Lazy hazy days....

And so another year, another decade, comes to an end..... time to reflect, to make resolutions, to consider the future, to plan, to go forward boldly.....

Into the uncertain fog of the future.

And, for the past five days that is how the world around us has been. Dull, damp and foggy. The air temperature has been warm so drawing the cold out of the ground and creating dense, dark foggy days. The pigs don't mind; they've been able to get their snouts into the ground for the first time in a month: the horses don't mind: they've been able to go out and gallop - albeit scarily slippily - around the fields for the first time in weeks; the ducks love it: they can get their beaks into the earth in search of those frozen worms, and even the chickens have been venturing outside and having a peck instead of looking at the white frozen wasteland that existed for the previous month and retreating indoors.....

So we should all be feeling very positive.
Resolutions should be tripping merrily off the tongue, left, right and centre. But - I've just reviewed those I made this time last year.... Uh Oh. So I'm not mentioning the ones I've made this evening. Instead I shall keep them to myself and report (positively) on their effects this time next year!

Instead a quick romp through the year that has just ended: the curly coat herd has grown from strength to strength. Linda reminded me yesterday that she first met us two and a half years ago when Ginger had her second litter: we've now had 15! - opportunities and problems in abundance! Last Christmas saw RectoryReserve attending its first ever market. Since then we've been at the whole gamut of events from markets to race days to food fairs to summer shows....... We're supplying some of the best Hotels in the land and our range of victuals has increased from basic to gourmet in several slick steps. The Big Boss's plans for 2011 will doubtless unfold in equally spectacular fashion. Watch this space!

RectoryReserve isn't all curly coats: Pilot's had his ups and downs, gained a few pounds and aches and pains and a new Best Friend. All balances out. Gunner, having endured a restful summer, has entered his third working season as a Real Teenager: knows it all better than Mum; listens as far as his confidence allows and manages to do the right thing in the end most of the time! Here's to his future....! Puddy Cat's maintained her demur control - of the household and The Boss - and grown in confidence accordingly. If I don't wake up on time in the morning, it's not uncommon for a little paw to pat me on the nose at the appropriate time. She's not even put out by the arrival of Pilot's New Best Friend.....

As for the horses: well, Rocco's busy year as a jumping and dressage pony ended with an extended break for the whole of the shooting season - something he was pretty pleased about a couple of months ago but is now banging his stable door and rebelling over..... he, for one, will be pleased when February comes..... Ritz and Max continue to enjoy their retirement although Max's arthritis is an increasing concern; he finds it difficult to get up after sleeping or rolling so the writing must soon be on the wall.... our problem, not his....

Finally, the ducks and chickens chunter on merrily; the old white duck is still with us despite my fears that she would freeze in the cold snap and one or two hens are still laying - not that that justifies the amount spent on corn and layer pellets....

So, I shall end with a pretty picture and a positive note: 2011 will be full of Good Things, Exciting Opportunites and Unmissable Events........... May all Resolutions be Resolute and all Chances be Lucky ones...............................