Attracting the bees and the butterflies.
Sedum
Black Sheep
Walter, making the most of the hay that’s left.
The Thames
View towards Westminster from below The Eye.
The Mall
Empty after the events of the last few days.
QE II Birthplace
Briton Street, Mayfair
Green Park
Flowers everywhere for The Queen
Piccadilly Circus
Shrouded in black, 19th September 2022
Queen Elizabeth II Funeral
Walked miles trying to see or hear the parade, watched it all in a pub in Bruton Street.
Sunset
Hi
Clik
The sheep were corralled into the Avenue and the hurdles moved to gradually make the space smaller. They’ve all had a pink stripe of Clik to guard against fly strike. A cool start to a sunny day.
Grazing
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.
Wasps Nest
Spotted a few wasps flying in and out of the compost heap that’s ready for emptying so hacked at it with a rake. Disturbed the nest and was lucky to get away with one sting. Have since treated the area with ant powder and I think the surviving wasps have left the nest, which is good. A cold morning with rain showers, some sunshine in the afternoon.
Sheep
Pixie reaching for a freshly cut Hazel branch, cut from the Laneside hedge. The donkeys will eat whatever is left tomorrow. Picked cucumbers and tomatoes and stewed the Bramley apple fallers. A cool start to a sunny day.
Apple Twigs
William and Toby enjoying Bramley apple twigs, they snap the twigs in half and then munch the twigs from the end, leaves sometime drop off and are eaten later. A wet day with late sunshine.
Cycle
From Rushmoor to the top of the ridgeway and back in time for lunch. The donkeys and sheep spent all day in the paddocks. A warmer day than expected with light winds.
Digby
King of the Castle for a few minutes, the rain of the last week has drained away and the grass has started to show signs of green growth. Picked tomatoes, cucumbers and apples for the donkeys. A cool, cloudy day with a brisk wind.
Windsock
The six meter high mast now has the Union Flag half way up and the sheep flying from the top. The donkeys had to stay on the hard standing after a night of torrential rain showers, and the paddock has started puddling in places. A sunny end to the day.
Queen Elizabeth II
Died today. I was born in 1952, so she was the only monarch I’ve ever known. A sad day. Long live the King.
Bramley’s
Looks like there’ll be a good crop, made a crumble from the windfalls. No pears this year but plenty of eating apples, Beauty of Bath and D’Arcy Spice. Picked tomatoes and cucumbers. A day of heavy rain and thunderstorms, the donkeys stayed on the hard standing for the first time this summer as the paddock puddled.
Fireworks
The last of this year’s displays from the pier at Bournemouth, a loud and very bright display. The goats grazing on the slopes of the clifftop must have been surprised. A warm, breezy day
Sunset
The sun managed to get through even though it was still raining, have had a deluge which will make the grass grow. The donkeys didn’t mind getting wet but did stand under the willow during a thunderstorm, the sheep all ran into their shelter and stayed there. Picked tomatoes, cucumbers and the last of the plums.
Red Arrows
A stunning display over Bournemouth Bay as part of the air festival. The team is flying with seven Hawks instead of the usual nine, but still look great. The Typhoon was rib-rattling at full power and it was good to see the Battle of Britain group, Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane still flying. A breezy sunny cloudy day with the odd shower.
Donkeys
Watching what’s going on in the paddock, they’ll have their fly masks put on before they go out. The straw covering this area has been taken away and the compost underneath is being relocated to the raised beds and the garden as a mulch. Hope it’ll help the runner beans do better next year. A day of heavy rain showers and fresh winds.
Donhead Fete
The dog show had 42 entries and lots of potential winners for the most handsome, the sausage dog won. Successfully bid for a load of cutlery in the silent auction and enjoyed a pint of Gritchie while walking round. The tombola came up trumps as well with two bottles of wine. A sunny, cloudy, showery day with strengthening winds.
Greeting
Jago and Pixie gently head butting each other during their early evening runaround. Their fleeces are growing and the lanolin content is increasing as the nights get cooler, but no rain to speak of so the grass is still crispy and the standing hay in the paddock is gradually being eaten. A warm, sunny day with a fresh wind.
Stourpaine
The last of the summer concerts with Ringwood and Burley Band playing at The White Horse. The Posthorn Gallop was performed from the roof. A sunny day and warm evening with light winds.
Dog Show
There were six entries for the waggiest tail, all the dogs won a prize in the end for looking most like their owner, paw shake, best trick, and musical sit. A warm sunny day spent welly wanging, donkey scratching and sheep racing. Will probably repeat next year.
Mr Mole
He’s been around for a while and appeared on the terrace steps late morning, fortunately Smudge didn’t see him and he ran off into the bushes. I decided to re-home him at the bottom of the meadow strip but he didn’t seem interested in diving into an existing mole hole, they often lead a solitary life, only coming together to breed. The ground was softer there so maybe he’ll build his own network of tunnels and head off in a different direction. A cool start to a warm, sunny, day
Donkey Dental
The donkeys have their teeth checked every year, and any sharp edges are taken off with a small rotating grinder. The donkeys don’t enjoy the experience and are sedated before having their mouth kept open with a metal brace. The grinding doesn’t take long but they mustn’t eat afterwards, their heads gradually lifting up as they become more alert and after a few hours they can start grazing again. A warm sunny day with light winds
Finish Line
Preparing for the sheep race, the course starts at the bottom of Willow paddock and snakes back and forth and finishes at the top, the whole race will probably be over in forty five seconds. The sheep have had a practice so should know what to do for the main event. A sunny cloudy day with light winds.
Sheep
Grazing in the Square, not eating any green grass as the paddock has turned into a dry hay, the grasses growing shorter than last year, the seed heads still tasty for the sheep. Delivery of straw for the donkeys, and we’re preparing for the country show event scheduled for the weekend, a chance to let the sheep have a run around an unfamiliar course. A sunny cloudy day with welcome rain overnight.
Brownsea Island
Walked to the beach on a lovely warm evening, the view across to the Sandbanks Ferry and Studland was very clear. The campsite was fairly busy with scouts and their friends enjoying the peace of the island, pleased to have a bed to sleep in. Saw deer and red squirrels and heard talk of an adder that had swum across from the mainland. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Hedgerow
The donkeys getting their mouths round the hazel twigs, they pull very hard and strip the leaves or snap the ends off and eat the whole thing. The recent rain has made the tops of the trees look more hydrated but the leaves are turning yellow. Gathered some Bramley fallers and made a crumble, picked tomatoes and cucumbers. A day of sunshine and showers.
Purbeck Folk Festival
Bigger than ever, three stages of live music and some interesting clothing stalls to wander round. Lots of activities to try and demonstrations of weaving and basket making. A late night but worth the drive. A sunny day with a strong wind that lowered the temperature.
Gillingham Show
A cooler day for the animals and spectators, the usual mix of parades and demonstrations, including a number of very handsome sheep, no Ouessants, though. The hunt bloodhounds were in the ring with the beagles which made for an interesting mix and muddle. Music supplied by this fairground organ, the back more interesting to watch than the front. A warm sunny day with a light breeze.
Walter
King of the castle, while all the others, apart from Ivy, are chewing the cud. The sheep have moved into the Square paddock and will stay there for the next few weeks while Fallen Oak recovers, rain showers overnight should help. A fresher feel to the air in the mornings and the nights are beginning to draw in, the bat is out and flying over the pond by 8.30. A sunny day with cloud rolling around over the hills.
Cycle
An interesting circular route from Whitecliff to Wareham for coffee and a sausage roll, returning via Upton House. Crossed the harbour entrance on the ferry at Sandbanks and turned into the forest heading towards Ridge. The sandy stretches were a challenge but there were no significant hills. A warm, sunny day with light winds.
Donkeys
Eating their balancer at the end of the day, they’re more inclined to come back up to their stable now the weather is cooler. Washed their fly masks which were coated in soil from the rollover patch. Will have to fence off the bottom of Laneside as the acorns are beginning to fall. A warm sunny day with the odd shower.
Thunderstorm
Proper rain, at last! Probably had half an inch today in short bursts, so no run-off, all soaked into the ground, hope to get more tonight. The sheep stayed in their shelter and the donkeys rolled over in their dust/soon to be mud patch. A cloudy, showery day with light winds.
Greenhouse
The tomato plants are out of control, it seems to happen every year when the tangle of growth outpaces the regular taming of stems and the cutting out of side shoots. The cucumbers are still doing ok and producing lots of tasty fruit. A warm sunny day with the promise of rain tomorrow.
Baby Rabbit
Moved into the workshop a few days ago and came out during the day but was always there in the morning. Koby, the neighbours cat, was very keen to eat it but I managed to catch it and take it down the lane in a cat carrier. It looked around a few times before hopping off towards Hambledon Hill, hope it manages to survive ok. A slightly cooler day with more cloud and light winds
Beach
A scorcher of a day, the beach at Bournemouth was very busy and the air felt fresher and the sea as cold as ever, but must have warmed a little. All the animals were in there shelters from early morning, only coming out to eat and drink. Watered the greenhouse morning and night, picked tomatoes and cucumbers. The runner beans are nearly over, the lack of rain not suiting them.
Sheep
Eating a branch from the Laneside hedge, the Hazel has developed fruits and they need to be removed before the sheep get hold of them as the husks can be an irritant. The grass looks really dry and there are large cracks developing across the paddock, rain is needed urgently, but the sheep don’t seem to mind, they eat whatever is there and have a daily treat of smallholder mix. A hot sunny day with light winds.
William
The salt lick has fallen apart, it comes with a hole in the middle and hangs from a piece of rope in the corner. The various pieces sit on the floor and are crunched, like biscuits, when the donkeys come up for their balancer. They are staying in the sheep shelter in Laneside most of the day, out of the sun, coming out at around five o’clock to graze. A hot sunny day with light winds.
Straw
The depth of straw had become rather too deep on the area beside their yard so a dozen or so dumpy bags of straw have been donated to a local self-sufficiency site. They will spread it on their vegetable plot and grow succulent vegetables next year. The layer under the straw is full of worms and will go on the garden to help support the plants through this dry period. Another hot day with light winds.
Crisps
A hazel branch that was left for too long before giving to the donkeys, they still like the taste, it’s just unusual for this time of year when the hedgerows are lush. They’ll have the same thing in February when the branch will have been stored for a few months. A very hot day with light winds.
Sheep
Let into the Square Paddock which has been fallow for a few months, and with no rain for weeks the grass has turned to hay. Started bagging the excess on the donkeys straw area, it usually treads down when it’s wet but it’s getting thicker and thicker. Cycle from Pamphill to The Anchor for coffee. A hot, sunny day.
Toby
Looking in good shape and hoping for a treat at the end of the day. The donkeys are reluctant to come back from their paddock, preferring to stay out as long as possible. Picked tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Birmingham Bull
A magnificent animal, colorful by night and imposing. It needs eight people to operate the controls and can move quite quickly when it wants to, a great addition to the City Centre. A cool end to a warm day.
Edgbaston
Commonwealth Games T20 cricket, the match between England and New Zealand. Fireworks and flames to greet the players, and a lot of music and waving of score cards when someone hit a boundary. Flames shot out of boxes at the edge of the grass and the big screens showed repeats of the action, the stumps lighting up as a player was clean bowled. An exciting end to a sunny warm day.
Hockey
Watched England play Wales at the Commonwealth Games, England won 4 – 0, not a fair reflection of the game but its the goals that count. Lovely view of Birmingham from the hotel and bus stop to the city centre right outside. A warm sunny day, hot in the stands.
Elton
Able to move his head in various directions to get a good view of any treats that may be available, the willow tree branches are just out of their reach so have to be pulled down so they can eat the leaves. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Donkeys
Waiting for their daily portion of balancer, interested in what’s happening in the garden. The clippings from the hedgerow providing their daily treat. A warm sunny day with a strong wind.
Cycle
A reasonable distance on a very warm day with a stop at Chettle for coffee and a sausage roll. No rain at all this month, the cracks in the garden are getting wider, having to water the hedge every other day and the greenhouse twice a day, runner beans are struggling. Picked tomatoes and cucumbers. A hot sunny day with light winds.
Pixie
Usually the first to come and see if there are any treats available, the sheep spent most of the day in the shade under the Willow in Fallen Oak. Their fleeces are growing well, although their legs look spindly. A hot day with the promise of rain.
