Breeze at 10 Weeks

Time seems to be flying by, and Breeze is growing by the day; in size as well as confidence. With the increased confidence comes the increased mischief. The 'biting' stage is well and truly on us and Little Miss Hyper Puppy rears her head frequently. When she's awake she's rarely still, so getting a shot of her is not easy. The only reason I managed this was that she'd just knocked a basket over retrieving a toy out of it, and it had scared her!
It didn't take her long to start playing again
But every Hyper Puppy needs it's sleep, and it's usually in a funny position, be it in her box,
or on Mummy's knee.

Flaming June

We had an inch of rain on Thursday - in less than 12 hours. It was typical Cumbrian weather. But worse was to come. We had 2 inches of rain yesterday, in 24 hours, and in the evening and night, it blew a hooley. Lupins smashed to the ground, buddleja pummeled and worst of all, broad beans thrashed to within an inch of their life. We have done our best to resurrect them today, propping them with canes (they had already had their usual baler twine supports put in place), but as it has rained on and off all day today, and it's still pretty windy - they'll have to take their chance.
3 inches of rain didn't manage to stop Husband having a furtle about in the tatie rows in one of the brief 'dry' periods today. Guess what we're having for supper? Yep, the first of this years crop. These are Pentland Javelin.........

Breeze at 9 weeks

Yesterday was Breeze's 9 Week birthday if there is such a thing. The difference in a week is quite apparent. She is still as cute as you could imagine,

but now she is getting the confidence to go wherever she shouldn't, irrespective of who is watching
or how close they are
We have been waiting for the arrival of some more plastic mesh, mainly to fence the beds in the allotment and protect the veggies from Breeze and her new friend Marmite (cockerpoo) when they are tearing round in there, but also to finish temporarily barricading the pond. It seems that she knew it was for her as soon as it arrived.
So after an hour or so's work this afternoon, we should be able to put a stop to her paddling sessions. It seems she is a typical Springer and can't wait to get into the water!

Creature Comforts

What better to do on a wet summers day in Cumbria than settle down by the fire?
One week on and I think she feels at home.

More Baby Pictures

Following Yesterdays post relating to baby birds, how could I not take a picture of these two fledgling Tree Sparrows?

And for those who like a daily fix of Puppy Pics. Here she is with another pigs ear. She is about half as long again as she was last Friday.

Oh and to follow on from the earlier pictures showing her markings on either side, here's a view that you haven't seen before.

Asleep (spot the tongue!)

Four - nil

Every year, House Martins come and build their nests, and every year the House Sparrows pinch them. Last year 7 nests were hijacked and the House Martins didn't manage to keep any. Simon and Sally very kindly gave us a pair of artificial nests which we put up in the hope that it might give the Martins a head start.
Since we put them up back in March, something rather strange has happened. Our House Sparrow count has gone from 60 to 70 at any given time, to about 10 or a dozen. We don't know where they have gone (although next door still say they get loads) and we don't know why. It could be the removal of the conifer which we took down in February, but then their main roosting spot was on top of the shed in the Clematis and that is nowhere near the conifer. Maybe they have just admitted defeat when they saw Sal's Martin nests. Either way, it's done the trick. We now have 4 completed House Martin nests, which are all occupied by Martins, a fifth is being built as we speak, and they haven't even started on the pot ones yet! Thank you Simon and Sally!
Can you spot two faces?
Flying in
And while the Martins are just starting to sit on their eggs, the Blue Tits are just fledging. At least one fledged yesterday, and a busy parent was trying to entice the others out this morning, flying to the box with food
and then flying away without giving them anything.


Meanwhile, back down on earth, Breeze is showing a keen interest in all aspects of gardening. She is quite keen on hay meadows


And plant pots are a really big draw





Running away from them is particularly good fun

Oh, and as it's Wednesday, it must be time for Pilates.

Running in The Family

Another day dawns, and Breeze continues to impress us with her speed of learning. Crate training is going really well - so long as we let her get to sleep either on our knee, or with us cuddling her through the open door of the crate. She will stay in fairly happily when she wakes up, but is not keen on being put in there wide awake.
Cousin Gwen - Welsh Terror (sorry that should read Terrier) had a warm wheat bag which apparently she liked to snuggle up to, so we thought we'd give it a try. Wrapped in a worn sock of mine (at last someone likes the smell of my feet), she seems to have taken to the idea!
She went in just as we sat down to lunch, the door has been left open, and she hasn't come out for an hour and a half - and she hasn't been asleep much either! To give you an idea of just how small she is, the brown thing at the front is a pig's ear.
Blue eyes turning brown

