Month: January 2008

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webcams

There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven.

I hope these snowdrops in my garden in Wales today mean that Spring is on its way. GJ

THIS IS A PHOTO OF STRUMBLE HEAD LIGHTHOUSE VISIBLE TO PASSENGERS ON THE FERRY FROM ROSSLARE TO FISHGUARD. Marie.

This is photo of our village Church in Co Durham. It holds many memories for me both happy and sad. It is a Norman Church over 900 years old. Elsie.

Photographs of Arnie and Breeze. Arnie looks a right scruff. The photograph was taken today in his Winter coat. In the Summer Arnie’s coat shines like the Queens Guards Boots. We could have him clipped out, but he doesn’t do enough work to justify clipping. Clipping is to shave his coat nearly to his skin. All Race Horses are clipped otherwise they would sweat. In the Winter there coats would take a long while to dry. The photograph of Breeze was taken in the Summer when we had to fence her in a separate area to stop her from chasing Lady and Willow around the field. In the background you can see Bliss and Misty. By the gate is Woody.

Val suggested that we should try to separate Willow and Bliss behind a wall. We did try in the next stable to Lady. Willow tried to jump the wall. It was only by luck that she didn’t get to far, or she could well have got stuck halfway across. What we are putting on Lady’s udder is stopping Willow from suckling. It does wear off after a while, so we need to put more on. We do forget at times.

I spoke to the Trainer this evening about Bliss and Misty. Both are training very well. Bliss is back to her old self and is showing potential. The Trainer feels that she could do well in her racing career. Misty had a bit of a cough last week. She didn’t have a temperature and got over it within a week. I was trying to go to France to see them this week. Unfortunately I am so busy on the Farm I wont be able to make it.

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webcams

There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

Hello Mr. Farmer, Karen in Stoke asked if I went into the little church on the beach – here are more photos. Looks as though some one’s been hitting the mead!! Beautiful ceiling, Julia

Steam Train leaving Kingsway station Devon. A lovely sight. Elsie

THE PHOTO OF THE MARE AND FOAL WAS TAKEN AT A LOCAL BEAUTY SPOT, IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY , BUT THE FOAL FOUND SOME SHADE!!! MARIE.

When I checked the webcams at about 8.pm last night I saw what looked like the last moments of a pair of Fox mating, they were on both webcam one and two. Did any one see any more than the last moments. It was just before they went out of view. I heard the Fox calling as I went to feed the Badgers this evening. There is a chance that it may happen again tonight.

Of an evening for the past few weeks we have had a lot of Starlings above the Farm. I should reckon there has been a thousand or maybe a little more. Don’t get to excited, it is pretty insignificant to a roost, but it is the first time that we have noticed them. So there must be more than there would normally be. I had a quick read on Starling this afternoon. Starlings do like woods, and will roost in them. We do have forty acres of wood surrounding the Farm. It is more likely that they have flown in for food, and return to a large roost. They will travel as far as twenty miles. I shouldn’t think that as the crow flies, the West Hay Starling Roost wouldn’t be much further. West Hay has a very large roost. Mind you I wouldn’t want a roost here. Neither would the local Farmer. And could you imagine how much Bird droppings there would be. I reckon it would be better to site a webcam in some one else’s back yard.

The first Snowdrops flowered here today, and the Daffodils along are driveway are coming up very fast. With the Horses being turned out until after Christmas, it seems a lot earlier. We are normally getting really fed up mucking the Horses out by this time of the year. With a bit of luck we have only a couple of months left.

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webcams

There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number one.

Sorry Sue, forgot to put your word about the Greyhound. They are on now.

Hello Mr. Farmer, Here are three photos from my holiday in Cornwall in 2006. Sun setting over West Penwith. As you can see, it was quite stunning, looking almost like a fireball! Not very clear, but is in fact an owl carrying some prey – possibly a vole of mouse. Karen in Stoke asked if I went into the little church on the beach – here are some photos. 18th & 19th century graffiti? Beautiful ceiling. Looks as though some one’s been hitting the mead!! Julia.

