29th Jan 2010
This week has seen the start of the real New Year. Some nice crisp sunny days with blue skies and bright sunshine. The snowdrops are in flower down the driveway and around the cottages. My first sign that Spring is on its way. Next it will be the hundreds of minature daffodils and then the bluebells.
Whilst out walking the other morning with Holly the Yorkie and Barney the Great Dane, a deer jumped over the hedge and into the lane. just down our driveway. Fortunately, Barney was too dozy to notice them and was relatively quiet. Holly had her nose in the long grass. Then came a couple more deer and another, in all, there was 5 deer. The most I have seen together in 1 group. They had a look around, saw us, sprung over the hedge across the road and sprinted off across the fields. A nice start to the morning.
Deer frequently visit the gardens of the cottages. Mainly sticking close by the fences ready to hop into the woods for a quick escape. Early risers looking out the windows can have a nice surprise watching the deer feed close to the cottages. On one occasion even eating the new shoots on my climbing roses! At dusk they are braver, walking across the brow of the 7 acre field.
Since we left the fields to go fallow a few years ago, we get a greater variety of wildlife now. Hares are common in the field, but always giving a satisfied feeling when we see them. Rabbits running away off the gardens in the headlights of the car happens every evening. The feeding tables around the gardens bring a wide variety of birds. It gets like Heathrow airport with so many waiting in the surrounding bushes and branches for their turn. All sizes and versions of blue tits, flocks of long tails,like little golf balls with a long tail stuck on. Nuthatches, gold finches and this year a big colorful bullfinch has been a regular visitor. All these little birds have competition for the food. The pheasants and our free ranging chickens, plus the squirrels have decided the feeding tables are a convenient self service canteen. Also, the sparrow hawk is still using the table in front of my kitchen window as a 'fly in' take away. Even sitting waiting on the rail under my porch for a suitable meal to come along. So if anyone has any ideas as to how I discourage this bird from terrorising my bird table, I would be grateful.
I have previously said that truly free ranging chickens such as ours do not lay eggs once the weather has turned cold, usually the end of September, thats it then until it warms up again. Well, for the first time in the many years that we have had pet chickens, we have continued to get eggs! Not as many as during the summer, but some of them are still laying. White, dark and pale brown eggs. Some in the hen hut, some in our garage. All of them a lovely yellow yolk, quite delicious and appreciated by our guests. Beth our middle daughter has not been amused by one of the antics of 3 of the chickens. They have been roosting in the rafters of the garage, which has resulted in some pretty sizeable decorations on the truck that she uses to drive to college. I don't think chicken poo is a very cool thing to display!!!
Our 5 bottle fed lambs from last year are still enjoying life. They have sole use of the 5 acre field. Still very tame and come running when they see us, particularly if Terry is carrying a bucket of feed. When the snow was covering the field they got lots of attention and extra food and hay. This morning a couple of them had stood up on their back legs and were nibbling the new shoots on the new hedge, which is obviously not going to grow very well if they keep on doing that! In the coming weeks no doubt we shall be getting a few more baby lambs that need an extra bit of help.
3rd Feb
The past few days have seen frosty mornings but this morning was the coldest at minus 3. The sun was shining this morning and it was good to get out for a walk. Some of the lanes are a bit slippery and as I do not want any broken limbs, it means being extra careful. I am looking out for a nice woolly jumper type coat for Holly, although she loves going out walking, I think she could do with a coat. When it rains she has 2 pink raincoats which she hates. When I get them out of the drawer, she hides under the chair! I think she finds it humiliating to wear, her expression is one of dismay. Yesterday she was outside when the squirrel came to raid the bird table. This time she ran after it and caught it by the tail! Fortunately it managed to escape. I don't like to think of the outcome of a fight between a squirrel and a tiny yorkshire terrier. The deer have been seen in the lane and fields a few times the last couple of nights. A nice surprise but also a bit of a shock when they jump out in front of the car. A jumping Pheasant has broken the wing mirror on the car. Terry said it was a good thing I was with him in the car when it happened as he doubted I would have believed him telling me that!
The sparrow hawk has been shadowing my bird table again this lunchtime.
Saturday 13th Feb.
The past few days have been hectic getting the cottages ready for this weeks arrivals. We are completely full and thankfully, the sun is shining and its a lovely crisp morning.Fingers crossed it will be like this all week. Terry and I took Holly out for a short walk up to Slean End first thing, having already taken an early phone call from Australia! Hello Andrew! if you are reading this and look forward to meeting you in May! Our freezer is overflowing with lamb at the moment - no prizes for guessing where that has come from. However, we actually eat very little lamb and it will get given to members of the family who were never actually involved quite so personally with its origin! Callie is well pleased with herself this morning, having called us upstairs to 'come and see' she had taken all the toys, books and everything else that she could find out of her cupboards, and put them all on the bed and floor. I think she is trying to copy her big sisters bedroom!
The heron has been hanging about this week. Its a spooky looking bird just stood in the middle of the field. I don't think it has managed to eat all the fish from our pond, but it has certainly spent a few years trying. The sparrow hawk has got cheekier. It was sat on my bedroom window sill just above the bird table yesterday.
Sunday 28th February
This week has seen a real mix of weather. Snow showers,a grey rainy day and lovely bright sunny mild days, ideal for walking. I have noticed a few 'spring' things this week. Our garden areas have acquired quite a few mole hills and so have the surrounding fields. On one of the fences is a mole catchers 'gibbett'. A bit of an odd thing the first time you see one. Its where the catcher hangs up the moles he catches, partly as proof to the person paying him that he has caught some, but also its supposed to scare away any remaining moles!
