Dorset lifestyle
Under the Union Flag with the sheep windsock at the top of the mast. The grass is looking greener after the rain, and the donkeys are enjoying the morning sunshine. Many of the leaves on the trees are starting to develop their Autumn colours, but the oak blossomed later, so maybe they’ll hang on for longer. A chilly start to a warm, sunny, day with a lovely sunset.
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.
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.
Walter nibbling Digby with Elton standing by, there’s usually a bit of stray hay hanging around on their fleece so a bit of grooming helps keep things neat and tidy. Did more work on the sheep shelter, discovered some useful cladding planks at the bottom of the log pile, the flock came over to watch, not bothered by all the hammering. A frosty start to the day, a layer of ice stayed on the drinking troughs all day despite the occasional sunny spell. Dry, cloudy and breezy.
Tolerant of windy sites this tree has been blown over a couple of times and is now supported by a couple of fence posts. The blackbirds love to eat the berries when the ground is frosted and there’s not much else around. Mowed the square paddock to remove the last of the seed heads, created another compost heap next to the existing one so that can be emptied, the top layer going into the fresh grass cuttings. A cold day with a bright orange sunset.
William and Toby taking the opportunity to eat willow, they stayed as far up the slope as they could so the branch had to be pulled down for them. William’s coat is thick and fluffy, Toby’s hasn’t changed much. Thankfully, no damage from the continuing high winds, a dumpy bag ended up half way down the meadow strip and the wheelbarrows were turned over but the trees all stayed intact. A cold day with sleet and snows showers.
Waiting to be let through the gate into Willow paddock, Walter, Elton and Digby are at the front with Jago just behind and Pixie and Bianca standing to the side. Pixie is turning into a barrel-shaped sheep with a fat tummy and a thick fleece, they all had a run round before settling down for the night. Dodged the showers when mucking out, cut more apple tops and lunch at The Baker Arms. A cold, cloudy, day with strengthening winds.
Dry paddocks, so the donkeys are still going out in the afternoons, walked them down and round Laneside for a taste of the willow and then groomed them. Did more work on the sheep shelter, a sunny day with light winds, so attached the tarpaulin and nailed down some of the roofing planks, half of it should be waterproof. A bright orange sunset to end the day, rain promised for tomorrow.
A branch from the lane for the donkeys, there aren’t many leaves left, and they’re always eaten first, the sheep had a branch of field maple to chew. Mowed the bottom of Laneside to pick up the leaves from the oak tree, not many acorns about, the compost heap is very full, opened an entrance from the top end so that it can start to be emptied into the raised beds. A sunny, cool day with no frost.
Looking to see if there’s anything edible in the wheelbarrow, building sheep shelter Mk 5 is underway and all the sheep are very curious. Elton and Jago picked up bailer twine, nails and cable ties for a taste and then stood in the nail tin, fortunately without knocking it over. Had to shut the hurdle entrance to keep them out of the way as hammering didn’t scare them away. Most of the sidewalls are in place, need to think about the roof assembly. A bright, sunny, frosty, start to a cloudy day.
A magnificent reindeer in Bournemouth gardens, certainly the star of the show. Walked through the Christmas trees to the beach and ate a Yorkshire Pudding wrap. Dark when we moved the sheep back to their arcs for the night, the donkeys came up from the paddock for their vitamins. A frosty start to a cold, breezy, day.
Sitting in the long grass behind the stable, just waiting for something interesting to move, she gave up after half an hour or so, and moved on to somewhere else. The new branches on the oak tree haven’t covered the box yet, I can hear the barn owl calling most nights so hopefully it’ll move in next year. A misty start to a cloudy cool day with a moderate wind, much colder than recent days. Brought the lemon trees in from the terrace, they’ll spend the winter in the boot room and go out again in the Spring.
In full flower on a north-east facing wall, with very little soil, occasionally watered and fed with a mulch of compost, hopefully it will flower until the Spring. Herded the sheep and called the donkeys in from the paddock in the dark, Toby was ready for his vitamins and brayed as he walked onto the yard. Poo picking will have to wait until tomorrow. A misty start to a drizzly mild day.
Has had her head in the salt lick or she’s turning ginger on top! It’s very noticeable against the rest of her creamy – coloured fleece. The sheep spent the day in Willow before returning to their arcs in Fallen Oak for the night, a bucketful of hay was available but they didn’t seem that hungry, it’s warm enough for the grass to still be growing. The leaves of the Hazel hedge have turned orange and most of the Beech leaves have fallen, could be time for more hedge laying. A cloudy mild day with light winds.
William and Toby having fun before being let out into the paddock. Biting a back leg results makes the recipient sit down so both of them try this, Toby succeeding more often than William. The sun stayed low in the sky, breaking through the mist and cloud for a few hours and setting before five o’clock, so lights needed at the stable to fluff up the straw bed and give them their vitamin mix. A mild day with light winds.
Collecting pollen from the Rhodedendron flowers in early morning sunshine, the Choisya is in full bloom, and it’s just about mild enough to leave the Lemon trees outside on the terrace. The Bramley is keeping it’s green leaves which is good news for the donkeys and the sheep, all keen to eat the leaves and nibble at the bark, the donkeys will eat what the sheep leave. The ground is drying out, it hasn’t rained for a week or more. A mild sunny day with light winds.
None of last year’s concoction is left and there will be more than a few months wait for this brew. The jar on the right is freshly made and contains frozen sloes and neat gin, the latest recipes advise adding the sugar after the sloes have given up their juice as then the sweetness can be well balanced. Hope it works! Peeled the last of the Bramley’s and stewed ready for freezing, not as many apples as last year but still a few pounds. A sunny mild day with light winds.
Toby pulling the branch away from William so that he gets first chew, the leaves are eaten first and then the small twiggy bits, the thicker branches will have their bark nibbled off over the next week or two. Favourite branches are taken into the stable overnight. The sheep are wandering about in various paddocks, seeking out the sweetest grass and herbs. A sunny day with early morning mist and late cloud.
The old shed taking on a new lease of life as a shelter in the Square paddock, the height was reduced to remove the rotten frame round the base, and the ground slopes so the back corner had to be raised on four concrete slabs to keep everything level, hope the roof goes back on OK. The working party was rewarded with lasagne and garlic bread for lunch. A mild cloudy day with light winds.
Making contact through the gate to the Avenue, the sheep had spent the morning wandering round from the square paddock. Their hooves are pushing the sand down into the mud mats, so scattered more gravel to fill the holes, will add sand later to form the top layer. Moved the sheep arcs into Fallen Oak and let the donkeys into the Square. The woodpecker spent a few minutes pecking at the lawn. A mild, cloudy day with light winds.
He’s growing a beard as well as longer horns. The paving slab had warmed in the sun, it didn’t seem to matter that it wasn’t as comfortable to sit on as the softer ground of the paddock. Overnight rain has made the Avenue puddly, so the donkeys coats have a covering of mud. The mud mat steps are holding up well, need a few more to finish the job. A showery breezy day with late sunshine.