Mama Mia
A fun night singing along to ABBA songs at the Pavilion in Bournemouth. The donkeys came up to the stable early and had the run of their straw area for the night. A warm day with light winds
Sharing
The donkeys managed to knock down a few hurdles and moved into the sheep’s paddock to get at the willow tree. The sheep didn’t mind and the donkeys walked round them. A warm sunny day, no rain.
Knapweed
Growing alongside the hedge in the meadow strip, a colourful display of grasses, wild flowers and nettles, attracting bees (this one is carrying a lot of pollen), butterflies and moths. Could do with more rain to stop them all going to seed. Topped up the hedgehog trough and the bird baths. A sunny day with a cool wind.
Cycle
Starting at Potterne Park, ride to the Wolverton Tea Rooms for an iced latte with ice cream and half a toasted tea cake shared, a whole one would have been too much. No hills to speak of and although there were a couple of rain showers on the way, we soon dried out in the sun.
Sheep
In there somewhere, the area around the fallen oak hasn’t been grazed for a few months and is starting to be taken over by the hedgerow, not sure the sheep will make much impact. A warm sunny day, need more rain for the garden and paddocks.
Donkeys
The trimmings from the beech hedge are feeling crispier, the lack of rain is affecting all the plants, the hedges will drop their leaves early this year. The donkeys still like them. Another hot day with the promise of a thunderstorm.
Sheep
Not that worried about being in the shade, a cloudy, cool morning meant the grass was wet and the Willow within reach (with a bit of help). The sheep are slowly being moved into Fallen Oak where the grass is longer and still green in places. A warm end to the day with light winds.
Dusk
The cloud that gave us a few spots of rain as the hot weather gave way to normal temperatures. A thunderstorm rumbled away in the distance but faded away without any rainfall. Filled up a couple of waterbutts so that the pond can be filled up in a couple of days.
Sherborne Classic Cars
A Rolls Royce looking fabulous, colourful, and a very different livery to the other models. Our MG had to be in place by nine o’clock and stay until the show finished at four. Lots of classic cars paraded in front of the castle on a day that was very hot. The donkeys and sheep enjoyed the paddock and were happy to stay in the shade.
Jack
Not helping with the puzzle! A very hot day, the chickens are drinking a lot of water.
Chickens
Looking after these two for a few days, they’re talkative when their food is topped up and like to eat daisies. A very hot day spent mostly in the shade.
Sheep
Tucking into a fresh beech branch, they spent most of the day in the shade of the willow. Watered the beans, peas and greenhouse. A calm, quiet end to a hot sunny day.
Summer Evening
Cycle ride from Pamphill to The Anchor for coffee and then a fried egg sandwich for lunch. Cut beech branches for the sheep and donkeys and moved their fence over to give them fresh grass. A warm end to a sunny day.
Peas
Starting to flower in abundance, the pods were starting to get chewy so will leave them to mature. The rhubarb needs pulling, could do with more rain. Painted one side of the stable, the donkeys were shut in the paddock and came up to watch, William always takes time to see if anything is different so will be slow to start eating his mash tonight. A sunny cloudy day with a cool wind.
Sheep
Moved the row of hurdles to give the sheep a little more fresh grass and the electric fence to give the donkeys access to the field maple. Topped up the pond and watered the peas and runner beans. Cycled 15 miles from Blandford through Spetisbury to Shapwick for coffee in a cool breeze that turned warmer at lunchtime, there was a sheep going for a walk with a dog along the trailway, not seen that before! A sunny end to the day.
Hedgerow
Toby eating the tastiest bits he can reach from his side of the fence, it’s mostly brambles reaching into the paddock, but that’s ok. The sheep stripped the leaves from a beech branch and then the donkeys spent a few minutes eating the bark. Filled the bin with docks from the edge of the paddock, hope to have removed them before they’ve seeded everywhere. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Caterpillar
Brown Tail Moths live in Hawthorn and Blackthorn hedges, this caterpillar has crawled it’s way onto the peas a little early in the season. The hairs are toxic so decided not to touch it without gloves. Moved the hurdles to give the sheep a bit more grass and the donkeys access to the hedgerow. A cool cloudy day with heavy showers.
Willow Paddock
William and Toby took a while to find the gateway into their new paddock, they’d walked down the Avenue to their roll-over patch and stopped at the closed gate to Laneside, so they had to come back up again to get into Willow. Mowed Laneside to remove the grass stalks and gave them the branch the sheep had finished with as they can’t reach a hedge. Rain overnight will have helped the grass to grow, Laneside will be rested for a couple of months to rejuvenate. A very windy cloudy day.
Sheep
All nine sheep had their heads down nibbling the leaves when a new branch arrived, the Laneside hedgerow has blossomed, and doubled in size since being laid a couple of years ago, so there are lots of branches to cut for the animals to enjoy. A cool, windy day with late warm sunshine.
Sea and Sky
Looking towards the Purbeck Hills from Bournemouth Beach, a windy day before the promised rain. Picked strawberries, raspberries and a cucumber, cos lettuce looking ok, need transplanting as they’re all in a clump. Runner beans have reached the top of the sticks and need to pull more rhubarb. A cloudy end to a sunny day.
Lolly
Carrots sliced and frozen in an inch of water kept the donkeys occupied for a few minutes, Toby stamps on the ice and pulls it backwards to break it into pieces. Moved the hurdles in Willow Ready to confine the sheep tomorrow, it’s time for their annual vaccinations and protection against fly strike. A very hot day with light winds.
Beech Branch
A favourite snack for the sheep, when they’ve stripped the leaves and some of the bark the donkeys will finish the rest. A warm sunny day.
Longest Day
The Square paddock has turned into a wildflower meadow which the bees and butterflies love. The electric fencing has been removed so the donkeys have the whole of Laneside, including the shady area under the oak tree. First BBQ of the year on a hot and sunny day.
Workshop
William and Toby made an unexpected visit to the workshop after the door was left open. They decided the hay was the best thing to eat before leaving. A cool sunny day with the occasional shower and a bright orange sunset.
Walter
Standing with his front hooves on the fence rail to eat the Willow, the tree looks to have grown wider in the last year, and reach lower to the ground. Arranged for regular delivery of straw bales to save collecting them, moved a stack of paving so the truck can get into the Square paddock and turn round. Fixed a few hooks in the tack room for the rakes and brooms, makes a big difference to the available floor area. Picked three mini cucumbers. A sunny cloudy day with a chilly wind.
Donkeys
Resting in their stable in the morning sunshine before getting up to start their day. They spread their bedding all round the stable and sometimes bring their collars in to play with overnight. Had to take opportunities to poo pick, torrential rain showers didn’t last long but were potent with longer sunny spells in between. The pond has filled up nicely, need to clean the filter. A quiet end to the day with light winds.
Pixie
The first to sneak past the hurdles to have a look at the modified shelter in Willow, it has a new roof and a new tarpaulin over the top. The only paddock without a shelter is Fallen Oak and that has the moveable arcs so that should be the end of shelter building for a while. Pixie tried to chew the stepladder a few times which proved not very appetising, so she moved on to the grass round the edge of the fence. A sunny cloudy day with light winds and the threat of rain.
Peonies
Standing upright in the sunshine, they’ve become slightly bowed after the rain of the last few days but are still looking magnificent. The donkeys have been out in the paddock standing under the oak tree during the heaviest downpours. Toby has been excavating a bigger roll-over patch and came up covered in mud, it took a while for it to dry so that it could be brushed off. A cloudy sunny day with heavy showers.
Toby
Scratching his neck on William’s back, William had nudged him out the way to get to a patch of grass just through the gate. They horsed about on the straw for a while before going out in the paddock. Cut a few twigs from the beech hedge for them to eat later. The ground is softer after torrential rain and thunderstorms, a cloudy muggy day.
Paints
Celebrating the Jubilee with a set of paints, managed not to smudge this for a couple of hours, and it filled up a few of the wrinkles. Groomed the donkeys and took them for a walk round the fencing in Laneside, they’re starting to make an impression on the hedge, it’s tall and wide after the hedge laying rejuvenated it a couple of years ago. A cloudy sunny day with a chilly wind, torrential rain and bright lightening filled the sky at midnight, no watering required tomorrow, hope the water butts are full.
Blackthorn
Walter tucking into a branch cut from the hedgerow, the rest of the flock wandered over to finish eating the leaves and start nibbling the bark, the donkeys will have what’s left in a couple of days. Jubilee cream tea at The Baker Arms, the scones were delicious. Sat outside on the terrace until a thunderstorm passed by and then played Mahjong. A blustery cloudy end to a sunny day.
Jubilee Beacons
Two visible on the skyline above the stable, one at Bulbarrow and the other Hod Hill, I could see eight in all and some stayed alight for over an hour. No appreciable rain for a week, so the ground is cracking, watered the raised beds and the runner beans. Trimmed a few beech twigs from the hedge for the donkeys and moved the sheep into Willow paddock. A sunny day with a chilly wind.
Platinum Jubilee
The flags are flying for the weekend and the bunting is up on the stable. The Baker Arms has organised afternoon tea for tomorrow afternoon and there’s a garden party on Saturday in the field at the bottom of the hill, haven’t made a crown yet. Will take the corgi that started life as a prop in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a picnic. A lovely sunny day with a cool breeze.
High Jinks
William and Toby playing around on their straw, Toby tries to get hold of William’s fly mask with his teeth and pull it off, he doesn’t succeed, which is good…. They’re always keen to get out of the gate into the paddock, the buttercups need mowing in Laneside so will need to cordon off an area with the electric fence. Cut a blackthorn branch for the sheep and apple tops for the donkeys. A sunny cloudy day with a cool breeze.
Cycle
From Shroton to Sturminster Newton for coffee and then back along the trailway for lunch at The Cricketers. Lots of people walking their dogs, some easy to pass with twenty riders, some not! The rain clouds stayed on the hills and looked threatening but we arrived back in the dry. A sunny cloudy cool day, the temperature dropped late afternoon, not good for the courgette plants.
Ivy
Trapped in a set of hurdles so that her feet could be inspected, she was limping a bit but there was no sign of an injury or stones so a quick hoof trim and a dose of purple spray all round should help. She’s a good weight, it’s easier to tell condition without the fleece, the marks from the shearer’s clippers are quite obvious, I wonder how long it will take for the pattern to disappear. A sunny cloudy with a chilly wind.
Thistle
Not too prickly for the donkeys, it was growing in the rose bed and was over three feet high, and as there was only one they had to share. Tied up the runner beans that were trailing along the ground, one of the poplar rods had stopped sprouting so cut it into two foot lengths and pushed them in around the courgette plants on top of the compost heap where it’ll be well watered. A warm sunny cloudy day with a brisk cool wind.
Morning
Misty in the Vale, but not over Bulbarrow, let the sheep into the small overgrown paddock behind the stable, they disappeared from view as the grass is three feet high. Could hear them chomping away, they ate the sorrel first and some of the docks which they’re not supposed to like! Late home last night so the donkeys were waiting at the stable for their balancer. A sunny day with a chilly wind, lovely in a sheltered spot.
Sheep
Maybe feeling the chill without their fleeces, they almost disappear when lying in the longer grass, the wethers have fluffy bits of wool round their horns. Cycle from Kingston Lacy to Shapwick and back along Sweet Briar, coffee at Pamphill and spicy prawns for lunch at The Anchor, a cool wind meant eating indoors. A break in the clouds let the sun through to lift the temperature late afternoon, but only briefly before the clouds came back at sunset.
William and Toby
Chewing their way through the pear twigs cut from the top of the tree, they usually have ten or twelve to share at the end of the day, or a handful of goosegrass each. They like thistles as well, but there’s a very prickly variety they don’t like that’s taken over the mound in the Small Paddock, so have started to dig those out. Rain overnight and a cloudy day with a very cold wind, lit the woodburner.
Three Bags Full
Nine fleeces in paper sacks ready to be put in a box and sent to Pocket House Studio for making into a rug, the rug made from last year’s fleeces is expected to arrive in July, so it’s a fourteen month wait! Had to go out first thing so the gate into Laneside was opened early, the donkeys had a look and decided to stay where they were and lie down on their straw for a while. A sunny showery day with blustery winds.
Cycle
A level twenty two miles from Ferndown Forest to Upton House and back via Wimborne, Delph Wood and Holes Bay, with coffee and flapjack en route and a tasty sausage roll at the end. Planted out a few more runner beans, the first ones planted a couple of weeks ago are half way up the sticks. Collected four bales of straw. A sunny start to the day with rain moving in at sunset.
