Bank Holiday Occupations

We have Bank Holiday weather

lighting up the distant mountains

sunlight filtering through

The neighbouring cattle are venturing up the hill

and Spot is sporting new ear furniture

so time for Bank Holiday jobs…

(1) Rearranging our brick collection

this does disturb frogs and beetles

and attracts a lot of Robin interest

(2) Scything the field

this is not really a Bank Holiday job, more a July, August, September… job

(3) Preparing the Big Pond

We also have to address the reality of livestock care: we don’t need many males

his number one sidekick is a little askance

but once she starts laying she will forget all about him.

Plus

The Buddhist tree seems happy now it has its toes in the ground

the Nuthatch does a nose dive

and we would like help in identifying this shrub

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Competitive horticulture

This summer we have been visiting the local shows and taking notes on categories where we might sweep the board next year.

We think we might have a chance in class 169

We are contacting the relevant committees and suggesting a new class – longest hedgehog dropping

Here is a roundup of some current produce which may or may not be suitable for competition:

with the runner beans it is quantity, not quality as we have to eat this each day:

On the pond front, the new one has its water level marked out

the woodland pond can now relax in the shade

and the little pond has bounty to give

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Looking up, Looking down

Up…

Down…

Ponds are like sheds because…

…you can never have too many.

We have a shady woodland pond

but today the digger left

leaving us with a way to take Brutus to his destiny

a large pile of topsoil

and…

a pond hole.

Meanwhile, after many months of attentive care, we have a small aubergine

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Vet’s bills – phew…

This nightly visitor was obviously struggling compared with its companions

Not a youngster but an overwintering hedgehog from last year that is not thriving – losing weight due to a bad case of worms. So a visit to the vet seemed in order.

A personal consultation and a course of drugs.

We have to pay

Brutus is excited about getting weighed but has been worried about how he will leave the plot.

Today a solution starts to take shape

Earthworks. Not just a way out for Brutus but a way in for frogs and newts as a large pond is fashioned.

We have been visiting local shows and are are measuring up our possible contributions

We have lots of large tomatoes – the problem is they are mostly green

a few are harvested today

as are the broad beans

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Feeling the Rhythm

As we live the Gribin Isaf year the second time round we recognise the rhythm of the seasons. Right now it is the time when this year’s lambs go down the lane

with encouragement

for dipping or dagging or docking and then come up again

pausing to enjoy the verges

But all years are the same – each year is different…

last year the slugs had the beans – this year

and each day we have to eat this

Meanwhile we have company in the bottom field

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Grass life

We are learning a lot about grass. To our neighbour it is food. The next door field was stripped for silage and is now having nitrogen returned from the accumulated deposits of the indoor winter cattle who ate last years silage

In contrast, we are trying to reduce the fertility of our field to give other plants a chance when competing against the all advancing grass community.

Beneath our grass, left uncut for over a year, there are hollows and caves – homes to frogs, toads, shrews and voles.

Today we find some rather lost juvenile voles. Have they lost their mother? This one might make it for itself

but this one won’t

Meanwhile here is today’s bean harvest

we are interested in ideas for on-line bean selling….

Summer part 2

We had Summer part 1 in the first week of June and during the last two or three days we have been basking in the low twenties with clear skies

We are clearing the grass from the field, this years all-way lodging on top of last years thatch, as part of the plan to increase diversity there

Next year we plan to process the hay in a more organised way but for now a lot of the cut grass is going straight into the pig pens

soaking up mud and providing luxurious lying down opportunities. Last night Bert decided to bivvy outdoors

Soon we will be wet and windy

The moon is turning

and next time round we won’t be looking for summer. Fruits are getting ready

and there is much excitement about the potential aubergine harvest

Last night, as the sun went down

we ate rabbit stew, following lamping night and the disappearance of the Rabbit That Wanted To Be A Pet. Today we are cheered to see the population is not extinct

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Nibbling at the Margins

The neighbour’s field was stripped for silage but the machines could not reach the edges so now it contains things which can

and now as the sun goes down on Gribin Isaf tonight

we ponder on the mystery of Chard. We have been mesmerised by Chard in the past and now we have our own. All we want to do is stare at it:

We would not dream of eating the Chard – but other things are available

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Brutus’ new toy

Brutus gets easily bored

Playing football by himself is not much fun. He likes talking to Bert next door

but Bert likes to mainly lie down during the day

Brutus is very keen on his food and wants to grow up quickly so today we venture across the border to bring him some new entertainment

from now on, when Brutus asks “Am I big enough yet?” we can help him find an answer.

The Rabbit Who Wanted To Be A Pet

made a mistake in trying to be wild last night.

Neighbour. Quadbike. Headlights. Gun. Sack

Dinner.

We need more sun. Fruits are straining for that radiation.

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw: