Mucky boys and wasps.

We note from the various UK blogs that rain has featured widely during the past week.    We have had our fair share but I don't think as much as some parts have had.  We are always interested to discovered what the boys will do during rain - they always run to the shelters during heavy rain and often take cover when it is just wet and miserable.  Then during wet weather when we think they will be inside, they are grazing happily, absolutely soaked and dripping.  Perhaps this is to allow the rain to wash their coats occasionally, who knows?  One thing which invariably happens when they are wet though is that they will go and have a good roll in the shelter dust or a muddy patch.  I decided to take some photos of the 'mucky pups' and was met at the gate by Fergus, above who was pretty certain that the camera was carrot flavoured and would be worth eating!  Fergus's motto is, "If it looks interesting and doesn't run away  - it can be eaten!"

Muddy Fyta

Muddier Fidget - who is doing his own interpretation of 'Stomp' - or is it 'Riverdance?!'

Faro has been rolling in the dusty shelter

As has Rufus

Wee Eck just wants to show off his dentistry again - but he's also been rolling in the dust.

And finally...........it's been a 'waspish' sort of week.  We usually have 'wasp events' in the summer but it is normally Robbie who discovers their nests - just before being stung!   Earlier this week however I could feel something crawling up my leg under my trousers, between knee and thigh.  I hit it, obviously not hard enough because I then felt the sting and was surprised to see a wasp dropping onto the ground from under my trouser leg.  The wasp was immediately jumped upon as my leg started to swell beautifully.  It took a couple of days for the swelling and the heat to subside from the sting area.  Now we have discovered 3 different wasps nests in the ground around our land, all have been scrapped away, the nests destroyed although the wasps are still trying to rebuild them.   What could this be?  At first Robbie felt it might be a very big adventurous rabbit but I was not convinced and checked the internet - and there was the proof - a badger!  We do have a number of badgers in this area and apparently the animal is well known to seek out wasps nests, and destroy them as they feed on the larvae and young wasps.  Wow!  The photo above shows the remains of one nest (under a gooseberry bush!) and still with some irate wasps flying around.