I am loving the fact that I am still wearing a vest in early July. No need for fly spray, no searching for water, no fans or cold towels for hot pregnant pigs. And no-one gets to see my arms. It’s a win win.
More pluses from the weather - the roses are late but fabulous.
Old fashioned roses blooming in the old fashioned weather
And I think the strawberries won’t be ready until Wimbledon week. So proper seasons with seasonal food - less air miles and better enjoyment. Probably had enough of political broadcasts so on with life at Swinithwaite.
I didn’t realise I related so much with the collared dove - she makes the scruffiest nest, which defies gravity. She hangs around for the bare minimum, but enjoys being near to Berry’s.
The collared dove's nest - a shambles that works
Compare this with the house martins, who line their nests with feathers and all things soft, and spend hours making lined nests with mud and extra chambers for deluxe rating. And work so hard to get the family up to fitness.
Farming has been tremendous this last few months – the South Devon calves are looking good - especially the white calf. Finally we have a white heifer, so we will keep her.
A white heifer calf
The Highlands produced four pedigree girls / heifers, so we will keep them as well to join the herd.
Four pedigree calves and a luing (with a bit of shorthorn blood)
Talking of shorthorn blood - our new purchase arrived just in time to dive into the waiting Highland herd - Sharp Sid, the shorthorn bull. He seemed fine with the immediate attention, and we will be expecting some Sharp Luing (shorthorn cross Highland) calves in a seasonal frosty February next year!
Sharp Sid
The pet lambs have drunk masses of bottles of milk - and are a dominant part of the team as a result.
This year’s pet lambs
The lambs being fed
Even little Gav the goat needed time in the cow shed to escape the pet lamb noise and ritual.
Little Gav having time out
I had my usual helpers for the school holidays - filling water buckets, grooming Rolo the Shetland pony, and some hide and seek for light relief.
You can never have too many water buckets
Grooming Rolo
Hide and seek
Another excitement was my daughter-in-law running in a race that required her to gallop at 40 mph at York racecourse making a huge amount of money for Macmillan cancer - she survived still smiling.
A brave jockey
With my love affair with rain, it does result in some extraordinary light - this is a converted barn with lights on inside and out.
New life in a barn conversion
Plus we had our very own local Northern Lights recently.
Northern Lights at West Burton
And continue to enjoy endless puddles - even on top on the world.
Have a great Summer,
