The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: juliag on January 09, 2009, 08:32:39 am

Title: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 09, 2009, 08:32:39 am
Hi everyone, got caught out by the rise in temperature yesterday and awoke to everything frozen again this morning. Mucking out deep litter stable this morning, really must get into the polytunnel and tidy up, still have onion sets waiting to go in, should i do them in pots now? also rhubarb and garlic all waiting, pots again?
Thought it would be fun to post on here what we are all up to each day, what do you think?
 :) :horse: :chook: :pig:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: greenfingers on January 09, 2009, 09:01:49 am
Good Morning,
I have not long been up and I have a list of jobs today to do before I go to work at 1pm.
I have just made the log stove, it went out over night, cold in the bathroom this morning. The chickens have just been fed with cauilflower stalks and bread and let out to rummage around the frozen garden.
I have to go to the vets to get worming tablets for the 2 dogs and the cat and then onto the petfood place to get some sawdust and straw for our new hen house, we have 6 ex batts coming tomorrow, but I also have to give it a coat of cuprinol before I go to work and my hubby will finish it of when he gets in at 2pm. He still has to finish making  it and we have to move it into place which will probably be at 7.30pm tonight when I get in.
Tomorrow I have to do all my housework, which will probably get started around 6am when hubby has gone to work, not sure when the hens are arriving, sort the hens out when they do arrive, do a pile of ironing from the washing in the morning and make dinner, Sunday I am hoping to get in the greenhouse and plant my onion sets in pots too, my rhubarb is covered at the moment with a good mulch of manure.
Elaine
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 09, 2009, 10:22:00 am
I have mucked out the kennels, exercised and fed all the dogs, except the old lady who is coming with me to visit Sandy(well, sit in the car while I visit Sandy then a walk after).  Fed and let out the ducks and chickens at the front, fed and let out the ex batts and collected their eggs.  Fed the cats & removed the 'gift' they had left for me in the utility room!  Put water in all the water bowls and containers, put on the dishwasher and washing machine, taken in clothes that were out all night to finish them off in the airing cupboard. Sorted out some of my Club year end accounts on the computer and am now procrastinating so I'd better get on with it.
Annie
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rhyan & Melissa on January 09, 2009, 03:39:05 pm
Decorating a house most of the day, dreaming about getting up the allotment tomorrow! Home now, checked the gun out (5am bunny run in the morning) and now sorting though receipts and tax returns. Melissa is staying over in London tonight, so going to make some bread for the weekend, annoy the cat (returning the favor) and probably drink scotch!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Birdie Wife on January 09, 2009, 05:37:58 pm
Thinking about everything I need to do over the weekend - not enough light at either end of the day to do things outside before or after work.  I do have to pluck an aged rooster and find someone who wants an old boiler (the bird is already dead, never fear!  he's been hanging in a cold shed for 2 1/2 days 'cos I forgot to pluck him yesterday).  need to clean out the three coops tomorrow, do the monthly shopping (trip to Wick), sow onion seed (broadies coming up now!  Hooray!) and get ready for a guy down the road who's borrowing one of my Scots Dumpy hens to take pressure off his one hen who's living with two cockerels (poor old gel).
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: garden cottage on January 09, 2009, 09:17:27 pm
our on loan skewbald lovely horse goes back sun so preperation for that, livestock box rim has rotted thro wheel to be fitted tomorrow,last 2 pigs off next week,chas and dave glos old spot x berkshire, set up run and trailer. top 1/2 inch of soil has thawed but underneath ground is still frozen making it lethally slippy
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 11, 2009, 09:53:28 pm
Wind and rain so bad this morning that couldn't get a lot done. Fed and hayed the goats, trimmed some of their feet and did some general tidying up. The big round bale of hay is still in the van as it is so wet at the shed door that it would get soaked unloading it! Unloaded a new pallet that my brother in law "liberated". Wanted to plant the last of my bulbs (la bit late, I know) but too horrible outside. Giving Jess the collie a bath is now high on the agenda, as she took the opportunity whilst I was trimming feet to go roll in the dung heap!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 12, 2009, 09:36:44 am
Wow what a night, gale force wind as I set out last night to act as quizmaster in our village pub. Wind still going strong on my return and I went to bed with our cottage door rattling in the wind. Very worried about what I was going to find outside this morning. Last time it was like this our new stable roof lifted off as did the hen shed roof. However it says something for how I repaired them both as I ventured out and everything was intact. As I let my exbattery hens out (heavy rain now) they ran hell for leather down the field to our lower barn where their food is kept. It was a nice sight as only 3 months ago they were in cages unable to move. I dont know if any of you have discovered Facebook but under groups you will find 'Friends of produce from the field' This is us and lots of photos can be found on there of my 'special' hens. Fed the hens and did the water which was not frozen today thank goodness and then ventured into the polytunnel where to my suprise not only was it still standing, we have baby beetroot ready to harvest, red cabbages ready to plant out and herbs regrowing strongly. Just have to wait for the rain to stop now. Still have to plant the onion sets, rhubarb and asparagus though......
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 17, 2009, 10:49:58 am
Morning,

Mucking out and trimming feet on the agenda just now. As we are a very little smallholding its a fork and wheelbarrow method here  :( After that, a clear out of the house is in order!

