The last of the summer concerts with Ringwood and Burley Band playing at The White Horse. The Posthorn Gallop was performed from the roof. A sunny day and warm evening with light winds.
Stourpaine
Nola
Coming out of the shed sheep shelter to see what’s happening in the Square paddock, a bit of a loner she usually grazes a little way away from the other sheep. Hot enough for them all to seek shade during the day after a chilly start. Watered the hedge and the new plants, picked cucumbers and tomatoes. A warm day with clouds chasing through on the brisk breeze.
Dog Show
There were six entries for the waggiest tail, all the dogs won a prize in the end for looking most like their owner, paw shake, best trick, and musical sit. A warm sunny day spent welly wanging, donkey scratching and sheep racing. Will probably repeat next year.
Mr Mole
He’s been around for a while and appeared on the terrace steps late morning, fortunately Smudge didn’t see him and he ran off into the bushes. I decided to re-home him at the bottom of the meadow strip but he didn’t seem interested in diving into an existing mole hole, they often lead a solitary life, only coming together to breed. The ground was softer there so maybe he’ll build his own network of tunnels and head off in a different direction. A cool start to a warm, sunny, day
Donkey Dental
The donkeys have their teeth checked every year, and any sharp edges are taken off with a small rotating grinder. The donkeys don’t enjoy the experience and are sedated before having their mouth kept open with a metal brace. The grinding doesn’t take long but they mustn’t eat afterwards, their heads gradually lifting up as they become more alert and after a few hours they can start grazing again. A warm sunny day with light winds
Finish Line
Preparing for the sheep race, the course starts at the bottom of Willow paddock and snakes back and forth and finishes at the top, the whole race will probably be over in forty five seconds. The sheep have had a practice so should know what to do for the main event. A sunny cloudy day with light winds.
Rollover
William makes grunting noises while making sure the dust covers the whole of his back, and Pixie, whose watching from the other paddock , must wonder why this daily ritual happens at all! A cloudy day with the occasional rain shower.
Sheep
Grazing in the Square, not eating any green grass as the paddock has turned into a dry hay, the grasses growing shorter than last year, the seed heads still tasty for the sheep. Delivery of straw for the donkeys, and we’re preparing for the country show event scheduled for the weekend, a chance to let the sheep have a run around an unfamiliar course. A sunny cloudy day with welcome rain overnight.
Brownsea Island
Walked to the beach on a lovely warm evening, the view across to the Sandbanks Ferry and Studland was very clear. The campsite was fairly busy with scouts and their friends enjoying the peace of the island, pleased to have a bed to sleep in. Saw deer and red squirrels and heard talk of an adder that had swum across from the mainland. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Hedgerow
The donkeys getting their mouths round the hazel twigs, they pull very hard and strip the leaves or snap the ends off and eat the whole thing. The recent rain has made the tops of the trees look more hydrated but the leaves are turning yellow. Gathered some Bramley fallers and made a crumble, picked tomatoes and cucumbers. A day of sunshine and showers.
Purbeck Folk Festival
Bigger than ever, three stages of live music and some interesting clothing stalls to wander round. Lots of activities to try and demonstrations of weaving and basket making. A late night but worth the drive. A sunny day with a strong wind that lowered the temperature.
Gillingham Show
A cooler day for the animals and spectators, the usual mix of parades and demonstrations, including a number of very handsome sheep, no Ouessants, though. The hunt bloodhounds were in the ring with the beagles which made for an interesting mix and muddle. Music supplied by this fairground organ, the back more interesting to watch than the front. A warm sunny day with a light breeze.
Walter
King of the castle, while all the others, apart from Ivy, are chewing the cud. The sheep have moved into the Square paddock and will stay there for the next few weeks while Fallen Oak recovers, rain showers overnight should help. A fresher feel to the air in the mornings and the nights are beginning to draw in, the bat is out and flying over the pond by 8.30. A sunny day with cloud rolling around over the hills.
Cycle
An interesting circular route from Whitecliff to Wareham for coffee and a sausage roll, returning via Upton House. Crossed the harbour entrance on the ferry at Sandbanks and turned into the forest heading towards Ridge. The sandy stretches were a challenge but there were no significant hills. A warm, sunny day with light winds.
Donkeys
Eating their balancer at the end of the day, they’re more inclined to come back up to their stable now the weather is cooler. Washed their fly masks which were coated in soil from the rollover patch. Will have to fence off the bottom of Laneside as the acorns are beginning to fall. A warm sunny day with the odd shower.