Looking across the sand towards the Church when the tide was in, all the lamp posts were lit from top to bottom and there was no wind, so it was very calm with nothing to ripple the water, not even the dog walkers were out and about. Walked to the war memorial and bought a poppy earlier in the day, the sun bounced off the cliffs in the distance, further along the coast at West Bay another cliff fall has cut the beach in half. A sunny cloudy dry mild day.
Sitting in the morning sun, it was a misty start to the day with no frost, and the sheep were up and about early. Fieldfares landed in the paddock and stayed for a while before flying west. The crows are noisy, sitting in the tops of the ash trees and calling to each other; the rookery is in the field across the lane near the pond and late afternoon they swoop and fly in a noisy murmaration. The donkeys spent the day in Laneside, grazing the hedge. A warm and sunny Autumn day with light winds
Led the donkeys into the paddock for a walk and stopped at the willow for a tasty treat, the ground is drier and the spring has stopped running, although there’s a boggy patch at the bottom of the Avenue. Collected four golden straw bales, they’ve eaten the last of the beech branches so must cut some more. Piled more broken paving slabs at the edges of the mudmats and filled the gaps with gravel. A sunny warm day with light winds and lots of butterflies flying around.
A lovely up and down circuit on gravel tracks round the New Forest with a stop at the old railway station, so half an hour spent chatting and drinking coffee. Bicycle is now in for repair as the front wheel rolled away when I lifted it onto the rack to drive home, I don’t know how long I’d been riding with a loose front wheel, lucky not to come off. Needs a new cassette as well and a general service so that will all be done. A sunny, cool, day with light winds.
All sitting in the morning sun chewing the cud, there’s still lots of grass for them to eat so when the hay bucket comes out they don’t all rush forward, the young ones keener than the matriarchs, Winnie and Ivy. Picked the last of the Bramley’s, there aren’t as many as last year, and a couple of bags of apple tops to dry for winter forage. Still need to pick the Darcy Spice and the Sloes. Lunch at The Baker Arms followed by several rounds of Mahjong. A sunny warm day with a cool breeze.
A few days of bright cold mornings, the Ash trees have lost their leaves but the Oaks and Rowan still have theirs. The end of the paddock is fenced off to stop the animals eating the acorns, although last year was a mast year with a bumper crop so there should be fewer acorns this year. Cut beech branches from the ditch for the donkeys, gave them a piece of blackthorn as well but they preferred the beech. Sawed wood and disturbed a sleepy wasp that still had its sting. A cool, sunny, day with light winds.
Dozing in warm sunshine, the first hard frost of the Autumn had already melted away but the water bucket had a thin layer of ice that needed breaking. William has grown his winter coat in the last week or two, with long tufts sticking out along his back by his tail, Toby’s coat seems much the same, just covered in mud from roll-overs. Visited Christchurch Priory to remember flute – playing Anneyce, and chatted with friends afterwards in her local pub. A sunny warm day after a cold start.
Starting at Furzehill a lovely ride round a twenty mile circuit towards Holt and Cannon Hill before returning via Newtown. The section around Remedy Oak proved more challenging than expected with several large trees blocking the bridleway, a way could be cleared under a couple of them but this one was just too big to move, the only solution was to haul the bikes up onto a steep bank and clear a path at the top. A lot of trees came down in the gales and will take time to clear. A sunny showery day with light winds.
Light until 5pm, the sun drops quickly over the horizon. Collected three straw bales for the donkeys and a hay bale for the sheep, there’s still grass in the paddocks but with the first frosts it’ll stop growing and have much less sugar content. The gap in the hedge has been widened to give a better view of the stable from the garden so filled the car with the branches and went to the tip. The donkeys had a few apple twigs, the trees are starting to lose their leaves. A sunny cool day with light winds.
The sheep are curious when the first part of the dismantled shed arrives in their paddock, their new shelter has plastic roof panels which will make poo picking easier. As the other panels and various power tools arrived the sheep were shut in a smaller enclosure until the donkeys wandered up from Laneside late afternoon, and then they were let in there for a couple of hours until dark. A frosty start to a gloriously sunny day.
The donkeys are confined to their straw area until the paddock dries out, and because it’s been raining so hard they’ve been spending more time in their stable at night and eating more straw. A hazel branch or thistles every day makes their diet more interesting. The sheep grazed Laneside before returning to the Square paddock at dusk. A cloudy cool day with light winds.
Jago getting the lions share of hugs with Walter, Digby and Elton waiting their turn. They’re all a bit tubby after a summer spent eating grass, and their fleeces feel thick already, shearing is in late May or early June so they’re going to feel a bit hot by then. More torrential rain overnight has flooded the fields in the vale and the newly installed gates have closed the road to Hammoon. Water is pouring out of the pipe at the bottom of the paddock and into the ditch. A sunny windy day with hail showers
Enjoying the sunshine and the shade of the lemon tree, the clocks have gone back so the hours of warm sunshine may lessen. Torrential rain last night has made the paddock even wetter, let the donkeys out for a couple of hours for a run around, William stopped to eat the first clump of grass he saw and they had another hazel branch to eat when they came back up to the stable. A warm sunny day with light winds.
They don’t last long with the donkeys, a few scrunched mouthfuls and they’ve gone. Walked down the lane to cut hazel and beech branches, the paddock was too wet for the donkeys to go out today after last night’s torrential rain, so they needed something to keep them occupied. The courgette plants are finally wilting, the result of cooler nights and mildew, moved the bunches of garlic and onions from the greenhouse into the garage. A breezy, sunny day with the occasional downpour.
The sheep investigated the paving slabs and bits of wood that will be used to support the old shed / new sheep shelter, they’re always keen to investigate anything new. Mowed the Fallen Oak paddock before the promised rain, the donkeys will move from Laneside and graze there in a week or two. Opening and closing the gates to allow the mower through was a challenge at times, the sheep always want to run through an (almost) open gate. A cloudy day with strengthening winds.
William and Toby inspecting the third section of mud control mats, the ground does gets drier further down so hoping this can be the final section, will have to buy more mats if not. Toby tasted the sand and wasn’t that impressed. Moved a few paving slabs into the square paddock to make a flattish base for the old shed that’s being replaced, it’ll become a sheep shelter although it may be a bit small. A cool, sunny, drizzly day with strengthening winds.
Dismantled In Laneside paddock, the donkeys have access to the grass up to the line of hurdles that protect them from the oak leaves and acorns. The posts and tape are now in the workshop for the winter, Digby and Elton had a nibble of the posts and the donkeys enjoyed the fresh grass. Collected four straw bales. A cloudy warm day with light winds and the occasional shower.
Carrots and a courgette, the carrots had a couple of small holes in them and no carrot fly, which was good. The courgette is more like a marrow, still tasted ok with lamb mince, the donkeys ate the carrot tops. Filled some of the holes in the edges of the mudmats, they’re staying level even with the weight of the donkeys, William likes to stand on them for a few minutes when he comes back up to the stable. A sunny warm day with light winds and the occasional downpour.