William
Seeking shade from the sun inside the sheep shelter in Laneside, it’s not exactly the right size for him but he manages to squeeze in with Toby, they’re still shedding hair and covered in dust from rolling over on the bare patch in The Avenue. Picked the first cucumbers from the greenhouse and planted a couple of courgette plants on top of the compost heap. Lunch at the The Baker Arms. The hottest day of the year so far after a cloudy start.
Shearing
Bianca losing her fleece, there was a lot of lanolin in the fleece close to the skin so although the sheep were shedding their wool round their necks it was a couple of weeks too soon to shear them. Shearer’s talk about the grease ‘rising’ up the fleece away from the body so the clippers can get underneath, the temperature has stayed low at night so that will have made a difference. They were all finished within an hour and let out into the paddock to graze. A cool start to a warm sunny day with light winds.
Dry and Warm
The sheep are being sheared tomorrow and they must have dry fleeces, so they’re staying in the workshop tonight. All manner of things have been stored elsewhere; the sheep (dog) crate, ladders, stools, bailer twine, tables etc. It’s a reasonably sized space for nine sheep to roam around, the door is open so they have a view of the vale, just through a hurdle to stop them escaping. I think they’ll settle down after a few hours. A showery windy day, a lot cooler than yesterday.
Pond
The irises are looking good and the first water lilies just need a little more sunshine to make them open. Smudge likes to drink out of the waterfall which has slowed down to a trickle so the filter needs cleaning – a job for a sunny day. Cycle from Pamphill to The Anchor for coffee, and skittles in the evening. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Dreadlocks
Bianca and Nola are shedding wool from their necks, the shearer is booked for Saturday; haven’t received the rug made from last year’s fleeces yet, will be sending some more next week! Strimmed the verge the other side of the laneside paddock, the willow rods planted to fill in the gaps in the hedge are doing ok, the cow parsley was over four feet high. A warm cloudy day with rain late afternoon, no watering.
Fly Masks
William and Toby keen to go out into the paddock, just waiting for the gate to be opened, they’re wearing their masks to stop the flies settling round their eyes. The ground has puddled after overnight rain, so no watering required. Tied up the tomatoes and cucumbers in the greenhouse and have been given some leek seedlings, still have room in a raised bed so they can go straight in. A cloudy sunny day with a chilly wind.
Morning Moon
Almost due south over the stable, a misty start to the day. Cycle from the Fox and Goose at Coombe Bissett to Downton for coffee and a slice of flapjack before a long climb up to the ridge and along Pennings Drove. The swallows are taking more interest in the stable block, flying in and then out again, one of them took a wrong turn and ended up in the shed at the back, luckily the cats didn’t see him before he escaped. A showery day with sunny spells and a brisk wind.
Jago and Elton
Snuggled up by the water trough, keeping cool in the sun. Welcome rain overnight so no watering required, a cool start to a sunny cloudy day with the occasional heavy shower. Pinched out the side shoots on the tomato plants in the greenhouse and potted on a few more young plants, pulled rhubarb and cut a few pear twigs from the top of the tree for the donkeys. A cloudy end to the day with the promise of more rain overnight.
Kings Troop
Firing their Royal Salute at the Platinum Jubilee Celebration; A Gallop Through History. The Royal Horse Artillery gave a great performance, criss crossing the arena and just missing each other at full pelt and then leaving through a very narrow gate as fast as their horses could go pulling the guns, closely followed by the rest of the troop. A cloudy, sunny, day with light winds.
Windsor
A good day out at the Horse Show, the Household Cavalry looked very smart and the musical drive was at full gallop. The very efficient arena team did a great job setting up and dismantling the jumps for the Shetland Pony Grand National, always fun to watch and the height of the wall meant the puissance proved challenging. A cloudy sunny day with a chilly wind.
Beans
Ready to be planted out, the first of the carrots and radishes are poking through the soil in the raised bed, it rained most of the morning which saved watering. Sowed land cress, spinach and peas, tied up the tomatoes and cucumber in the greenhouse. Stacked wood and sharpened the chainsaw. A sunny end to a wet cloudy day with blustery winds.
Digby
Eating the leaves from a bramble that’s grown out from the hedgerow, planted a few willow rods to supplement the ash trees in the hedge. Collected four bales of straw, the fields around the farm are being used as leys, producing a sileage crop for the cows that has matured twelve weeks after sowing, the ryegrass may be left to grow and produce another two cuts, or it could be ploughed in and replaced with maize. A cloudy sunny day with light winds.
William
Lying down on the straw until it’s time to go out into Laneside, I did wonder why they didn’t come up for their balancer later and then discovered they’d managed to shut the gate that leads out of the paddock… The sheep are shedding fleece, especially the white ones, looks like they have dreadlocks, hope to have a date for the shearer soon. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Train Ride
The journey took half an hour from Llangollen to Carog alongside the River Dee, past the chain bridge and Horseshoe Weir. After an ice cream at Carog the train set off back to Llangollen, a diesel runs most of the year with a steam train making the journey on special occasions, not sure how it would turn round, there must be a turntable somewhere. A cool, sunny, day with light winds.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The highest canal aqueduct in the world, carrying narrowboats across the River Dee in the Vale of Llangollen, eighteen arches built of stone and cast iron. Completed in 1805 having taken ten years to design and build, length 307m, drop to the river 38m. With a footpath on one side and no path or handrail on the other, it’s a long way down! Spectacular views across the vale to Froncysyllte and the viaduct that carries the railway line. A sunny cloudy day with a chilly wind.
Ouessants
They were all in Fallen Oak waiting for another gate to be opened, and always think it’s worth exploring another paddock. They’ll move into the Square paddock in a couple of days and then Willow and Fallen Oak will be fallow for a month or two. The donkeys browsed the hedgerow in Laneside, not able to reach the newest willows and poplar. The water butts are full after heavy rain overnight, so the grass should be growing well. A cloudy start to a sunny day, and the wind is still cold.
Mutual Grooming
William and Toby spent ten minutes chasing each other around the paddock, Toby braying, before coming back up to the stable for salt lick and a grooming session. Took the opportunity of shutting the gate and giving them their balancer and mash. William is picking up a few stones in his hooves, need some more sand on top of the aggregate in the mud control mats. Watered the hedgerow. A windy sunny day, warm in sheltered spots.
Winnie
Surrounded by hay that she doesn’t like much, it’s difficult to tell her condition under the fleece, it’ll be another month before it comes off, she could be a little underweight. No sign of the rug being made from last year’s wool, they did say it would be a year. Finished laying the soaker hoses in the hedges, need more connectors to use the same water supply hose for all of them. A sunny, cloudy, day with a chilly wind.
Crows
Sitting on William’s head and a couple on his back, they pull the hairs out for making their nests, there’s quite a lot of hair on the ground when the donkeys have been groomed, but they still prefer to select their own and William doesn’t mind. Arranged soaker hose in the hedge, seems to work well at the start and finish of the run, not so well in the middle, so a few puddles and dry patches. A sunny day with a cool wind.
Hampton Court
Visited the Royal School of Needlework and talked with the Archivist about the type of work they hold in their collection, my Grandmother studied there in the early 1900’s and three of her pieces are so good they’re to be accepted into the archive, they can then be displayed in future exhibitions of work. Well done Granny! Spent the rest of the day walking round the gardens and having lunch, it was nice to drive in the main gate and down the driveway to the Palace. A sunny day with a chilly wind.
Digby
Chewing the cud in the sunshine, Digby is sitting by the logs in the middle of the small paddock, the rest of the flock are sitting round the edge by the fence. William has had his second injection for stomach ulcers, he’ll have the last one next week. Collected some grids for the only paddock entrance that doesn’t have them, and a dismantled wood store. A bright sunny day with light winds.
William
Head in the hedge, he likes to eat hawthorn, blackthorn, brambles and wild roses, his favourite on this occasion was the field maple, it doesn’t ever have to be trimmed from the paddock side. He’s eating his fibre mash with the balancer, he’s just a bit slow, so Toby has to have some as well. Potted on the cucumbers and tied more runner bean canes, fixed another plank of wood to the end of the sheep shelter in the small paddock, the last gale loosened the roof. A sunny, cloudy day with a chilly breeze.
Butterflies
Lots about, including this Common Blue and the Orange Tipped, the blackbirds have nested in the hedge and make a real racket when one of the cats walks past, especially if it’s Coby. A pair of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers were in the garden, both had bright red flashes. Fixed more of the runner bean sticks, planted a few rows of Adelaide carrots and put the lemon trees out on the terrace. Lunch in Stur. A warm, sunny, day with a chilly breeze.
Easter Cake
Afternoon tea on the terrace, cake baked by Linda, the hatching chick on the top has been around a long time and wobbles about. Fussed and fed the sheep and talked to the donkeys in the paddock who were tempted by slices of apple. Moved the teak table to where the shed used to be, it looks smaller on the concrete, needs a couple of benches and maybe a pergola to provide a bit of shade. A warm, sunny, day with light winds.
Compost Heaps
Finished moving the compost to the right hand side ready for planting with courgettes and pumpkins next month, and once they’ve finished it’ll be used to top up the raised beds. The left hand pile of donkey poo and grass cuttings will stay as it is for the next year and the centre strip is all ready for filling. The compost is full of worms, they like the cardboard but not the parcel tape. More runner beans have appeared, and the first of the peas, had all the ventilators open in the greenhouse. A warm, sunny, day with a moderate breeze.
Digby
Watching Jessie and Mackerel through the fence, this patch of grass by the oak tree and wood pile is prime ground for mouse hunting, visited frequently by the cats and the sparrowhawk. Digby’s horns curl inwards so need trimming regularly, a hacksaw does the job! The sheep spent the day in the Small Paddock, returning to Fallen Oak for the night. Cycle ride from Pamphill to The Anchor for coffee and chocolates, a misty start to a mild, cloudy day.
Donkeys
William and Toby in Laneside, grazing under the oak tree, this area has to be fenced off later in the year as the acorns are poisonous to both sheep and donkeys. Bought a bag of Donkey Diet for William and soaked a few of the cubes in hot water to make a mash, he doesn’t drink as much as he should which won’t be helping his tummy, so need to find ways of getting water into him, Toby drinks far more, and at fairly regular times. More runner beans have sprouted. A cloudy, milder day with light winds.
Ivy and Jago
The sheep have moved into Fallen Oak for a while so the donkeys can walk down the Avenue into Laneside, have a run around, and browse the Hazel in the hedgerow, they are starting to relax, William keeps checking everything is where it should be. Ivy’s teeth look more prominent than ever, they came over to see if I had any treats, which I didn’t! The Sparrowhawk spent most of the day hovering beside the hedgerow, not sure it caught anything. A rainy start to a cloudy day with a brisk, cool, wind.
William and Toby
Back in their stable after a week at Endells, William has various patches where he’s been shaved and he’s a completely different shape, the bolus in his tummy and the impaction in his colon were taking up a lot of space! They were so excited to be out of the van, they inspected their stable and the fencing, kicking and bucking each other before going out into the paddock and running around. William will have treatment for his ulcers over the next few weeks. A breezy, sunny, day with a cool breeze..
Rhubarb
First of the season, not forced, so full of colour and flavour, there’s more coming so hope to have enough to freeze. Raked the raised bed that’ll be sown with early carrots in the next week or so, the tomato and cucumber plants are doing ok on the windowsill. A balloon was up early this morning, it didn’t travel very far in the light winds, there was too much cold mist in the vale. William was allowed to graze grass today, with no tubes or muzzle, he’ll have been happy to be out of the stable with Toby. A frosty start to a sunny day.
Sheep
Taking it in turns to be king of the castle, Jago has settled on one of the slabs making it difficult for the others to run along them all. Visited William and Toby in the equine hospital, William’s tummy impaction has all but cleared and his cut has healed so they should be home early next week, the Donkey Sanctuary has transport standing by. William has been allowed to eat a handful of grass and they both may be allowed out into a small paddock for some exercise tomorrow. A wet start to a cool cloudy day.
Sunset
Stormy skies and a strong cold winter wind, the sheep sat behind their shelters out of the rain showers, they didn’t want to be inside, they just preferred sitting out of the wind. William is doing ok, although the impaction in his stomach is taking time to remove, it’s being prodded to make bits on the edge flake away. Visiting them tomorrow and taking straw, balancer, treats and a ball for Toby to play with. A very windy day, lunch at the pub.