Thunderstorm
Proper rain, at last! Probably had half an inch today in short bursts, so no run-off, all soaked into the ground, hope to get more tonight. The sheep stayed in their shelter and the donkeys rolled over in their dust/soon to be mud patch. A cloudy, showery day with light winds.
Greenhouse
The tomato plants are out of control, it seems to happen every year when the tangle of growth outpaces the regular taming of stems and the cutting out of side shoots. The cucumbers are still doing ok and producing lots of tasty fruit. A warm sunny day with the promise of rain tomorrow.
Baby Rabbit
Moved into the workshop a few days ago and came out during the day but was always there in the morning. Koby, the neighbours cat, was very keen to eat it but I managed to catch it and take it down the lane in a cat carrier. It looked around a few times before hopping off towards Hambledon Hill, hope it manages to survive ok. A slightly cooler day with more cloud and light winds
Beach
A scorcher of a day, the beach at Bournemouth was very busy and the air felt fresher and the sea as cold as ever, but must have warmed a little. All the animals were in there shelters from early morning, only coming out to eat and drink. Watered the greenhouse morning and night, picked tomatoes and cucumbers. The runner beans are nearly over, the lack of rain not suiting them.
Sheep
Eating a branch from the Laneside hedge, the Hazel has developed fruits and they need to be removed before the sheep get hold of them as the husks can be an irritant. The grass looks really dry and there are large cracks developing across the paddock, rain is needed urgently, but the sheep don’t seem to mind, they eat whatever is there and have a daily treat of smallholder mix. A hot sunny day with light winds.
William
The salt lick has fallen apart, it comes with a hole in the middle and hangs from a piece of rope in the corner. The various pieces sit on the floor and are crunched, like biscuits, when the donkeys come up for their balancer. They are staying in the sheep shelter in Laneside most of the day, out of the sun, coming out at around five o’clock to graze. A hot sunny day with light winds.
Straw
The depth of straw had become rather too deep on the area beside their yard so a dozen or so dumpy bags of straw have been donated to a local self-sufficiency site. They will spread it on their vegetable plot and grow succulent vegetables next year. The layer under the straw is full of worms and will go on the garden to help support the plants through this dry period. Another hot day with light winds.
Crisps
A hazel branch that was left for too long before giving to the donkeys, they still like the taste, it’s just unusual for this time of year when the hedgerows are lush. They’ll have the same thing in February when the branch will have been stored for a few months. A very hot day with light winds.
Sheep
Let into the Square Paddock which has been fallow for a few months, and with no rain for weeks the grass has turned to hay. Started bagging the excess on the donkeys straw area, it usually treads down when it’s wet but it’s getting thicker and thicker. Cycle from Pamphill to The Anchor for coffee. A hot, sunny day.
Toby
Looking in good shape and hoping for a treat at the end of the day. The donkeys are reluctant to come back from their paddock, preferring to stay out as long as possible. Picked tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Birmingham Bull
A magnificent animal, colorful by night and imposing. It needs eight people to operate the controls and can move quite quickly when it wants to, a great addition to the City Centre. A cool end to a warm day.
Edgbaston
Commonwealth Games T20 cricket, the match between England and New Zealand. Fireworks and flames to greet the players, and a lot of music and waving of score cards when someone hit a boundary. Flames shot out of boxes at the edge of the grass and the big screens showed repeats of the action, the stumps lighting up as a player was clean bowled. An exciting end to a sunny warm day.
Hockey
Watched England play Wales at the Commonwealth Games, England won 4 – 0, not a fair reflection of the game but its the goals that count. Lovely view of Birmingham from the hotel and bus stop to the city centre right outside. A warm sunny day, hot in the stands.
Elton
Able to move his head in various directions to get a good view of any treats that may be available, the willow tree branches are just out of their reach so have to be pulled down so they can eat the leaves. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Donkeys
Waiting for their daily portion of balancer, interested in what’s happening in the garden. The clippings from the hedgerow providing their daily treat. A warm sunny day with a strong wind.
Damsons
Picked from the tree in the front garden, never had so many, they tasted very nice warm, with Baileys ice cream. A dumpy bag full of sand was delivered, it’ll fill the holes in the mud control mats, the donkeys were curious and William spent a while looking at it. A warm sunny day with light winds.