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on January 17, 2009, 11:07:11 am
So far - planted a pear tree (well, Dan did), spread some muck, lifted some swede for the sheeps. Just off to lift the last of the parsnips, the failed leeks and prune the blackcurrants.

It's lovely here just now but I don't know how long it will last.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: VSS on January 17, 2009, 12:38:26 pm
Been to fetch half a tonne of sheep feed.
Tim has done all the stock jobs.
Now shearing the tup lambs.
Magazine article to write.
Freezer to defrost.
Bread to make.
Cakes to bake - tins are empty.
Batten down the hatches for the wind is forcast to be strong tonight.

Would get more done if the kids would get up earlier at the weekends ::)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Andrew on January 17, 2009, 01:41:01 pm
Cleaned out the two chicken houses
Run son into his work in local garden centre
Washed greenhouse with jeyes fluid
Starting to wash seed trays
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 17, 2009, 02:30:01 pm
What a lot of busy bees, you all are ;)

Woke late because of bad night sleeping and trains running all night(don't understand why tehy run all night then don't run during day - not sound economics to me), dogs all yelling to get out and get fed, did that then did same with ducks and chickens, collected eggs, have friends coming from Norway tomorrow, so made up beds, arranged towels, cleaned guest bathroom, hoovered all carpets, did some more of Club books, now off out with little girls round the Dam. Will have to mop kitchen tomorrow but will do that just before I go to airport as it will get muddy again with the dogs going in and out.
Phew, I'm exhausted just reading that!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Dan on January 17, 2009, 06:44:11 pm
...now off out with little girls round the Dam.

In case you didn't recognise the nutter on mountain bike who hailed you as he rode past up the dam, that was me!

Hope you got back before the weather broke.  :-\
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 17, 2009, 08:00:37 pm
Yes, Dan, I did recognise you - even with the helmet!  I was concentrating on one of the girls at the time as she had decided to get into the water looking for birds, fell into a deep bit, and turned over onto her back.She's a good swimmer though and was none the worse.  Got back to the car just as the weather got wound up - really windy by the time I came out of Morrisons.  I forgot to hand Andrew's box back - it was in the car on Wednesday ready to give him.  I might pop down to you with it sometime before the next meeting so if you find a white plastic box at your door you'll know what it is.  I reckon Rosemary might see him before me.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on January 17, 2009, 08:38:02 pm
Hiya,

I was out for the afternoon in Dumfermline (After sitting in the forth road bridge traffic for over an hour !)- seeing a panto at the Carnegie Hall.
Unfortunately I got caught in torrential rain and gales on the way home - should've taken an hour but ended up taking closer to 3!!! Great fun navigating our back roads with 2 stir crazy kids, a frantic granny, tonnes of floods and several BIG branches over the road - thankfully I had my trusty old suberu estate to do it in, just as well it wasn't a newer flashier car because there was no way I was getting out and hauling them and my pregnant butt home on foot ! But I'll be out tomorrow with the chainsaw clearing the roads and adding to my wood pile !

Have fun !

Karen  :pig:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 17, 2009, 10:24:45 pm
Gosh was it that bad over there - it wasn't so bad here.  I went to the Dam with my wee dogs and it was lovely, then came shopping and when I came out at 5 it was windy and a wee bit wet. A little bit wetter now but that's all.  Just shows what a few miles can do
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on January 18, 2009, 11:19:13 am
Hi Annie,

The east wasn't too bad, it was when I got to Cumbernauld area that the heavens opened ! South Lanarkshire's lovely and bright today though - but a very hard frost's still hanging on !
Won't stop the chopping though !

Karen   ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 19, 2009, 02:36:52 pm
crikey, no it wasnt as bad as that here, heavy rain and wind at night but the days seem to be ok. Been out today and bought dahlias, and other flowers (seeds) and bulbs which should make a nice cutting area. Also managed to buy some cheap fruit bushes. Bought my first earlies potatos so will start chitting them this eve. Roll on spring!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on January 19, 2009, 05:14:45 pm
Hi,
After all the rain & wind (sorry - GALES!!!) at the weekend I woke up today to
.........snow!
Huge flakes that managed to lie on top of all the water still lying on the ground so now we've got about 4 inches of slush - lovely !
Incidentally, but the time we got the chainsaw and down to where I spotted the fallen tree someone had beaten me to it !
Oh well, I'll just have to be quicker next time !

Karen  ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on January 20, 2009, 03:57:40 pm
Well I was up at 5.30 this morning to be at work for 7am. ( I do bank cleaning at Turriff Hospital ) It was a freezing morning with black ice on the roads so I took my time as I am not a brave driver. When I came home, after a quick coffee it was out to feed the ponies and clean out the chickens which is not a hard job as we only keep the three. I have been feeling pretty low this last week as i was waiting for results from the hospital and each day felt harder to cope with. I had treatment for breast cancer which finished last April and this morning I got the phone call to say everything was fine. I still have 9 years of check ups to go but I could have danced all round the house. We can now start looking for our weaners, plan to get a few ducks and buy a pollytunnel. So at this moment in time the sun is shinning on my life and I am one very happy person.  :) :) :) :) :) :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 20, 2009, 04:22:23 pm
Great News, there will always be at least one lot of fingers or toes crossed for you for you on the TAS forum for the next 9 years!
Annie
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on January 20, 2009, 05:46:32 pm
Hi,