I decided to go for a walk this morning while it was fine and I took my camera with me. The first photo is of my local church which is just 5 minutes walk from my home and the second one is of the river which is in heavy flood at the moment as you can see. The river is just across the road from the church and when it flooded last summer it actually went into the churchyard. Hope you find them interesting. Sue.

I don’t show the Doves nesting as much as maybe I should. In one place or another on the Farm you can guarantee there is a Dove nest with Chicks in. I put the webcam on that is in one of the stable blocks this afternoon, just as the Dove was moving about on the nest, revealing a newly hatched Chick.

With the Horses being stabled because of the fields being very wet, Ewy has been on her own for a week. She is normally in the Horse field, but for the past couple of days we have not seen her at all until a caught her on the webcam this afternoon. I should think that she spends a lot of her time in the woods. She knows where the Horses are as she sometimes would follow them in at feed time. When I get a bit of time I may try to catch her and put her with the rest of the Sheep in the barn.

Now that the Horses are stabled I cant see them getting turned out in to the field until the Spring. The ground is very waterlogged, not so much with heavy rain, but it is continuous drizzle, that is not giving the ground time to dry. It is also very mild. I cant remember this time of year being as mild as it is now. The way up to the Badgers feeding area are very slippery. I finished up on the ground twice tonight. The steps that my Lads dug into the very steep climb helps me a bit from slipping going to that feeding area. I don’t know if the steps will last in this weather.

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webcams

There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven. We are getting short of new photographs to put up.

This is Ellie when she has not been on the beach !! a little more presentable i think you will agree. Lynne.

Another Shire Horse, both photos taken at The Yorkshire Show, and some frogs for a change, Elsie.

Mr Farmer.

Here is a photo my daughter e-mailed me of her very laid back rescue Greyhound. He was a racer but after a fall broke his leg he was thrown on the scrap heap My daughter and son in law saw him at the local R.S.P.C.A. And fell in love with him . He is the biggest wimp you have ever come across. He was 18 months old when they got him. Sue.

Hello Mr. Farmer, Here is a photo from my holiday in Cornwall in 2006. A tiny church on the beach in Church Cove, near Mullion on the Lizard peninsula, Julia.

There is not a lot to tell in a Diary tonight. I have just had a quick look on the valley camera. It looks like it is chucking it down. I fact it is only a drizzle. We have not had the rain that was forecast over the past few day. Last night we had a forecast of heavy rain. When I went to check on the animals at about 9.pm the sky was completely clear. I could see every Star and the Moon. If I had realised earlier I would have put the Astro webcams on. By the time I had spent half an hour setting the telescope up, it would have been time to turn it off again.

Karen asked about Tass and Kye with the Peacock. Tass’s Mother Cass use to chase the Peacock, she was never able to get near it. I reckon that it use to torment Cass on purpose, for as soon as she got within striking distance, the Peacock would take off vertically leaving Cass within fractions of an inch from its tail.

I was the cause of Cass trying to get the Peacock. When ever I had got the Peacock a new mate I would try to catch him, to lock them in a barn together for a couple of weeks. He use to have games with me, allowing me to get within a very short distance before having it away. The only way I could catch him was to leave the dining room french doors open. The Peacock for some reason couldn’t resist going into the dining room, I was always able to catch him in there. Catching the Peacock is always a painful experience. His claws always managed to give me nasty scratches on my arms and face.

Tass from an early age use to chase the Peacock with Cass. It was probably being chased that made him stay away longer when he went on his travels. Last November he was coming back to the Farm most days. As soon as I saw him I would throw a handful of Bird seed on the ground. Most nights he is either in the tree by the Farm House, or in the Barn, roosting on the barns beams or gates. It is the weather or food that’s keeping him here. There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven. We are getting short of new photographs to put up.

This is Ellie when she has not been on the beach !! a little more presentable i think you will agree. Lynne.

Another Shire Horse, both photos taken at The Yorkshire Show, and some frogs for a change, Elsie.

Hello Mr. Farmer, Here is a photo from my holiday in Cornwall in 2006. A tiny church on the beach in Church Cove, near Mullion on the Lizard peninsula, Julia.