Bluebells
The first of the flowers in the hedgerow, protected from the cold winds by the bank. Tempted to flower by the warm days last week the rest have decided to slow down and stay hidden now the frosts are back. William is doing ok, treatment is continuing and as the only donkeys in the hospital they’re getting a lot of attention. Removed the feeder in the stable ready for cleaning, may modify the design to prevent straw slipping down the back. A cool, cloudy, windy day.
Ouessant Sheep Society
This month’s banner on their Facebook site is one of my photos, Walter, Digby and Elton, posing when the grass was greener and lusher. A bit of a traumatic day yesterday with William spending a long time being treated by the vet, and then transported in a Donkey Sanctuary ambulance, with Toby, to an equine hospital with an impacted colon. That’s resolved itself, but following a gastroscopy he does have a bolus filling a third of his stomach that needs dissolving, and an ulcer. Hopefully the cut at the top of his leg will be healing. A cool, cloudy, windy, day
Nola
007 having a nice day in the paddock with a supplement of hay to eat, the younger sheep in the flock are always more interested in the hay and Nola usually hangs back so there can’t be much sweetness in the grass. Planted a white Viburnum in the garden to fill a gap in the border and put a trowel full of worm casts in the bottom of each tomato pot. William’s Cut is healing OK, may let him out onto the straw today. A cloudy day with a chilly wind.
Poppy
Toby was swiped on the nose when he nudged Poppy, she isn’t bothered by the donkeys feet and wanders up and down between them. Topped the brown grass in the small paddock, the grass had started growing but will have stopped again with the drop in temperature. Sowed courgette and sunflower seeds, potted on the tomato plants and laid out the greenhouse with trays and pots. A frosty start to a cloudy day.
Stable Mats
William and Toby inspecting a new mat before it goes into the stable. The cobwebs and dust have been brushed away, the straw removed and the floor washed and disinfected. Hopefully three new mats will mean the donkeys will be able to lie down without a straw bed and William’s cut will stay clean and continue to heal. The house martins are back and have started building nests, breeding pairs stay together for life and with nest building this early in the year there should be two broods produced before they fly south again. A cold, breezy, day with snow showers.
William
Still a bit dopey after a visit from the equine vet, he had to be sedated as the developing abscess at the top of his leg needed removing and the cut cleaning, a process that took a while. Toby became ever more attentive and rested his head on William’s back, taking hold of the skin with his teeth, just to let him know he was there. They’ll have to stay up on the hard standing for a couple of weeks, the cut needs flushing and creaming three times a day and there’s a daily dose of antibiotics and painkillers. William, stoic as ever, just gets on with it, the vet will be back in a few days. A cold, frosty start to the day with a few snow showers.
Blackthorn Winter
When I collected the straw from the farm the weather forecast was on the agenda as the cows are still in the sheds, wise Bob said that this was about to be a Blackthorn Winter’, with sub zero temperatures and the threat of snow! It did snow today, several times, and the blustery east wind meant the temperature felt like minus two or three. The sheep were happy as usual and the sky cleared at dusk to reveal a bright orange sunset.
William
Rolling over in Willow, the purple sprayed cut under his leg doesn’t seem to bother him but the equine vet is coming to have a look just in case he needs antibiotics, he’s eating and drinking normally. Laid the last two rows of grids in The Avenue and filled them with gravel, sand will go on top once it’s settled. Potted on the cucumber plants and collected straw bales. A cool sunny day with a freshening breeze.
Cycle
Fabulous ride along the Kennet and Avon, from Bradford on Avon to Bath and beyond. Through the two tunnels on the old Somerset and Dorset railway line, a cold, and occasionally damp, experience with some lighting and a classical playlist, which was unexpected. With an average speed of 8mph and a maximum of 25mph we crossed two aqueducts, with spectacular views of the valley below. Tasty lunch at The Angel Fish. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Walter
The sheep have moved into the Square Paddock where the grass is longer, it’s been fallow for weeks so is well rested. The donkeys have followed on from the sheep and are grazing half of Willow, once they’ve been in there a week they can move into the other half and the grass can be topped to remove any remaining seed heads, ready for the new Spring growth to take over. A sunny warm day with light winds.
Spring Colours
Red and pink Camelia and Azalea with the white Stellatta Magnolia, there’s a lot of new colour in the garden, the primroses are still blooming and the first of the tulips are showing off, hope they don’t get drenched and blown away in the next day or two. Topped up the troughs for the hedgehogs and the birds. Pulmonaria Trevi Fountain is blooming and the Forsythia is bright yellow. It’s amazing how the plants have responded to a few days of sunshine. A warm, sunny day with light winds..
Avon Beach
First paddle of the year, the sea is 10* and feels ok when the water has washed over warm sand. The intrepid swimmers belonging to ‘The Blue Tits’ had no problem with venturing in where it was colder. Had beer and chips before going home, collecting the last lot of gravel on the way. The edge of the driveway is finished and there’s a new path from the greenhouse to the shed. A warm sunny day with a freshening breeze.
William
He’s absolutely fine after a rather traumatic day – spooked by efforts to catch Winnie, who’d escaped the sheep pen, he tried to jump the hurdles at the top of the Avenue. He’s not a good jumper and didn’t quite make it, but with some momentum and considerable body weight he ended up on his back, four hooves in the air and looking rather surprised, so he just rolled over and stood up! Once Winnie was secured in the sheep pen William was able to walk down the Avenue and into Willow paddock, a graze at the top of his leg stopped bleeding quite quickly and the vet was able to have a look and dose the area with antiseptic spray. A not very relaxing sunny, warm, day with light winds.
Silver Birch
William and Toby like eating the bark, their teeth make a rasping noise as they bite the logs, if it’s a really tasty piece they’ll eat all the way through to the centre. Moved hurdles to the corner of the small paddock ready for the vet’s visit, now the weathers warmer the sheep need Clik solution applied to their fleece to avoid fly-strike, it’ll be another month before they’re sheared. A sunny warm day with light winds.
Digby
The sheep are making the most of the lush grass at the back of the stable, they graze in there for an hour late afternoon before returning to the small paddock for the night. Digby came over to see if any treats were available, he’d already had hay and a handful of a country mix that looks like muesli, his fleece is thick and soft, still waiting to get the rug made from last year’s fleeces, hope it arrives soon. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Poppy
Venturing onto the yard outside the stable, Poppy likes to eat the donkey balancer when she can find any that’s been dropped, the bark on the branches has been nibbled by the donkeys, they need fresh ones most days. Collected more gravel for the new path by the shed, the grids at the side of the paddock driveway are almost full. Sowed French Bean seeds in pots in the greenhouse. A warm, sunny day with light winds.
Toby
Enjoying the sunshine in the paddock, the grass has been cropped by the sheep so the donkeys can graze all day, as the days get longer and warmer the grass will start to grow and the sugar levels will increase, so their time in the paddock will have to be restricted. Must plant the runner bean seeds, the plot has been turned over so the framework of sticks can go up, the raised beds are full of compost, all ready for sowing carrots when the soil warms up. A sunny day with light winds.
Sheep Shed
The old potting shed with a new opening for the sheep, have also removed a panel in the back wall to increase ventilation, it’s certainly cooler inside. The rubber mats are hanging on the fence to get rid of the smell, it’s taking a while. The spring has stopped running and the paddocks have dried out in the last couple of days so the donkeys were able to go out for a few hours. True to form, William stopped and ate the first clump of grass and Toby had a run round. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Spring Equinox
It’s the first day of Spring, the day when the sun crosses the equator and the tilt of our hemisphere means the days are warmer and longer. Certainly true of yesterday when the sun shone all day and the bumble bees and brimstone butterflies were flying around. The Hyacinths have done well to overwinter, they must like it in the border, the shallow dish behind needed to be topped up with water for the hedgehogs. The day ended with a glorious orange sunset.
Sunset
A glorious sunny day, very warm in a sheltered spot, even contemplated putting on shorts for a moment or two. Finished clearing the greenhouse floor and washed the glass. All the tools have a place in the shed, emptied the bottom two trays of the wormery ready for use in the bottom of the tomato pots, will have to take out a few worms first, they’ll clump together in a corner in a week or two and can be taken out as a wriggling ball and put back in the wormery. Late lunch at The Crown in Marnhull before laying a few more mudstones and watching a lovely sunset.
Sheep
Exploring the fallen oak, it’s always hurdled off to stop them chewing at the bark, but the grass does need eating occasionally. They have run of all the paddocks, apart from the Square, which has been fallow for a while, they’ll move in there once the spring has stopped running and the ground has dried out. The donkeys watch them with envy from their stable block. A cloudy start to a lovely sunny day.
Wet Wet Wet
Torrential rain has left the willow rods very happy, most of them are standing in running water in the meadow strip. Sprouting from several buds the shoots are a pale green, and haven’t been eaten, which is good, they’d be a tasty treat for a passing rabbit. The fields in the vale are flooded, forming a huge lake, will have to avoid the lowlands for a few days. Collected straw bales for the donkeys and one hay bale for the sheep, all unloaded in a light shower. The sky cleared at dusk and the birds were singing.
New Toy
William and Toby have a new distraction, a ball with a hole in it, inside are pieces of carrot and donkey balancer so as they nudge it around the treats fall out. Toby got the hang of it quite quickly and William lost interest and waited for Toby to get the goodies out. Still too wet for them to go in the paddock, the ground is taking a long time to drain. Laid a few of the mudstones and finished clearing the greenhouse and started cleaning the glass. A sunny cloudy day with light winds.
Sunset
A glorious end to a sunny day, almost springtime. The fish are swimming closer to the top of the pond and the birds are singing. A rook spent a few minutes sitting on William’s back pulling hairs from his coat, he’ll soon be moulting so there’ll be lots of nest lining material available. The paddocks are still too wet for the donkeys, they watch the sheep move around and want to go through the gates themselves, they make a grunting noise before working up to a short bray. A warm, sunny day with light winds.
Ivy
Showing off a good set of bottom teeth, not sure they should be as pronounced as this, probably just her age, she’s nine this year and the matriarch along with Winnie. No problem with eating, fortunately, and sits and chews the cud with the rest of the flock. Bookings are open for the shearer, it was done the middle of May last year so will go for the same time again, they’ll be pleased to get rid of the weight by then. A cloudy day with strong winds.
Farrier
William and Toby Ready for the farrier, an early start for them at 0730 on a very wet day, their hooves were ok, just needed leveling off, William’s seedy toe is no worse. They always get a ginger biscuit before work starts and they were relaxed enough to be held and not tied to a rail. The paddocks are very wet so no time on the grass, they had to make do with nibbling silver birch logs and eating apple twigs. A wet day with strong winds.
Sheep
Always curious about what’s appeared in their paddock, the sheep like to taste everything, so the wheelbarrow and the slabs inside were of great interest, they’re now in the gateway. Laid a few more grids for the pathway and turned the rubber mats over by the sheep shelter. A sunny start to a day that ended with torrential rain.
Salt Lick
Taking the donkeys’ attention in the corner of their stable, they didn’t notice the apple twigs hanging in the corner until much later. The vet gave them their flu jabs and wormer, it wasn’t absolutely necessary to worm them because the count was low but as the vet was here anyway….! Planted tomato seeds which are now on top of the boiler. A sunny morning with cloud and drizzle later.
Rubber Mats
Left in the driveway, would have been better in the paddock entrance, so put them in the car and took them as far as the gate into the Square paddock, didn’t want to take the car in and get stuck as the ground is still a bit boggy. They’re now unwrapped and lying outside the sheep shelter to lose the smell of rubber before going inside on top of the plastic grids, the combination should make a durable, mud-free floor. A cloudy, sunny day with a cold wind.
Sheep
Heads down and grazing in Willow, apart from Pixie who is looking to see if any treats are available, we will collect a load of apple branches today so they can have a few of those. Let the donkeys out into Willow for a run, the ground has dried out enough, have put a couple of slabs in the bottom gateway where the sheep have started digging a hole. The rooks have started nesting, carrying bits of twig out of the paddocks although they’re not roosting in any of our trees. A cloudy sunny day with light winds.
Cycle
A 20 mile route through North Dorset with coffee at The Crown in Marnhull. Stopped to see the donkeys as we were passing, but they weren’t happy, too much hi-vis and too many helmets. Toby brayed and William turned in circles, would have walked down to Laneside to talk to the sheep but decided to move on. Cut the grass for the first time this year and laid a few mud mats. A sunny cloudy day with a cold wind.