I just wanted to second Annie's best wishes and send some extra of my own  :-*  :-*  :-*
It's so easy when you're well to worry yourself silly over little things and it's not until you're at one of those ' Oh My God ! ' moments that you realise whatever else is going on your health is the most important thing in your life and although you can control what you put in your body and how you treat it you just can't control things like that.
A wee reminded for everyone using this site (men & woman!) -
IF YOU FEEL SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT GO & GET CHECKED - THE EARLIER YOU TAKE ACTION THE SOONER YOU CAN HAVE YOUR MIND PUT AT REST OR GET APPROPRIATE TREATMENT.
Okay, after my wee rant normal service has now resumed and I wish everyone the best in health & happiness  :)
Karen xxx
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: greenfingers on January 20, 2009, 07:30:38 pm
I started my started new job last week and I have had brain ache each evening I have got home.  It was supposed to be 9am to 3pm, but the company have increased the hours to 5pm.  I really wanted till 3 pm as it would suit me better with my small holding or very large garden which ever you look at it, I have made my planting diary up all ready for the end of March, sad aren't I, but I am itching to get out there now.  I have bought alot of seeds this year and many different ones and I want to grow them now to see what they are like.
Was late finishing tonight, quick jaunt around Tescos to get some milk and lunch bits and washing soda, following Rosemary's bit on being frugal.  Get home around 6pm, empty car of shopping bags, struggle to get indoors as the cat is around my ankles trying to get in as well, fighting 2 dogs off getting through the door as they want feeding. crossing my legs as I want the little girls room and the phone is ringing at the same time.  I know women can multi task, but this was a bit extreme.  Feed the cat and dogs, go to the loo, make a sandwich as I was also hungry, make the log stove to get some heat and hot water, make the fire in the living room, put on outdoor clothes and brave the cold to feed the chickens and lock them away for the night, change out of my office clothes, ring my sister back, turn on computer to check emails and think about what to do for supper as my hubby will be in at 8pm depending on the traffic coming out of Aberdeen as he is a bus driver and now thinking whether to have a G & T or a Bacardi or open a bottle of white as I am coffeed out as I have had the area manager with me all day,  and it is only 7.12pm, plus also check to see what everyone else on here is doing.
Guess what it starts again tomorrow morning at 9am, except I don't have to go to Tesco's tomorrow and my hubby is off so he will sort out the animals etc.  But the great thing is I enjoy my new job, it is busy and varied
and everyone is really nice and we have alot of fun too.  Everyone still moans and complains, but that is the same everywhere.  I work in a nursing home and the residents are a great bunch of people also and their families are too.
I come home with brain ache, but after about 10 minutes it's gone and I know I have left my desk empty or at least ready with tomorrows tasks to do in order of priority.  My garden is the same with planting etc, and the house is too, it's nice to get back into a routine again.  I'm not sure if the Matron realises what has hit the home with someone like me, very organised and everything in a place. a place for everything and a new filing system on the go tomorrow.
But then that is me!!
Elaine
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on January 20, 2009, 10:04:44 pm
Congratulations on your new job, Elaine and Sabrina, positive thoughts for the future.

Recession, what recession!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 21, 2009, 10:41:21 am
What recession indeed!!! its all hype in the news! Sabrina that is fantastic news.. well done you  ;) ;) Get thos catalogues out and get the polytunnel ordered!! Talking of polytunnels, myself and the kids over the last couple of days have sown sweet peas, broad beans, anthirinums, strawberry seeds and a few other bits and pieces in the polytunnel. We still have salad etc that has been growing in there all winter. The compost they were sown in has frozen overnight, will this be a problem does anyone know? Anyway back to today, heavy frost on the field as I let my exbattery hens out. let out the ponies and collected eggs. quick check in polytunnel and also in rat bait boxes to find some bait gone. (thats good!). Still need to clean out both hen houses, muck out stables. However I have started to move and stack the great pile of logs that we had delivered a week ago and that have sat where they were tipped since.... .... Never mind, a nice cup of tea and I invariably seem to end up back on here looking at what everyone else is doing!!   :chook: :horse: :pig:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on January 21, 2009, 03:06:23 pm
The very thought of Spring is exiciting and I am eager to get going, sat last night planning what seeds to buy. I love seeing things I have planted grow. Its a great way of life and we are so lucky to have the land to do it. may be hard work but gives hours of free pleasure.  :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ninat on January 21, 2009, 05:52:25 pm
Younger son off school with high temp so we had a lazy day in front of the fire. Fed animals, did some knitting, built some lego, had some lunch, more lego, read a book, picked up other son from the bus, helped with homework, checked animals.
Fantastic day up here in the Highlands- first for a long time for working outdoors....
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 25, 2009, 10:42:24 am
Went out to polytunnel for an hour with my daughter last night, 3 hours later!!!! I look at my watch in shock.. where does the time go? However lots of sowing done, cleaning up and maddy sorted all our pots and seed trays, joined when it rained by our exbattery hens who thought the polytunnel was a great idea, not sure if tis such a good idea letting them in though!!  :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Guy on January 25, 2009, 11:25:26 am
its the polytunnel for me this am as well , only about 6 ft to weed though , chooks to be cleaned by linda , garden needs cleaning (after dogs - eeeewww) , cover asparagus crowns with compost , sort out remaining compost bins which have split sides(overfilled in summer!! ::)) and hopefully put on two new window sills :) hope to sit down later with the seed catalogue and choose this years crops ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on January 25, 2009, 04:20:30 pm
Hi,

I've been out test driving my new car that hubby bought for me !
(Sound like I'm showing off ? It's a wee 1.1 Fiesta and it only cost £100, but it's REALLY tidy and MOT'd til Sept)
My trusty old subaru estate is on it's last legs with both CV joints on the way out, a leaking sump and an exhaust that's just held together by mud ! So it'll be relegated to working out in the fields lugging stuff about.

