Early ablutions

Fyta loves water, as did his mum,  Ardo Pie.  Here he is getting ready for the morning ablution.  The boys have just over a week to wait before James arrives to shear them.  Fortunately the weather hasn't been excessively hot this year, the sun only very hot on occasional days and often cooled by wind or clouds.  The boys are grateful for this but it will still be a relief for them with their coats off.

It looks slightly undignified, but he knows what he is doing.

Almost there now.

Thats it - now for a soak!

Gully is not over keen on water and he doesn't get in the water tray at all.  Here he is with his pal Gaucho behind in the shelter.

The veg garden continues to work it's wonders.  This photo was taken early this morning with the mist just beginning to clear in the background.  The peas, runner beans and broad beans in the middle plots are doing well with the tatties behind them also growing.  The brassica (cabbage, cauliflowers etc) are growing slowly as are the two plots of swedes which are for the boys during the coming winter.  The poly tunnel is producing lovely early tatties and baby carrots from thinning will start this week.  The wee plants have had to put up with some horrendous weather since they were planted, but once they get going, they soon catch up.

And finally.......the fact that we are going through peanuts by the sackful just now is down to this little fellow and his pals!  We have families of Blue Tits like this, totally unfazed by humans at this early stage in their lives plus Sparrows, Siskins, Green Finches and Woodpeckers devouring the nuts as if they are going out of business!  We also have a red squirrel who loves peanuts but he's harder to photograph with our modest camera as he's shy and keeps his distance.  If the RSPB wonder where all the Sparrows have gone from the south, they're here in our hedge!