the accidental smallholder :: diary archives

Project Clackmannanshire

Since it's coming into winter, I thought I might spend some time telling you all about Clackmannanshire.

If you've read the "About us" bit on the site, you'll know we live in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. Now, I was born and brought up here so I know where it is but it never fails to surprise me when other people don't know where Clackmannanshire is. I don't really know why I'm surprised, but I am.

If anyone had told me when I was eighteen and off to see the world (well, the pubs of Edinburgh) that I would come back here to live, I'd have thought they were mad. But I love it; it's my home. Dan jokes that I get nosebleeds if I have to leave the county, which isn't entirely true, but I'm always happier when I can see the Ochils.

So, over the winter, I thought I would post a few entries about the area in which we live. It will also give me a reason to brush up my knowledge of local history, which I've always wanted to do but have never made time for.

Maybe you'll even want to come visit!

Smokey's new clothes 2

Well, Smokey got to try on his new harness tonight.

First, he had to have a wash because he was absolutely filthy and I didn't want the harness to get mucky in case it had to go back. I didn't shampoo him, just rinsed him off.

He was very patient while I worked out which bit went where and attached to which other bit. I think the front parts - the breast collar and saddle are fine but the back bit - the crupper and breeching seem a bit big, although the breeching might be better when it has shafts in it. I didn't use the new bridle with the blinkers because I'd like him to be comfortable with the basics without blinkers.

Once I got him harnessed, I played some games with him so I knew he was physically and emotionally comfortable in the harness. A friend who keeps a horse at the yard helped me to attach a rope to a tyre, then attach the rope through the traces. This meant that Smokey could pull the tyre, but if he got upset we could let him move far enough away from the tyre until he was comfortable.

We set off round the arena - no problem. John then put his weight on the tyre so that Smokey had to put a bit more effort into pulling. Smokey seemed a bit puzzled at first but he did this beautifully, leaning into the collar.

We then set off up the road, dragging the tyre. This went fine until a horse in a field adjoining the road freaked at the tyre - Smokey then freaked a bit at the horse, but no harm was done and we went quietly up the road again then turned for home.

I am very happy with how he went tonight. We'll do more of this over the next few weeks, changing the load to give him more experience, and going further. Someone suggested that I get roller blades, but I think I'll pass on that.

If we're VERY good, Santa might find a wee exercise cart in the back of his shed for us!!

If I can get some photos at the weekend, you'll be able to see him "at work".

Smokey's new clothes

Smokey's new harness arrived today. Our living room looks like a "house of bondage". I think I know what's what and how it goes together, but we'll find out on Wednesday. I'm a wee bit worried that it might be too big, but Smokey's working hard to fill it. I can't believe how much grass there is - all the horses are pooing pure grass - it's like springtime!!

Anyway, so he doesn't outgrow his new clothes, I've looked out his grazing muzzle. I bought it ages ago and have never used it. We'll see how it goes.

I can't wait to try the harness. It's synthetic so can go in the washing machine when it gets dirty - by the colour of Smokey, that will be about two minutes after I put it on. You wouldn't think that he'd been clean this time last week.

I'll try and get some photos of him in his new clothes, so you can ll gasp in astonishment and awe.

Announcing revish

My distinct lack of posts recently is down to several factors, one being the new website I'm working on in my spare time. Fortunately R has been exemplary in her posting record, and I know she's got some good posts planned for the coming weeks, so you're in safe hands.

Anyway, this head-above-the-parapet post has nothing to do with smallholding, and everything to do with shameless self-promotion, for which I apologise. The site I'm working on is called revish, and will be a new book review site. Yeah I know, so what, book review websites are a dime to the dozen. But I'm hoping this one's going to be a bit different, and I'm genuinely excited about it.

If you like reading, or you're an author or a publisher, please take a minute to register your interest in the site at www.revish.com. You'll get a few emails between now and the site's launch (sometime in early 2007) telling you what's happening, and will have the opportunity to sign up for beta testing if you're really keen.

End of intermission, normal service will be resumed shortly.

Copper's home

Thanks to those who sent us their support. It must have worked because Copper came home tonight, back, apparently, to normal! I can't tell you how relieved and delighted we are.

It is true that her kidneys are failing but she seems to have had an infection that made her poorly, so she has antibiotics plus medication and special food to help her kidneys function better. She goes back to the vet next week for a check-up and more blood tests.

The dogs seemed really pleased to see her - Meg was nearly in the cat box with her and Tess has been following her around all evening, which gives Felix, the usual recipient of Tess's attentions, a break. Cass, in his usual style, "welcomed" her home by trapping her in a corner and holding her there with a hard stare.

I suppose at her age we're on borrowed time, so we'll just make sure her quality of life is as good as it can be for as long as possible.