I'm lucky enough to be excused from cleaning up in the garden after the dog on account of the fact I'm pregnant and don't want to risk toxo-thingimiyjig!  ;) But it's usually my job and not a pleasant one (especially when the dog in question is an 8 and a 1/2 stone german shepherd who s**ts like a shetland pony lol!)

My seed catalouges are dog eared already, but can't really justify ordering until I've got the beds built (still waiting for the weather and hubby's gout to improve !) but til then I'll keep planning !

Karen   ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Guy on January 25, 2009, 05:44:27 pm
hussar - also managed to get the base for the new fire in the bedroom in - and my daughters boyfriend (builder - v. handy at times , has fitted new window sills in hall and lounge :) also found where the rats have nested this winter - compost bin 2 , bloomin big b*gger :o
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 25, 2009, 07:21:02 pm
Quote
8 and a 1/2 stone german shepherd who s**ts like a shetland pony

What do you feed it on - that has a lot to do with what is produced at the other end.  Maybe you'll need to change to a better grade of dog food.  I can recommend new one just out - Challenge.
Annie
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on January 25, 2009, 07:47:05 pm
Hi Annie,
He doesn't actually eat that much ! 1 normal sized can with about the same of mixer once a day (and whatever the kids don't finish - but not broccolli anymore since i discovered it's toxic to dogs)
He does love cheese though and can tell if you've taken it out the fridge even if he's at the other end of the house, also tomatoes, carrots and most veg - but he doesn't get that kind of stuff every day or anything.
I suspect it's the mixer that just 'bulks up' and produces large amounts (or maybe it just feels that way cos I'm the one who has to clean it up lol!)
Karen x
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 25, 2009, 09:48:48 pm
Had a busy weekend here, the other half spent Saturday down in Dumfries, so I took the opportunity to muck out the big double pen in the goat shed. We deep litter the goats, so it takes a good hour to muck out a single size pen, and 2 hours for the double one. Me and the Jack Russell caught another rat (big one this time after the babies we got in the last mucking out session). Also trimmed the feet of our two visiting goats in preparation for them going home, and cut Kream's feet for the last time before she has her babies- due in about 4 weeks. Other jobs like feeding goats, chickens etc were all done, I don't tend to mention them as they're normal routine!

This morning, we unloaded the big bale of hay out of the van and into the goat shed, loaded up the two visiting goats and took them home to Auchterarder, where there was a lot more snow than here. Then went on to Perth and the Scottish National poultry show where we bought a pair of Indian runners and a trio of Cayuga ducks.  :&>  I never showed poultry a lot, but people that I don't even remember were stopping to say hello! Home again, to sort out houses for the ducks, and cleaned out the chickens as well- who were a bit perturbed to have Cayuga's as their new next door neighbours!

Sabrina, glad to hear the news you recieved was good  :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 26, 2009, 12:17:29 am
Quote
1 normal sized can with about the same of mixer once a day

That sounds very little for a dog of that size.  My dogs weigh about 16 to 18 kg and get a large cup (not quite mug sized) of complete dried food twice a day each, with a little warm water and a spoonful of tinned food or scraps to mix it.  My GWP has a weight problem and probably weighs about the same as your Shepherd, so she gets the same as the others.  My dogs take a lot of exercise so they are presently on Wagg Worker, but I am about to try Challenge although it's a lot dearer.

Mine poo twice a day and I lift it right away.  I like to check they are normal stools, but then that's because I'm a dog breeder I suppose

I would suggest the tinned food isn't giving him enough bulk and the mixer is going right through him.  Try a complete with a small amount of tinned instead.
Annie
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 26, 2009, 12:30:04 am
We feed similarly to Annie, ours get a complete dried food (own brand for the jack russell and the young collie and Bakers for Jess because she is so picky with food, and it is her favourite) then we mix it with a tin of sardines in sunflower oil. The own brand sardines only cost 30-35p per tin and we only use one a day.