Grazing in a row; Elton, Digby and Walter, there’s still lots of grass for them to eat, although the sugar content will have dropped. Their fleeces are growing and the wool is starting to hang down around their legs, ready for the winter. Made a few modifications to the sheep shelter in Laneside, the tarpaulin roof had collected rainwater so needed some support. A sunny, warm day with light winds.
Toby’s brown nose is a bit of a giveaway, he’s been licking the sheep lick; not harmful in small doses, it must taste nice – the result of being in the wrong paddock a couple of days ago. Collected more bricks for the driveway and edged the mud mats with some broken slabs, filled the gaps with small stones and topped with sand. The donkeys inspected the changes before crossing. A sunny, cool day with light winds.
The biggest and juiciest are in Laneside paddock, but there aren’t many left as the donkeys have eaten all of them from the lower branches. There are more growing by the paddock entrance so picked some of those as well, will put them in the freezer for a couple of days as there hasn’t been a frost to sweeten them and help break down their skins. Found enough Bramley fallers to make a crumble, the donkeys had the peelings for their bedtime treat. A cool, breezy, sunny, day.
Running back to their shelters in the Fallen Oak paddock at the end of the day, shadows long as sunset approaches. Torrential rain overnight filled the vale with water and made the Avenue a bit muddy. The donkeys found the gate to the Fallen Oak paddock open so took full advantage of a different outlook, fresh grass and a hedgerow full of berries. A bright sunny day with a chilly wind and bright orange sky at sunset.
The donkeys have stripped the lower leaves and managed to eat the twiggy bits with a lot of stretching, so need help reaching the higher branches for their dose of medicinal aspirin. Rain overnight has made the paddocks a bit soggy and the spring has re-emerged in the Avenue, the mudmats are doing a good job of making the entrance passable so hope they remain in place. A blustery rainy day with the occasional burst of sunshine.
William’s hoof looking better than a few months ago, his seedy toe has improved and there’s no sign of laminitis, Toby’s are equally as good so no need for the farrier to visit until January. The boys had been grazing in Laneside paddock and were happy to have their halters put on and walk up the Avenue for a groom. The sheep walked up with them the other side of the fence. Once back in the paddock the donkeys chased round trying to bite each other’s legs. A sunny cloudy day with strengthening winds.
Not like this tonight, the vale is shrouded in mist and there was a significant amount of rain overnight. The sheep spent most of the day in their shelter unlike the donkeys who didn’t mind getting wet. Cut another yard off the leylandii hedge to improve the view of the stable from the garden and took the debris to the tip. Shoveled another load of sand onto the mudmats, the donkeys inspected and sniffed at the change before walking across. Water butts all full, no need to water.
Growing up, he’s looking a bit tubby, as are all the sheep, and he’s growing whiskers on his neck, may have to confine them all to the Fallen Oak paddock where the grass is shorter. Toby in the paddock behind the fence had been over for a nose rub, William hadn’t quite got that close. Emptied a couple more barrowloads of sand on the mudmats, the gradient at the edges is significant so may fill it with rubble and then a concrete mix so the mats don’t slide sideways. Another sunny warm day.
William has two in his mouth at once, just in case Toby picked one up. Toby, of course, has two twigs of his own, they’re eating the Bramley Apple tops which are thicker and crunchier than the new growth from the top of the eating apples. Laneside paddock hedge is looking very neat after donkey foraging and the ground is still dry so not cutting up when they chase around. A foggy start to a warm day with no wind, watered part of the hedge.
Foggy start to chilly mornings this week, the wind has dropped completely for the last few days so it’s the sun that’s been lifting the mist from the vale. Cycle from Pamphill to Sturminster Marshall for coffee, tyre a bit soft at the front so must have a slow puncture. The donkeys chased each other around the paddock late afternoon and then had to come back to the stable for a drink, William stood on the mud mats for a couple of minutes, sizing them up. A sunny warm day, the hedging could do with some rain, may have to water tomorrow.
The first two rows at the top of the Avenue are being filled with quarried sand, more will be needed as they’re used and the sand settles. Coby the next door cat likes rolling on them, and after an initial inspection the donkeys are crossing them OK and Toby knows not to get too close to cat claws. Added a board to the other side of the sheep shelter in Laneside. A foggy start to a warm sunny day, cycled from Pamphill to Shapwick.
Sand for the mud mats, stirling board and gravel boards for the sheep shelters. Fixed a board to one side of the shelter in Laneside, the other side needs a section cutting out for the sheep to pass through, they prefer using a side entrance rather than the opening at the front. The donkeys weren’t bothered by a bit of noisy hammering and the sheep just wanted to see what was going on and be back in their shelter. A foggy start to a sunny, warm day.
Closer than usual, the pilot had to turn on the burners to float over the top of the stable, the noise startled me, and spooked the donkeys so they stopped eating their vitamin mix and ran round the corner to hide. The sheep didn’t like the noise either, they ran down the paddock and into their shelter. The people in the basket were happy, heard them say ‘look, donkeys and sheep!’ The balloon stayed low over the treetops and landed in a field somewhere near Hambledon Hill. A warm, sunny day with a cool breeze.
Not quite a headbutt, but Elton is trying to teach Jago what to do, not sure Jago will ever get the hang of the process – three paces back, on your hind legs and then CHARGE! Gentle rubbing of foreheads will have to do. Jago may be bottom of the pecking order but he’s first in line running for a willow branch. A misty start to a cooler day that ended with a lovely sunset, some of the leaves on the trees are starting to develop Autumn colours, they may stay green for a few weeks yet.
Resting in the raised bed with the remains of the pea plants, disturbed him when I was clearing the way for the newly rooted strawberry plants. There were a few slugs around so transferred him to the bed next door where the plants are more established and the shade complete. Planted garlic in the remaining bed, burying the cloves deeper than usual, a tip from my sister, so will see whether that makes a difference. A misty start to a sunny warm day.
The donkeys walk up from the paddock for a rollover most afternoons, today Toby went first while William waited his turn next to the dustpatch. They both had a groom in the morning and a walk on the paddock driveway before having their fly masks put on, Toby likes to pull at the braids of William’s mask until he runs off and then they chase each other round the paddock biting each other whenever they can. They’re obviously having a good time and the exercise helps keep their weight down. Another warm, sunny day.
Loves to be scratched under his chin and down his neck, he’ll stand still for ten minutes or more, the wool on his head feels like velvet. Jago’s horns are growing back and his legs are getting longer, he’s definitely part of the flock, now. Adjusted the gate to give a little more clearance over the mud mats and collected four straw bales from the farm down the road. A sunny warm day.
William inspecting the first two rows of mud mats, they both came up from the paddock when they saw the activity in the gateway and then went back down again. At the end of the day they walked across the mats having first grazed the avenue edges. A warm day with the occasional shower
The sun is rising later so the shadows are long well into the morning, it’s still warm but the wind is chilly. Lunch at The Baker Arms. Cut hawthorn for the donkeys and some soggy blackberries for the sheep and moved their arcs to a fresh patch of grass in Fallen Oak. A sunny day with strengthening winds.