On the walk to Scorton, along Higher Lane, the old hedge is being 'layed'. This is an old traditional way of thickening up the spindly hedges and is done at this time of year before the birds start nesting so as not to disturb the birds. Its quite a laborious job but the result extends the life span of the hedges, many of which can be over a hundred years old.
As I walked down the drive yesterday with Holly, 2 herons took flight. They really are creepy looking birds. There is a heronry down the lanes about 3 miles away and the area is actually called Heron Wood. There was also a flock of Canada Geese in the field next to the wood on friday.
The hens are still laying eggs so there should be plenty for the children to collect at Easter.
Tuesday 2nd March
Managed to escape for a walk early this sunny frosty morning. Walking past the cottages it was a pleasant surprise to see 3 deer in the garden of the Old Stables. Its really quite amazing that they come so near to the house. I remember looking out of the bedroom window one morning to see one eating the new shoots from the climbing rose on the porch. On those occasions I am torn by delight at seeing the deer, but also dismay that they are eating my plants. The mole has also been active, a further 12 hills are now in the garden. Walking along the river up to Nicky Nook was another couple of deer in the bracken on the hill, just standing watching. Then Barney who is quite incapable of seeing any wildlife and keeping quiet, barked enthusiastically at them and they shot off up the hill. Coming back there was a lone deer on the other side of the river. You really have to look as they just blend into the background, sometimes its only as they are turned away from you that you actually notice their white bottoms that you realise that they are around. So a productive walk, spotted 6 deer in a hour!
Yesterday saw the welcome return of a flock of goldfinches. They were busy in the hedge on the driveway. Occasionally, they will come up to the bird tables for the sunflower seeds for easy pickings, but they prefer to rummage about the thistle and lavender seed heads around the gardens.
Easter Sunday
Although I have neglected this section for a couple of weeks I have not been idle!
We have built some new walls in the gardens of Pheasant, Partridge and Stables. The weight of the snow over Christmas and New Year destroyed the trellis that was supporting all the rambling roses and clematis. The trellis is now supported by the walls, which is great as the gardens look fantastic once all the flowers and lavender are in bloom.
I have started planting the new flower beds but the challenge is to find plants that do not get eaten by the chickens, rabbits and deer. The chickens have been known to eat every single flower head off a new lot of pansies and primulas that I planted only the day before.
Terrys vegetable plot is coming along, although it has ended up much bigger than originally thought. It is also protected by 2 lots of fencing, chicken wire and sheep netting, but we will have to see how successful that is at keeping out the birds and other scavengers out. We have had huge bags of topsoil delivered to ensure a good base for successful crops. Judging by the size of these beds though, I think we will be dishing out vegetables to any guests who will take them!!!
Friday 16th April
Thankfully, the weather has remained good. Blue skies, sunshine and actually quite warm. The trees are all coming into leaf. The lawns got their grass cut for the first time yesterday and I actually saw the first bluebell whilst out walking the other morning.
The rabbits found a way into the new vegetable plot so Terry has turned into Mr Mcgregor ( from Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit) and declared war! As the rabbits have free run over our 12 acres, the fields and gardens, helping themselves to many of the plants that I have bought and planted the past few weeks, the feeling is that the vegetable plot is just one area too far!
Thursday 22nd April
Have just come back from taking Holly a walk. The morning is lovely. The sun is shining and it is actually quite warm today. We and the Easter guests, have really enjoyed the good weather over the past few weeks.
I saw the first of the bluebells in the woods this morning. Thats something else to look forward to seeing in the next few weeks. There's not a lot that can beat the sight of carpets of bluebells in the woods surrounding us. Also saw the first wild squirrel that I have seen this year, maybe its the warm weather bringing everything out at last.
Terry suspects it is mice that are eating his strawberry plants. As there is sheep netting and chicken wire protecting these precious vegetable plants, I cannot see what solution there is to keeping mice out - although the girls have suggested we get a couple of kittens!
The gardens are looking good. The lawns are all cut and we are on with new planting in the borders. Its looks like the heavy snowfall failed to kill off the climbing roses and clematis in the cottage gardens - thankfully. They are well established now and just look beautiful when in full flower.
May 17th
The surrounding woods are now carpeted in bluebells. A nice sight to see when out walking with the dogs this morning.
The weather continues to be fine and sunny for most parts of the day which means that we can start work on things we want to improve in the gardens. The rabbits, deer and chickens are nibbling away at the new shrubs that I put in the raised planters in front of Mole End and Woodpecker cottages. I will have to find something that they don't like to eat.
Some new fencing has gone up around Mole End and Woodpecker.I thought it would be a good idea to make enclosed gardens for anyone that has young children. Although we are quite away from the lane (which is quiet anyway).
An additional parking space has been created for our largest cottage Woodpecker. It happens sometimes that almost every guest in that cottage seems to turn up with a car. Hopefully the addition of 3 extra spaces will suffice!
After the disaster in raising the lambs this year where we lost all of them due to a fungal infection from some haylage, we have about a dozen baby chicks. Two of the bantams went broody and have been sat in the cabin for the past few weeks on some eggs. Yesterday they started to hatch, cute little black and yellow things. Hopefully the majority of them will survive and not become lunch for all the wildlife that we have around. At this moment in time, one of them is wrapped up and in a box in the simmering oven of my Aga!. The mother chicken abandonded it whilst it was still wet through just out of the egg. Its cheeping away at the moment so hopefully it will get strong enough to get put back in the cabin with the others.
