Early morning dip.

Early moring dip for ducklings, now 2+ weeks old.

More goslings.

More gosling arrive bringing the number up to 8. Quite a little gaggle.

Shearing.

Before, during and after group-haircut.

Sheep are feeling much more cool and comfortable now.

Mrs. Fox comes to call

Mrs. Fox has found us and has taken 3 hens in two days. She's coming up the ditch behind the stables where she has good cover.
I'm going to have to try harder to keep the poultry protected and leave a dog loose as a deterrent.

Ducklings 4 days old.

Ducklings are now 4 days old and no casualties to date. Eating and drinking for England and growing at an amazing rate.

Fire beside the pond.

I've burned up a huge heap of brambles next to the pond. It has opened up the area so we can now enjoy sitting in this sheltered spot.

A beef cassarole is simmering away in the Aussi, cast-iron pot set in the hot ashes. That's tonights supper taken care of.

The dogs love swimming and paddling in the water, which today is sprinkled with apple blossom.

'The Birds'

We've all seen Hitchcock's 'The Birds.'

The geese are trying to get into the house!!!

Agility Training area

The Agility training area is up. Not sure when I'm going to have the energy to do any running!

Pekin Ducklings

30, day-old Pekin ducklings collected today. Set up under a ruby, heat lamp to keep tham warm and cosy. All had a drink and chick crumbs to peck at.

Pekins are 'heavy ducks' for meat and some eggs.

Donald Duck was modeled on this breed.

The plan is that they will go down to the pond when featherd-up.

2 Raised Beds.

2 raised beds filled to date. One planted up with strawberries that are all snuggly tucked up under fleece. Unfortunatly the runner beans in the other bed have been nipped by the frost. :0(

The piggieboys @ 4 months

The 3 little piggies are growing on well, enjoying more space and various herbage and roots.

The New Girls

6 sheep were delivered yesterday evening. 3 Ryeland girls and 3 Ryeland x Icelandic girls.

They are making themselves at home attending to the grass. The shearer is booked in a couple of weeks time to affect haircuts..

Gosling's progress.

The goslings are feathering up at an amazing rate.

As you can see, they are already getting in training for fitting into the roasting dish.

Compost

4 tons of spent mushroom compost was delivered. I can now, at last, start to fill the raised beds for the veg.