Sometimes when I hear myself explaining to someone - for the umpteenth time - that we started in April 2007 with just Mangal and Wurzel as pets and we now have a herd of 40 (ish) with 11 litters under our belts I find myself wondering where it all went wrong!!
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
On the road again.....
Sometimes when I hear myself explaining to someone - for the umpteenth time - that we started in April 2007 with just Mangal and Wurzel as pets and we now have a herd of 40 (ish) with 11 litters under our belts I find myself wondering where it all went wrong!!
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Truffles Hunting
Friday, 16 July 2010
Little robins
It's the first time I've ever seen a robin's nest and the last thing I expected to find.......
Late last week the mother started flitting in and out with beakloads of bugs for her hatchlings so a few days ago I got up on a chair and peered - camera in hand - into the nest and discovered two little bodies snuggled together. Never having seen a just-hatched robin I found it all jolly exciting.
By Wednesday the hatchlings were fledged and spent a pleasant day in Rocco's stable learning to fly. Unfortunately the bolder of the two made it to the outside world when I wasn't looking and the Bestest Gundog in All the World thought maybe I'd like to have it back! Although it was still alive when he handed it to me, the shock of the journey was too much for the little thing and he soon departed for good.
Meanwhile his nest-mate took advantage of Rocco's hospitality for a further 24 hours. If you look closely at the dark photo you can just see him having a rest on the rubber matting!
By breakfast this morning he was gone - and I believe I heard him and his mum later, chirrupping happily in the hedge.
Yes: I'm sure it was them....
Meanwhile, in Ritz's part of the barn the last of the current batch of swallows has recently fledged. They've spent an unusual amount of time in the building, perfecting their flying skills and receiving a constant supply of flies from their parents. And they have made quite an impression - depositing serious quantities of guano on every surface beneath them.
Which brings to mind two questions concerning birds:-
1 Why don't birds drop from the sky when they die?
(I know Elton John's already asked this question but did he ever get an answer??)
and
2 How is it, with so many birds in the sky, that we are not constantly pooped on from above?
(Answers on a postcard please.....)
Much as I love the little swallows with their constant chittering and chattering, I shall not be too sad when this nest load finally take to the skies for good!
Friday, 9 July 2010
Long summer days
My memory may be playing tricks but it seems not quite as hot as it was then; even so the horses are nibbling parched pastures, the chickens and ducks are revelling in endless dust baths and, day after day, the pigs laze around in the sun, winter mudbaths long forgotten. Ginger's Little Spices spend ever less time with her, preferring the company - and sunshine - in the Maiden Aunts' pen next door. They still manage to wriggle between the slats of the gate but only just and will be weaned next week - in time for their appearance at the Heckington Agricultural Show the following weekend.
Despite the heat, Shows and markets also continue to beckon the Pork Provisioner. To the customer, sunshine and strong breezes are a welcome combination. To the market trader they can be a nightmare. Food for sale needs to be kept cool and I find myself wishing for heavy cloud cover every time we go to market! Not what we got last weekend.