In Laneside paddock enjoying the sunshine in between the showers, the ground is puddling up in some areas but they still like doing their rollovers in the same, now muddy, place. Moved the electric fence to give them more hedgerow to forage. A flock of Martins appeared and flew around all day before continuing their migration further south. Heavy rain overnight cleared to reveal a bright blue sky before the clouds rolled in again.
Stinsford Church has a magnificent array of flowers and vegetables on display, loved this tractor. The Church was on our seventeen mile cycle route from Moreton, through Puddletown Forest and past Hardy’s cottage. Coffee and sausage roll stop was at Kingston Maurward where the animal paddocks and gardens are free to walk round. A blustery day with a few heavy showers.
The donkeys and sheep have never shared the same paddock, until yesterday when I let William and Toby into Laneside. The sheep were all in the shelter so I didn’t see them until Pixie came out to touch noses with William, and then the rest of the flock followed. William wandered off and both donkeys did a few roll-overs and a bit of running around before settling down to graze. Managed to herd the sheep through the gate into Fallen Oak without the donkeys getting through so it all worked out ok. A cool, sunny, windy, cloudy day with a few sharp showers.
Ivy and Elton sheltering from the rain which was a constant downpour all day, the sheep eventually came out of their arcs to graze, although Elton can feed from Ivy anytime he likes. The entrance to the avenue is full of puddles so it’d be a good time to start laying the mud mats. The fish pond is full of clear water and the water butts are overflowing. The rain stopped at dusk and the sky cleared to reveal a pale pink sunset.
A wet start to the day, the rain gave way to cloud and a mackerel sky followed by a glorious fireball sunset. Rubble to help widen the driveway arrived on a trailer, a dumpy bagful doesn’t go far, but it helps. The donkeys were curious, running away and then coming back to see what was going on. Harvested the onions and put them in the greenhouse to dry off, left the two leeks growing in the raised bed. The last of the runner beans taste ok but don’t have the flavour of the earlier pickings, and they smell different when being cooked, must have less sugar. No need to light the woodburner.
William always sleeps in the same place at night, Toby will lie to the side on the straw, or in front, nearer the door. It’s rare to see them flat out at full stretch but it does happen occasionally. The rain arrived and continued on and off all day, strengthening winds made the donkeys skittish and they came up from the paddock early for their vitamin balancer. Topped up the pond, the fish are still hungry and the various weeds and lilies are starting to take up a lot of room. Heavy, continuous, rain to end the day, lit the woodburner.
All nine grazing happily, Pixie thinks there may be treats available, she wandered off when none was forthcoming. Cut the hedges and started emptying the shed ready for dismantling and delivery of the new one next month, would be good if it could be reassembled in the square paddock and used as a sheep shelter. The big willow tree is browning off at the top, it lost a few twiggy bits in the wind so the donkeys and sheep enjoyed eating those. A cool blustery day with the occasional sunny spell.
A lovely autumn evening looking across the most photographed village green in the country. The village has two churchyards and Sue Ryder and Leonard Cheshire are buried together in one of them, alongside the many Polish veterans who served during World War Two and lived in their various homes. Stayed in The Five Bells, a family owned pub that was comfortable and welcoming. Our house sitters enjoyed a lovely sunset after a warm sunny showery day.
William and Toby competing for, and sharing, the same hazel branch cut from the hedge in the lane, they can reach the branches from their paddock but prefer home delivery! A decent amount of rain overnight has filled up most of the water butts, although the donkeys weren’t too keen on the high winds which left them on high alert first thing in the morning. Picked what may be the last of the runner beans, the plants are developing seeds quickly. A warm sunny, windy day.
Commonly seen in wide open spaces that have a varied habitat of sorrel, dock, thistle, bramble and hop, so this is the ideal place for them to live and breed. It’ll reach 4cm in length and then form a cacoon of leaf litter in which to overwinter before the moth emerges in the spring, also called the Owlet Moth because their large eyes can be seen in the dark when their grey mottled bodies can’t. Can be a pest when large numbers invade strawberry beds, so hope they stay in the paddock. A sunny warm day with an increasingly cooling wind, promise of rain tomorrow.
Has had his feet trimmed, Walter and the others came close to see what was going on, his horns are re-growing ok. Managed to do Walter and Digby as well before a random kick drew blood! Moved the electric fence to give the donkeys more of the hedge to forage, they’ve nearly reached the area of paddock that has acorns, so will have to check the ground before letting them in to graze. A warm sunny, humid day with a bright orange sunset.
A fabulous thirty mile ride taking in the highs and lows of the Chichester area, cycled towards the South Downs, with fabulous views and several refreshment stops. The narrow canal path was challenging in parts because of the camber, and the uphill and downhill from West Dean full of flints and deep gulleys. Passed Goodwood racing circuit on the way back. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Another glorious sunset, the wall is warm from the day’s sunshine. Poppy weighs over seven pounds now, and is eating both wet and dry food, which is good. The donkeys don’t seem to like eating the remaining couple of bales of last year’s straw, may have to keep those for bedding and move on to giving them this year’s crop. Picked runner beans and courgettes. A warm sunny day, dark by 7.30.
William and Toby enjoying the sweet new growth from the top of the apple trees, several bags of ‘tops’ have been harvested and hung in the roof of the workshop to dry out, they make an excellent winter snack when grazing time in the paddocks is limited. Picked the first of the sloes, they’ll have to be put in the freezer for a few weeks to sweeten before being added to sugar and gin, with daily mixing the sloe gin should be ready to strain into a bottle in six months or so, ready for summer cocktails. A cool start to a cloudy day.
The sheep poo is tested for worms every few months; as Pixie has had a runny bottom she had her own sample taken and the other sample was a random selection from the paddock. The results from the vet show that there is no evidence of a gut worm burden and additionally Pixie’s sample had a low Coccidiosis count, so no treatment is necessary. A good result for the sheep and evidence that regular twice daily poo picking of the paddock is working well as a control measure. No frost this morning, still very cold, low cloud and fog formed as dusk settled.
The Ouessants are getting a liking for apples, they come running when you go into their paddock, the only variety left for them to eat is the D’Arcy Spice and they’re stored in a dustbin in the workshop protected from any mice that may be interested. The donkeys ate half the new bale of straw opened for them yesterday, no steaming required! The pheasants and rooks like picking over the straw which is been thrown out of the donkey’s stable each day, there must be grain left to eat. Heavy rain all day.
Mk II; the first shelter has an old fence panel for a roof and is staying in the lower paddock. A shelter is needed in willow so this new one uses two hurdles, has a corrugated bitumen sheet for a roof and it will have plastic sheeting at the sides to keep the hay in the feeder dry. More rain last night so soggy paddocks and no grass grazing for the donkeys. The good news is that William and Toby like a newly opened bale of the wheat straw they’ve previously rejected, and emptied their feeder last night. A very wet day with driving rain and low cloud over the hills.