Apple Leaves
These were in the bottom of a bag of twigs, a crispy sweet treat for the donkeys, the last of the twigs will be eaten this week and luckily there’s a load of apple tree pruning available a few miles away. The donkeys will watch them being unloaded and know exactly what they are and who they’re for! The fish are starting to wake up in the pond, the water is clear but I can’t see any toad spawn. A cloudy day with late sunshine and a lovely orange sunset.
Mudstone
Collected from a farm a mile away, it took several trips in the car to collect a pile of stone that will make a path past the water butts by the shed, and round the back of the stable. The donkeys watched the activity, not sure if the contents would eventually be something edible. The tower of mud mats is gradually getting lower, the path has reached the driveway and is settling down, the ground is still wet enough for them to bed in. A cloudy day with some sunshine and a cold wind later.
No Worms
The nil sheep worm count was a pleasant surprise, all the poo picking and paddock rotation has paid dividends, so no treatment required this year. Let them onto the small patch of fresh grass behind the stable for an hour, any longer will give them runny tummies. Pixie still thinks the grass is greener on the other side! The paddocks are still very wet so the donkeys stayed up by the stable, they had a new branch to nibble. A cloudy day with a spell of warm sunshine.
Poppy
She now has a bald patch on her side where a matted area of fur has been expertly removed by one of the nurses at the vets. Stern words were exchanged, with Poppy being the loudest for longest, she’ll be going back in a few weeks to have all her fur cut short for the summer. A cloudy, drizzly day with light winds.
Donkeys
William and Toby horsing about on the straw area, the paddocks are saturated so they can’t go out for a run, they do their best to get up speed running round in circles chasing each other. Delivered samples of sheep poo to the vets to check for worms, will get the results in a couple of days. The woodpecker spent ten minutes feeding on the lawn, must have found an ants nest. More rain overnight, a misty, cloudy, drizzly day with a cold wind later.
Sheep
Making their way down to Laneside, Walter is in front and just walking through a gateway, there was a lot of heavy rain overnight so the paddocks are puddling up. Need to collect poo samples for a worm count, hopefully the burden will be low and they won’t need dosing. The donkeys will have to spend the day by their stable block as the ground is so soft. A cloudy day with light winds and rain later.
Apple Twigs
William and Toby with a few crunchy treats to keep them occupied for a few minutes after their donkey balance treats. Cycled from Moreton to Kingston Maurwood past Hardy’s cottage, had coffee and a sausage roll in the cafe and then made it back before the rain started. Donkeys and sheep were wet when they came in for the night. A cloudy day with rain showers and light winds.
Witch Hazel
The flowers blossoming alongside the fruit that’s on the stems from last year, the capsules explode eight months after flowering and throw their seeds more than thirty feet away so hope to get more plants popping up in the border. The sheep spent the day in Fallen Oak and the donkeys in Willow. A day of marked temperature difference with a cold wind, it was about five degrees warmer in a sheltered spot in the sun.
Sheep
A lovely day for the sheep to be out and about, they moved down to Laneside so that the donkeys could run around in Willow. The Ash trees are budding and so are the Willow rods, a few have been planted in this hedgerow to fill in the gaps between the trees already there. Sorted the tools and moved them from the greenhouse to the shed. A cold, sunny, day with a brisk wind.
Donkeys
Sitting on their straw in the sunshine, William and Toby were relaxed and chilled, moreso than during the last few days of wind and hail showers. Groomed them and then they went out into Willow paddock for the afternoon, Toby ran around and William ate the first clump of grass he came across. The sheep spent the day in Laneside. A lovely sunny day with blue skies, light winds, and fluffy white clouds.
Tumbling Weir
The energy in the falling water was enough to drive the machines in the woollen mills in 1850, now it’s a local tourist attraction in Ottery St Mary. The buildings are now residential and the industry long gone. Walked to the top of the headland at Burton Bradstock and had lunch in The Hive. A day of hail showers and occasional sunshine with a cold wind.
Donkey Sanctuary
The main barn at the sanctuary, home to thirty donkeys and a few doves, none of the donkeys are out in the paddocks and as there are no sheep grazing there the grass looks green and lush. Had a ride on the open-top Seaton Tramway through the wetlands nature reserve, lots of oyster catchers, waders and herons to see, luckily it didn’t rain but the ind was a bit cold. A cloudy day with the occasional sunny spell.
Daffodils
Swathes of yellow on the cliff tops above Sidmouth, the walk to the beach was winding and steep, worth it for the views of the dark red cliffs. The storms have thrown large pebbles up onto the promenade, covering the railings in some places. An early dinner at The Greyhound in Fenny Bridges was tasty, didn’t get round to a game of mahjong. A sunny, windy, day with occasional heavy showers.
Bianca
Leading the flock out of Laneside, through Fallen Oak and into Willow. The grass is thinning out and needs some sunshine to start growing, collected a bale of hay for the sheep, and three bales of straw for the donkeys. Too windy for cycling so had to settle for a pub lunch instead. A cool, cloudy, windy day with the sun trying to break through occasionally.
Apple Twig
William and Toby like to compete for apple twigs, these were cut a couple of months ago and are still a tasty bark-stripping treat, they sheltered in their stable most of the day, which is unusual, the wind getting stronger as the day wore on. The sheep roamed around the paddock grazing as usual, ending up in two clumps in the shelter of the hedge. A cloudy day with rain showers and strong winds.
Beach
Sand piled on the promenade after the storm, and a foaming sea that’ll take a few days to calm down, the winds are still strong and the showers race through. The donkeys were on high alert, churning the straw as they moved around, the sheep were much calmer, grazing the paddock and sheltering in the Lea of the hedge. A showery, blustery day with spells.
Stormy
Everything that wasn’t tied down was on the move, the winds were strong enough to blow a couple of the sheep arcs over to rest against the fence and the poo picking had to wait until late afternoon when the wind had started to drop. The donkeys were spooked and the sheep stayed in a sheltered corner of the field, a couple of them had small branches stuck to their backs, pleased to escape with no real damage to the trees in the hedgerow. There was a brief orange sunset before a squall moved in and the wind picked up again, all quiet by midnight.
Narcissus
Flowering by the side gate, must be sheltered there as none of the other clumps have sprouted yet. Checked the fencing and found a gap by the ditch where the spring comes out, must remedy that before the sheep find it, something must be coming and going through the hole. Collected four bales of straw from the farm. A sunny day, promise of storm force winds later so checked everything was battened down.
Walter
Leading the rest of the flock from the Square through Laneside and Willow into the Small Paddock for the night. Cut branches from the hedge for them to eat tomorrow. The paddocks are still very wet so the donkeys didn’t go out. A cloudy day with more heavy rain later and strong, gusty winds
Donkeys
William and Toby had to stay out of the paddock after more heavy rain overnight, if they’d been allowed through the gate they’d have chased around and churned the ground into muddy patches. They spent some time dozing, grooming each other, and nibbling their logs. After a brief spell of sunshine the rain set in for the rest of the day with strong, gusty winds.
Primrose
Flowering in the front rose bed, the snowdrops are still out but there’s no sign of the daffodils. Moved the sheep from the Square where the spring is making the ground very wet, they’re back in the Small Paddock which is much dryer. A cloudy, wet day with strong winds.
Cycle
Verwood loop through Ibsley to Hockey’s Farm Shop for coffee and a bacon sandwich, mostly on gravel tracks the muddy sections were fun, had to clean my bike before the mud set in the tyres. Sawed wood and stacked it under cover. A cloudy morning with torrential rain in the afternoon and evening.
Donkeys
Galloping round the paddock with their halters on, they bucked and ran off during a walk down Willow, took a chance on getting them to the bottom rail on a cold and windy day and it didn’t work out as planned! They ran around, Toby braying, until they were breathless, walked them back up to the stable once they’d calmed down and then let them go back out, for another run around. Sorted wood ready for sawing. A windy, cold, cloudy, day.
Sunset
A cold, frosty, start to a sunny day, the donkeys had to wait a while to go out into the paddock as frosted grass has high levels of fructans, a soluble carbohydrate that can trigger laminitis, a painful inflammation of the hoof. Had a couple of tyres replaced on the car so with the addition of paving slabs these will make a play area for the sheep in the small paddock. A bright cold end to the day with a lovely sunset.
Sheep
Moved into the Square for a few weeks to let the other paddocks rest, there’s more grass and they’ll probably have access to the Avenue during the day, Jago and Elton investigated the hay in the rack before it was put up in the shelter. Laid a few more mud mats and a load of compost. Started filling the gaps in the front hedge with the nibbled donkey sticks, it’ll take a while to make a difference and stop passing dogs from running in to the garden. A cloudy start to a cold, sunny day.
Oops
Donkeys and sheep meeting in the same paddock, the sheep were curious, especially Walter, and the donkeys happy to be in close contact. The sheep wandered through into their own paddock after a few minutes. Laid a few more mud mats and sorted a woodpile, coming to the end of this year’s logs, will have to cut more in the summer. A cloudy, cold, day with light winds.
Alpine Rose
Rhododendron ferrugineum is supposed to flower in the summer but has had at least one flower blossoming throughout the autumn and winter and now is in full bloom. The leaves have a rusty coloured coating on the underside which is why it was named ferrugineum. Groomed the donkeys and booked the farrier for next week. Laid a few more mud mats and moved compost. A cloudy, sunny, cool day with light winds.
Donkeying About
William and Toby playing around on the straw before going out into the paddock, they hold on to each other with their teeth, favourite areas for hanging on are legs and neck, ducking under each other to gain an advantage, no harm comes to them and they’re eventually distracted and go back to eating their straw. The sheep spent the day in the Square. A cloudy day with light winds.
Cycle
Cranborne to the Sticky Bun Tea Rooms at Wolverton for coffee and a toasted tea cake, back via Damerham along country roads and forest tracks. A faster pace than usual in a strengthening wind, a cloudy day with some sunshine, we made it back before the rain started.
Elton
Trying out the high point in the Square, the sheep have gone off eating their hay since grazing a paddock with more grass, and aren’t interested in the silver birch branches, will have to cut them some hazel from the lane. The donkeys wandered about all day in Willow. Snowdrops and Primroses are in flower and the Magnolia is getting ready to burst into life. A day of sunshine and showers with light winds.
Sunset
A day of cold winds and heavy showers, the sheep didn’t go in the re-purposed shed when it rained, preferring to stay at the top of the paddock. Walked the donkeys from their stable into Willow and through the slalom poles into Fallen Oak, Toby was excited to go further afield, he bucked and ran a few yards before stopping to eat the grass. Led them back up to their stable for carrot treats before letting them out into the paddock again. A quiet end to a blustery day with a very colourful sunset.
Square Paddock
The grass in the other paddocks needed a rest so the sheep spent the day in the Square, which hasn’t been grazed for a few months, fenced off the Hazel and Willow so they didn’t get eaten. The sheep all had a good run around on the return journey back to the Small Paddock for the night. There’s enough grass in Willow for the donkeys so they spent the day grazing the hedgerow. Laid a few more mud mats. A sunny, cloudy, cool day with light winds.
Donkeys
Toby moving in to steal the dry nettles that William got to first, he can move quickly when he wants to – not that William made much effort to move away. They like to share treats, eating side by side most of the time. Lunch at The Dancing Man micro brewery on the waterfront at Southampton, a couple of cruise ships were dockside. The new flood light proved invaluable when feeding the sheep in the dark. A sunny day with light winds, warm in sheltered spots.
Jago
Still looking cute and smaller than the rest, even Elton who was born around the same time is much bigger, or maybe it’s just the fleece? Will find out in the summer. Sawed wood, moved compost and found a few more carrots in the raised bed. Wound up the tape for the electric fence and left some of the poles to create a slalom walk for the donkeys ready for the next time they’re groomed. A cold, cloudy day with strengthening winds.
Carrot
A little bigger than the average, one that escaped the harvest last year, it’ll keep the donkeys happy for a week or two. The garlic in the raised bed is looking ok but the strawberry beds need tidying up, brown leaves and more runners are spreading everywhere, a job for a sunny day. Moved a load of compost. A cloudy, col, sunny day with light winds.
Hedgerow
Toby grazing the hedgerow at the side of Willow, the electric fence down the middle of the paddock makes the donkeys walk the furthest to get to the brambles, although two of the posts holding the tape have to be moved to get them back to their stable at night. Moved a barrow load of compost and then went out for lunch. A cloudy, cold, sunny day with moderate winds.
