Dorset lifestyle
Enjoying their vitamins at the end of the day. The hedgerow is looking neater in laneside paddock where the donkeys have grazed the Hazel, Beech and Hawthorn, as a result they’re eating less straw in the morning and overnight. The sheep are eating as much as they like and still not making much impact on the grass so there should be lots left for winter. The balloons were up and drifting across the vale in the morning mist, a cool, cloudy day with a lovely sunset.
A lovely day spent at Stock Gaylard, the ducks and sheep dogs were entertaining. Some stalls were selling fleeces and wool rugs while most sold things made from oak, including planks of various shapes and sizes. The food stalls were kept busy, the minted lamb burger was tasty. Bought a stone to sharpen my chisels. A sunny cloudy day with a cool wind,
Looking much better, bright eyed and happy to sit in a warm greenhouse on the stool. She ventured onto the hard standing to have a look around before the donkeys came too close and she went back under the fence. The tomatoes are ripening quickly although the plants are looking a bit ragged. Moved the electric fence further down laneside so that the donkeys can graze more of the hedge. Picked runner beans, tomatoes plums and a few mange-tout. A cloudy sunny day with light winds.
A nice day spent wandering around the gardens, the Queen’s private apartments overlook the herbaceous border and on towards the lake, which takes up a large part of the gardens open to the public. The bridge leads to an island that is home to five beehives, it’s been left to grow wild and is home to numerous animals and nesting birds. The guides were very helpful and knowledgeable and it’s clear that the gardens are very important to the Royal Family. A cloudy day with a cool breeze.
Looking good after the addition of liquid barley straw to combat the blanket weed, the water is much clearer so the fish are easier to see and are still very hungry. The water lily has grown and needs a chunk cutting off to give the fish more room to swim around, the cutting will move to another pond so won’t be wasted. Saw the heron fly over so will have to replace the net, the gap in the centre lets the taller plants reach full height so they can flower. A cool cloudy day with light winds.
Always curious, Elton inspected the hedge trimmer and Ivy had a good look at the box of cable ties. Needed to move the stock netting higher on a couple of the gates to stop the bottom squares dragging on the ground. Cut the brambles away from the hedge to stop them rooting in the paddock. Topped up the raised bed from the compost heap and picked runner beans, tomatoes, courgettes and carrots. A cool start to sunny day.
Sixteen miles, starting at the walled garden at Moreton, up and down a few hills and along the ridge with far reaching views of the coast on a clear day. Comfortable conditions for cycling – not too hot and a light breeze, the paths often protected by fields of tall sweetcorn, half way round there was a welcome coffee stop at The Red Lion at Winfrith Newburgh. The donkeys and sheep spent the day in the paddocks, the muck/grass cuttings heap is filling up so have started taking out the oldest compost to top up the raised beds. A lovely sunset to end the day.
Nola and Bianca chewing the cud, they like to lie close to each other and always up against a fence or one of their arcs. The sheep have been moving between Laneside and the Fallen Oak paddock, there’s still lots of grass in both. The sound of haymaking and cutting grass for silage has lessened, most of the harvest is cut and stored ready for winter and the remaining fields have cows grazing. A cool and cloudy day with late sunshine and a glorious sunset.
There could be a bumper harvest this year, they’re just about ready to pick with the pips almost turning brown, some of the windfalls are a good size and good enough to eat. The Beauty of Bath apples have all been eaten, and the Conference pear and Bramley apple trees are looking a bit sparse, but maybe the foliage is hiding the harvest. The D’Arcy Spice tree is looking better. Pulled rhubarb, picked runner beans, courgettes, tomatoes, sage and rosemary. A warm sunny day with light winds and a lovely red sunset.
Liking their fly fringes, it’s easier to put the fringe on Toby, William is a little ear shy but we get there in the end, he spent the afternoon wearing his as a necklace, it must have been dislodged during a rollover in the avenue. They’ve been grazing the hedgerow in laneside and aren’t eating as much straw overnight; it’s time to gather some stinging nettles for winter fodder, when dry they’ll make crispy winter snacks. A wet start to the day with light winds and warm sunshine later.
