Cottage Diaries . March 2011
Welcome to this edition of the Cottage Diary.
Well they weather has been pretty dreadful hasn't it? Well if you live in Lincolnshire it has. The two acre field is a muddy mess but at least there are signs that the clover and grass have started to grow so roll on spring!
Holly got two new sheep for her birthday Coco and Pop, two small hebridean sheep. Both are last years lambs and have already become very friendly coming into the old livestock box which we use for storing food. Coddle and Violet, our existing ewes have become very friendly towards them, this breed seem ideal for us and may lead to some more as land allows.
The ducks are fitting in and have become as demanding as the rest of the mob! What is it about us that make them so bossy? The chickens that have survived are laying well. Bob and Junior are fighting fit and friendly.
We had to remove the wire from the veggie patch and re-build a duck run as Fritz, our grey pony tried to break into it and knocked it down! He is now in the other field where he cannot be so naughty. The Bransby boys are fine. Judy is a little underweight and has had a few problems with her arthritis although it does not seem to stop her from chasing Earl everywhere!
Jeff and Holly both enjoyed their birthdays, Jeff was 50 and Holly 15, although Holly seems the older of the 2 sometimes! I have a birthday on the 3rd but will not disclose my age! (ok, 46)
Both dogs are well, Mist cut her face putting her head through a hedge so has been in a collar for a while but is back on fighting form now. Moss is as daft as ever.
The sheep at the farm were due from the 8th of Feb but so far only 4 have lambed, not the prettiest of sheep but all healthy, I hope more happens for Holly next month when she is on work experience there! Holly has a careers day at school and has narrowed her university choices down to 3, Cambridge, Worcester and Notttingham Trent, All of which cover both vet and medical courses. Her final choice of whether to be be a G.P. or a vet will be made at a later time.
The wild birds at Two Acre are starting to nest. the robin and the wren are nesting in the cowshed and we look forward to the return of the swallows in May. The pink footed geese flew over a couple of weeks ago, heading back to Iceland. The fieldfares and Redwing are still about but will leave in the next month or so. The buzzard is still around as are the green woodpeckers and grey squirrels, who unfortunately ate the gas pipe in the caravan and let the gas out!
My friend Stephen has been equally busy up in Scotland with his rare breed charity, www.savingrarebreeds.org.uk A link to his site will be on the links page to keep up to date with him. He is also on Facebook.
For a more up to date record of our goings on find me on twitter as roseytn. Also on Facebook as Rosey Timmis- Norton.