Cycle
From Pamphill through the Tarrants for coffee at The Anchor, a few hills with lovely views, passed the old airfield at Tarrant Rushton, one of the old hangers is still standing and part of the runway, which is good for cycling. Moved a load of compost and pressure washed part of the stable yard, looks a lot cleaner. A sunny day with a gusty wind.
Sheep
All walking through the gates on their way up to their night shelter, their fleeces offer such good insulation that the frost sits on their backs until it melts in the sun. Moved compost from the heap to one of the raised beds, the level has dropped by half so it’ll take a few barrow loads to top them all up. The only thing left growing is the Cavolo Nero, which is doing quite well despite being eaten by caterpillars earlier in the year. A cold cloudy day with late sunshine.
Logs
Toby and William coming round the corner to inspect the new birch log, yesterday’s has been stripped of it’s bark so no longer of any interest. The visit from the Donkey Welfare Officer went well, the boys are in good condition and not overweight, which is good, leading them out of the paddock was easy although they were pleased to go back and be closer to the sheep in Fallen Oak. Had coffee and cake and watched the sun go down. A drizzly start to the day with late sunshine and a bright orange sunset.
Sunset
Sheep in the Small Paddock for the night, they passed the donkeys on their way up and Walter touched noses with Toby before having a chew on the ‘not switched on’ electric fence. It’ll be a bit of a shock for them when the battery’s connected! Moved the fence a little to give the donkeys more room. A cold cloudy day with lots of colour in the sky at sunset.
Sheep
Most of them like to grab hay from the bucket, Nola is the one that stands back and waits until everyone else has eaten and they all like to be hand fed. They spent the day in Laneside before coming back to the Small Paddock for the night. The donkeys had been in Willow, the electric fence stopping them from churning up all of it as they ran around, pleased to be out on grass. A cloudy, cold, day with light winds.
Silver Birch
William watching what else may be on offer and giving the branch a sniff while Toby gets his teeth round the twiggy end. Their necks are covered in thick hair with their legs almost as well covered and very little comes out when they’re groomed. Heard the woodpecker knocking, it’s either to mark it’s territory or to find a mate. The hedgerow is thickening with bunches of catkins and swelling buds on the hawthorn and blackthorn, need to do the hedge laying before nesting starts. A cold cloudy day with light winds.
Sheep Shelter
The hay racks are hanging on a couple of hurdles in the shelter extension which gives the sheep more room when they’re feeding. The grass in the small paddock is still long and the sheep love running up and down the mound. Cut branches for them from the hedgerow, Walter was more interested in licking the loppers. Laid a few more mud mats and finished fixing the bench to the wall in the shed. A cloudy cold day with light winds.
Paddock
The donkeys went out onto grass for the first time in over a month and really enjoyed the extra space, Toby had more of a run around than William who was more interested in eating. The new garden room shows how much the wooden stable block has faded, it needs weatherproofing as soon as the weather improves. Fixed a light on the corner to illuminate the small paddock, saves wearing a head torch and makes it a lot easier to feed the sheep after dark. A frosty start to a cold, sunny day with light winds.
Cycle
12 miles from Pamphill, a lovely ride in the sunshine round Badbury Rings to the Anchor for coffee, and then back along Cowgrove. A few muddy stretches in-between the ups and downs on grass, the tracks still wet in places. Planted the last of the willow rods and cleared a few brambles. Hoping to let the donkeys out in the paddock tomorrow if it stays dry. A frosty, sunny, cold day with a super sunset.
Small Paddock
The sheep have moved from Willow into Small to give the grass a chance to recover, the extended shelter has room for the hay feeders and the rising spring doesn’t affect this paddock as much as the others. The Ash trees look ok at the moment, have planted a few willow rods along this stretch of hedge to replace them if they show signs of die-back. A frosty start to a sunny day.
Sunset
A lot of colour in the sky at the end of the day, the oak tree has long lost its leaves and now just looks hairy. Electrical work has been taking place in the shed behind the stable, so the donkeys had lots to look at and listen to; they started eating their breakfast late, tempted by carrot peelings and sliced parsnips. The rain that started the day had moved on by lunchtime and the sun eventually made it through the clouds to end the day.
Donkey Hay
William and Toby hoovering up a handful of hay that was destined for the sheep, a treat for them in addition to their branches and apple twigs. May let them out in the paddock in the next couple of days if it doesn’t rain, there’s always plenty for them to watch but they don’t get the chance to run around. The mowers were collected for their annual service, they get a lot of use so need to be reliable. A sunny, mild day after a sharp frost.
Salt Lick
The first thing the sheep do when they’ve lost interest in their new branches is to go over to use the salt lick, the amount in the tub is a lot less than a few weeks ago, the winter grass must have less minerals. The tub is light enough for Walter to pick up and move around, his fleece is getting very long, your fingers can get lost in it! Booked a slot at Pocket House Studio for wool rug making next year, looking forward to receiving this year’s rug soon, A frosty start to a cold, sunny, day with light winds.
Sunset
A foggy start to the day, groomed William and Toby, they’re keeping their thick winter coats and their feet were easy to pick out as the straw area is still very wet, the farrier is booked for the end of the month so we’ll find out whether William’s seedy toe has improved. A cloudy cool day with light winds and a lovely sunset.
Silver Birch
Collected from Sherborne, this load should keep the sheep and donkeys happy for a while, they’ll nibble away and eat all the bark and then eventually it’ll end up on the woodburner. The sheep didn’t eat all their hay so the donkeys had some, they were very excited when the hunt passed by in the lane, keen to get out of the yard and join them. Laid a few more mud mats. A misty start to a cool, cloudy, day.
Bianca
Making the most of fresh hazel branches from the hedgerow, the sun was going down when I cut them, and the sheep and donkeys knew exactly what was happening at the end of the paddock and were all keen to have their share. Saw the heron sitting on top of the oak tree. A cold, bright, sunny day ending with a panoramic flame red sunset.
Weymouth
Bright sunshine and acres of soft sand beside a very flat sea. Walked past Nothe Fort on the coast path towards Portland before turning back towards the harbour, lunch in the sun at The Anchor. The animals are being well looked after at home, they’ll be enjoying the sunshine as well.
Blue Sky
A lovely crisp and frosty start to the day after a week of rain, all the animals were out and about and the donkeys‘ coats felt really warm. The paddocks are still very wet but will start to dry out if it stays dry for a week or two. The temperature started to drop at this time in January last year, with snow later in the month, so it’ll be interesting to see if the weather follows the same pattern this year. Bright and sunny all day with light winds.
Mud Control Grids
The pathway from the stable to the compost heap crosses very boggy grass where the spring rises, so that’s the first place the grids will be laid. The ground has to be reasonably level and flat and then the grids clip together and can be filled with sand and gravel. There’s fifty square meters of grids so the majority will be laid in the paddock gateways and by the side of the paddock drive to make a turning circle. A day of showers and light winds with the promise of sunshine tomorrow.
Winnie
Eating the hay that’s been pulled out of the bucket and left on the ground by the rest of the sheep who are all heading off looking for richer pickings elsewhere. Cut half a dozen branches from Laneside hedge for the sheep, the donkeys will have them tomorrow after the catkins and smaller twigs have been eaten. Collected four bales of straw. A wet, cloudy, day with light winds.
Ditch
Cleared of a lot of twigs, leaves and silt, and now running freely, a number of dams had developed to slow the flow. The biodigester outfall has a roll of chicken wire in the end to stop anything running up the pipe and this was home to a large stinging nettle that had roots over a meter long growing inside the pipe. Didn’t seem to be making any difference but it’s been removed. A cloudy cold day with light winds.
Wet Wet Wet
Heavy rain overnight has made the paddocks even wetter, the spring has sprung by the compost heap and is running over the paddock driveway, so it’s another day staying by the stable for the donkeys. Toby is expecting some food, he often starts to grunt or display the Flehman response – he bares his teeth and looks up, just waiting… The new shed is looking good, the rain runs off the planks in beads. A wet end to a dark, wet, day.
Sheep
Grazing Laneside and liking a branch cut from a part of the hedgerow that had fallen over, it’s root completely rotten, wasn’t sure they’d like it, will cut logs from the trunk. This part of the hedgerow was laid a long time ago and I think the rest will fall within the next year and need replacing. A clear, frosty, start to the day before the temperature rose and wintry showers and heavy rain moved in on a brisk wind.
Fresh Grass
William loves fresh grass, even a few square yards is better than nothing when the paddocks are out of bounds. Had to build a barricade of hurdles just over the fence to stop the donkeys eating the end of the hedge. This patch of ground just outside the straw area includes the pathway to the muck heap which gets very muddy with the daily wheelbarrow traffic, so have ordered a pallet load of plastic grids that clip together and filled with sand and gravel to create a solid path. A frosty start to a cloudy day.
Christmas Tree
The small oak has served two years as the Christmas tree, it was stored in the roof of the tack room over the summer and dried out completely and is now too brittle to last another year – will have to find another one. Planted a few willow rods in the Laneside verge, a Blackbird and Robin hopped around looking for grubs. A colder, frosty, brighter day with light winds.
Giant Leek
The last of the half dozen sown last year, it had a few slugs and snails in the outer leaves, but there was lots left to make tasty leek and potato soup. There are a few carrots left in the same bed, will lift those this week. Part of the hedge laneside has fallen, it was laid a long time ago and it’s roots had rotted, cleared part of the bank so the last of the willow rods can be planted along that stretch. A colder, cloudy day with light winds.
Rollover
Toby likes to rollover in the stable when most of the straw has been put to one side and he flaps his ears when he gets up, the donkeys can’t get to their usual patch because The Avenue is too wet. Planted a few more willow rods and cut the front hedge. The sheep have nibbled the soft bits from the hazel branches so the donkeys had them to eat overnight. A cloudy, dry day with light winds.
Ivy
Took more than a mouthful of hay and moved away from the rest of the flock, the younger ones like to stay with their heads in the bucket, only moving when pushed aside by one of the others. The grinding, chewing, chomping noise from nine sheep is nice to listen to for ten minutes or so. They all escaped into the small paddock when the gate snagged on a large tussock of grass, they spent an hour eating fresh grass before returning to their arcs for the night. A cloudy, mild, day with heavy showers and light winds.
Rainbow
Toby out and about and having a stretch on the straw before the rain arrived, even that area has a few puddles where donkey hooves have sunk into the ground. Cut hazel branches from the lane for the sheep to nibble the twiggy bits and then they’ll be passed on to the donkeys in a couple of days, William and Toby will happily drag the branches around, stripping and eating all the bark. A dry start to a wet, mild, day.
Happy New Year
William looking at the view from the top of The Avenue, the horses were trotting up the lane. The cycle ride from Pamphill to The Stocks for coffee was very wet and muddy, the tractors doing the hedge cutting run over the verges and pull the mud onto the roads, luckily there were no punctures. A mild cloudy day with a short spell of warm sunshine.
Pixie
Always enjoys the grass in Laneside or Fallen Oak with the rest of the flock before returning to the arcs at dusk. Toby brayed with excitement when he had his vitamins, it was later than usual and followed by a handful of dried nettles. A delivery of wood and stirling board will help finish the sheep shelter extension. Pleased to say the days are getting longer, not long before seeds will be sown, a drizzly cloudy mild day with a strong breeze.
Cycle
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.
Extension
To the sheep shelter in the small paddock so that the hay feeders will stay dry when it rains, the roof is a sheet of stirling board with a tarpaulin over the top held down with planks. Will need to board the sides, hoping the feeders will hang on the pallet walls. The sheep were curious about the activity. A cloudy, wet, rainy day, the donkeys stayed up by the stable.
Sheep
All liking the hay, they ran up to the bucket and round the field, jumping and twisting when what was left was taken to the hay rack in their shelter, it’ll all be gone by the morning. Walter likes picking the bits off the others heads. This was a brief respite from the wind and rain, the paddocks are very wet so the donkeys had to stay up at the stable, a new branch kept them amused, their coats too wet to be groomed. A wet end to a wet day.
Toby
Hoping for more apple slices, both he and William had to stay out of the paddock after more heavy rain overnight, their roll-over patch in The Avenue is a very big puddle. They ate the last of the fresh apple twigs after their vitamins, the bags of dried twigs and nettles will have to last the next few months. A cloudy, sunny, warm day with light winds.
Christmas Card
Painted by my sister, the original is hanging up in the kitchen. William and Toby had lots of carrot peelings as a treat although the paddock was too wet for them to go out for a run around. A cloudy, cool, wet day.
