field' as the hill rose to its highest peak for a good distance around the nearby countryside.

Below the window was a small garden with a well to the right, a very deep well, that had rocks around the outside of a large slab of rounded concrete covering it. A few small plants were growing between the rocks & alongside the front stone wall nearby were several low growing shrubs with a large bay tree. A wrought iron, black painted gate sat snug between both sections of wall with blue & white Aubrietia hanging over, tumbling halfway down to a small section of grass running alongside a narrow lane. A few other low growing plants nestled between the aubrietia presenting an abundance of delightful colour - a feeling of spring. A tall, very wide bank of hedgerow across the narrow lane, reached high up adjoining the field, acting like a fence, keeping the animals safe from escape.

Emily dressed & set off down the old winding staircase that lead from the bedroom to the sitting room. At the other end of the house was a newer staircase timbered from top to bottom, even the sloping ceiling overhead containing a large drop-down window, was lined in timber ending close to the Aga-heated kitchen. She pulled on her wellington boots over thick sox & walked down the sloping path to the where the car was parked in the garage, zipping up her jacket as she went. On her way out she remembered to take a larger container with her as she set off for the farm a mile down the lane.

The curving lane still had some wild flowers growing beside it with plenty more to follow, in amongst the lush grass & flowering cow parsley - nettles rampant once more as the hedgerows were fully dressed in spring's leafy mantle. Flushed with their late spring adornment, the tips of hazel, elder, blackthorn & oak, with holly & beech, were interspersed with dog roses & ivy spreading wide alongside
the road - some having survived as far back as Medieval times or even much earlier.

Birds swept across the road, landing in a large oak tree spreading wide beside a farmer's gate as Emily wound the car around the bends. It was still early, the sun now content above the horizon, promising a little warmth to the day- Emily smiling to herself - embellishing her spirit. The car made its way down a hill & halfway, turned into the driveway leading to her friend's farm.

The large farmhouse was quiet in the early morning, the dogs not yet up & about, but further on past a large barn, a constant hum could be heard.
'Ah!' thought Emily, 'it's begun then. Good!' More sounds were drifting through the warming air where she now walked, with increasing noise wafting from further up the yard. A little clanging of doors being slid open & shut, became louder. Her expectation of some fresh creamy milk for breakfast was a delight to which she always looked forward. Coffee always tasted a whole lot better when milk from the cow's udder was added.

The milking parlour was a hub of activity, the milking machines in full flow pumping out gallons of fresh creamy milk into the large stainless steel tank, while the cows plodded in & out of the concrete bays. Their black & white bodies were the result of some selective breeding, being virtually the world's top milk producers. Emily had helped raise a few of her friend's calves by feeding them from a bucket when very young, next to her garage where she had two loose boxes.

As Emily approached the end of the track leading to the milking parlour, Ben her long time friend of many years, called out to her. 'hello my darling!' He often called her 'my darling', even though they were just friends. He poked his head around the door where the tank was sitting & grinned briefly before returning to his cows, then disappeared behind the body of a large, almost completely black cow called Sara, to clean her udder. She was actually very dark brown with a large white star on her forehead, one of the grown calves Emily had helped raise. She was almost Ben's top milker & very pretty Emily thought.

Emily stood on the large iron gate, container in one hand & called out half to herself as Ben was no longer in sight, lost to the morning's milking.
 'All seems right with the world for now, but here's hoping this weather holds for a few more days! I've plenty to do outside - but for now, okay if I collect some milk please?'

It was early in their relationship that the collection of milk & a cheque each month had started, before all the rules & regulations had come into operation. Emily had bought her first horse & arranged to keep it at Ben's farm. He also keep one or two & the stables where all horses could be brought in during foul weather or to escape the pesky flies in the summer, were alongside the track leading to the milking area.

Emily heard a vague muttering from behind Sara & so hopped over the gate & walked into where the milk tank was kept, quickly filling, with a paddle continually stirring the creamy milk.
She had spent many a time standing on the gate, leaning over to try & chat with Ben between moving cows proceeding slowly toward the noise of the milking machines, where they knew there was an easy meal waiting for them. It wasn't possible to expect Ben to linger for long, as the morning milking had to be undertaken, come rain or shine.
 At times in the winter, when it had become so cold during the night, Ben had to thaw frozen, already lagged pipes before he could commence the milking. It was never a good time in a farmer's year, coping with ice & snow. The animals were shut up in the large barn where they could wander at will to some extent. Then with the arrival of spring & lush green grass growing, the cows were turned out. Behaving like children on an important & fun outing with friends, the cows would canter down the field, kicking up their heels with their newly acquired freedom, tossing their heads to the warmer air then lower them to enjoy the sweet juicy grass.