We have fed mixer with tinned meat before, and my mother still would given her choice, but I prefer the complete food.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 26, 2009, 08:19:15 am
I feed my dogs an all in one working dog food, gold medal Dr something? anyway, I give both dogs a cupful twice a day and sometimes they will have something else mixed in, usually leftover something although I left a bin bag in the yard yesterday and forgot to put it in the dustbin, so Islay a Labrador, had all the treats in her bed, we arrived to be greeted by her with a potato in her mouth!!! saying that, I noticed the last bit of jam sponge had dissapeared from my kitchen and it wasn't Steve!!!
Yesterday I spent a lot of time moving from room to room doing nothing. Steve went logging for a while, I did my hair several times and it ended up ridged with hairspray, then I cooked some spaghetti for the chickens and made them a strawberry jam sandwhich for a treat, while they were eating I cleaned out the hutch and took some photos but they kept moving or trying to get the camera. I went to work for an hour then to Stirling for food, we ate too much, Steve spend the last £5 we had with us in a charity shop, he bought some books to read on the train, then we came home and then went to Stirling again to collect a table and chairs for outside.....so Today, I am determine to get much more done, first, coffee and toast and of course some couch surfing!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Guy on January 26, 2009, 09:06:35 am
we use tesco complete dog food (chicken) £10 a sack - 1.5 scoops am and one scoop pm , from the youngster to the old gal!! all look really well and have bags of energy ( two of them took apart a compost bin last night to catch a rat!!!). anyway not much doing here today as i have to go back to work later.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: rustyme on January 26, 2009, 01:02:57 pm
I feed my lot with Gusto adult complete dried from tesco. It costs £5.95 for 10 kilos, it is a working dog feed so therefore vat free.  They all get any leftovers added to, or instead of ,the dried food , depending on what the leftovers are. The spaniels get one tin twice a day and the weimaraner gets just a tad more,plus a slice of white bread. I use empty soup tins as a measure. The morning feed I add water with a couple of spoonsful of bisto granules in , and the evening one they just have water on it. There is always fresh water for them when they want it . The food keeps them in good condition and a bag lasts about 8 days , so not very dear to keep 4 dogs. I have used Dr John gold and wagg worker , but I went to Gusto as it was cheaper but also it had the same protein and vitamins etc plus tesco deliver it with my weekly shop.

cheers

Russ
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 26, 2009, 02:28:24 pm
Thanks, Russ might try that one.  Don't over do the Bisto though - is there salt in it?  salt can be a problem.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: rustyme on January 26, 2009, 02:40:12 pm
hello Annie,
             I hadn't really thought about the salt content . The dogs get any leftovers from the table and they have any  gravy  on that !!!! But the amount they have in the water I put on their food is only 2 teaspoons Mixed with 2 litres of water and that is shared between all 4.  Would you think that ok ? The leftovers with gravy isn't very often ( I was bought up to eat whats on the plate , so I do ) . If it is a bit iffy I can always buy them something without salt.....Not sure what though ????

cheers

Russ
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 26, 2009, 04:27:43 pm
I'm no dog expert, just like them as companions but it's funny how we put our tastes onto dogs, I also sometimes put Bisto or similar on, often a bit of oil or occasionaly a raw egg mixed in, in fact, I bet if dogs could choose they would eat some rotting carcus and some other very smelly stuff like poo!!! I know that when I give my dogs too richer food they tend to get loose stools, I also find the bigger lumps in the dried food I buy better as they have to eat a bit slower, I did have a terrier and he was a very fussy eater, the only thing I do no is NO sweeties for them (or  me) and you do not have to have the expensive stuff, that is unless you want to spend your money....anyway, my Chickens are fussy eaters, they have thier daily greens from the wild, either a sandwhich jam or cheese, or some pasta and of course corn and pettlets, they otherwise forrage away all day.....
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on January 26, 2009, 04:31:13 pm
Hi all,

My dog used to have a complete dry mix and we thought he was doing fine on it (he had been a skinny runt of a rescue aged 9 months - previous owners were still feeding him on bread & milk - can you believe it!) however at one visit to the vet she pointed out that he was actually 10Kg overweight (but as I've said before - he's a BIG german shepherd) we reduced his complete food slightly & upped the excercise and he was slowly losing the excess weight. But after leaving him with granny for 5 days (along with his bag of dry food) while we went on holiday, we returned to find she hadn't bothered with the dry mix but was feeding him mince and tripe instead !
So not surprisingly he totally turned his nose up at dry food, we adopted the half dog meat half dry to get him at least eating SOME dry food and are planning to now reduce the amount of wet food.

Annie, I know it doesn't seem much at all (especially when compared to what my friend's St Bernards eats!) but he's just not interested in it - think he prefers to hold out for treats! But he's got plenty of energy when we're out and just loves lying about in the house the rest of the time so I'm not too worried about him - might try the working dog mix though rather than a typical complete mix & see how he goes.

On the subject of Bakers Complete - we had another GSD who went a bit aggresive, after trying various other options we contacted a dog behaviourist to try and help (the dog was fed on Bakers complete) and one of the things she told me was that Bakers have colourings in the food that some dogs react to, much the same as children react to colourings, it was a few years ago and ingredients may have changed since then - but thought I'd mention it anyway.

Karen  :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: lordlonk on January 26, 2009, 04:46:40 pm
2 year end accounts very overdue - completly wrecking my head -
orders to pack
hungry cat and german shepherd
scaffolders have blocked the entrance to my office with scaffoldfor next 2 weeks - wasnt happy

saw a sucsessfullady  in food on breakfast yesterday said she wont have lunch till she gets a order -might be a bit hungry today  ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 26, 2009, 04:52:53 pm
Thats funny, my dogs are no good on Bakers complete, it looks nice but it gives mine the runs.....we have Dr John Gold medal, just looked in the bin!!! it's big bit's and it seems to be OK. Sandy
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 26, 2009, 05:49:34 pm
took my daughters pony to Bob livock (horse dentist) and when i returned found 10 new table birds waiting for me. Ross cobbs just off heat at 4 weeks old. incredibly large and fat already. Will be allowed to free range until we send them off to be 'done'  :'(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: BadgerFace on January 27, 2009, 09:10:53 am
It's a beautiful sunny morning here in Sussex  ;D Even the birds are singing, Spring is just around the corner. I have some lambs to get in, ready for the trip to he abattoir........... and the washing machine needs fixing (pump, I think) or by the end of the week we will all look even more crusty  than usual  ::)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 27, 2009, 09:31:46 am
Disappointed that today is so grey and damp after it was so nice yesterday. Took the dogs to the beach yesterday afternoon for a run around because it was so nice, but it means today jobs will have to be done in the rain!

