Dorset lifestyle
Always enjoys the grass in Laneside or Fallen Oak with the rest of the flock before returning to the arcs at dusk. Toby brayed with excitement when he had his vitamins, it was later than usual and followed by a handful of dried nettles. A delivery of wood and stirling board will help finish the sheep shelter extension. Pleased to say the days are getting longer, not long before seeds will be sown, a drizzly cloudy mild day with a strong breeze.
From Wareham to Shipstall Point where the water was flat calm with low cloud rolling over the purbeck hills in distance. Coffee and cake at Corfe Castle and then a slow climb up Creech Hill before the run downhill into Wareham for lunch. Too wet for the donkeys to go out in the paddock, they amused themselves nibbling their branches and had apple twigs after their vitamins. A showery mild day with light winds.
To the sheep shelter in the small paddock so that the hay feeders will stay dry when it rains, the roof is a sheet of stirling board with a tarpaulin over the top held down with planks. Will need to board the sides, hoping the feeders will hang on the pallet walls. The sheep were curious about the activity. A cloudy, wet, rainy day, the donkeys stayed up by the stable.
All liking the hay, they ran up to the bucket and round the field, jumping and twisting when what was left was taken to the hay rack in their shelter, it’ll all be gone by the morning. Walter likes picking the bits off the others heads. This was a brief respite from the wind and rain, the paddocks are very wet so the donkeys had to stay up at the stable, a new branch kept them amused, their coats too wet to be groomed. A wet end to a wet day.
Hoping for more apple slices, both he and William had to stay out of the paddock after more heavy rain overnight, their roll-over patch in The Avenue is a very big puddle. They ate the last of the fresh apple twigs after their vitamins, the bags of dried twigs and nettles will have to last the next few months. A cloudy, sunny, warm day with light winds.
Painted by my sister, the original is hanging up in the kitchen. William and Toby had lots of carrot peelings as a treat although the paddock was too wet for them to go out for a run around. A cloudy, cool, wet day.
Salisbury Cathedral Christmas tree, looking lovely. Too wet for the donkeys to go out in the paddock on the grass, they had to make do with the last of the fresh apple tops and carrot peelings. The sheep were happy with their hay. A sunny, cloudy, drizzly day with a glorious sunset.
Planted a couple of months ago, the elephant garlic was planted a few inches deeper and has made the same thick top growth as last year. Need a few days of frost to make the clove’s split, expect January and February will be cold enough. Still have some bulbs from the last crop, they dried out ok and are hanging in the garage. Moved logs nearer the house to dry out under cover, getting through a basket full every day. A foggy start to a rainy day.
A bitterly cold easterly wind accompanied a vivid orange sunrise, my hands were cold within a few minutes of being outside with the donkeys. Fortunately, I have some new gloves, and they worked a treat, keeping out the wind and keeping in the warmth. The new shed was delivered and assembled at the back of the stable, it’ll be useful to have it near the greenhouse. Will put the shelving from the old shed under the window. A sunny, cloudy, cold, breezy day.
Waiting to go back into Willow for the night, Walter, Elton and Ivy leading the flock. The hurdles fencing off the area of paddock under the oak tree were opened to let them graze fresh, long grass, hardly any acorns this year so no need to pick them up. Cleared the area at the back of the stable ready for the new shed and garden room which are scheduled to arrive tomorrow, will have to let the donkeys out early. A cloudy day with a cold breeze.
Removed the netting from around some of the trees and pulled out the grass and weeds, most of the trunks have doubled in size over the last year so the branches should expand this year. Turned over the second compost heap and added fresh donkey poo, emptied a couple of barrow loads from the older heap to mulch round the trees. A foggy, cloudy, sunny day with blue skies and light winds, sunset had all the variables at the same time!
Toby making use of the brushes fixed to the gate post. He’s worn away a patch of hair on one side of his head rubbing in the same place and so has William – they did the same last year. Cleared the square paddock of surplus wood and pallets, the sheep shelter is finished so it can used elsewhere or cut for the woodburner. A hazy, cloudy, cool day with late sunshine.
Already in use although not finished, the sheep don’t mind as long as the hay feeders are at the correct height, it has a tarpaulin roof that needs more support, the planks just need to be fixed in place. The sides will be finished with stirling board to keep out the worst of the rain and I may put a perspex panel at the far end, instead of boarding, to let in the light. Gave the sheep a run through to the Square, the donkeys joined in over the fence in The Avenue. A cloudy day with a cold wind.
An artwork on display at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition – a very modern donkey, the exhibition was bright and colourful with lots more tapestry work. Cycle ride from Pamphill along Cowgrove to The Anchor for mulled wine and mince pies, the return route was along grassy tracks and at a good pace. The donkeys cantered down to the paddock and raced around, glad to be out. A cloudy, mild, day.
Toby leading William up the Avenue for their vitamins, he’s standing on a bare patch that will eventually become a new roll-over circle, the donkeys scrape the grass away to reveal the earth. The mud control mats have settled in on the steps up to the stable block and are doing a good job of keeping that area dry. Planted more willow and trimmed the blackthorn trees by the hedge. A mild, cloudy, day.
