Hedgerows, puppies and yukky things

I'll start off with hedgerow photos.  Outside my house starts a bridlepath.  There's a multitude of things along the bridleway however at the start of it, where my fence is, are bramble bushes.  Now I was mightily excited about these when I moved here, thinking we'd have hoards of brambles coming out of our ears and planning all I could do with them.  So I was disappointed to say the least when we got none!  They looked like they were starting to develop but just never did.  So I am wondering if we should cut them back down to the ground and let them start a fresh? 


I think we will strim the whole area and see what's what.  I think there's room to plant some small fruit trees/bushes out there.  I'll chat with Steven about it this weekend.  We do have enough on our plates already, but my brain doesn't switch off it seems!

Poor quality, my hands were freezing and wet.  The area I'm talking about is on the left.  Hi Rodney :)

More of a close up

My gorgeous girl, she could run this place single handed, she is so good.

Seen as though Rodney snuck into the top photo I thought I'd show you the dogs (I still call them puppies a year on) playing in the barn the other morning, whilst I was doing the horses.

Obviously something has been here, but what?  15 mins then were here for.

Rodney got bored before Buster

He realised he may be there for some time, waiting for his brother

 

We didn't find anything Mum

Finally to the yukky bit.  My veg box arrived on Wednesday as expected so I used some of it to go with tea.  Jack, my son, love cauliflower at the moment so I was pleased to see one in the box.  Cutting into it, the flesh seemed a strange texture and on investigation it looks like slugs have been enjoying their winter in there.  I rescued some of it but as you can see in the yellower coloured photo on the top middle floret, there was lots of slug slime (?) all over.  I think I stabbed the slug when splitting it down.  Ooops.




The joys of growing your own (even if I didn't grow this one)

Happy Friday everyone and have a fabulous weekend.  We're hoping to start our next project this weekend, more soon. 

Tracy :)

A mixed up day.

Today was a strange old day. I took my daughter to an appointment at the hospital (nothing to worry about) and collected Buddy's tablets on the way back as the old vets is over by the hospital which is now a 30 minute drive away so always best to combine to 2. Then I worked the rest of the day. Once that was done the kids and I took the younger dogs for a nice walk out. I got a bit carried away with the pictures, so I thought I'd share them with you. We then came home to find out we'd been sent a request to look after someone's duck. Well to keep it actually. For some reason they thought a single duck would make a good house pet and now, 2 weeks on, we have it. It's 3 weeks old and I'm not even convinced it's a duck at this stage. We shall see.
The poorly duck of ours has gone back in with her family and isn't any worse, but she isn't better either. She's still laying, eating and drinking though. We did however lose a chick this morning. It was one that we aren't surprised about. It wasn't 100% when it was born. Sad indeed but it does happen.
Enjoy the photos :)

Brambles growing outside my gate

No idea what the flowers are but they are pretty

These are the sloe bushes I found.  Still green but there's lots.

Full view of sloe bush

I believe these are mustard seeds

Rosehip?  They're quite big and oval ish shaped up to now 

there was a hare sat minding it's own business in the distance

just us and the fields.

For as far as the eye can see

These are my Buff Orpington girls and Henry. 

Poorly chick and fabulous bridleway

A bitter sweet day here on the smallholding. After work I arrived home to have my lovely family around me, chatted with one of our two neighbours, sorted all the animals out and then headed out on foot with my daughter on her pony, to investigate a bridleway right outside our house that's been too wet to use until now. We walked for 30 minutes or so and could have gone on for more but that is enough for a winter work night. I felt loads better after it and it cleared my head for a while.
Unfortunately though, the last chick to hatch has taken ill. She's really not well and is gasping for air. We've separated her and given her a bit of sugar water but she's not great. I keep my fingers crossed that whatever happens, she isn't in pain for long, if she is at all. The down side to small holding. She looked fit and healthy until tea time.
On a good note, it's Friday tomorrow meaning a whole 3 nights and 2 days without work. Yey.