Clegs / Rain / Flowers - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 21 July, 2025

by Rosemary at 9:39am in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Monday 14th July

Sunny and warm this morning, although cooler than last week. It was raining a wee bit last night at bedtime but the proper rains started about 1pm.

My cleg bites have blistered – got a whopper on my right ankle and am struggling to get a shoe on.

Took Bryn and Gwenna to the vet for their Lepto booster; Bryn has lost 400g, Gwenna nothing. But the vet said both were absolutely fine condition wise. They both had their nails clipped, which was a bit of a trauma.

Ponies wouldn’t come in this morning for Dan; I slept in because the dogs had me up at 3am and the cats about 5am. Ponies wouldn’t come in for me either, so I had to take a headcollar. Naughty ponies and not like them.

I’m going to give the ewes another week in Far Top, because there’s loads of grass, there, but less in Far Ditch. Hoping it will grow a bit this week, with this rain.

Tuesday 15^th July

Happy birthday to me!

Cooler, showery. Cleg bite blister burst and I have a “disordered digestive system”. I’m not leaving the house, I’ll leave it at that. So I didn’t get up to see Lorna and Dan had to do the shopping. We started to move my Lego to the Byre; I found three City sets – an articulated lorry, a cement mixer and a cherry picker, so I built these. And sorted out an order for parts. To create enough room in the Byre, we need to move the freezers to the feed store; I made a space. We’ll move them tomorrow.

The ponies were in at 6.30am. Good ponies.

Wednesday 16^th July

Cool first thing, so Dan went off to strim. He did the hen pen and all the paths, so they look a lot tidier. Sadly, our black hen died overnight. She’s been failing for a wee while and we had decided to despatch her tonight, but she saved us a job. My digestive system is better, thanks to the pills, I think.

Now that the hen pen has been strimmed, we can move the Flossies up there. Both are now laying daily. A job for the weekend, I think.

Freezers moved and feed store reorganised. Two boards moved into the Byre; third board being cut tomorrow – it’s just a wee bit too big.

Reorganised feed store.

Finally planted up the bed at the West Range. Basically, the plants I had left from the plug plants. Only a few Verbena left, and Kate and Pauline are taking them.

West Range bed.

I drove to Perth, Equi-Exchange to sell Smokey’s tack. That’s it. Done. We’re now officially retired. Great place – especially if you have young riders who outgrow kit before it’s much worn.

Thursday 17^th July

As a final birthday treat, Dan and I explored the garden exhibition at the V&A, then had lunch on the waterfront. Glorious sunshine, loads of kids on various types of wheels. Delicious bagel, sriracha fries and a doughnut. Fab.

Friday 18^th July

The pills have worn off. I’ll leave it at that. What if it’s a bread allergy?

Finished the land reform resolution for Conference and sent it off to a professional friend, for a quick read before I submit it on 25^th July.

Gordon came by and cut the third Lego board; Dan’s still to finish the beading but I can move sets anyway. I’m giving Gaelic a miss due to dodgy guts.

I sowed biennials – Wallflower “Vulcan” and “Cloth of Gold”, and Sweet William “Auricula Eye” – all from Higgledy Garden. And planted some narcissi bulbs in Meg’s bed.

Saturday 19^th July

And the rain came and fell from the heavens. And the earth said “thank you”. Spent to day mainly loafing about.

This rose surprises me every year. Spot the playing kittens.

Rose and kittens.

Sunday 20^th July

More rain, very muggy. Flossies haven’t moved this weekend – we’re agreed “by the end of the month”, so that the winter pen has time to recover. Not that the two of them have made much mess. There are hunners of earwigs in the hen house though.

Best thing about the change in the weather is the low pollen – so hopefully, Smokey’s 40-a-day cough will reduce.

Trees in the Spinney cominh away.

The polytunnel is in jungle mode

Pink among the purple.

Nepeta, Lychnis and achillea.

Achillea millefolium "Terracotta" and Achillea hybrida "Lucky Break".