we have the most wonderful scenery imaginable. the snow is deep and crisp.
we have had 4 portland lambs born (rare breed) they are all tucked up in their field shelter tonight with soft straw and lights on.
our siberian girl, Diva had 7 kittens on tuesday, so i have been busy being midwife most of the week.
really looking forward to St Valentines day, we have some special deals on for couples including wine and chocolates. We hope to be booked up in the next couple of days, just £125 for the cottage for 2 nights inc all electric,bedding, welcome pack etc etc.

Jim and I on our holiday in Norway, we were at Holo Farm up in the mountains, what a lovely place. we were made very welcome and had traditional food in their holiday house. the holiday was all too soon at an end, and we are home again and back to reality.
The tups have gone in with the ewes so we are on countdown to lambing once again.
we are presently refurbishing the cottage bathrooms, the tiler is booked and some modern tiles have been chosen to replace the white ones that have served well for the last few years.
The cold weather is creeping in now, so we are preparing to relight the AGA, i cannot wait to get back to that type of cooking, it tastes so much better than the when cooked in the fan oven.

June is nearly over

And what weather havnt we had!!!! Rain, torrential and continual, then glorious sunshine, strong winds then deadly calm.. whatever next!! The poor lambs do not know what to do for best. We have had the sheep sheared and they are hiding under hedges now to keep dry.
We had a visit from a lesser spotted woodpecker to our bird table this morning, this shy bird is so so beautiful.
the swallows are all nesting in and around our buildings as are the house martins, its such a lovely time with all the new life around us.
The cottages have been quite quiet, I think everyone is feeling the pinch of the austerity punch from the government.Tightening belts is one thing but i believe we are in a stranglehold now.
Our mare scarlet is recovering from her metabolic syndrome and is now back in work, i never though i would see her between the shafts ever again, i am so proud of her... i do so hope July is more settled!!then we can drive all the ponies more regularly.

I have made my first Pork Pies, i got the hang for the hot water crust pastry on the second attempt, and they are so delicious we ate them before they were cool!!

It has been a very busy month, with flooding , then mega hot. we have had to treat the sheep and lambs early for blow fly strike.
several runner ducklings have hatched and i am busy being mum to them.
the sheep shearer was here yesterday, so they are far more comfortable now, although on a less cheerful note, the weather is set to change to much cooler...
the ponies are working well together as a pair now, and scarlet is much improved in her metabolic syndrome illness.
the holiday cottage season is starting and we are all hands on to get the grounds tidy and pretty again.

April showers

We have had a wake up call as april started,we were without power for 3 days and nights.. what a nightmare. when we lose the electric we also lose our water supply as the water has to be pumped up from a bore hole. We switched to the spring water, but needed to boil it before use. we had just a 1 ring calor gas stove to do this on. we are presently feeding 5 orphan lambs on bottles around the clock, and the only heat we could provide for our cats and kittens was from hot water bottles,both the old stone ones and the traditional rubber ones. with no lights from 6 till 6 each day, it was a gloomy and very tiring time. everything survived except the 40 ducklings ready to hatch in the incubator, there was nothing we could do to maintain the correct temperature, so very sad, there was only 4 days left till they were due to hatch.

we were totally exhausted after that episode, and doesnt it make you realise how reliant we all are on the click of a switch for instant light and heat?

well we are back on track now hopefully and looking forward to spring returning to us!! the lambs are doing well 23 in total, and a few more late ones due soon.

Unexpected Arrivals

We were due to start lambing mid-febriary with the Manx girls.....then i went out to the fields yesterday and there was a new little portland lamb!!!! and this morning a little ewe lamb born to another portland...these two girlies must have sneaked into the ram while we were away in august!!! mums and babies doing well. I have checked the rest and only one other is looking a bit portly for her due date hmmm.... will have to watch her closely. the 2 newborns are in the field shelter all tucked up and cosy. watch this space for the next little lambs to arrive!!

November weather Brrr

The weather is certainly changing now. we have had some really wintery showers today. The sheep are now needing some hard feed as the grass loses its goodness.

we are trying to get the ponies out as a pair at least once a week still. All the outdoor tidying has started and a few trees need to come down as they have outgrown their position. Lots of heavy work ahead.

We were showing 2 of our pedigree cats last weekend at the NEC at Birmingham.. it was the Supreme cat show, we did really well taking 1st and best of breed with both.

There is a warm mulled wine basted venison casserole in the AGA cooking away slowly all ready for tomorrow... yum yum!!