Ivy showing off a fine set of teeth, all the sheep were out and about, skipping and jumping when the donkeys ran into Fallen Oak, the paddocks could do with a few more paving slabs for the animals to stand on when the ground is wet. Made more holes are ready for the willow rods to be planted,they fill with water immediately so the spring is still running. Cut a few more apple tops. A cloudy, mild, day
Winnie, Ivy, and Elton, with Jago inspecting the loppers. All very different in features and colour; they move together as a flock, especially when they think something edible is about to arrive. Willow and a beech branch were their tasty treat, freshly cut from the hedgerow, in a couple of days the donkeys will benefit from what they haven’t eaten. The paddock was too wet to let the donkeys out, maybe tomorrow. A showery day with light winds.
Cut from the Laneside hedge, and being nibbled by Elton, whose horns are getting bigger; the sheep spent a few hours eating the fresh grass before returning to their arcs in Willow. The spring trickling down the Avenue from the paddock entrance is losing its strength, could plant a few willows at the bottom of the Square paddock to help dry out the ground. Topped up the soil round the young palm tree with compost from the heap. A drizzly day with light winds.
Toby staying as far away as he can from the new branch before sniffing and nibbling the end, William joined him eventually. By the morning most of the bark will have been eaten and it’ll have been dragged around on the yard. A sunny start to a chilly day.
Nesting in the copse at the end of the field, they fly around in large numbers, hanging on the wind before settling in the trees. The Sparrow Hawk hunting at the back of the stable was harassed by them until it moved on, the Buzzards get the same treatment but they just flap their wings and continue there upward flight. The Heron was out and about but took no notice of the pond, the fish are swimming lower. A bright sunny start to the day before the rain arrived.
Collected four bales from the farm a few miles away, their barn is full of a mix of hay and barley and wheat straw. The donkeys haven’t been out in the paddock for a few days so are really interested in their food, William rested his head on the workshop door and watched the bales come in and be stacked in the corner. Cut a few branches for them from the lane, the top of a tree had snapped off in the storm so collected that for firewood. A cold, breezy, showery day.
Staying in on a day of thrashing rain and gale force winds, the woodburner was lit early and the log baskets filled up, most of the wood is stored out of the rain but still needs some drying out before burning. The donkeys couldn’t go out in the puddly paddock so amused themselves moving their sticks around, cut apple tops for them when the rain eased off. The spring is running into the ditch, it’s clogged with leaves in places so needs clearing. A dry end to the day with the wind gradually dropping.
From Shroton to Sturminster Newton for coffee and then back for fish and chips at The Cricketers. A wet start to the ride with rain that stung your face and a headwind that was only evident on the more open stretches. Wore two pairs of gloves and had to wash the sandy soil off both bike and clothing when I got home. Cut apple tops for the donkeys. A dry end to the day with the promise of strong winds tomorrow.
Cut apple tops for the donkeys, they watched as the twigs hit the ground, expecting a treat. The Bramley still has leaves, the other apple trees have all lost theirs. Picked up the last of the Darcy Spice windfalls, the birds are enjoying them, the Green Woodpecker stops to eat ants from the lawn on his way up from the bottom paddock. Emptied compost from the heap to top up the poplar plantings. A vivid orange sky to end the day.
Jago and Elton inspected the upturned arc and then ran round and round, stopping to head butt each other occasionally. Heavy rain overnight, Willow paddock isn’t too soggy but the Avenue has a puddle where the donkeys roll over, and the spring has surfaced again. finished planting the Poplar rods then lunch at The Crown Hotel in Blandford. A showery, cold, day.
The Field Maples in the meadow strip should be well rooted by now and the Beech hedge is doing it’s best to keep it’s leaves in the wind so have planted a few Poplar rods between the Maples to provide screening and shade. The rods are eight foot long, two feet of which is in the ground and the hole packed with compost from the heap. A sunny, warmer day with light winds.
Sitting in one of his favourite places next to the log pile, the rest of the flock nearby. Cycle ride with coffee at Rawston Farm and lunch at The Anchor, cold hands and feet as the temperature struggled to reach five degrees, but no ice on the roads. Cut a couple of apples into wedges for the donkeys, they stayed in the paddock until it was dark. A sunny day with a magnificent orange sunset that filled the whole sky.
The team that dismantled, moved, and reassembled a rather ‘past it’s best’ garden shed, it’s now in the Square paddock ready for the sheep to use next Spring. The bottom foot was a bit rotten so has been reinforced, it’s bolted to three posts so shouldn’t move in the gale force winds and comes with guttering which will fill a water trough. Managed to dodge the showers and the roof was easier to put on than expected on a breezy, cold day.
Soaking up the the sun and having a wash in the most comfortable place – a jigsaw puzzle lid, Smudge takes his turn when Poppy goes outside. No sign of the fish, they’ve descended to the bottom of the pond as the water temperature has dropped, and aren’t coming up for food. A pair of woodpeckers have been feeding on the lawn with a thrush and robin hopping around for company. A warmer, cloudy, drizzly day with the occasional sunny spell.
