Oh yes. Rose and goats milk. She was at Alston Show and spent a princely £2.00 on a bar of Mrs Scrub’s finest.
At one point it did look as though we had made a £10 donation to the show funds, as although we got a lot of sniffs, no purchases, but I guess that at the end we had broken even. I had a new range of organic soaps which didn’t sell, but probably the wrong venue.
High point – cow escaping and trampling a farmer, disappearing through the caravan site and found happily munching on grass by the river later. And watching farmers drinking Pims as for some bizarre reason the beer tent was a Pims tent.
Low point – Bob who was supposed to be looking cute and attracting customers, rubbed himself in cow pats in the first two minutes and added an unwanted niff to the stall (particular as we had a sign proudly announcing us as the smelly stall). And Ian saying loudly that once you have seen one sheep you have seen them all.
Well sadly Rosie our girl lamb died. Don’t know why or when, One Horn her mother was bleating on Thursday night and I guess she had lost her then. Ian found her on Saturday. Of course it is sad, but of course our only girl made it worse. She was 2 and a half months old – the same age as the others were when they died so perhaps it is a danger time for them. We will note this for other years. One Horn was a very good mum and also had very definate views of the sheep/human relationship (very very distant and generally any form of contact under supreme sufferance) and as such would take Rosey off and we didn’t see much of them. With the others we would notice if we didn’t see them for a day or so.
Black Knees and Freckles have had fly strike. Black Knees the worst. We noticed her acting ‘strange’ on Friday, gave her anti biotics and wormer Saturday and then spotted the maggots today. We clipped her and treater her. truely disgusting. We also clipped Freckles but she was no where near as bad. Hopefully they will be OK.
The warm damp weather isn’t helping. We noticed that one of Debbies sheep had a big patch on her back (which had been treated).
Talking of warm weather, it has been very warm – most summer like. Mike (farmer) finally got his straw in and baled yesterday. I remember last year watching him when he was harvesting when Susan and Helen were here and this was the end of July so he was 5 weeks later this year.
We let the little chicks from the stable out side and they are bonding with the others. The small quail and the guinea fowl have died. They both appear to have been trampled. I have a horrible feeling that a hopping duck may have done the damage as the ducks are getting quite good at hopping around (but not if you are a little quail I guess). The ducks are getting better and they will go back outside soon.
Today petal got her long overdue trim. She looks quite the lady (even if I say so myself as the trimmer) and not quite like Gnasher as she has been looking. It did take three doggy sleeping tablets however.
Ian has been attention seeking again. Today it was electicution. Whilst most people would quietly switch off the electric and get on with what they are doing, Ian wanted to make a point by electricuting himself – just in case I had not appreciated what he was doing. I’d like to say that it made his hair stand on end, however that would be a/ cliched and b/ how would anyone know!
Anyway, human fireworks aside, we now have light in the dining room. Ian is in there now switiching it on and off. And on and off. And on and off. Well, it keeps him happy.
One new chick today. Think that will be the last. A rough percentage would put Simon as the father of 80%, Kevin 20% and Mr Silkie – 0.