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Autumn / Cleaning / FestivalRSS feed

Posted: Monday 14 October, 2024

by Rosemary at 6:22am in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Monday 7th October

There’s been a fair bit of rain overnight. I thought I heard thunder in the very early hours, and heavy rain. Still loads of midges though. And it’s very mild. We need a good hard frost to kill the wee b@ggers.

Mickey is resisting taking his Prascend, wee pest. Need to find another method than apple.

Managed to get out in the vegetable garden for an hour or so. Pulled up the runner bean, spinach and rocket, then weeded the bed. We can get most of it covered now. What long roots rocket has. I was driven indoors by the dreaded midges.

GardenBit of tidying up done.

Tuesday 8th October

Another mild, still day. Festival stuff rules. Dan’s working on another contract and fitting in Festival work, so I’m doing the proof reading and corrections.

Wednesday 9th October

Ooh, change in the weather – cooler and pretty breezy.

TreesTrees are turning.

Saturday 12th October

Ninja showers, but limited to a couple. More plants delivered – vinca and a winter honeysuckle. And more bulbs. At least I was expecting these ones.

I tidied up Dan's knitting stuff, so this basket was empty. Until Dottie found it.

DottieIf I fits, I sits.

DottieThat doesn't look comfy.

DottieSo Dan made the hobo kitten a new bed.

Shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Alex Salmond. And Croatia beat Scotland. And we have rodents in the roof / walls so I’m sleep deprived. All round, not a good day.

Sunday 13th October

Frosty this morning. Rodents still at it at 4am, which is an hour later than yesterday but still not good, so once I had fed the ponies, sheep, dogs and let the hens out, I had breakfast and went back to bed for an hour.

When I got up at 10am, Dan was taking some of the ivy of the gable end wall – probably an access route for rodents. He found two birds’ nests, in addition to the two bird boxes that are sited on that wall (both of which had been occupied). They were cleaned and replaced. I found some bait, so fingers crossed that the rustling and scritching is over.

Reinvigorated by my nap, I started cleaning the feed store. Brushed down the walls, made a few spiders homeless (sadly), scoured the sink and the stainless steel tables until they gleamed. Tidied out the storage boxes and the cupboard. It’s the changing of the seasons – happens every year. I can’t quite bring myself to sell Smokey’s harness, saddle and bridle. I should really.

Poo picked the ponies’ wee paddock; moved the sheep to a new paddock (they’re now in the two Top paddocks and the ponies are in the two Near ones) and prepared the winter hen house. We had a frost this morning so I should think about worming the ponies. Note to self.

We had chippie fish and chips for tea. Once it was well dark, we moved the six hens to their winter pen in the vegetable garden. Makes it easier in the dark nights, especially if we’re away in an evening.

23.59 tonight is the closing of the Rural Skills entries. Wasn’t looking great last time I looked. I added in lots of additional classes this year in an attempt to increase entries, but it doesn’t seem to have happened. Over the years, the number and scope of classes has waxed and waned. I thought in the new venue, we might get a surge but it appears I was mistaken. Oh well, someone else’s problem next year.Right, final run now to the Festival. Bring it on!

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