Running up from the bottom paddock towards the stable, they love new places to graze, and quite happily run back to their arcs later in the day to spend the night. Willow paddock needs a permanent shelter so materials are being gathered, will buy sterling board to line the sides and gravel boards to hold down the tarpaulin roof, it’ll be at the back of the shelter in the small paddock so will provide more shade in there as well. A cool start to a sunny day, warm in the sunshine.
Drinking from one of the buckets by the stable, she ventured up to the gate and meowed at Toby, he lowered his head and she watched him for a while and then wandered off, it’s probably the nearest she’s been to the donkeys. Moved the electric fence so William and Toby had more of the hedgerow to graze, had several pairs of hands to help so easier than usual, cut branches from the hedge for the donkeys and sheep. Picked tomatoes, courgettes and runner beans. A warm day when the sun broke through the clouds, rain later.
A fine donkey winning best in show, pitted against several well groomed ponies, a Shire cross and a Shetland, it could almost have been William pulling the cart. The Shetland pony races were good to watch, as were the terriers, hounds and ferrets, a grand day out. Back in the paddocks the sheep and donkeys looked after themselves. A cool and cloudy day with light winds.
Blue skies and light winds for a few hours at lunchtime, enough time to look at the view, and food cooked and eaten outdoors just seems to taste better! The sheep were chewing the cud in the adjacent paddock and the donkeys wandered up and down the avenue, curious but slightly nervous of seeing something different. Poppy is eating ok so we may have a week without seeing the vet. Picked tomatoes, courgettes and apple twigs for the donkeys. A sunny cloudy windy day.
In the raised bed, the soil level has dropped by six inches in just a few months as the compost continues to rot down, the onions have done well to stay well rooted and not go to seed. The tomatoes in the pots outside have been affected by blight and consigned to the compost heap, the plants in the greenhouse are ok so far. Moved the arcs into fallen oak paddock, the sheep followed, they’re always excited to run through a gate onto fresh grass, Willow will be rested for a while. A cool start to a windy and warm day with a pale pink sunset.
Both donkeys have to tolerate flies in the summer, they’re particularly attracted to their eyes because of the watery secretions that help keep them clean. Toby is the first to volunteer for a fringe as he likes to have his ears stroked; when he lowers his head and walks around grazing the grasses the tassels will move, and keep the flies away. William spent some time watching Toby flicking his head before agreeing to wear one himself. The sheep spent the day in a couple of groups, Jago sleeping alongside Elton, Winnie and Digby. A warm sunny day with rain overnight.
Chewing the cud by the fence and ready to rejoin the rest of the flock in willow paddock. Once the gate was opened he needed a bit of encouragement to roam around, and then matriarch Winnie gave him an occasional head butt to remind him of the pecking order. They ended the day grazing together and will hopefully settle down for a quiet night chewing the cud in their arcs. Picked apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, runner beans, carrots and courgettes. A cloudy start to a sunny and warm day.
Rolling in across the vale, the mixture of sunshine and showers makes the grass grow and saves watering the hedge and the vegetables. Unusual in August, the gateway into the avenue used by the donkeys several times a day has turned into a mud bath, so an area of some 20 square meters will have to be covered in mud mats. The slope doesn’t help so there’s now a plank of wood across the strainers to keep the straw contained and level the ground slightly, the donkeys watched what was going on for a while and then stepped up and down ok. A cool start to a warm showery day.
Toby looking a bit dopy, still under sedation after a thorough check of his teeth and some leveling of sharp edges with a grinding tool that sounds worse than it is as it doesn’t hurt the soft tissue. William had the same treatment and needed a little more relaxant to calm him down, both of them were eating normally after an hour or so; must be the week for vets, it’s Poppy’s turn tomorrow for a final checkup after her course of antibiotics. A warm misty day with strong winds and showers.
A busy day for the sheep, Digby had his horns shortened by an inch or so as the points were starting to get too near his neck, Ivy had a swelling at the sight of a previous injection which needed checking, and a dose of purple spray. Elton needed his annual booster vaccination against pneumonia, and young Jago was castrated. Getting the right sheep in the right pen at the right time was a bit of a challenge, Jago was easiest as he quite likes being picked up. A handful of treats for all of them after the vet had left. A sunny day with light winds.