Fed and watered goats dogs cats chickens ducks and guinea pigs already. Have made a start on clearing out the kitchen cupboards after getting rid of the mice infestation. Plan to start off the composter this morning, move the wooden guinea pig hutch and clean it up so that the pigs can move in there eventually. Am going to rake over the bare patch in the lawn (because a caravan has sat on it for nearly 2 years but is gone now) and sow some grass seed in so it gets a start. I might even bring myself to make a start on pruning the apple trees.

When the other half surfaces, I want him to make a start on the doggie jumps we are planning to build. Oh and doggie school tonight.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Julie S on January 27, 2009, 10:29:19 am
Currently toying with the idea of rounding up some sheep to give them their Heptavac vaccinations. Also need to have a major reorganisation of my shed to make space for my in-lamb ewes. Then I have a stable to muck out if I can summon up the enthusiasm... :-\
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on January 27, 2009, 01:47:44 pm
The shed got built today!!!!

Been done in stages since friday - base was built, then frame went up, today teh roof went on and it's been made watertight

over teh next few days it'll get filled up with all my goodies!!

at last, a proper potting shed, gardeners hide away - i almost feel like the garden is complete now!! LOL
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 27, 2009, 03:05:25 pm
Beth, will talk to you tonight - want to know what beach you go to, would like to take mine there for a good run.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on January 27, 2009, 04:00:26 pm
On the dog food question, we feed Autarky which has calming herbs and no nasty additives. it does all our four dogs very well but last week we could not get it so my husband bought Chadleys Classic for working dogs. Our staffie cross turned into a complete nutter, a bit like a kid who has been eating sugar stuff all day. he came home with our usual dog food today. When I was teaching I always knew the dogs that were fed Bakers not something I would give to any dog.

If your dog is losing weight but eating well could be a gulten problem. I have seen a few with this.  :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Guy on January 27, 2009, 05:03:14 pm
finished off in the polytunnel today and tidied up the last two compost bins :P but today i have been mainly chasing the builders (no , not around the garden with a pitchfork :farmer:) door frames couldn't go in as measurements were wrong ( confusion between metric and imperial ) tricky things tape measures durrrrrrr ::) more plaster dust on my oak floor in the kitchen than on the walls :o - luckily they've agreed to sand and re oil it when they have finished phew  just the window sills to wax this evening - after a cuppa
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 28, 2009, 12:32:29 pm
After a leasurly breakfast session, only two guest, I watched the I Player, then fedd the chickens, put in washing/drying, fed the dogs, hoovered and washed up, I checked all the E Mails selling me stuff, advertising and pills, then had a visitor trying to sell advertising, he looked abit upset as I did not take up the offer, another phone call "giving away a whole security system" just wanted my details for the draw, of course I said know as nothing is free, or so I thought, he was also disgruntled, then I had a nice call, with something free, but this time I took up the offer, a hairdoooooo, so also a trip out. Well after 3 coffees, some biscuits and some cheesy puffs, I am off  to do a little job then take the dogs for a very short walk as I have loads to do here today......so, I have banned myself from the internet, see you all later...Sandy
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on January 28, 2009, 12:53:54 pm
slow and boring day for me sort out the sprouting broad been in the kitchen getting ready to go in greenhouse (1st i needto empty contents of greenhouse) and have I a list box of other seed i want to start off for this season.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Guy on January 28, 2009, 05:10:19 pm
nowt much in the garden today as off to work , no builders either , which is a shame as there should have been someone here , but no-one here and as i was there(work) i didnt realise there was no-one here , so when i got here to find no-one here i tried to call them , but it was too late ................ there was no-one there  :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Guy on January 30, 2009, 02:38:01 pm
  had wood burner fitted today , which was fantastic news  :), however as the plasterers started again we were told all the render was INCORRECT for our house , so the whole lot is in the process of being pulled off again , so back to bare brick >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( have now demanded a meeting with building manager on Monday and told them to take their incompetent building contractors out of my house , and that i expect him to source a new (and bigger) crew to put us back on track , also had a letter from insurance company saying they will insure us again , but with an excess of £6,500 for any future flood damage unless we can provide evidence of any improvements :-X :-X :-X grrrrrrrrr  all a bunch of complete *?!***?!""%&&$***&^?><<!""$&^(()(&^% 's
Still , you've got to laugh??? :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: starcana on January 30, 2009, 03:03:50 pm
Hi all, having a lazy day as it's so wet here in 'sunny' Cornwall. Our Barn holiday let guests left this morning and no more bookings for a fortnight. Since moving here in August we have had mostly lovely weather though, so can't complain. Back to dog food. . . we were feeding our Airedale (gorgeous Max) on Bakers complete and he was fine. Two weeks ago we changed to something called Viking that our trainer (don't laugh, yes, you can train an Airedale, so we are told and he's doing quite well actually!) recommended. No colourings, or additives. Result: dreadful constipation resulting in a visit to the vet on Monday to sort him out (and sedate him to clear him out and bathe him as he was a bit smelly from trying to go. Back on Bakers now and fine so while I'd prefer the no additives, no colouring, I think I'll leave well alone.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on January 30, 2009, 03:41:40 pm
been making chrismas card for xmas  09 and hubby is putting shelves in little t room and also putting extra long legs on the bed so he can have decent size storage boxes underneath for his games/toys and extra cloths.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 30, 2009, 04:08:56 pm
Started to sell my excess eggs at the cottage gate today, can you imagine how excited I was when I looked out of the window to see a white van pull up, take a box of eggs and when I shot outside (after he had left ) a £1 in the jar!!  :) :) :) :) :) whoppee!! my girls are making me money. Roll on the weekend ( we get a lot of walkers going past)and keep laying girls!!  :D :D :chook: :pig: :horse: :bouquet:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: rustyme on January 30, 2009, 04:28:58 pm
just a boring day doing the usual stuff, letting dogs out in the morning for their run , clearing up after  dogs , doing all the normal stuff indoors. Then feeding dogs and walking them . Then it was walk 2.5.miles to the land (car off the road ) to feed the horses, walk round the fields checking fencing etc , do a bit of digging , clear piles of glupey mud , get a quick drenching in a heavy shower, then walk back from the land , let the other 2 dogs out make some food for me and about 3 cups of coffee...I was gasping ....then check emails etc and then type this....oh and make another coffee....still gasping....soon be feed the dogs again and take them for another walk ....then cook my din dins... spag bol ......all very boring ...but such is life....soon be spring .