Back in the milking parlour, Ben was coming to the end of the milking, the last cows in their bays about to be released.
Emily stood at the door between milking & tank sheds. Soon the lorry would be backing up the yard to collect the latest milk. Ben started cleaning up while Emily called out above the noise of the milking machines.
 'Do you know when the blacksmith will be arriving Ben?'

'Not quite sure' replied Ben, strolling over to the doorway with a paper towel cleaning off his hands. 'I think it will be about 10am,' he continued.

'Then I'll have to come back about 9.30am to get the horses in. They can each go in a stable & I'll tie them to rings' said Emily.

'That'll be fine Em, they will be separated & the blacksmith will be able to hold them against the wall if they step out of line' Ben announced looking at Emily.
He sometimes called her 'Em' when he was having a good day & none of the animals were escaping into the lane.

He walked back to finish the cleaning up of the milking parlour, scraping away what the cows had not been polite enough to deposit elsewhere!

Emily said her goodbyes & strolled back down the yard to return home for breakfast & a creamy cup of strong coffee. By now the morning was even warmer, several insects wafting past the car windscreen & halfway up the lane an elderly lady was driving her car in her direction at what seemed to Emily, rather fast.

Emily stopped immediately & quickly looked back to find a pull-in place to back into. She knew just how unimaginative & ill-equipped in the intelligence department some of the older people were when out driving in narrow lanes. Some had no concept whatsoever of the fact that there was hardly ever room to pass another vehicle when approaching one. It was necessary to slow down or stop in order to both negotiate the necessity of passing each other without mishap. It usually resulted in one having to back up. sometimes a considerable distance, then repeat the process all over again with another car. Some older people didn't seem to realize or pretended not to notice that the lane was for one vehicle only & proceeded with undue care & attention not giving another thought to their speed or judgement of just how close they were to the other vehicle! They drove by regardless & it was a miracle that both vehicles remained intact. They often shilly-shallied & fidgeted with gear sticks, looking back & forth to what seemed like an eternity & while this was going on, the other person would have backed up in a trice, saving both a lot of time. Certain older people did that on purpose as they realized they wouldn't have to back up, & got away with it too!

Emily quickly put the car in reverse & backed up to a suitable place in a farm gateway, resulting in the lady passing at the same speed for the remainder of her journey.

The elderly lady, with her nose & face looking straight ahead in a determined fashion, drove past never acknowledging Emily's courtesy or giving a little wave of thanks.

'Oh well' thought Emily to herself. At least the car is still in one piece' as she drove home with the fresh milk.

On  return to her kitchen she began thinking of Ben again & gave a little laugh, pulling a face. She had often gone down to the farm for one reason or another & when collecting the milk one day after returning from a ski holiday in Austria, she had driven down & was standing on the gate looking for Ben, when she spotted him about to undertake the evening milking.

'Well, did you miss me then?' she asked with a huge grin on her face & an air of expectation.

'Have you been away?' replied Ben, grinning back at her, trying not to burst out laughing.

'Oh men!' Emily muttered, eyebrows creasing in a frown, screwing her mouth around & tightening her lips. 'I thought you might have missed me just a little, even with it being quieter around here!'

'Might have, maybe.' Ben said as he shrugged a little walking back into the milking parlour.

Emily was still standing on the large iron gate that separated her from where the cows were waiting to be milked. As she was about to step down, Ben thrust his head out of the shed & said, 'Of course I missed you, silly girl, well a little anyway.'

'Oh good!' grinned Emily. 'I was hoping you would, just a little. That's all right then, I shall be off now. See you Ben!' she called out, giving a little wave to her friend as she disappeared back down the yard.

She & Ben had been friends for quite a time & had much in common. Sometimes he would call in for a coffee after a meeting in the village or after they had played tennis in a foursome in the next village. Ben was always poaching Emily's shots on the court when they were playing together & she would stop, put her racquet down, walking over to Ben & gently but firmly, push him back over to where she thought he belonged, making a 'shooing' noise at the same time.

When Emily returned to attend to the horses, hers & Ben's for shooing, she needed to ask him a question & knew just where to find him. At this time of the day there was every chance he was still up the yard attending to the animals. Em walked up past the stables & another barn thinking of her question, deep in thought about a few other things as well.

 She called out to Ben & found him exactly where she thought he'd be, then promptly forgot what her question was. As she was considering this, muttering away to herself, she looked down & noticed that she was still standing on the gate.