Month: November 2020

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Delivery

A very welcome surprise parcel today, came in a huge box with lots of packaging, looking forward to an evening of pure indulgence. Took down the bean sticks and rescued some of the seed pods that had been missed, the roots don’t look big enough to have provided the above ground structure with sufficient energy to produce masses of beans. The hedge can be cut and then donkey poo will be added and the ground covered until spring, ready for next years plants. Would be good to change the positioning. Collected more rubble for the driveway which progressed another meter. A slightly milder cloudy day with rain overnight.

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Walter

Runner up in the ‘Ouessant with a view’ photo competition organised by The Ouessant Society of Great Britain, handsome Walter loves the wood pile, literally eats out of your hand and, as all models, likes being the centre of attention and to have a good scratch, he’s a star! I’m always surprised by how sheep look at you; they really look, and hold eye contact for a long time, longer than any other animal I’ve seen – apart from the cheetah in Kenya who was eating a lump of meat provided and spotted a sleepy lazy tourist swing his legs over a wall. That was a scary moment, fortunately, the cheetah went back to eating the lump of meat.

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Poppy

Chilling on the settee before going out to watch the local wildlife, long haired Poppy collects all sorts of things in her tummy hair including slugs, ticks and goose grass. Combing these things out can be perilous as Poppy has a low tolerance and sharp claws, the last resort when the hair becomes matted is a sharp pair of scissors. Used the dagging shears on the sheep to remove soiled wool from their rear end, they’re easier to deal with, just wriggle a lot. A bright sunny start to the day, ice on the gate but not nearer the house, light winds and cloudy later.

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Beech Branches

This is a photo from six weeks ago, some of the last branches with greenery, the sheep ate all the leaves and the bare stems were passed on to the donkeys, Toby especially likes to carry them around while munching the ends. The donkeys ate some of their straw yesterday and have no sliced apple to eat tonight so may eat even more, the straw smells fresh so apparently they’re trying it on! Cycling much colder today, frost last night and the mist persisted in the valley, sunshine later.

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Sunset

A bright orange sun set behind the oak tree at 4.30, the days are still shortening and the afternoons soon become chilly. The donkeys have decided not to eat their straw, it looks fluffier than the bales they’ve had previously, not sure why they don’t like it. They’re eating the grass in the paddock, beech and apple branches and any apples that are cut up for them so I think we’ll have to persevere, especially as there are another twenty bales left. A little hay on top of the straw in the feeder may help. Most of the hedges have been trimmed so it’s time for another bonfire. A cloudy sunny day with rain overnight.

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Caterpillars

Enjoying the nasturtium leaves, these are probably cabbage white butterfly caterpillars making the most of a mild November. More hardcore has been added to the driveway together with a few bags of finer cement chippings, the car can be driven and out on the first ten yards or so with no problem. Five fallow deer crossed the busy road near The Larmer Tree, lucky not to hit any of them. Spotted the barn owl flying at dusk, I think he was resting in the oak tree before flying off for a busy night out hunting. A lovely sunny day with a chilly wind.

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Farrier

William and Toby showing off their clean hooves, William has a virus called seedy toe so his white-edged hooves have been cut away and are not the usual neat donkey hoof shape like Toby’s. There’s no cure for seedy toe and William didn’t mind having his hooves trimmed, they’ll grow back again within six weeks, Toby has never had the virus so it’s a mystery why one donkey should have it, and not the other. The farrier gave them both ginger biscuits so they were happy. Cycled 15 miles from Witchampton, lovely views and quiet lanes. A cool misty cloudy day with occasional drizzle.

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Ladybirds

Hibernate once their food source of aphids runs out, they find a frost free place to aggregate in their hundreds to sleep until in the spring the day length wakes them up. These six were being stalked by two more who were marching round the top of the post. They can live for up to two years so must reproduce often, somewhere near a food source. Ran an extension cable to one of the trees and decorated it with a string of lights, must buy a couple of uplighters for the palm tree. Cycled to the farm to buy eggs, the lane is getting increasingly muddy, a mild sunny day with light winds.

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Bean Seeds

A mixture of varieties, mostly runner beans with some french beans. These are drying on a couple of sheets of paper towel placed on a tray, they’ll be moved backwards and forwards each day as half the towel dries out and sucks the moisture from the beans. In a month or so they can be stored ready for use next year. Cycled from Moreton along quiet lanes and the rhododendron mile, past the watercress beds. Stopped for courgette fruit cake and a can of coffee. Cloudy with some sunshine and a cool wind.

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Hay Feeder

A gift from a neighbour, two ‘hang on a gate’ hay feeders are a success with the sheep, added a hardboard back panel to stop the hay from falling out, will probably use marine ply when that falls apart. The usual bucket feeding can be replaced by these if they’re in a sheltered spot, definitely need a lid of some sort to keep out the rain. Moved the sheep back to the fallen oak paddock and they all had their heads in the salt lick. The farrier spent a lot of time with William sorting out his seedy toe, Toby doesn’t have it so it’s hard to know where he’s catching the fungus, he must have softer hooves. A sunny start to the day with rain later.