cheers

 Russ
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 30, 2009, 06:26:59 pm
Allez and I were out shooting this morning with friends - he's still on a long line and is not steady by a long chalk but he had three good points.  I had to exercise and feed the other three before going, let out and feed the chooks and dooks, mop the kitchen, tidy the spare rooms for other friends visiting tonight.  Now slow cooker is one, fruit salad is made and I can relax.  No wine till meal is served though!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 30, 2009, 09:57:30 pm
What a funny day I have had, I noticed peoples dogs get loads of time spent on them, i love mine too and I see it that they are taking me out for some excerxsise, anyway, I cooked breakfast, chatted, cleaned and washed sheets and washed pots of course then made popcorn for the chickens (not sure they ate it)took a leasurly bath and put my colouring in stuff on while watching "to buy or not to buy" stupid but I love that, then, my lodger/guest came back as they were on stike, made him a coffee and chatted for ages and then had to gone and do a little job (not robbery) I came back and cleaned madly to Moby, as I was badly behind. When Seve arrived I started cooking tea and the door bell rang, another guest, they took up the rest of the night, sttttrrraannnggee?
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Hardfeather on January 31, 2009, 09:09:01 am
  I do have to pluck an aged rooster and find someone who wants an old boiler

Here's a good recipe for such a bird:

You put him in a large cast iron pot with a lid, add a bit of potato, some nice herbs (your choice), a bay leaf, a few slices of onion, some juniper berries (optional, except at Christmas time), bring some water to the boil (enough to cover him by about two inches), put him in and, because he'll want to float, you weigh him down with an old axe head, pop the lid on and boil away...............................................












...............when the axe head is soft, the bird will need another ten minutes.  ;D ;) :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on February 01, 2009, 10:56:47 pm
Lol!

We had a busy weekend, Saturday saw us head down to milly molly's with our feed bin. After a lovely chat there and much admiration of their lovely liver and white collies, we went on to Dumfries where I was picking up a pair of parker knoll chairs bought on ebay. They were being sold by a lovely family who had a beef herd of cattle, which they started up when foot and mouth took out their dairy herd. Back up a little bit for a stop for lunch at the oh's parents. Home again by 5pm, fed the goats, unloaded the chairs, reassured the dogs we hadn't abandoned them!

Sunday, once the normal feeding and watering was done, started on a new duck run. Did very well, I spent about an hour prepping, then hauled him outside to hit in posts for me, took about 3 hours all told, and we were able to let the ducks out for a run around. Then moved the washing machine from the kitchen to the utility room. And then went to B & Q to look at new kitchens before their sale ends! Also phoned another gardener man because we have to move the oil tank before the plumber starts work on replacing our boiler.

Its all go!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 01, 2009, 11:25:02 pm
Talking of plumbers - anyone have a pet one near Clackmannan?  The rad in my new conservatory isn't connected up to the system yet and my furniture has gone all mouldy and will need shampooing.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: lordlonk on February 02, 2009, 07:40:35 am
morning all -

lots of snow here in our part of lincolnshire !!