Likes to drink water wherever she finds it and has learnt to look for this glass because it’s usually in the same place every night. Sunny bike ride for a couple of hours, including the muddy Sweet Briar, with a nice hot coffee at The Anchor. Moved the sheep arcs from the lower paddock, which is still saturated, to Willow, the sheep were curious about the new location and ran in and out of them to make sure they were ok. A cloudy start to the day before the sunshine broke through with a promise of more rain overnight.
William and Toby are very aware when people stand on the grass above the stable yard, it’s a metre or so higher than their viewpoint, it disturbs them and they start to circle around. So the plan is to introduce them to things they may not be familiar with and standing on a chair in the paddock may be a little different. In the event the donkeys are chilled, curious and calm. Heavy rain overnight followed by torrential rain, the waterproofs just about held out for the poo picking and were then hung above the boiler to dry out. Toby brayed in anticipation of the nightly feed. A cloudy sunset with the promise of sunshine tomorrow.
It’s the time of year when the Christmas music books come out of the cupboard, a CD provides the orchestral backing track for the trumpet solo, hope the donkeys like hearing the result! The rain has made cleaning the hardstanding easier, it had developed a green tinge that is gradually disappearing with energetic sweeping a couple of times a day, and there’s no shortage of fresh water. Torrential rain overnight was followed by showers and occasional sunshine, no grazing in the paddock for the donkeys today.
Bike ride in sunshine and showers from West Holme to Corfe Castle returning through Creech, some 17 miles. Soay sheep graze round the ruins of the Castle, originating from St Kilda they are extremely agile and traditionally take refuge on cliffs so the steep sides of the castle mound are ideal for them. Partly feral they don’t need shearing as their fleece is shed naturally in spring, very different from ouessants who crave company and need delicate shearing because they’re small. Overnight rain left a patchwork of puddles in the paddocks, a mild and sunny showery day.
William and Toby had to stay on the stable yard today, the ground everywhere is saturated after torrential rain last night. Their hooves would sink down five or six inches at every step, taking the green grass down every time and leaving the paddock poached. If Toby decided to do his favourite handbrake turn then several square meters of grass would disappear and become muddy furrows. They both waited patiently for their vitamins and late afternoon portion of steamed wheat straw topped off with a little barley straw. A very very wet day, misty at times.
Six big cloves are now in the bed next to the Marco Polo garlic which was planted five weeks ago, they sprouted quickly and are now six inches high, once harvested and dried they should keep for up to a year. These shallow beds were filled with compost for the strawberry plants but there were only enough plants to fill half the beds so there’s been lots of space available for the garlic. Collected the last load of rubble for a while, there are lots of bags to empty and the contents will need leveling. Heavy rain overnight followed by a sunny day with a chilly wind.
Two new tyres and tubes waiting to be fitted, it’s the end of the road for the old ones, not sure the donkeys will be interested in playing with them but will give it a try. The new ones are less mountain bike and more hybrid so will roll better on tarmac while giving reasonable grip on gravel and mud, I’ll be trying them out on Monday. Wheeled the bike into the paddock for the donkeys to see, they ran around for a while so left it there for a few hours before putting a few apple slices on the saddle. The donkeys weren’t scared of it then… A mild sunny cloudy day with light winds, more heavy rain overnight.
Moved the sheep shelters to a different part of the fallen oak paddock where there is fresher grass, the sheep are sleeping in the shelters more often as the nights get colder and their footfall is creating a few tracks to and from their favourite places. They always enjoy a handful of sheep mix. The donkeys are eating steamed straw with a couple of slices of barley straw and ate a few leafy twigs from the top of the apple trees. Rain overnight meant watering of the new trees wasn’t necessary, a cloudy cool day with light winds. The owl was hooting at dusk.
Making progress towards the paddock gate, three more loads of rubble collected today and last week’s contributions leveled and driven on with no problems. William and Toby are eating more of their old straw, ferreting underneath the new barley straw which is on the top. A very cold cycle ride in mist with ice drops falling from the trees, difficult to keep hands and feet warm. A very welcome coffee stop half way round meant I could warm my gloves on a radiator. Sunshine for half an hour before dusk.
William and Toby are still less than impressed with their wheat straw, they’ve been chewing at the big silver birch log and are still nibbling the rails and kickboards in the stable. My sister advised steaming the straw in a dustbin with a kettle of boiling water, and that has certainly helped. So today I bought two bales of golden barley straw and tonight they appear to be a little more enthusiastic about rummaging around in the feeder. A very cold day with persistent fog, the sun tried to break through but didn’t make it. The sheep had their usual portion of hay and an apple.
Turned on to the road ahead of me, dogs running around everywhere and barking with excitement, after a few hundred yards they turned right onto the bridleway. A wet and cold day to be out and about, I hope they had their thermals on, horse boxes were all over the place off-loading horses wanting to join in, and the gateways along the road each had a crowd of people watching and waiting for them to jump the hedges and chase across the fields. A cold day with sunny spells, a lot of rain overnight has led to soggy paddocks and squelchy pathways.
Always has her head in the bucket licking out the last pieces of hay or biscuits. The rest of the flock are off to eat the new strip of grass, they get very excited when the fence is moved. Hope it doesn’t result in runny poos as they’ve been ok for the last week. More rubble was delivered, nearly finished arranging the bottom edge, just the infill to sort out. The donkeys were spooked by the guys delivering some trees, took a while for them to settle, they’re still picking at their straw and have started eating the tops of the rails. A cold day with sleet showers.
I don’t always get a tree decorated for my birthday, it means I had somewhere to put my presents and cards before I opened them. Some more trees were delivered today, the guys spooked the donkeys with their post banging and a bit of hammering. Also had a delivery of rubble so double trouble, they’re picking at their straw, changed the batch in the feeder completely. A cold day with sleet showers.
A bit different from the usual advent calendars, the contents are best eaten with a glass of port and a slice of fruit cake, just maybe not every day…. Early cycle this morning from Pamphill Green, along Sweet Briar, and past White Mill, wet and often muddy, the raindrops felt cold but fortunately the wind was light. Heated seats in the car essential! William and Toby are nibbling at their straw in the hope of something tastier, they still don’t look as if they’re losing weight. Cut a few apple tops for them. A sunny end to the day with cloud building from the west.
Good news, the donkeys have started picking at their straw again, they went straight into their stable from the paddock tonight and started munching, their reward was a few apple tops from the Bramley, which still has some of it’s leaves. Hopefully the feeder will be empty by the morning. Collected more rubble for the edge of the driveway and topped up one of the raised beds with donkey poo. The sheep are eating their way through a strip of fresh grass and bleat loudly every time they hear a gate shut. A chilly cloudy day with a bit of drizzle.
Sitting in front of the woodburner keeping warm, Smudge doesn’t mind the bright frosty start to the day, there was a coral pink sunrise sky followed by bright warm sunshine. Spent a few hours sawing willow and eucalyptus branches which are now stacked and seasoning under cover, ready for burning next year. Cut several beech branches for the sheep and donkeys, William and Toby are still not eating their straw, they pick at their bedding while waiting to be let out into the paddock and trot back up to the stable for their vitamins when it’s getting dark. A cold and cloudy end to the day which may mean no frost tomorrow morning.
