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!

Puppies - Seven Weeks

Less than a week to go until Baby Bastow moves in - and we stop referring to her as Baby Bastow! Can you work out which one she is?

Bath Time

Many different birds use the pond for bathing, but none is ever as enthusiastic as the Blackbird.

This chap turns out to be the one who returns each year, to the Ash Tree across the field. We can recognise him as he has a phrase of song which is particular to him.

Wildlife Update for 2012

I have been very lazy with updating this part of the blog this year. Records have been kept, but for whatever reason, I have never managed to get it onto the blog, so here goes for January to May 2012.

All the usual suspects have been around, with squirrel visits always a highlight, but also always a worry as so many get killed on the road outside. 3 so far this spring already. If only people would slow down, they may stand a bit more of a chance.


A single sighting of an Ermine running through the garden in mid April helped to explain what had carried the rabbit carcasses away so swiftly after they had been despatched. A new visitor this spring - and a fairly rare one, so we feel quite chuffed, is this Twite. Almost identical to the Redpoll in the picture below, but he is lacking the red, and has a patch of pink on his back.

Swallows, House Martins and Swifts circle all around us again, as do Long Eared Bats at night. We are fortunate enough to have frequent fly bys from Buzzards, Curlew, Oyster Catcher and Lapwings, all of which nest nearby, and the first of our regular hen pheasants has appeared with her (single) chick. The fields behind are full of life as usual, with sightings of Fox and Roe Deer in broad daylight.

Holehird

We had an overnight guest last night - he was very well behaved and eventually was reunited with his mum this morning.

That made us later than planned, but we headed off to visit Holehird gardens. I've been before a few times, but for various reasons, husband never had. It was as spectacular as ever.

Puppies - Counting The Days

With only 11 more sleeps until we collect her (and then have very little sleep for some time), Steve keeps updating us with cute pictures. There's not much more photgenic than a Springer pup!
We think - though don't hold us to it - that Baby B is 2nd on the left in this picture.....

and on the left in this one.....

Puppies - Six Weeks

A short film for you today - see if can spot our new pup!

Puppies - Five Weeks

The puppies are now well on their way to being weaned, with Sage only going into them through the night. During the day they are eating, sleeping and playing. We've been down to visit them again today, and now we know which one will be ours. See if you can guess................

Last Snow of the winter?

This was the view from the 'sun' room this morning.

Puppies - Four Weeks

Sage and her pups have now been moved into a kennel, and the pups are developing their own characters.

Sage can get away from them a bit now, and it looks like she's quite glad!

Bluebells

Mum and dad are staying for the week - and the weather has turned very wet, after a very dry Feb, March and April! Yesterday was a 'Wildlife through the window' sort of day, and thankfully the garden was full all day, with Red Squirrel, Fornicating Pheasants, a pair of Red Legs, a pair of Red Polls as well as all the usual culprits.
This morning was more of the same, but the afternoon looked more promising, so we headed over to Rannerdale to see this years Bluebell display. We weren't disappointed.




With all the rain, there was plenty of water about

Surprise, surprise, more rain when we get home. When it's been like this solidly for two days, and your only about a week old, where better to sleep than under Mums tummy.

Puppies - Three Weeks Old

Eyes Wide Open.......

And having a first introduction to 'solid' food

Puppies - Two Weeks Old

We had our first visit to see the pups this week - on Thursday. Then they were still very much a pile of sleeping beauties, with their eyes still tightly closed. By today, their eyes are beginning to open and they are beginning to find their legs.
Mum Sage is doing well. She really is a gorgeous little girl - she was so pleased to see us on thursday, and SO proud of her pups.

Knitting Booties

When I was a kid, I remember people used to knit booties and things for anyone expecting a baby. Round here we do things a bit differently. For a start, the only expectant mothers have four legs - most of them are sheep, so knitting would be a bit pointless anyway. However, as you will have gathered by now, there is a newborn heading this way in a few weeks time. Our friend Bilbo has been very busy furnishing Baby Bastow with some rather nice quilts. Something Bilbo is a bit of an expert at.
A three sided cover for the crate..........



And according to Bilbo this one is to go IN the crate. Far too good for that we think. For now it is on lone to the humans in the house.

That's one VERY spoilt puppy and she isn't even here yet.
Thank You Aunty Bilbo!

Puppies - One Week Old

Puppies - Three Days Old

A Picture Paints A Thousand Words

Life is going to change around here in 8 weeks time



One of these little bundles will be moving in. This is Sage with her first litter: 5 bitches and 2 dogs.

Horsing Around

It was our local point to point yesterday, and Vicki had two runners, so despite the most atrocious of forecasts, we decided it was worth braving the weather to go and give her some support. as it turned out the weather was much better than expected, and Vicki managed a first with Basil (one of my regular rides) and third with Harmony. So it was well worth making the effort.
Basil with John (very tall Jockey) and Vicki celebrating a win

One of James' horses, Sniffy, had to retire last year due to injury. He's not a horse who has taken kindly to being retired, so James has jumped at the opportunity of a good home for him in Ireland, where he will be able to enjoy life hacking and hunting. I only hope the guy who is having him knows what a superstar he is.
Having spent the last twelve months or so out at grass with youngsters, Sniffy needs a bit of a tidy up before he meets his new owners. This morning I decided to start the makeover process by pulling his mane.
Before (or at least before I'd done much).........

During - Sniffy has a look to see if he approves (which he didn't!)

And after. By now Sniffy really had lost patience, so getting him to pose any better than this was not going to work.

Easter Bunnies

As you've probably worked out by now, we enjoy the varied wildlife that we get in the garden. Some things are more welcome than others though. We have a very hungry males Sparrow Hawk visiting at the moment, who frequently stops off to wait for his lunch.

A hungry Kestrel decided to do the same earlier (no photos I'm afraid), presumably having worked out that we have a good supply of wood mice and bank voles.
Some new garden residents have put in an appearance over Easter. First there was one, the next day two, then suddenly there are four! Thankfully the only veg we have over here this year are tates, so the baby bunnies are welcome to stay for now. But they better not think of going over to the allotment, or it will be rabbit pie. That's if next door's cat doesn't get there first. Funny how cat's know when there is no longer a dog at home.

Helm Wind

We have the dubious honour up here, of having the only 'named' wind in the british Isles. I'm talking about weather, not digestion here.
To quote wikipedia.........
"The Helm Wind is a named wind in Cumbria, England, a strong north-easterly wind which blows down the south-west slope of the Cross Fell escarpment. It is the only named wind in the British Isles, although many other mountain regions in Britain exhibit the same phenomenon when the weather conditions are favourable. It may take its name from the helmet or cap of cloud which forms above Cross Fell, known as the Helm Bar, since a line of clouds over the fells can predict and accompany a Helm."
It doesn't blow very often, but when it does, it doesn't go unnoticed. This is what it left behind last night.


Thankfully none of the ewes in the shed came to any harm.