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Morning Sunshine

Most of the leaves have been blown off the oak tree, the ones left are on this eastward facing side, it’s mostly hollow so it’s good that it’s still standing. Collected most of the fallen leaves that were on the grass with the mower and added them to the sinking sides of the compost heap. Led the donkeys down the avenue to the lower paddock, they came back up to the stable mid afternoon and had a few beech branches to eat. The sheep made best use of their five o’clock playtime by pogo-ing round the woodpile, all four feet off the ground at the same time. A lovely sunny start to the day with a cool, fresh breeze and a little cloud later, no rain today.

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Stable Camera

At night the donkeys often wander around and can doze standing up, they sleep for about six hours a day, not always when it’s dark. The stable is large enough for them to both lie down, and now they’re settled in they don’t stand guard in the doorway, although their ears twitch constantly. The straw feeder is filled up a couple of times a day in the winter when they’re not grazing out in the paddock. Collected more bricks for the driveway and went to the tip with a couple of dumpy bags of hedge trimmings. A sunny start to the day with heavy rain later.

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Garlic

Planted a couple of weeks ago it’s been warm enough for all of the cloves to root and sprout, it’ll take six months for each clove to grow into a new bulb and then a spell of consistently cold weather is required to make the bulb split and form individual cloves. Hope that works ok. Collected several loads of free bricks for the new driveway, it kept the donkeys amused watching all the activity. There are lots of oak leaves blowing around everywhere, they collect on the concrete outside the stable and then Toby eats them, which is not ideal. Too wet underhoof for them to go out in the paddock today. A mild, cloudy windy day

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Makeover

From Farnham to Gussage All Saints and back via Dean, riding through leafy countryside, passed this sporty little number that desperately needs a makeover; not within my skill set, unfortunately. Moved the sheep into the square and let the donkeys down the avenue into the bottom paddock for a couple of hours, still very soggy underfoot so not sure about letting them out tomorrow, and it’s time to book the farrier again. Trimmed the oak tree and gathered more leaves for the compost heap. A mild and sunny cloudy day with no rain.

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Beech and Willow

Sheep and donkeys love to eat beech leaves and chew the bark of willow, there’s no chance of identifying the six ouessants competing for the best bits today, although I think Walter is at the front. The donkeys had the same choice of branches and ate them very quickly, tugging at the willow first. The paddocks have a lot of puddles and would benefit from a few days of warm sunshine. Today was filled with sharp showers, the raindrops had a sting that made me turn away from the wind. The fields are flooded in the valley and the river level at Hammoon is 2.7M which means minor flooding of the road.

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Stormy

William and Toby have been standing out in the rain for most of the day, the drops fall off William’s eyebrows so his waterproof coat must be doing it’s job, he certainly feels warm, their bedtime treat after their vitamins was a sliced apple with no pips. With over an inch of rain there was no time out in the paddock today, the puddles were very obvious and the ground squelchy underfoot. The sun set behind a mass of rolling grey cloud that turned orange, briefly. The sheep made use of their shelters and the fish were hungry as ever – I did a jigsaw puzzle.

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Oak Leaves

Leaves are falling in the lower paddock that’s out of bounds to both the sheep and the donkeys, unfortunately they don’t stay in that paddock, they drift everywhere else. They’re not very tasty and a last resort for the sheep, to be this interested they must think there’s sweeter grass under the leaves, and it’s bleating Winnie who’s standing guard. Three large barrows of leaves are now on the compost heap, filling the sides where the sinking donkey poo is leaving gaps. A delivery of several bags of rubble for the driveway was dropped off ad spread out. A bright sunny day with light winds, the fish in the pond are still hungry as the water is still not cold.

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Walter

Likes the woodpile and posing for photos. The hay feed has cured most of the runny poo but Pixie was the one that needed a closer look. Corralled into a small space with tempting treats, the hurdles nearly did their job but Pixie wriggled and squirmed until turned onto her back. The new dagging shears were very sharp and easily cut through the soiled wool, which is useful as a plant pot fertilizer. No sign of any flies which was good, and the shears can be used for topiary as well…! A sunny cloudy day with light winds, cooler later.

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Woolbombing

Cycled past this signpost at Crichel, a ride of about 18 miles through autumn colours in watery sunshine. Woolly coverings pop up all over the place in Dorset, and this is one of the most recent. William and Toby had a mad five minutes braying and chasing each other around the paddock, the sheep watched for a couple of minutes and then wandered off. Filled the last strawberry bed with donkey poo, have been promised an elephant garlic so I think it’ll do well in there until the strawberry plants throw out runners next year. A mild, cloudy, windy day with the promise of rain, haven’t watered the hedge for a few weeks now.