There is not a lot to tell in a Diary tonight. I have just had a quick look on the valley camera. It looks like it is chucking it down. I fact it is only a drizzle. We have not had the rain that was forecast over the past few day. Last night we had a forecast of heavy rain. When I went to check on the animals at about 9.pm the sky was completely clear. I could see every Star and the Moon. If I had realised earlier I would have put the Astro webcams on. By the time I had spent half an hour setting the telescope up, it would have been time to turn it off again.

Karen asked about Tass and Kye with the Peacock. Tass’s Mother Cass use to chase the Peacock, she was never able to get near it. I reckon that it use to torment Cass on purpose, for as soon as she got within striking distance, the Peacock would take off vertically leaving Cass within fractions of an inch from its tail.

I was the cause of Cass trying to get the Peacock. When ever I had got the Peacock a new mate I would try to catch him, to lock them in a barn together for a couple of weeks. He use to have games with me, allowing me to get within a very short distance before having it away. The only way I could catch him was to leave the dining room french doors open. The Peacock for some reason couldn’t resist going into the dining room, I was always able to catch him in there. Catching the Peacock is always a painful experience. His claws always managed to give me nasty scratches on my arms and face.

Tass from an early age use to chase the Peacock with Cass. It was probably being chased that made him stay away longer when he went on his travels. Last November he was coming back to the Farm most days. As soon as I saw him I would throw a handful of Bird seed on the ground. Most nights he is either in the tree by the Farm House, or in the Barn, roosting on the barns beams or gates. It is the weather or food that’s keeping him here. It also helps that both Tass and Kye ignore him, so he feel safe. I should think that as soon as the weather breaks, he will be on his travels again. Unless I find him a Hen.

I have got the posts and all that is needed to start the Squirrel obstacle course. What I haven’t got at the moment is the time. I will try.

I have got the posts and all that is needed to start the Squirrel obstacle course. What I haven’t got at the moment is the time. I will try.

Categories
webcams

There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven. We are getting short of new photographs to put up.

This is Ellie when she has not been on the beach !! a little more presentable i think you will agree. Lynne.

Another Shire Horse, both photos taken at The Yorkshire Show, and some frogs for a change, Elsie.

Hello Mr. Farmer, Here is a photo from my holiday in Cornwall in 2006. A tiny church on the beach in Church Cove, near Mullion on the Lizard peninsula, Julia.

There is not a lot to tell in a Diary tonight. I have just had a quick look on the valley camera. It looks like it is chucking it down. I fact it is only a drizzle. We have not had the rain that was forecast over the past few day. Last night we had a forecast of heavy rain. When I went to check on the animals at about 9.pm the sky was completely clear. I could see every Star and the Moon. If I had realised earlier I would have put the Astro webcams on. By the time I had spent half an hour setting the telescope up, it would have been time to turn it off again.

Karen asked about Tass and Kye with the Peacock. Tass’s Mother Cass use to chase the Peacock, she was never able to get near it. I reckon that it use to torment Cass on purpose, for as soon as she got within striking distance, the Peacock would take off vertically leaving Cass within fractions of an inch from its tail.

I was the cause of Cass trying to get the Peacock. When ever I had got the Peacock a new mate I would try to catch him, to lock them in a barn together for a couple of weeks. He use to have games with me, allowing me to get within a very short distance before having it away. The only way I could catch him was to leave the dining room french doors open. The Peacock for some reason couldn’t resist going into the dining room, I was always able to catch him in there. Catching the Peacock is always a painful experience. His claws always managed to give me nasty scratches on my arms and face.

Tass from an early age use to chase the Peacock with Cass. It was probably being chased that made him stay away longer when he went on his travels. Last November he was coming back to the Farm most days. As soon as I saw him I would throw a handful of Bird seed on the ground. Most nights he is either in the tree by the Farm House, or in the Barn, roosting on the barns beams or gates. It is the weather or food that’s keeping him here. I should think that as soon as the weather breaks, he will be on his travels again. Unless I find him a Hen.

I have got the posts and all that is needed to start the Squirrel obstacle course. What I haven’t got at the moment is the time. I will try.