Super 16 mile cycle ride from Moreton to Crossways, Winfrith Newburgh and Durdle Door, with coffee and chips at The Red Lion on the way back. The track along the ridge has wonderful views although the far distant hills disappeared in the mist that persisted all day. In the summer the roads are clogged with traffic and the pathway down to the beach full of people, today it was very quiet. The donkeys are still not eating their straw, gave them an apple before bed. A very foggy cool start to the day with a watery sun and showers later.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The results of the poo samples from the donkeys revealed that William has a lower worm count than Toby, so this is the recommended treatment for both of them because the worms will be in the pasture, and it’s possible that Toby just has a lower resistance to them. The donkeys grazed in the lower paddock, it’s likely that they won’t be able to venture out for a couple of days if the forecast for heavy rain is correct. The sheep are still in two minds about their shelter, gave them their hay inside again, perhaps it’s just been too warm to be inside. Made a stew using the local Red Devon beef, really tasty, expect the dumplings helped!
Still flowering in the border, towering over nasturtiums and crocosmia. Moved the animal arcs next to the old sheep shelter as they’re not as popular as hoped, the sheep prefer their old resting place even though they’re getting wet, hopefully they’ll have adopted them by tomorrow. The donkeys slipped and slid down to the lower paddock and didn’t stay there long, A very wet and windy start to the day, cycled to The Anchor and back from Pamphill for coffee without getting wet. Levelled more of the hardcore for the paddock driveway and stewed Bramleys on top of the woodburner.
These must be the last of the Gardeners Delight, the leaves have lost their green and are almost yellow, some have blight but luckily it hasn’t spread to all the plants. Picked up the windfall Bramleys and stewed them the on top of the woodburner. Lunch at the Baker Arms. Managed to give the donkeys their vitamins and settle them with a little more straw in the fading light, went out to see them at 5.15 and it was dark by 5.45. A cool day with weak sunshine, strong winds and rain at dusk.
Moved the Ouessants into a different paddock so they can use the new shelters from Solway Recycling to hide from the rain; not too sure at first they had a helping of hay to help them settle in during an afternoon sunny spell. These arcs are heavy enough to stay put in the wind and light enough to be moved around the paddocks. William and Toby stayed near their stable today to protect the saturated ground in the avenue. They watched the activity in the lower paddocks with interest and we’re excited to receive a couple of beech branches from the hedge. A wet morning gave way to late afternoon sunshine, picked and ate the last courgette.
Starting at Moors Valley Country Park a 20 mile cycle to Hockey’s at South Gorley via the Castleman Trailway. Had a puncture en route so stopped for a while to remove the back wheel and replace the inner tube, fortunately had a couple of knowledgeable riders with me to do the job quickly. Sausage roll and coffee for lunch before heading back, this week’s rainfall meant a few muddy stretches and the ride through the ford was interesting. Cut a few beech branches for the sheep and donkeys, the grass is growing more slowly now so they need to be moved into a paddock that’s been fallow for a while. A sunny day with the odd shower.
Dark mornings turn into dark evenings as we move towards the winter solstice. A red sky to start the day, and a lovely sunset. The woodpecker spent more than ten minutes pecking at the good things to eat in the grass this morning while a plump pheasant sat on the fence calling. A day of sharp cold showers and warm sunshine after yesterday’s rain; the rising spring in the paddock has formed muddy puddles which the donkeys paddle through to get to their favourite hedge. As always, the sheep run for cover when it rains. Runner beans for tea.
A very wet and windy day, easy to clean the stable area but difficult to stay dry. The donkeys were a little disturbed by the shoot happening in the field across the lane, sounded very close but didn’t last long, they soon trotted down to the paddock. The sheep didn’t like the heavy rain so huddled together in their shelter most of the time. The hurdles that were delivered a few weeks ago proved to be difficult to put together in a row so were replaced today. Played several games of mahjong and lost!
Tatty has lost an ear tag which will have to be replaced if she ever moves, she’s not as tatty as she was after shearing but the name suits her. Gave Winnie the purple spray treatment on her front left hoof, she has developed a slight limp and the leg above feels warmer than her other three; will have to check it again tomorrow, couldn’t see any sticks or stones that could be causing discomfort. All the sheep have been eating a little hay every day and the runny poo from Nola has improved. Rained a lot overnight, all the water butts are full again, no need to water the hedge for the next few days. Another lovely sunset.
It may have been too wet to spend a long time in the paddock but William and Toby can still enjoy branches cut from the top of the hedgerow. Autumn leaves are falling fast, the ash trees are nearly bare and the smaller oak trees have mainly orange leaves while the bigger trees are still green. Parts of the hornbeam hedge are just thin branches, other areas have crinkly copper coloured leaves that curl and hang on blowing in the wind. The pear tree has lost all its leaves, the apples are faring better, particularly the Bramley. A sunny day with light winds ending with a delicious dinner at The Baker Arms.
A super surfers day at East Cliff, West Bay with blue skies and strong winds. The walk along the South West Coast Path to Burton Bradstock has some significant highs and lows and spectacular gulleys and inlets. Cliff falls are common along this stretch off the Jurassic Coast, often revealing fossils. A very wet morning, walked to the farm to get eggs, the donkeys stood out in the rain and enjoyed nibbling at the hedgerow when they were let out into the paddock at lunchtime, they had a few more beech branches with their vitamins when they returned to their stable for the night.
The sheep definitely have a daily playtime. Usually starting around 5 o’clock they chase each other round and round and over the woodpile and up and down the paddock, jumping as high as they can with all four feet off the ground. Tatty Bianca and Nola stop for a while to head butt each other, Tatty retreats a few steps before rushing headlong, head down, into Nola, the sight of two skulls in contact made worse by the noise – neither sheep is harmed and Nola eventually breaks eye contact with Tatty and is rewarded with a nose rub. All part of life in a flock! A cloudy day with some sunshine and fresh winds.
Cycled 22 miles from Cranborne to Chettle and back through Wimborne St Giles and Long Crichel on country roads with lovely views through deciduous woods rich in Autumn colour. Gave the car seats a quick clean to remove the brick dust and adjusted the timing on the outdoor lights, the mornings are really dark and the sun sets a lot earlier so the lights on the stable are important. Picked more apples. A sunny day with light winds that cooled and strengthened later, the woodburner is alight every evening so the log basket needs to be topped up regularly. Watered the strawberries.
Pretty much on their last legs, picked the last beans and will leave the rest to fatten up for seed for next year, they’ve more than earned their place in the veg patch, and they definitely smell different when they’re cooking. The tomatoes in the greenhouse are over as well, one last cucumber to pick, and the courgettes have turned into marrows. Cleaned the donkey stable and water trough and planted the freshly rooted strawberry plants in the filled beds. Picked apples, all stewed and in the freezer. A sunny day with light winds. Lunch at the pub.