A Cool Breeze

I hope I'm not speaking too soon when I say so far, so good. We have had Breeze for 3 nights now, and she has been great. She is getting to grips with house training so quickly it is frightening. I am not claiming an accident free zone, but it is now over 24 hours since we had one - and that includes overnight last night. We are getting up to her (2am and 5.30am), but both times she was clean last night, and I even sneaked back to bed for a while this morning, and again she was clean when we came down at 7.30am.
Today was a big day. Her first visit to the vet. Hattie was so stressed at the vets, we were hoping that we could make it as stress free as possible. So arriving a few minutes early, we had a relaxing sit in the car on Mummy's knee to get over the stress of the journey before we went into the waiting room. From then on, Breeze stayed in my arms, snoozing, until I put her on the examination table, where she promptly fell to sleep! She didn't even notice the needle, and the only difficult moment, was keeping her eyes open long enough for the vet to have a look at them. She was one very Cool Customer.
She has had a steady stream of visitors for the last three days, and her first visit to the local shop to collect the paper this morning. In between, I have been trying to get photos of her from each side, so that you can see her markings. It is far easier said than done.

Right

Left
and I think you've seen the front before!

Through The Barricades

Well, we wanted a small Springer - and guess what the first escape route is. Yep, straight through the sheep netting!

Proud Godparent

My God daughter Emma had her first One Day Event this weekend. The Grafton Hunt Pony Club ODE at Foxhill Farm.
She is following the family tradition of being a First Rate Jockey. 2nd in the individual and 2nd in the team event. There is a Rumour that there may ba a place for her at Burghley in September! Here she is, second from the right....

Is it just me or is anyone else confused? Red was always 1st in my day. Is this PC for Pony Club or Politically Correct?

A Welcome Breeze

The Day finally dawned, and off we went to collect our pup. We have been so pleased with Steve and Helen, who bred her, and today was no exception. Friendly, helpful, professional but most importantly, obsessive about their dogs and pups.

A noisy car journey and one very nervous little girl entered into our home. It hasn't taken her long to find her feet though.
After the long, stressful journey, a sleep was needed



This is what i look like when I wake up!
and then another sleep

One More Sleep

Excited isn't a big enough word!
First thing tomorrow we head down the M6 a little, to collect our new companion.
The crate is ready in the house, friends have leant us another, smaller one (for when she breaks through the Heath Robinson divider I made in the big cage), that is secured in the car ready for The Journey. Kitchen roll has been bulk purchsed, carpet shampoo is within arms reach. Hattie's bowls have been brought back out of the cupboard (some of which were Treddy and Tramps too!) along with her collection of soft toys, and a little bit of deterent fencing has gone up in the garden


I guess it will keep her out of the water for a few minutes!

Update on The Allotment

Most of the credit for work done in the allotment goes to Husband. I am often swanning about on several thousand pounds worth of horse whilst he is toiling away. I can however claim credit for the grass being mown, and some of the seeds being planted - either the ones which get started off in the cold frame, or the really fiddly ones like Parsnip, for which I have more patience. The straight lines? Well I think you can guess who is responsible for those!
Fruit bushes were pruned and are now setting fruit nicely

Runner Beans have been planted out in the last few days, into a bed which had been under polythene for a month or two, so is lovely and warm. Chantenay carrots under the cloche (to avoid carrot fly) and courgettes over the far side

The remains of the winter sprouting broccoli, which is still cropping, broad beans, space for leeks which are currently in our friends greenhouse, Beetroot under the cloche

And the same bed again - beetroot under the cloche, parsnips, shallots and onions, with Sugar snap peas on the other side of the trellis

Out of view are some summer sprouting plants in the nursery beds, along with a few more carrots, some chard and some spring onions

I don't think we'll be going hungry this year.

Catching Up In The Garden

Gardening this spring has been fitted in around the social life, racing, horse, sheep, hens, walking and other things that seem to fill our days. We have pretty much redesigned all the planted areas in the garden, so it is now maintenance and veggies.
Like all gardens, it changes from day to day, but here is a taste of what it looks like at the moment.......

In the Front
The side bed is growing maincrop tates (Wilja) along with some rocket, radish and red Chard, with the willow screen along the wall intermingled with wildflowers which have been seeded from local stock (with the landowners permission!) and left to their own devices.

The Newest bed in the front is just beginning to get going, by this autumn, there should be a bit of colour and height in this corner
The Acer has settled in well to it's new position - here's hoping we don't get too many Helm Winds while it is in leaf
Another few weeks, and things will really start to fill out

And in the back.........................

The bottom bed has been under water many times this winter. It is heavy, cold soil and we have moved a couple of things (a variegated abelia and a lavender) that were struggling to cope with the wet conditions


The pond creates a brilliant focal point - the wall is just the right height to sit and gaze into the water. At least six frogs and a newt (which is likely to get rehomed any time soon!) along with scores of tadpoles and millions of snails. A few Great diving Beetle and a whole host of other pondlife.
The two veggie beds in the back are growing Pentland Javelin and Charlotte. All other veg are in the allotment - and that is the next post I need to do!