Starting at Langport, 31 miles via South Petherton and Rock, riding across the Somerset Levels. Through a few challenging stretches of muddy floodwater and up and down a few hills, with several refreshment stops along the way for cider, chips, ice cream and scones. We had a short rest while one of our group took a wrong turn and ended up in a drainage ditch more than five feet deep and full of duckweed, the waterproofs didn’t work very well! The weather was variable with sunshine and the occasional heavy blustery shower, just made it back to the car before a torrential downpour.
Ivy has been separated from her lamb for a few days and looked to have a lot of milk so she was reunited with Digby, he practically upended her in his enthusiasm to suckle but he was happy to return to the adjacent paddock and keep Jago company later in the day. May have to repeat the process later in the week. Picked tomatoes and runner beans. A day of heavy showers and blustery winds.
Drinking outside, he likes the rain water in puddles and buckets as well. Poppy is almost back to normal, just very skinny and missing her fur in places where it’s been shaved. The sheep are still separated, they lie next to each other either side of the fence. A sunny cloudy day with winds strong enough to strip the leaves from the runner beans.
Heavy rain showers are making the straw area very wet and the gateway to the avenue is especially muddy, which is unusual for this time of year. Not helped by the donkeys chasing each other around, kicking and bucking, may have to consider mud mats. Smudge was interested in joining me on the hardstanding, he thought better of it when the donkeys preferred sticking their heads through the rails and looking at him, to eating thistles. A cool day with squally showers.
Tucking in to a beech branch, they’ll eat all the leaves and strip some of the bark, the donkeys will finish eating the rest. Lots of grasses growing in the paddocks although the donkeys don’t seem to like the laneside grass very much. Poppy is improving, eating a lot more and interested in what’s going on, her fur is a bit of a mess after several random clippings. A sunny windy day with a few heavy showers.
Lovely day of celebrations.
A chilly and very foggy start to the day with no view across the vale until mid morning when a balloon was visible in the distance, it didn’t move for ages and then eventually landed pretty much below where it had been hanging about. Poppy’s been to the vet several times this week with some kind of infection, she’s had two blood tests, three doses of antibiotics, an enema, steroids and several anti-nausea injections followed by a dose of liquid paraffin. She’s on the mend, now, which is good news. A sunny end to the day with light winds.
The Donkey Sanctuary keep an eye on the donkeys that have homes with Guardians, and offer support and advice on everything donkey. I think William and Toby are looking a bit tubby, but for the time of year their weight is actually ok, their mouths and feet are in good condition and they’re getting a reasonable amount of exercise. There is room for a circular track in the laneside paddock which would give them more variety, need to mow the grass before that can be put in place. A dewy start to the day with warm sunshine and light winds.
The courgettes are planted on top of the compost heap and are liking it there, and the Gardeners Delight tomatoes have been fed diluted liquid manure from the wormery to give them a boost. Planted more autumn carrots to replace the seedlings eaten by the snails and moved the cos lettuce to give them more space, they were being overwhelmed by half a dozen Cavalo Nero plants. Had runner beans and fried eggs for tea. A sunny cloudy day with light winds.
Is now separated from the ewes, he spent the day with the flock and during the end of day play session he mounted Ivy a couple of times, which was a bit of a surprise! It’s likely that Jago was asserting his authority as he’s still too young to be a proper ram, but taking no chances the vet will castrate him next week. It’s tempting to let him be the dad of the year but birthing at Christmas is not a good idea. Picked mange tout and courgettes, a day of torrential short-lived rain showers and hot sunshine.
Toby getting his teeth into William’s back, just to show he cares, or maybe to floss his teeth, William is doing the same to him and it’s become a daily occurrence, like rollovers. Jago is settling into the flock, Walter and Digby have spent time with him today, there’s a lot of bleating when they think there are treats available. Picked tomatoes and cucumbers and cut off the numerous runners on the strawberry plants, the ones in pots are rooting. A cool day with heavy showers and a brisk wind.