Categories
webcams

There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

Frenchman called Christian Moullec who trained Geese to follow his microlite in order to fly South for the winter. Julia.

This is my big lump of a cat Smudge laid on my son’s knee. She loves him to bits.
Lynne.

Olden day Horse Drawn Bus advertising Morrisons. Morrisons started up their first shop in Bradford.
Shire horse displaying how they move the tree trunks in the forest. Elsie.

Evening Mr Farmer, Hope you are not too wet on the farm today, I attach (hopefully) a picture from last summer of a Hummingbird Hawk moth, it was fascinating watch it at the time, it was the first time I had ever seen one. Jan.

The area that you may have seen Lady and Willow in is the area we made for Gypsy and Willow when willow is weaned. It is about 35 feet long by fifteen feet wide, a good area for two youngsters to be together in. It is always best to let youngsters be together in the same enclosure. It teaches them to accept other Horses in confined areas, as well as sharing feed. A lot of Horses can be real mean a feeding times with both humans and other Horses. Youngsters being together learn that there is no risk to their feed from other Horses.

We have had to put Lady and Willow in the area for Gypsy and Willow as the fields are very wet, and are being poached. Other than Smuggler and Sonny all of the Horses are stabled or exercising in the corral in front of one of the stable blocks. It has meant moving Horses about during the day so that they all get time to exercise. By the middle of next week the stable that we are enlarging and the corral in front will be finished. All of the Horses will then be able to choose if they go into the stable or stay out. This is the first year that we have let them be free range in the corral in front of the stables. Even in the rain they choose to be outside. We are not complaining as the stables are easier to muck out.

I like you, enjoyed Lynne’s Squiggle story. It must have made me remember about a Jackdaw that my Cousin Desmond raised, for I woke up this morning with it on my mind. I don’t know how Desmond got the Jackdaw. Being a bit of a scaly, he could well had raided the nest that it came from. I was a school boy at the time and would visit Desmond’s Family in a small village not far from Didcot in Berkshire in the school summer holidays. Although I lived in the countryside at a very young age, my visits to my relations in Berkshire were my earliest memories of the freedom of the countryside. With living in London they were wonderful times. I should think that my memories of the visits stayed with me, and were the reason for me wanting to live in the countryside.

Desmond’s Jackdaw was meant to be kept outside in a ram shackled aviary that he had made, but he always left the aviary door open allowing the Jackdaw to get into the house. Many a morning we would be woken by the Jackdaw sitting at the end of our bed. Would Aunt Flo would let Desmond know what for. Nothing shiny could be left out in the house, for as soon as the Jackdaw caught a glance of it, it was gone, never to be seen again.

Where ever we went on our adventures, the Jackdaw would be on Desmond shoulder or flying above us. I went to a different type of school than my Cousins in Berkshire, that meant that I was still on holiday when they returned to school. The Jackdaw would always fly to school with Desmond, disappearing until home time, when he would be found waiting on the school gate to accompany Desmond home. Lynne’s story has helped to bring back very happy memories.

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Tonight Diary is Lynne s story of Squiggle the Squirrel…

Tonight Diary is Lynne’s story of Squiggle the Squirrel that she raised. The first four photographs on the Photo page are of Squiggle.

Squiggle as I called him was not the first squirrel I had raised. The first lot of 5 came out of my neighbour

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

I am sorry there will not be a Diary tonight as we have only just finished work on altering the stables.

Baby blue tits in my garden last summer
Just sent these for you Mr Farmer the two carriages were at the Rydale folk museum in north Yorkshire we went there last year it was very interesting, Lynne.

This was taken at Lotherton Hall nr Leeds. They have a large number of different species of birds. This is St Mary’s Island Whitley Bay where we go with the caravan. Lovely spot and you get lots of laughs watching people running across the causeway before the tide comes in, Elsie.

One of the Wolves I met at the Bath and West Show – last night I said it was on a heavy chain – you can see that it’s no more than a strong choke chain!! I realised later that it seemed as though I was visiting “chained-up” wolves from what I had written!!! Julia

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number 0ne.