Happy Christmas
Salisbury Cathedral Christmas tree, looking lovely. Too wet for the donkeys to go out in the paddock on the grass, they had to make do with the last of the fresh apple tops and carrot peelings. The sheep were happy with their hay. A sunny, cloudy, drizzly day with a glorious sunset.
Garlic
Planted a couple of months ago, the elephant garlic was planted a few inches deeper and has made the same thick top growth as last year. Need a few days of frost to make the clove’s split, expect January and February will be cold enough. Still have some bulbs from the last crop, they dried out ok and are hanging in the garage. Moved logs nearer the house to dry out under cover, getting through a basket full every day. A foggy start to a rainy day.
Sunrise
A bitterly cold easterly wind accompanied a vivid orange sunrise, my hands were cold within a few minutes of being outside with the donkeys. Fortunately, I have some new gloves, and they worked a treat, keeping out the wind and keeping in the warmth. The new shed was delivered and assembled at the back of the stable, it’ll be useful to have it near the greenhouse. Will put the shelving from the old shed under the window. A sunny, cloudy, cold, breezy day.
Sheep
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.
Sunset
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!
Scratching Post
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.
Sheep Shelter
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.
Donky
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.
The Avenue
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.
Sheep
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
Sheep
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.
Field Maple
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.
New Branch
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.
Rooks
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.
Straw
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.
Smudge
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.
Cycle Ride
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.
Sunset
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.
Run Around
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.
Poplar Rods
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.
Elton
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.
Shed Shifters
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.
Poppy
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.
Black Sheep
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.
Frosted Thorn
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.
Willow
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.
Sheep Q
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.
Sunset
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.
Beech
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.
Pixie
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.
Christmas Lights
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.
Mackerel
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.
Winter Jasmine
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.
Nola
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.
Horsing Around
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.
Bumble Bee
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.
Sloe Gin
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.
Hawthorn
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.
Sheep Shelter
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.
William and Digby
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.
Jago
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.
Weymouth
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.
Elton
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
William and Toby’s Willow
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.
Cycle
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.
Sheep
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.
Frosty
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.
William And Toby
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.
Cycle
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.
Sunset
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.
Shed
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.
Resting
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.
‘Hug a Sheep’ Day
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
Smudge
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.
Carrot Tops
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.
Preparations
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.
More Mudmats
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.
Fencing
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.
Produce
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.
Sheep
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.
Mineral Lick
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.
Sloes
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.
Sheep
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.
Willow
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.
Farrier
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.
Sunset
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.
Jago
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.
Apple Twigs
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.
Misty Morning
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.
Mudmats
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.
Delivery
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.
Balloon
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.
Jago and Elton
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.
Toad
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.
Rollover
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.
Elton
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.
Mud Mats
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
Sunshine
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.
William and Toby
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.
Harvest Festival
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.
Whoops!
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.
Deluge
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.
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.
Dozing
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.
Flock
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.
Cavendish
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.
Hazel
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.
Knot Grass Moth Caterpillar
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.
Jago
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.
Chichester Circuit
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.
Poppy
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.
Apple Tops
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.
Equinox
It’s the end of summer and the start of autumn, the days are noticeably shorter and the mornings and evenings cooler, the harvest moon full and very bright. The last of the fields are being cut for silage and the majority of hay bales are safely stored in their barns. Traditional stubble burning is no longer an option to clear the ground of seeds after the wheat and barley harvest, so weeds will have to be controlled with herbicides. Picked mange tout, runner beans, courgettes and apples. A sunny hot day after a misty dawn.
Willow
The sheep and their arcs have roamed into a different paddock, they started grazing immediately, heads down and munching, they come running when the willow branches are pulled down within their reach. Trimmed the nettles along the fence so that the donkeys can work their way down a new piece of hedgerow, enjoying the blackberries as they progress. Picked mange tout and courgettes. A lovely deep pink sunset at the end of a sunny cloudy day.
East Hill
Hastings Old Town has the largest fishing fleet that is still moved onshore by winches and tractors at high tide. The beach shelf is very deep and winter storms move the shingle bank even further up the beach. The steepest funicular railway in the country is the quickest way to the top of the hill which gives spectacular views of the town and coast, the path through the High Weald winds past obsolete radar stations and coastguard lookouts, sometimes moving inland to avoid unstable ground. A sunny, warm day with light winds.
Net Shops
Hastings old town has 50 Net Shops, black wooden sheds standing in neat rows on the shingle beach. They were built to provide weather-proof stores for the fishing gear that rotted if left wet for a long time. Most stand on a piece of beach that appeared suddenly after the first of the town’s groynes were erected in 1834. The new beach area was small, so each shop could only have about eight or nine feet square to build on, and with limited space the sheds had to grow upwards, some originally stood on posts to let the sea go underneath. A hot sunny day, took a ride on the funicular railway to the top of East Hill.
Hastings
Looking west from the pier, a lazy early evening enjoying a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. No wind to speak of, warm and tranquil as the tide turned and the last of the paddle boarders came in to shore. House sitters are coping well with the demands of the livestock. A warm, sunny day, fish festival tomorrow.
Norfolk Wherry
“Albion” is one of the last Wherry’s sailing on the Broads, and is available for private hire. Starting from Horning we spent a lovely day motoring to Potter Heighem and through the Bridge, which dates from 1385, on a gentleman’s day launch. Built in 2004 it’s a beautiful boat with a teak deck and a fiberglass, simulated clinker hull, and an inboard 23 hp engine. Stopped for fish and chips at lunchtime and an ice cream as we returned to the mooring. A warm, sunny day with light winds.
Trimmingham Cliffs
Coastal path walk in the sunshine with lunch at the Overstrand cafe. House sitters are looking after William and Toby and the cats, and hopefully the sheep will be looking after themselves. BBQ in the garden followed by a build-your-own Eton mess. Lovely.
Mange Tout
The second sowing of the year has done really well, despite little or no rain, replacing the garlic which was harvested from this row of raised beds by the stable. The strawberries are producing lots of runners and the new plants can replace the mange tout in a few weeks time. Walked the donkeys up and down the avenue before letting them out in the paddock. A cool, then warm, sunny, cloudy day.
Poppy
Watching the fish in the pond, just in case one jumps high enough to escape the netting. Poppy is putting on weight, she weighs six lbs now instead of four, and she’s a lot more lively, venturing down to the stable each day, she’ll eat the donkeys balance mix if she gets the chance. Moved the electric fence to give the donkeys a strip of fresh grass. A sunny cloudy day with light winds, the balloons drifted down the vale early morning.
Mineral Lick
Digby getting his daily dose of minerals, donkeys and sheep both choose when to have a lick, they combine the minerals with a drink from the water trough to give themselves the correct balance. The donkeys have to walk up to their stable to get their lick, and the walk uphill helps to control their weight. The sheep usually find theirs close to the arcs, the block may need to be relocated as they’re starting to look a little tubby. A warm sunny day with light winds, the balloons were out early and drifting across the vale.
Pheasant Fest
At The Baker Arms in Child Okeford, raising money for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance which attends over 2000 incidents each year. Fabulous food, including game pie, great beer, good company, and the traditional raffle, helped raise over £1500 to help keep the team flying. In the quiet of the paddock the donkeys enjoyed eating the blackberries in the hedgerow and were reluctant to come back to their stable for the night. A sunny, warm, cloudy day with a bright red sky at sunset.
Meeting
Toby and the lambs made contact through the fence, they like to touch noses at some point during the day, Elton had a tug at Toby’s fringe as sheep like to chew everything, William wandered over to see what was going on but didn’t get as close. Started building a sheep shelter in Willow paddock, time the sheep moved out of Fallen Oak. A sunny cloudy day with the odd shower but not enough rain for the vegetables, so more watering, picked runner beans, mange tout and courgettes.
Courgettes
Three plants growing on top of the compost heap, the poo/grass combination is more than a year old and still generating a bit of heat so they need regular watering. As always the courgettes come all at once or not at all, and the flowers are usually chewed by the snails. Rained this morning, but not enough to water the runner beans or top up the fish pond. William is still eating the blackberries in the hedgerow, no need for the fly masks today as much cooler and fresher. Time to move the sheep into another paddock as Fallen Oak is looking patchy. A cool, mizzly, day.
Beach Donkeys
Rides for anyone under 7 stone, so not me! The saddles have a wodge of padding underneath and the donkeys browse a hay net all day in the shade when they’re not walking along the beach. Cut down the nettles and dock along a strip of laneside paddock near the hedge, the donkeys are eating the ripening blackberries along with the thorny brambles. Watered the vegetables, a warm sunny day with the odd drop of rain, the nights are drawing in and it’s almost dark by 8 o’clock, promise of rain tomorrow.
Lobster and Chips
Lunch at The Crustacean restaurant in Weymouth – a nice day out at the seaside, read a few chapters of my book, and had a swim and an ice cream. The sea was relatively warm and the temperature reached 30* at times, luckily there was a cooling onshore breeze. The donkeys and sheep spent their day in the paddocks and the cats wanted to be fed when they heard the car in the drive. Cut a few apple twigs for William and Toby and the sheep had willow leaves. A lovely warm evening with a super sunset.
Jago
Squeezed in behind Elton, up against the fence, with Ivy keeping an eye on what’s happening behind her, just in case…. Elton’s injection site on his neck has been a bit swollen but it’s calmed down after a few doses of antiseptic purple spray. Jago still hasn’t got the hang of head butting, Walter and the rest of the flock make a few half hearted attempts to get a contest going but soon give up. Watered the hedge and the vegetables, the ground is very dry and the water butts nearly empty. A hazy start to a very hot day with light winds.
Sunset
A very misty start to a humid day, with no wind, the sun took a few hours to break through and then the temperature rose steadily until falling again at sunset. The donkeys came up from the paddock for salt lick and water several times and the sheep lay against the fence, panting in the sun, despite various areas of shade being available. Watered the vegetables and the hedge, picked mange-tout, runner beans, courgettes and most of the tomatoes.
Headrest
Toby walks behind William resting his head until William bucks and kicks and throws him off, a routine that is repeated a few times before the gate is opened and they walk down the avenue to the paddock. They’ve broken their plastic name collars with daily tugging and scraping along the concrete, will have to get something similar for them to play with. Took delivery of 32 mud mats to put in the avenue gateway, the spring has dried up so the ground isn’t as squelchy, it’ll need leveling first, and a couple of boards put in place to hold the mats in place. A cloudy start to a hot day.
Smudge
Enjoying the warm sunshine, stretched out until I disturbed him, the days are cooler in the morning and evening but the sun still feels hot in the light winds. Gathered several bags of nettles to dry ready for the sheep to eat in the winter, by then they’ll be really crisp. Bagged compost to give to friends and topped up a raised bed, watered the vegetables, picked mange-tout, courgettes, runner beans, tomatoes and apples. The Red Arrows flew over the misty vale on their way to the Bournemouth Air Show.
Willow
The tree next to the fallen oak paddock is out of reach for the sheep, so a branch has to be pulled down for them to eat, Elton gained extra height by jumping on top of Bianca and they all had their share before wandering off to graze. The donkeys were pleased to see us back from a few days away, wandering up the avenue to say hello, they recognised the sound of the car so were watching the house from the paddock. A cloudy day with light winds.
Atlow Mill
Converted 17th century Mill on the edge of the Peak District National Park set in rolling countryside. Walked along the drove which started at the mill and heads off towards Hognaston, a different path started at the mill stream, crossed the weir and wound it’s way across lush fields, through muddy gateways and across several brooks before reaching the village. Grabbed a blanket and ate outside in the late evening sunshine with chevrons of ducks flying overhead.
Cycle
Circular route round Carsington Water, Derbyshire. It was the last dam to be built in England and holds back a huge reservoir of water, pumped up there in the winter for use in the summer. The pathways round the lake were hilly in parts with a few sharp gravel turns at the end of downhills. Picnic afterwards before the rain arrived, planned barbecue moved inside but managed cocktails on the terrace. A cool cloudy sunny day with the odd shower.
Donkeys
Enjoying their vitamins at the end of the day. The hedgerow is looking neater in laneside paddock where the donkeys have grazed the Hazel, Beech and Hawthorn, as a result they’re eating less straw in the morning and overnight. The sheep are eating as much as they like and still not making much impact on the grass so there should be lots left for winter. The balloons were up and drifting across the vale in the morning mist, a cool, cloudy day with a lovely sunset.
