the accidental smallholder :: diary archives

On the telly

No, not us, thankfully.

If you enjoyed "Tales from the Green Valley" a few years ago, you might fancy "Victorian Farm" which starts next Thursday 8th January on BBC2. The same group of historians are involved but this time it's an 1880 smallholding recreated on a Shropshire estate.

Back on screen on Wednesday 7th is a new series of "It's not easy being green", which is worth watching just for James Strawbridge stripped to the waist.

And I'll be settling down on Sunday with a Bailey's and a wee chocolate treat to watch "Lark Rise to Candleford". I know it's twee, but it's lovely.

Car dilemma

We have two cars - at one time, that would have been a boast. Now it feels like a source of shame. Dan has a diesel Nissan X Trail, which we bought so that we could tow a trailer. I have a petrol Ford Focus, which also has a tow bar but in truth couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. Neither of us do many miles - Dan works at home and his only miles are to Edinburgh Airport or the railway station, and back. The Nissan is so greedy we don't use it much otherwise. My workplace is one mile from home, so I can walk if I have time, although I do usually take the car because I'm usually going on to the stables immediately after work.

It's unusual for both cars to be in use at the same time, so I've been wondering if we could manage with one or if we can reduce our usage further. In truth, in current circumstances, I don't think we can go to one car. If Dan's away on business, I need a car.

However, we are trying to plan our journeys to reduce mileage. We don't go into Stirling often - except that our vet is there - so when we do, we try to combine it with a visit to WCF for animal feed and supplies. Dan's planning to get a bicycle which he will use when he can as an alternative to the car - although maybe not for the Airport run!!

The Focus will need replaced at some point, and I'll certainly be replacing it with the smallest, most economical car I can afford. Two colleagues of mine have Toyota Aygos and think they are fabulous - and the road tax is only £35 a year. By the time I can afford a replacement car, there will be second hand ones available!

It's not easy being green, of any shade!

Cupboard cleaning

Do you get the urge to clean out cupboards at this time of year? I always do - I think it's part of starting the new year with a clean sheet (or cupboards, files, drawers and so on).

I was making a shopping list yesterday - the leftovers had run out - and took the opportunity to give the pantry a bit of a tidy and to check the best before dates on dry goods particularly. Hmm. Now I hate wasting food, so anything edible went to the hens, who appreciate most offerings. Yesterday, it was pasta (cooked) and walnuts. Oh, and some mince pies. They were such HAPPY hens - there are a couple who hover around the back door, just in case, but they never keep it to themselves, they call all their mates to share in the bounty.

And Dan has to make bread today to use up the flour that's JUST out of date - so I don't know why he's banging away on his keyboard!

The "nearly" dog

We currently have two cats and two collies, which is really enough, particularly given their health records! However, both Dan and I have a fancy for a terrier. This fancy has never driven us to actively seek one, but if Serendipity was to send one our way, that would be fine.

A couple of years ago, I saw two terriers on the website of the local dog shelter. This was unusual since a) I don't check the site very often and b) the only dogs on it tend to be Staffies (which I know are technically terriers but not what we have in mind).The two terriers had to be homed together and one had a heart condition, which made it ideal for us!! Anyway, by the time I got through, they were spoken for - so Serendipity just dangled a carrot.

On Boxing Day, she did it again. Dan and I were walking our two dogs near home when we were joined by a white terrier - young bitch, Jack Russell type, white with black eye patch. When it became clear that she was unaccompanied and didn't belong to the two local farms, we put the lead on her and took her to the Police station. Not surprisingly, stray dogs are not Her Majesty's Constabulary's top priority over the festive season, so when we suggested that we would hold on to her until the owner turned up, they jumped at that.

She was an absolute sweetie. We resolved not to get attached because she would definitely be reclaimed. Within an hour, we were choosing a name and arguing over whether she'd need a coat for cold days. She didn't chase hens; she submitted to our dogs; she LOVED cats and tried to wash Felix's face, which freaked him a bit since he generally does the face washing in our house. Saturday morning, after she spent the night in the puppy cage in the kitchen, we all went for a walk and the three dogs were good as gold.

Of course, when we got back, there was a message on the phone from her real owner. So Tyra, as she's really called, went home. I was very brave and only sniffled a bit - but I did feel like someone had taken my puppy. I did say to the owner that we'd be happy to keep her for holidays or if he got fed up with her.

Maybe third time lucky, Serendipity.

It's been so long...

since I posted anything to the diary.

We've had a couple of losses to the fox recently and we had to despatch Chip, our Crested Cream Legbar cockerel, on Sunday. We were away for the weekend and he was ill when we got back. I couldn't watch him suffer so we put him away. I now need to find another CCL cockerel for the CCL hens.

I have another sick hen, one of the CCL. She's in isolation and seemed a bit better at lunchtime to day. I'll have a good look at her in the morning, in daylight. I've wormed her and given her some oil soaked bread to try to "move" any blockages. This is always my first First Aid attempts. I think it goes back to a doctor I had when I was about eighteen, who seemed convinced that any medical problem was related to your digestive tract - no matter what symptoms you recounted, his first question was always "And have your bowels moved?".

The CCL are now laying lovely green eggs. If I could find the camera, I would show you. The Marans are also laying and seem to have shamed the Black Rocks into doing likewise, so production has increased to a level whereby Dan can have a boiled egg without me telling him that he can't because I need it for a customer.