Winter Solstice has passed!

The Winter Solstice has been and gone - deep joy, the daylight will start to lengthen again shortly!  These photos were all taken at 3.00pm feed time so you can see how dark it becomes.  Add to this a bit of cloud cover or shower of rain and it just adds to the gloom. It's been a stormy old week here, not helped by the fact that 'himself' has been under the weather too with 'man-flu.'  But Gaucho is doing his best to give everyone a nice Christmassy smile and cheer everyone up!

Rufus front with Fyta behind.  Rufus is not keen on gales or strong winds.  Most of the boys put their backsides to the wind and when they get pushed by the wind Rufus often jumps in the air and kicks out as if someone/something has touched him unexpectedly.  He turns around and there is nobody there and I swear, looks puzzled! Silly boy.

Just as feed time finishes a heavy shower of rain and sleet descends, sending the boys scurrying en-masse to the nearby shelters.

Looks like an 'Away in a Manger' moment with Faro (left), Fyta and Fergus! The 'red-eye' effect from the camera at least shows where Faro is in the dark.

The boys get organised to get out of the sleet and make themselves comfortable for the night.  Spot 'red-eye' Faro in this shot.  Extreme right - scary eh?

And finally............we have two of the non-prickly variety of Hollies in the garden and the one on the left is a variegated type.  Around end of Nov/early Dec they are covered in berries but by the time we would like a few for decorations the Blackbirds have made sure that they have gorged the lot!  Ah well, their needs are greater than ours, for sure.  I feel a Christmas jigsaw coming on now, better clear the table!  Robbie and I and all the boys wish all our blog readers a very happy and peaceful Christmas.