The most flexible accessory in the garden, used for carting things around, and up and down the paddocks. This was the last load of the day, a tarpaulin with grass cuttings from mowing oak paddock, poo collected from the donkeys in laneside, a few beech hedge cuttings for them to eat later, a green hurdle, and a now empty cardboard box of crunchie ice creams destined for the compost heap. Moved the fresh cuttings along the top of the heap which is sinking nicely. Another warm day with light winds and late cloud to hide the sunset.
Today this butterfly ventured indoors, it may be the last sighting of the year although the caterpillars could overwinter and emerge as early as January, if not here then further southwest. A very warm and sunny day encouraged a lot of butterfly, insect and bee activity – the wasps were still dopey and flying near the ground. Moved the sheep to the square paddock and the donkeys to laneside once the oak acorn area had been fenced off. William and Toby were overjoyed to be in the avenue again and chased up and down braying and nudging each other before moving into the paddock for a few hours of gentle grazing.
Every night this week there has been a lovely sunset, and tonight was no exception. Cycle ride from Pamphill to The Anchor for coffee in the sunshine returning along Sweet Briar. Nola had runny poos so was unceremoniously upended, her fleece trimmed and her bottom washed, good news – no sign of maggots! The rest of the flock watched or grazed and she was happy to eat the mix afterwards. Must buy dagging scissors as the ones from the kitchen drawer were not up to the job of cutting a lanolin enriched fleece. The donkeys enjoyed another strip of fresh grass and a handful of summer hay before eating their vitamin mix.
William and Toby love them and they’ve closed their eyes to savour this delicious treat. Fortunately, thistles grow in the meadow strip and could be available all year round, perhaps I should plant some in pots and move them into the greenhouse just to make sure. Started to dismantle the temporary sheep shelter, Walter started to nibble at the waterproof cover when it was on the ground, luckily he couldn’t reach it when it was on the roof. The cats brought a mouse into the dining room, managed to trap it and release it outside. A cool, misty then sunny day with light winds and a lovely sunset.
A bumper crop of red and green apples that fall beautifully when cooked and taste delicious. There are a lot more to be picked and stored, hopefully lasting until after Christmas. Moved both arc shelters in with the sheep, they had a nibble of the edges with no success and settled down between them to chew the cud before moving off to graze. A family of four deer were in the field until quite late, they had to watch out for traffic in the lane before crossing into the copse. Trimmed the wisteria, some of the leaders had grown 20 feet or more outwards and sideways. A cool showery start to the day with bright sunshine later and a clear red sunset.
This arc designed for use by two pigs will be home to the ouessant sheep. Two were delivered on a pallet, one ready assembled and one flat (curved) packed. Assembly was delayed from yesterday because of the strong winds, so two hours of drilling, screwing and manouvering pieces of plastic into place resulted in an arc that’s ready for use. The sheep were very curious and although Nola and Digby had a look Walter was the first to go inside; it’ll be interesting to see whether they choose to sleep in and around this one or prefer the temporary shelter further down the paddock. A sunny cloudy day with light winds and warm sunshine. Picked Darcy Spice and Bramley apples.
Still sitting under one of its favourite bushes at nine o’clock this morning, would have stayed there all day if it hadn’t been disturbed when I fed the fish in the pond, I think the windfall apples are the real attraction. Too windy to assemble the animal arc, mowed the rest of the laneside paddock instead and added the buttercup and grass cuttings to the compost heap which is warming up nicely, turned a few feet of steaming straw. The sheep poo is slightly less sloppy today and there are no mucky bottoms so the drier grass must have helped. Picked runner beans and tomatoes, a dry windy sunny, sometimes cloudy, day.
Creeping Phlox, 50 well rooted plug plants, potted-on and safely in the cold frames where I hope they’ll stay warm enough to grow on over the winter months and be ready for planting out in the borders in the spring. The sheep arcs from Solway Recycling were delivered on a pallet, one assembled and one flat packed, the horse riders waited a while when the lorry blocked the lane, and then turned round and re-traced their steps; the challenge of moving the load across the stones in the driveway took a little time. A warm sunny day with a cold wind, another lovely sunset.
25 powder coated hurdles and a pass gate in a lovely shade of green arrived today, a few have helped to fence off the fallen oak to stop the sheep from eating the bark and let them have more grazing. Talked with the vet because there are a lot of sloppy poos in their paddock. It’s probably the after affects of a lot of rain making the grass too lush and should sort itself out in a couple of days. The concern is always fly strike which can kill a sheep, the soiled fleece under the tail is an ideal place for flys to hide and lay eggs, but at this time of year it’s usually too cold for them to breed, so hope that’s the case. Picked tomatoes and a cucumber. A warm sunny day with cloud later and a lovely sunset.
Toby and William love willow and the high winds of last weekend brought down a few small branches from the lane-side willow tree, they’ll be given a little at a time as a treat. Collected several more loads of rubble for the driveway, some of the larger pieces will form an edge and the smaller pieces can go in the middle, reversed the car onto the first few yards without getting stuck so that’s progress. Widening the front driveway with plastic frames filled with gravel to avoid driving on the grass will look a bit smarter. A warmer day with light winds and the odd shower.
A temporary shelter In the bottom paddock, not really a Mk III, just enough to keep the rain off until the new arcs are available, hopefully next week; they’re made to order by Solway so take a few weeks to arrive. Collected more rubble for the paddock entrance, need someone to drive on the bumpy surface to see if they get stuck, may try the ride on mower when the box is full of grass. Getting through a few logs every day in the woodburner so cut some pallet wood to get them burning well at the start. The rose bed has been weeded, must give them a scattering of manure before the frosts. A windy showery day with a glowing sunset.
Somebody knocked it over….. William and Toby have been standing in the rain for the last few days and didn’t want too much attention, now the sun is almost shining they’re happy to be scratched and fussed. The morning was warmer than I expected, didn’t make it to the bike ride because of flooded roads around Dorchester. Spent a couple of hours cleaning the filter for the pond instead, the water was a bit chilly, started to rain and the wind strengthened later before a lovely sunset. Picked the last outdoor tomatoes and dismantled and stored the bamboo canes ready for next year.
The paddock entrance has been a bit of a problem with several vehicles getting stuck in the mud when it rains, so in the winter bales of straw etc are often left at the front of the house and manhandled to the workshop for storage. A quantity of rubble should help to form a base that’ll be worked into the ground by the next set of tyres, fortunately there’s lots available locally. Rained all day, good for the garden, made a few additions to the temporary sheep shelter to afford more protection from the weather, the donkeys are very wet but still stand outside. Wore gloves most of today as the temperature dropped, hope the weather improves tomorrow for a cycle ride.