We got up at 5.30am on holiday in Pembrokeshire last September and got some fantastic shots of the sunrise over the cliffs.
Baby blue tits in my garden last summer, Lynne.

Picture of our pond with what the Hawk thought was his dinner, our Koi fish. Karen, Florida (USA)

Hello Mr. Farmer, A pair of Alpacas looking almost like Dr. Doolittle’s Push Me Pull You! at the Bath and West Show 2006, Julia.

This one the other cows holding up the traffic. Elsie

I thought that after seeing Lynne and Davids pet Squirrel, there must be a story. They have kindly said that they would tell us about it. As soon as I receive it I will put it on the Diary Page.

I put the Dove nest webcam on for a change this morning. It doesn’t take long to find a Dove nest with the amount of Doves that we have on the Farm. The nest is in the stable that Breeze is normally stabled in until we move her over to Lady’s Block. Doves tend to use the same nests time after time. I have shown the nest that was on this morning a number of times before. Seeing a Blackbird this morning made me put the Dove nest on. I had seen for couple of days a Blackbird going in and out of the stable block, as if it was taking food to a nest. I don’t think that I am wrong, but I was unable to find the nest. If I get time I will look again tomorrow.

We are moving Breeze back to her usual stable tomorrow, as we are going to start to make the stable that she is in a lot bigger for the Broodmares, once that they have Foaled. We think that Emmi could do with an older Horse as company as well as Gypsy. We don’t think that Emmi has been very happy since she arrived here. She is not eating her feed as she should be. We are hoping that moving Breeze close to her will buck her up. When we turn Emmi out into the field with Arnie, she seems a lot more relaxed. It would be better if we could put Emmi out with all of the Horses, but for sure if we did there would be a kicking session, Emmi would be the loser.

There is a good chance that we are stopping Willow nursing from Lady. After the Vaseline and Cayenne Pepper concoction not working, we have tried another recipe, that seems to be working. As I am writing the Diary, I have been watching Willow attempt to take a feed off of Lady, but she gave up very quickly. With a bit of luck we may have stopped her. I will now leave Willow with Lady for a while longer, without Willow getting milk from Lady she will be a lot easier to wean.

I don’t know what has happened to the Ewe who is due to Lamb. Her udder looks as it will burst. I will check her over tomorrow. There is nothing to worry about. She is an older Ewe, so her udder will be quite large through previous Lambing.

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The are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

The are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven.

(as promised) a black swallowtail butterfly that I raised. Karen, Florida (USA)

A couple more of the little squirrel. One when he was quite small and the other when he was all grown up ! Lynne.

Hi this is a photo of a cheeky Blue tit taken in my garden. Vicky, Derby.

I took this photo today 11/01/08.Rose W’canton

Vicky, Derby.’t now what happened to the rain we were promised today. Lots of rain and wind were forecast. It was very windy this morning, but very little rain. It started to rain a little when we walked down the valley this afternoon with Tass and Kye. It is still a little windy, but nothing much to worry about.

Kye is starting to try her luck with Tass. She thinks that she can be boss. If we allowed it she would soon take over. Tass is a quite Dog and wouldn’t do a lot to stop it. On our walk this afternoon Kye was being very rough with the playing, not so playing, more like fighting, with a lot of growling and holding Tass around her neck with her jaws. Kye needs to know the pecking order. German Shepherds are very clever Dogs and will quickly learn what is to their advantage.

There are a couple of rooms at the back of the Farm House that we very rarely use. They have been used to store furniture and other degraded household item. When we came to Denbury the entrance to the rooms had been blocked up, the only way into them was by an outside door, at the back of the house. We were told by the previous occupants that during the war the rooms had been used by American Service Men. On a number of occasion after the war they returned to the Farm to visit.

We decided over Christmas that we would get the rooms tidied up to be able to start using them again. Last week we started. As we started sorting through the items in the rooms, we came across mountains of hazel nuts shells and a couple of what must have been Squirrel Drays made of twigs and leaves. The room must have been used by the Squirrels for quite a while. They must have come in through gaps that are under the door and down the chimney.