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Remembrance Day

William and Toby looked smart after a groom, the boys were proud to wear their Poppies in their halters. Picked out their feet, William has seedy toe so one hoof picker is used for him and one for Toby and they are both washed afterwards; spending more time on concrete and less time on the grass in the paddock will help. Picked the last of the Bramleys and pruned a few of the lower branches for the donkeys to eat, it’ll make picking the apples easier next year. A warm day with light winds and a few hours of sunshine.

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Ouessants

The sheep compete for slices of apple, Bianca loves them, Walter and Pixie nearly as much, Digby and Winnie won’t fight for them and Nola is not too sure, I think she’ll get to like them eventually. The last of the eating apples are stored in the garage and should last until next spring. The dagging shears arrived so will have a go at cutting soiled wool from the rear end, it’s not so important to remove it during autumn and winter but must be done in the spring and summer to avoid fly strike. The shelters are being used occasionally, the mild weather means sleeping outside in the paddock is still the preferred option. A wet start and end to the day with light winds and overcast skies.

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Apple Lolly

Last apple lolly this year, I think, today was a warm day at over 15*, so the donkeys were out in the paddock and happy to stamp on the ice and eat the apple. Made a few trips to collect a tonne of free sand ballast to cover the rubble on the driveway, looked good when it was spread out and reversed onto the first ten yards and had no problem getting out onto the lane. The owls were calling at dusk, at least three of them, I think. A wet start to the day with sunshine and mist later.

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Sheep

This card made me smile! Nice bike ride from Pamphill today, stayed off the muddiest tracks as my mountain bike had a flat tyre, used the hybrid with the rubbish brakes instead, which was fine. Raked the maple and ash leaves in oak paddock, they were beginning to smother the grass, put them on the compost heap which is lower already. Sawed up a few pallets for the woodburner, helps to have some fast burning wood to go with the oak and silver birch. Pulled the last of the carrots, a warm sunny day with light winds.

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Driveway

Not pretty to look at but coming along well with bag loads of free rubble, it’s easy to see where the professionally laid driveway ends and the rubble begins. As more rubble is added the vehicles will drive over it and tamp it down, hopefully a load of sand spread on the top and the use of a roller will finish the job next year. The hedges have been cut so the views that disappeared over the summer have been restored. A misty then sunny day with light winds and lots of pheasants grazing in the paddocks, as always they seem to spook the donkeys.

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Straw

A foggy start to the day, the mist persisted in the vale until mid afternoon when the buzzards took off to fly in the sunshine. Cycled from Badbury Rings for a couple of hours and wore gloves as the wind was cold, warmer going uphill. Delivery of thirty bales of straw for the donkeys arrived, didn’t want the trailer turning round in the wet paddock so unloaded in the driveway and used the wheelbarrows to ferry them to the store, it was getting dark by the time we finished. Another lovely sunset.

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Pampas Grass

A lovely bright, cold and frosty start to the day, with mist lingering until lunchtime in the valley. topped up one of the raised beds with more donkey poo, it seems to rot down very quickly. Split and planted three garlic bulbs in the empty space in the strawberry beds, hope they grow ok. Fed the sheep a handful of hay and the donkeys a willow branch. The owl was out and about before dusk and the pheasants are hiding in the hedges, very noisy when disturbed. Sunset was a vivid orange graduating into a deep blue.

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Greenhouse

The plants are all finished in the greenhouse so need moving to the compost heap, William is interested to watch what’s going on, especially as the red wheel barrow is being used. The last of the tomatoes went in a salad today. Two deer locked antlers in the field this morning and pushed and shoved until one of them pulled away and made a run for it, they were bored in the end and took to grazing instead. A colder day with a strong wind that made wearing a hat and gloves preferable, the sun broke through occasionally and raised the temperature.

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Willow

Collected from the side of the road on the way back from cycling it’ll be a treat for the donkeys. They spent the afternoon in the square paddock running around while I poo picked. The ride from Shroton to Sturminster Newton and back was hard work into the wind, which always seemed to be against us, luckily it didn’t rain. Last night was so windy the chairs in the garden blew over and the oak leaves spread far and wide, no wonder it kept me awake. A sunnier afternoon with a cold wind to end the day.

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Fish

Still hungry even though the pond is a bit murky; the fish know when you’re close, must be vibrations through the soil to the water as my shadow doesn’t reach the pond until I throw the pondsticks at them, their mouths wide open, they’re a mixture of gold, speckled gold and brown. The water lilies need their leaves cutting off before they decompose and take too much oxygen from the water. The blanket weed may be growing more slowly now and the elodea at the other end of the pond is doing very well. I’d like to grow watercress in the waterfall, just not sure how to anchor it down, may have to try the tiny pond at the top.

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Windfalls

A tray full of some of the Bramleys brought down by the strong winds, the grass under the tree usually gives them a soft landing so as long as they’re collected the same day they can be peeled and stewed. Heavy rain all morning, the donkeys had their breakfast before mucking out and weren’t allowed to go out and about in the paddock as the ground was full of puddles. Did manage to pick out their feet when the rain stopped and then gave them their worm treatment. The sheep have finally started sheltering in their new accommodation. Started clearing the greenhouse.