11 November 2024

Stormy Saturday

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As much as I love October for its colour, very often it is quite dull and grey. One of these Saturdays I took Jess and the quad out to the fields to have a look at what was going on. Our first stop was with the ewe lambs - there's one this year that is unusually friendly with us. She always comes running as soon as she hears the quad coming. The rest of the lambs come over too because they associate the quad with their breakfast, but this one runs over and I have to be very careful not to run her over. Dogs don't deter her, either (here's the video evidence).

The "normal" lambs were curious on this day, but of course the one I was looking for was being shy when I had a camera with me.

 

 

After a few minutes, she eventually showed herself. A curious character, she's not a pet or anything. I do suspect that she's one of Margot's twins, although I cannot be certain.

 

Portrait of a cheeky lamb taken, we drove on. Dad was spreading dung in Middle Hill, but we had somewhere else to be for now...

The tips were in the Potato Field, waiting to be introduced to the ladies. We had a few new additions - this one just goes by "The Sufftex".

But this Sufftex lamb is called Sooty.

As always boys will be boys and there is some pushing around.

Dale seems to be the loser of the flock.

Two Sufftexes and a Suffolk. (A Sufftex is a cross between a Suffolk and a Texel sheep.)

The tips then ran away from me, so I returned to Middle Hill to get some photos of Dad at work.

 

Jess did not like sitting on the windy hill while I took my photos.

Getting another stinky load on.

Spreading the dung on the field.

Jess was a little bit happier here because we were going back to the yard!

7 November 2024

Castle Ward

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In early October, already excited for autumn, Poppy and I visited Castle Ward. It had been 11 years since I was there.

 
Even though it was early October, the garden was blooming.

We walked along a path to reach the main house.

 
It has a lovely view.

Poppy wasn't allowed inside, but she could pose outside.

We were given a map when we arrived, but we just sort of wandered around in the approximate direction that we wanted to go.

Stopping for pictures along the way, of course!

Here we stopped as two robins were having a massive fight in front of us - they're in this photo, just very hard to spot.

More posing.

 

We reached the shore of the lough.

Walking along the lough, we eventually reached the farmyard.

I was reasonably sure that dogs weren't allowed here either, so I just poked my head in.

I always remember this shed from previous visits - I do love vintage machinery, especially horse-drawn things. This cart has been here for many years.

I could spend many hours here, just enjoying the "old timey-ness" of the place.

An overgrown window.

The barn.

Walking back the way we had come.

The laundry.

The tack room.

October always gets me excited for changing leaves. These were fantastic.

It was a perfect day.

One last shot of the house as we drove away.

 
I mustn't leave it 11 years before I'm back again.