'Dunbarrowing?'

We've had a week of really good weather, frosty at nights but sunny and warm during the days.  It's unusual to be able to do lots of work around the garden at this time of year, but thats what we've been doing.  We also penned the boys, haltered them and gave them a check over.  We cut Fidget's and Gully's nails and they were both well behaved.  Wee Eck has some small spots appearing near this mouth so I've applied 'Ruggle-it' with a base cream - that should give his food a peculiar taste for a day or two!

A nice head shot of Fyta with Wee Eck in the background.

Having cleaned up the veg plots, Robbie has been barrowing dung from  the composting area up to the garden.  This excellent dung is over a year old and looks a bit like the peat bank we had when we lived up in Caithness some years ago. 

The barrow - described by Robbie as one of man's better inventions - loaded and ready to go!   Twenty loads yesterday with even more to go today.  He is threatening to save up his pennies from his old age pension starting next year and buy a quad bike with an attached trailer, which should 'help the aged' with this job.  It will either be a very small quad or the Chancellor will have to do something about the state pension though!

We also had a visit from friends Ann and Duncan, who are visiting in the area for a few days.   Ann is giving Fergus some carrot with Fidget, Wee Eck and Faro waiting patiently.

And finally.........we have lots of Blackbirds around the garden but one came to grief a few days ago when it was targetted by a Sparrow-hawk who frequently patrols the area and suddenly appears and disappears in an instant.  This time he obviously found what he was looking for and this scattering of feathers was all that remained of the Blackie.  That's nature I suppose.