Wildlife in August

Highlights this month have to be the young red who has been visiting us. I don't think anything could ever have more appeal than a Red Squirrel (Please fogive the reflection from the window, it's the bane of my life at the moment!). A first in the village was a pair of Ravens circling overhead as we walked up the road. We had heard of a breeding pair nearby last year, but it's good to get confirmation.

Red Alert

Today has turned out to be a damp affair, the sort of day when you really appreciate the wildlife in the garden. Especially when they are as entertaining as this youngster.
'Hey, Look what I found!'
'Now I'm just going to run off an bury this in the lawn'
'Oh no, they've spotted me in the front as well'
'Perhaps if I bury it in this nicely dug bed they won't notice'

We Just Can't Help It

It's been feeling very backendish this last week. Cool, dewy mornings and evenings, I've started riding out again (and we had two winners this weekend) and things are changing in the garden. Now is the time to resume landscaping. The Big Plan was to tackle the front corner this autumn, so after clearing out the Achillea which had taken over and digging out a few (more) hostas, it was time to start digging over the area around the Buddleia. The trouble is, whenever we start digging in this side of the front, we hit stone, and then we start wondering; is this where the well is?

And the further down you go, the more promising it seems, especially when you find what appears to be a side wall.

But after much digging and trowelling, getting down to about 4 feet deep - we finally decided that this wasn't where the well is. You wouldn't believe how quickly you can fill a hole that big.

Down The Allotment

Whilst we will miss our Friends From Across The Road, they have made damned sure we won't forget them!
We agreed a some time ago that we would look after their veggie patch/orchard whilst the house is rented out.

It will be good for us to have a bit more room for veggies, whilst still knowing that we don't have the long term tie of a big garden.

It will keep us busy in the meantime though.
So if you call in for a cuppa and we're not here; have a look down the allotment.

Going, Going, Gone

The house is empty and VERY clean, Roger, Lois and Buddy have spent the last couple of nights staying with us whilst they packed all the last bits away and set to with the polish.
Loaded up the dog (bye bye Buddy)



And set off on their adventure.




We're hoping it won't be long before we are invited to the Come Back tour!

Farewell Tour

Our neighbours are moving to France. Not anything to do with us moving here, it's been planned for years (or so they say!).
The Farewell Tour started nearly a month ago, with the 'Night Before' party, the night before Roger's retirement 'Do'

Since then there have been all sorts of occasions, hosted by all sorts of friends, to wish them Bon Voyage. Saturday 20th, it was our turn. 16 of us gathered for supper and a 'few' drinks.
Guests of honour, Roger and Lois

and some of the rest of the crowd.

All that's left is the clearing up..........

Two Years Later - In The Back

About this time, two years ago, our predecessors made a very wise decision and put their house on the market. The photos they had taken for the brochure are a really useful way of looking back to see what we have done. The house isn't tidy enough to show you the changes inside- maybe another day! But by taking pictures in roughly the same spot as the agent, we get a fairly good idea of the overall changes.
The Back garden has changed the most. In our opinion, it was a bit twee with the two rocket launcher patios and a couple of 'sort of rockeries' which didn't look too bad in August and September, but had nothing of interest the rest of the year.
That was then

And this is now.

Don't Count Your Chickens

Me and my Big Mouth. I've helped some friends out with their sheep a few times this summer and when Fran tentatively asked if I'd be willing to look after the poultry if she could persuade Andrew to have a holiday, of course I said yes. They've not had a day off in over 7 years, and looking after friends livestock is something we are well used to. I used to keep a few hens myself as a girl. Not quite this many though! Last week was a steep learning curve, getting to grips with the systems.

Thankfully, husband also enjoys looking after stock, although I don't think either of us fully realised just how many eggs we were going to be handling. 6000 hens = pretty much 6000 eggs a day. That's 6000 eggs to be sorted, packed accounted for and recorded. That's about 42,000 in a week. We'll be getting the hang of it by the time they get back.

Just to make sure we don't get too tunnel visioned, we've also got a few other souls to tend to. Merlin the Shetland Pony - I'm not a pony person, but this one really is a sweetheart.



3 calves........


And not forgetting 6 puppies, 4 working collies - Nell, Fly, Jess and Meg and Jack the Russell.

I know there are a few missing on the picture - but you try getting them all in one place at once!