Oak Fair
A lovely day spent at Stock Gaylard, the ducks and sheep dogs were entertaining. Some stalls were selling fleeces and wool rugs while most sold things made from oak, including planks of various shapes and sizes. The food stalls were kept busy, the minted lamb burger was tasty. Bought a stone to sharpen my chisels. A sunny cloudy day with a cool wind,
Poppy
Looking much better, bright eyed and happy to sit in a warm greenhouse on the stool. She ventured onto the hard standing to have a look around before the donkeys came too close and she went back under the fence. The tomatoes are ripening quickly although the plants are looking a bit ragged. Moved the electric fence further down laneside so that the donkeys can graze more of the hedge. Picked runner beans, tomatoes plums and a few mange-tout. A cloudy sunny day with light winds.
Buckingham Palace Gardens
A nice day spent wandering around the gardens, the Queen’s private apartments overlook the herbaceous border and on towards the lake, which takes up a large part of the gardens open to the public. The bridge leads to an island that is home to five beehives, it’s been left to grow wild and is home to numerous animals and nesting birds. The guides were very helpful and knowledgeable and it’s clear that the gardens are very important to the Royal Family. A cloudy day with a cool breeze.
Pond
Looking good after the addition of liquid barley straw to combat the blanket weed, the water is much clearer so the fish are easier to see and are still very hungry. The water lily has grown and needs a chunk cutting off to give the fish more room to swim around, the cutting will move to another pond so won’t be wasted. Saw the heron fly over so will have to replace the net, the gap in the centre lets the taller plants reach full height so they can flower. A cool cloudy day with light winds.
Ivy and Elton
Always curious, Elton inspected the hedge trimmer and Ivy had a good look at the box of cable ties. Needed to move the stock netting higher on a couple of the gates to stop the bottom squares dragging on the ground. Cut the brambles away from the hedge to stop them rooting in the paddock. Topped up the raised bed from the compost heap and picked runner beans, tomatoes, courgettes and carrots. A cool start to sunny day.
Cycle
Sixteen miles, starting at the walled garden at Moreton, up and down a few hills and along the ridge with far reaching views of the coast on a clear day. Comfortable conditions for cycling – not too hot and a light breeze, the paths often protected by fields of tall sweetcorn, half way round there was a welcome coffee stop at The Red Lion at Winfrith Newburgh. The donkeys and sheep spent the day in the paddocks, the muck/grass cuttings heap is filling up so have started taking out the oldest compost to top up the raised beds. A lovely sunset to end the day.
Resting
Nola and Bianca chewing the cud, they like to lie close to each other and always up against a fence or one of their arcs. The sheep have been moving between Laneside and the Fallen Oak paddock, there’s still lots of grass in both. The sound of haymaking and cutting grass for silage has lessened, most of the harvest is cut and stored ready for winter and the remaining fields have cows grazing. A cool and cloudy day with late sunshine and a glorious sunset.
Ellison’s Orange
There could be a bumper harvest this year, they’re just about ready to pick with the pips almost turning brown, some of the windfalls are a good size and good enough to eat. The Beauty of Bath apples have all been eaten, and the Conference pear and Bramley apple trees are looking a bit sparse, but maybe the foliage is hiding the harvest. The D’Arcy Spice tree is looking better. Pulled rhubarb, picked runner beans, courgettes, tomatoes, sage and rosemary. A warm sunny day with light winds and a lovely red sunset.
Donkeys
Liking their fly fringes, it’s easier to put the fringe on Toby, William is a little ear shy but we get there in the end, he spent the afternoon wearing his as a necklace, it must have been dislodged during a rollover in the avenue. They’ve been grazing the hedgerow in laneside and aren’t eating as much straw overnight; it’s time to gather some stinging nettles for winter fodder, when dry they’ll make crispy winter snacks. A wet start to the day with light winds and warm sunshine later.
Sheep
Running up from the bottom paddock towards the stable, they love new places to graze, and quite happily run back to their arcs later in the day to spend the night. Willow paddock needs a permanent shelter so materials are being gathered, will buy sterling board to line the sides and gravel boards to hold down the tarpaulin roof, it’ll be at the back of the shelter in the small paddock so will provide more shade in there as well. A cool start to a sunny day, warm in the sunshine.
Poppy
Drinking from one of the buckets by the stable, she ventured up to the gate and meowed at Toby, he lowered his head and she watched him for a while and then wandered off, it’s probably the nearest she’s been to the donkeys. Moved the electric fence so William and Toby had more of the hedgerow to graze, had several pairs of hands to help so easier than usual, cut branches from the hedge for the donkeys and sheep. Picked tomatoes, courgettes and runner beans. A warm day when the sun broke through the clouds, rain later.
Gillingham Show
A fine donkey winning best in show, pitted against several well groomed ponies, a Shire cross and a Shetland, it could almost have been William pulling the cart. The Shetland pony races were good to watch, as were the terriers, hounds and ferrets, a grand day out. Back in the paddocks the sheep and donkeys looked after themselves. A cool and cloudy day with light winds.
Barbeque
Blue skies and light winds for a few hours at lunchtime, enough time to look at the view, and food cooked and eaten outdoors just seems to taste better! The sheep were chewing the cud in the adjacent paddock and the donkeys wandered up and down the avenue, curious but slightly nervous of seeing something different. Poppy is eating ok so we may have a week without seeing the vet. Picked tomatoes, courgettes and apple twigs for the donkeys. A sunny cloudy windy day.
Onions
In the raised bed, the soil level has dropped by six inches in just a few months as the compost continues to rot down, the onions have done well to stay well rooted and not go to seed. The tomatoes in the pots outside have been affected by blight and consigned to the compost heap, the plants in the greenhouse are ok so far. Moved the arcs into fallen oak paddock, the sheep followed, they’re always excited to run through a gate onto fresh grass, Willow will be rested for a while. A cool start to a windy and warm day with a pale pink sunset.
Fly Fringe
Both donkeys have to tolerate flies in the summer, they’re particularly attracted to their eyes because of the watery secretions that help keep them clean. Toby is the first to volunteer for a fringe as he likes to have his ears stroked; when he lowers his head and walks around grazing the grasses the tassels will move, and keep the flies away. William spent some time watching Toby flicking his head before agreeing to wear one himself. The sheep spent the day in a couple of groups, Jago sleeping alongside Elton, Winnie and Digby. A warm sunny day with rain overnight.
Jago
Chewing the cud by the fence and ready to rejoin the rest of the flock in willow paddock. Once the gate was opened he needed a bit of encouragement to roam around, and then matriarch Winnie gave him an occasional head butt to remind him of the pecking order. They ended the day grazing together and will hopefully settle down for a quiet night chewing the cud in their arcs. Picked apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, runner beans, carrots and courgettes. A cloudy start to a sunny and warm day.
Rain Clouds
Rolling in across the vale, the mixture of sunshine and showers makes the grass grow and saves watering the hedge and the vegetables. Unusual in August, the gateway into the avenue used by the donkeys several times a day has turned into a mud bath, so an area of some 20 square meters will have to be covered in mud mats. The slope doesn’t help so there’s now a plank of wood across the strainers to keep the straw contained and level the ground slightly, the donkeys watched what was going on for a while and then stepped up and down ok. A cool start to a warm showery day.
Donkey Dental
Toby looking a bit dopy, still under sedation after a thorough check of his teeth and some leveling of sharp edges with a grinding tool that sounds worse than it is as it doesn’t hurt the soft tissue. William had the same treatment and needed a little more relaxant to calm him down, both of them were eating normally after an hour or so; must be the week for vets, it’s Poppy’s turn tomorrow for a final checkup after her course of antibiotics. A warm misty day with strong winds and showers.
Vet Visit
A busy day for the sheep, Digby had his horns shortened by an inch or so as the points were starting to get too near his neck, Ivy had a swelling at the sight of a previous injection which needed checking, and a dose of purple spray. Elton needed his annual booster vaccination against pneumonia, and young Jago was castrated. Getting the right sheep in the right pen at the right time was a bit of a challenge, Jago was easiest as he quite likes being picked up. A handful of treats for all of them after the vet had left. A sunny day with light winds.
Cycle
Starting at Langport, 31 miles via South Petherton and Rock, riding across the Somerset Levels. Through a few challenging stretches of muddy floodwater and up and down a few hills, with several refreshment stops along the way for cider, chips, ice cream and scones. We had a short rest while one of our group took a wrong turn and ended up in a drainage ditch more than five feet deep and full of duckweed, the waterproofs didn’t work very well! The weather was variable with sunshine and the occasional heavy blustery shower, just made it back to the car before a torrential downpour.
Milk
Ivy has been separated from her lamb for a few days and looked to have a lot of milk so she was reunited with Digby, he practically upended her in his enthusiasm to suckle but he was happy to return to the adjacent paddock and keep Jago company later in the day. May have to repeat the process later in the week. Picked tomatoes and runner beans. A day of heavy showers and blustery winds.
Churned Straw
Heavy rain showers are making the straw area very wet and the gateway to the avenue is especially muddy, which is unusual for this time of year. Not helped by the donkeys chasing each other around, kicking and bucking, may have to consider mud mats. Smudge was interested in joining me on the hardstanding, he thought better of it when the donkeys preferred sticking their heads through the rails and looking at him, to eating thistles. A cool day with squally showers.
Sheep
Tucking in to a beech branch, they’ll eat all the leaves and strip some of the bark, the donkeys will finish eating the rest. Lots of grasses growing in the paddocks although the donkeys don’t seem to like the laneside grass very much. Poppy is improving, eating a lot more and interested in what’s going on, her fur is a bit of a mess after several random clippings. A sunny windy day with a few heavy showers.
Matt and Ellie’s Wedding
Lovely day of celebrations.
Fog
A chilly and very foggy start to the day with no view across the vale until mid morning when a balloon was visible in the distance, it didn’t move for ages and then eventually landed pretty much below where it had been hanging about. Poppy’s been to the vet several times this week with some kind of infection, she’s had two blood tests, three doses of antibiotics, an enema, steroids and several anti-nausea injections followed by a dose of liquid paraffin. She’s on the mend, now, which is good news. A sunny end to the day with light winds.
Donkey Welfare Visit
The Donkey Sanctuary keep an eye on the donkeys that have homes with Guardians, and offer support and advice on everything donkey. I think William and Toby are looking a bit tubby, but for the time of year their weight is actually ok, their mouths and feet are in good condition and they’re getting a reasonable amount of exercise. There is room for a circular track in the laneside paddock which would give them more variety, need to mow the grass before that can be put in place. A dewy start to the day with warm sunshine and light winds.
Jago
Is now separated from the ewes, he spent the day with the flock and during the end of day play session he mounted Ivy a couple of times, which was a bit of a surprise! It’s likely that Jago was asserting his authority as he’s still too young to be a proper ram, but taking no chances the vet will castrate him next week. It’s tempting to let him be the dad of the year but birthing at Christmas is not a good idea. Picked mange tout and courgettes, a day of torrential short-lived rain showers and hot sunshine.
Grooming
Toby getting his teeth into William’s back, just to show he cares, or maybe to floss his teeth, William is doing the same to him and it’s become a daily occurrence, like rollovers. Jago is settling into the flock, Walter and Digby have spent time with him today, there’s a lot of bleating when they think there are treats available. Picked tomatoes and cucumbers and cut off the numerous runners on the strawberry plants, the ones in pots are rooting. A cool day with heavy showers and a brisk wind.
Walter and Jago
They have been looking at each other through the fence and today ended up in the same paddock with Ivy and Elton. After a bit of chasing around they decided to become friends for a few minutes! Walter returned to the rest of the flock after an hour and Jago settled down a few yards from Ivy to chew the cud. Did try Pixie in with Jago but the noise of her bleating was just too much so she went back in with the rest. Put up an electric fence to give the donkeys more grass, in a week or two they should be able to graze the hedgerow. A cool day with strong winds and heavy showers.
Sunset
Balloons would have drifted across the vale tonight, but the wind rose mid afternoon and the forecast is for even stronger winds overnight. Jago is coming to terms with his new flock, he chews the cud a yard or so away from Ivy and Elton, and although Ivy butts him he’s able to run away and keep a yard or so ahead of her so she soon loses interest. The heavy rain has flattened a lot of the taller grasses in the paddocks. Picked a few mange tout, runner beans and tomatoes. Chilly start to the day, warm in the sun.