Sparkly Smokey

Now, I'm not one who baths her horse regularly. In fact, I don't bath Smokey much at all, which is why he's probably the dirtiest horse on the yard. That and his sweet itch, which makes him roll - I think the mud must be soothing. I also don't bath him because he winters out without a rug, so he needs the oil in his coat for protection. I DO wash his mane and tail with a soothing insecticidal shampoo during the summer, again for the sweet itch.

However, it was a really nice day today; sunny, warm with a wee breeze and I decided it was time for Smokey's annual bath. He was really mucky and it seemed like a jolly good idea. I think he enjoyed it - he had a good scrub with shampoo and a rubber curry comb, which really worked out the dirt, then a rinse with the hose, a scrape down with the sweat scraper and a rub with a towel. He held his feet up to get his feathers done, then got his mane and tail done with conditioner. All finished, he got his fleece on and we went for a walk up the road to dry him off.

When Dan came home from work, we shot up to the stables to get some photos of Smokey while he was still clean. By tomorrow, he'll be back to normal, so I wanted a pictorial record of him "sparkly".

Dan will put some further photos in the Gallery in due course.

Carriage driving

Dan and I were down in the Lake District this weekend. While there, we took the opportunity to watch some horse driving trials at Holker Hall, near Cartmel, organised by the Scottish Carriage Driving Association. I've had a hankering to learn to drive and teach Smokey to drive and am now sort of progressing that, so I thought it would be good to see some folk in action.

Horse driving trials have three phases - like eventing. There's dressage, cones (the equivalent of show-jumping) and the marathon (the equivalent of the cross country phase). We watched the dressage and the cones on Saturday, but didn't have time to go on the Sunday.

Most of the entries were ponies. Naturally, I was looking out for any Highland ponies. I thought I spotted one! Dan said "it's a bl**dy big Highland. Look at the size of it compared to the height of the whip". According to one of the other spectators, it was a Highland cross Clydesdale. IMHO, it was a wonderful looking horse, full of presence.

Anyway, hope you like the photographs.

Tempting fate - Copper

Only a few days ago, I posted a diary entry saying how great Copper was doing for an 18 year old cat. I must have tempted fate.

Dan and I were away for the weekend and when we returned on Sunday afternoon, it was clear all was not well. Copper was endlessly drinking and weeing on the floor. She was fine on Saturday. I took her to the veterinary hospital immediately and she's still in.

It looks like her kidneys are failing. At the moment, the vets are still carrying out tests and trying to stabilise her. She's on a drip and not in pain - in fact, when I phoned to night for an update, the nurse said she was quite chirpy and displaying some "attitude"!

However, we don't expect the prognosis to be good,certainly not in the long term. It's almost twelve months exactly since we lost Homer to kidney failure.

So we're feeling a little sad...

Copper

Copper, our tortoiseshell cat, has just been for her annual check to the vet. At eighteen, she's quite an old lady now but is good value. In fact, she's probably healthier that either Cassius or Felix.

We changed their diet a few months ago - they now get one tin of Whiskas between the three of them each day plus Hill's Science plan Senior Lite dried food. The good news is that Copper has lost 1.2kg since her check-up last year. When I took her last year, she was 6.95kg - I pointed out to the vet that she WAS a big cat to whcih he laughed and said she was a 5kg cat with add-ons. However, he felt, as I did, that dieting her at 17 was not the right thing to do. So it's good news that she's shed a bit of weight over the year.

And as a result, she's had a new lease of life. She's much more active, goes out most days for a wander, follows us around and has become much more sociable. This time last year, I thought she might not see the winter through - she didn't leave the guest room, slept all the time and seemed really lethargic.

I wonder now if she was missing Homer, who died last October. Although they hadn't been together long (two years), they did spend a lot of time in close proximity. Who knows, but she seems much better now.

She has no symptoms of thyroid or diabetes, her eyes are fine although the pupils seems quite dilated a lot of the time and her coat is really glossy (daily brushing helps, I suppose). She's a wee bit stiff so needs lifted on to the bed and so on - she does ask very politely!

I hope we have her for many years yet - she's such a nice wee cat!

Seasons

One of the (many) things that I like about life in Scotland is the seasons. We're on holiday today - traditional Clackmannanshire holiday the first Monday in October - and it's misty and cool. So the jobs on the To Do list have changed. They include "put up curtains", "order coal", "clean out gutters" and the like, in preparation for winter. Although yesterday was so warm, we were out and about in T-shirts and the hens were sunbathing.

I also hate to admit it, but I ordered our Christmas cards and wrapping paper the other day - well, it might run out if I wait! And I'm kind of wondering if we should have goose for Christmas dinner again. We had goose last year and it was absolutely delicious. A rib of beef would be lovely, too. Every year I promise myself (and Dan) that I won't get over excited - never happens, though.