Acorns are a cumulative poisonous to donkeys and sheep so the oak tree drop zones have been behind hurdles or the electric fence for the last couple of months. I picked up over 3000 acorns last year and looking at the amount still left up in the trees I think I’ll try the ride on mower when it’s drier to see if it will collect them when it cuts the grass. A very wet day, have put all the pairs of shorts away, for now, they’ve been worn for months so had to consign one pair to the compost heap. Picked up windfall apples and stewed them in a saucepan on top of the woodburner, could become a nightly ritual to fill the freezer!
William and Toby love eating willow, it’s medicinal aspirin for them so the quantity needs to be sufficient without promoting an overdose. This small branch and a few smaller pieces came down in last nights storm, the sheep ate some of it out of curiosity and left this for the donkeys, with William getting first bite. The rain was torrential this morning so mucking out was a little delayed and the donkeys had made a mess of their stable, which is unusual. Washing the hardstanding was easier and the day brightened to allow apple picking in the sunshine. More rain after sunset, the days are definitely drawing in, time to light the woodburner.
The sheep have enjoyed their time in the square paddock and especially liked the new wood and stone obstacle area that held their interest for at least half an hour….! The grass is getting shorter so they’ll soon be moved into oak paddock where the grass is much longer, it mustn’t get too long before they start to graze or it’ll become too tough and they won’t eat it at all. Straw delivery today, 24 bales unloaded and stacked in the dry before 0930, which should last the donkeys until mid November. A sunny start to the day with rain later, picked tomatoes, runner beans and Bramley windfalls.
A busy day mowing the lower paddock, moving the electric fence and rotating the animals around, the rain wasn’t too bad in the morning, but it turned into a downpour later in the afternoon so the stable yard had a good wash and sweep. The donkeys waited (almost) patiently in the avenue until their new paddock was ready and then they ran and bucked with excitement. The paddock they left had been cut in half because of the acorns from the tree collecting in the grass, they’re poisonous to most animals but pigs can eat them with no ill effect – don’t have any pigs! The day ended with stormy skies and then a bright moon.
A lovely splash of colour, Michaelmas Daisies flower at the end of summer and long into autumn, fighting against the dark days of winter. Traditionally Michaelmas Day marks the end of the harvest and the start of the new cycle of farming, goose fairs were often held with the luxury of eating a goose fattened on the stubble left in the fields. It’s the last days of picking blackberries as the fruit often turns sour as October approaches. Fixed stock wire to the lower paddock gate so that the ouessants can graze there next week without escaping. A hot air balloon was drifting along the ridge at Bulbarrow as dark rain clouds advanced from the west, a sunny day with warm sunshine and the promise of rain tomorrow.
A lovely sunny ride from Norden to Ower and back across Rempstone Heath, sandy in parts, not hilly, super sea views and coffee and biscuits on the beach. Before Poole existed, Ower, in the Isle of Purbeck, was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ‘Ora’. Ower Quay was the principal port for Portland in the 18th Century, so timber was brought in and the local Purbeck stone and marble was loaded and taken away. The roadway to the sea crossed private land so every Shrove Tuesday the locals presented the owner with a pound of peppercorns to make sure this valuable trade route remained open, a custom which remains in place today although the quayside is long gone. A chilly misty start to the day, 4* and the grass felt crispy underfoot, warm sunshine later with the promise of rain.
All the plants that had been in pots for the last few months are now settled in the raised bed, a lot of them had thrown out new runners so the empty beds along the row can be filled before Christmas, I hope, ready to give a bumper crop next year. Made an attempt at making a hay feeder for the sheep, think I’ll have to move on to Mk II as some modifications were required. Mowed the grass in the meadow strip, the hedge will need watering if it doesn’t rain in the next couple of days, and will scatter some poppy seeds. William appeared to limp last night so had his hooves checked, all appeared ok and he’s fine today. A warm sunny day with light winds.
This lump of oak was destined to be cut into rings but the chainsaw found the task too difficult. It’s found a new vocation as a testament to the visitors who have the inclination to carve the date and their initials in its trunk with the tools provided. Traditionally, guests have written on our toilet wall with interesting and varied contributions that remain, or fade over time, depending on which pen they select. Hopefully the oak will last a lot longer. Flying between the tall trees is the green woodpecker who is squawking louder than ever, he stops and feeds on the ants in the lawn on his way past. A cooler day with strong winds and cloudy sunshine. Pulled carrots and picked tomatoes.
The hay bales are ready to fill a hungry gap if the grass stop growing in the paddocks and the sheep need a supplementary feedstuff. Grown locally they’re a grassy meadow mix that is softer than the hard dry grass which was cut in the last month. If kept dry the bales will last for five years and still be good to eat. Sitting on top is a bunch of apple tree shoots that were cut today, they’ll be hung in the roof of the workshop and, if still edible, fed to the donkeys as a treat when the paddocks are too wet to be used and they can’t browse the hedgerow. A breezy day with warm sunshine and no rain, watered the beans which are still flowering. Picked tomatoes and a water melon.
The donkeys have never played with the orange horseplay ball so it’s now in the ouessant’s paddock. Digby treads on it and gives it a headbutt to move it around. Pixie and Walter like to watch and run around in circles. The red football isn’t as popular, maybe in a couple of weeks? The worm test results are back from the lab, the tapeworm we found in the field and put in a jam jar is not an issue for the adult sheep as they develop immunity, and they’re only a problem for lambs if they are losing weight. There’s no evidence of roundworm so no treatment required, the sampling and testing will be repeated in December. A cool showery day with rain later. Picked runner beans
The bright pink salvias are creating an early autumn display of colour in the border with the wild geraniums, most of the daisies have finished and been cut down and added to the bonfire pile. It rained a lot last night, all the waterbutts are full again and the stable yard was easy to clean. Donkeys hadn’t made a mess in the stable overnight, I think that’s the first time ever, it made mucking out easy. Spread fertilizer along the hedges and borders to make the most of the last weeks of growth before the first frosts, most of the field hedges are being cut to reveal more of the views across the valley. A cooler breezy rainy day with a cloudy sunset.
Two bags of poo ready to be double bagged, packed in a leakproof container and posted to the Donkey Sanctuary for a worm count. William and Toby look healthy and generally have a low worm burden but a test is recommended every six months, some donkeys are ‘high shedders’ so 20% of them carry 80% of the worm burden. Our vet will let us know the results and recommend treatment in a week or two. Worming mixtures lose their effectiveness if used too often so we need to be cautious. A misty start to the day with only the tree tops visible in the valley, the sun was warm when it broke through with light rain at dusk. More watering, rain is forecast for tomorrow.
A balloon landed in the vale just before dusk, it had been burning a lot of gas to gain height but landed in a ploughed field a couple of miles away, the mist was already gathering so the view from the basket would have been very mellow. The sun was a vivid red as it set, it made the sky glow a dusky pink. A lovely sunny day, cycled 15 miles and then had a pub lunch, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth bumped into me in their garden, something I’ve never seen before. They like bright sunshine and nectar rich flowers and will often return to feed from flowerbeds at the same time of the day; sadly the moths don’t survive our winter so this one will have migrated from France. The equinox is at 2.30pm, at this time the sun is above the equator and day and night are of equal length.