Cows are going to have there first run out in snow today

Camera at the ready for some fun and frolics

Packing parcels for my work (yawn)

Doing more year end accounts.

looking foward to getting my hands dirty

Tommorrow i think i will attack the mole hills
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 02, 2009, 11:07:40 am
yes we have got molehills as well. Well woke up to frozen ground and a smattering of snow, good thing for us when the ground freezes as we are able to get car and trailer across the field to the hay barn to replenish it. So let the exbattery hens out and raised them down to the hay barn where I started to have a tidy up clear out of rubbish while they laid me a few nice eggs for my breakfast. I then unloaded trailer of hay and straw falling over ex bats whilst doing so. They do like to be part of everything going on! Then off to polytunnel where all the compost in the seedtrays had frozen, will this damage them I wonder? Its so tempting just to keep sowing and I am hoping that as long as the seed packets say Jan/ Feb then all should be ok, shouldnt it? Inside polytunnel cooked the above mentioned eggs on our small camping stove and made a cup of tea, sitting down eating eggs and drinking tea surveying the polytunnel.......... well it doesnt get any better than that does it? Put rubbish on bonfire ready to burn and back into house to catch up with whats going on on here. Guess I should do some house work but ..............  :) :pig: :cat: :chook: :horse: :bouquet:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: garden cottage on February 02, 2009, 09:09:56 pm
just bought 3 mole traps,currently in a bucket of horse poo and water mix to get rid of scent, once the snows gone its all out war to save the lawn, just noticed we havent got a mole icon DAN
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 03, 2009, 11:18:16 am
Feel very honored just noticed my status has gone from newbie to jr member, why thankyou guys! :) Ex battery hens very confused this morning as we awoke to masses of snow, instead of racing me to bottom barn they insisted I carry each and everyone down! Polytunnel in bright sunshine and gloom inside because of the snow covering. Kids at home today as village school is closed, currently bored and arguing after being up snowman making and snowball fighting at about 7am this morning. Replenished egg stocks (we sell them in the village) and made cakes from the ones that are a couple of days old. off now to let the kids decorate the fairy cakes.  :) :pig: :cat: :dog: :chook: :horse: :bouquet:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 03, 2009, 11:21:28 am
Up at  8.00 today have an assignment to do lovey javascript.
Also had a request to play newphews on the wii with mario as they are off school and anoying my sister down in gloucester.

linz
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: lordlonk on February 03, 2009, 06:46:30 pm
that life julia sounded just up my street- i wish i had been there-- today i went to helpout with the cows - there allgood at present - eating loads of hay like mad - there water yes was frozen over but soon sorted - calves enjoyed there warm milk-twice a day we  do 6 litres at home and take it 3 miles up road . We made a milk bar  with 3 teets  and superglue and a drill bit and a plastic  box and works perfectly.they were 80 pounds the real ones and this was done for a great deal less - copyrighted and patented of course ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 05, 2009, 07:49:41 am
More snow!! School closed again, will turn ponies out this morning but goodness knows what my paddocks will be like when this lot thaws! Chickens are not liking the snow at all and I am carrying them from their hen house down to the barn every morning. Still laying like crazy though and am currently overrun with eggs. Think I will go around the village today giving away free samples in the hope of getting some more customers for my gate sales. seeds very slow to germinate in polytunnel which I guess is down to the cold weather. Love the fact that my kids are seeing 'real' snow for the first time in their lives but I am very impatient to get on and start doing things!!
 :) :) :pig: :cat: :chook: :dog: :horse:  :bouquet:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: lordlonk on February 05, 2009, 07:54:03 am
more snow arrived today  here in lincolnshire-coming down very nicely-need to go to bakers toget the all important iced buns for morning coffee . The chuckswont have known anything like it -nice warm milk for the calves -nice bundle of hay for the rabbits . try and  get my head round some worktoday - tooka rare day off yesterday - -grrr work
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: BadgerFace on February 05, 2009, 10:47:20 am
Took 13 lambs to the abattoir first thing. Had to chip ice of the yard, so I could reverse trailer up to barn. It's just started to rain and the snow is thawing slowly, we will be back to mud by this afternoon  :( Still have 3 stables to muck out, but I'm enjoying my coffee in the warm office at the moment  ;D :horse:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 06, 2009, 08:24:16 pm
Struggled to get down the field this morning, jumped over 5 bar gate into field and sunk on the other side! It was so deep I couldnt believe it. Couldnt push wheelbarrow through the snow and my fingers were freezing. blizzard conditions with very strong cold winds making the snow slant sideways. first thing I did upon walking the 200yds down the field (struggling through it) was to collapse in the polytunnel in search of respite from the wind. put on little stove for cup of hot chocolate only to remember I had taken the mugs into the house to wash and so had no mugs!! aghh!!! warmed hands up on stove and then ventured out to do the chickens and ponies. snow too depp now though. looks pretty but not so much fun if you have work to do in it. Also  slighly concerned about the amount of water on the fields when it melts. This week the country under a white blanket, next week the news will be full of flooding  :D :D :D :D sorry dont mean to sound like a miserable old bag, I love it really, Real winter weather!! ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 06, 2009, 08:29:59 pm
Sad to say we are missing out in the Central belt of Scotland, snow has gone!!! I do like not slipping about and at least the ground is hard so I don't sink on all the mud when the dog's take me out!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 18, 2009, 01:18:44 pm
Spring cleaning! kids off school (half term) so one rode this morning watched by and advised by 2 younger siblings, who gave her marks out of 10 for each thing she did, gathered in eggs, polytunnel doing well, seeds now sprouting all over the place (germinating would be a better word wouldn't it. now came back and started on bookcases etc. All going on freecycle (have you heard on this its amazing?), little play on facebook, We are the group friends of produce from the field. (all our photos etc are on there), just had lunch must get back to the bookcases.! :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 18, 2009, 03:28:26 pm
Thanks for renewing this thread, I couldn't find it on the evening of the first sunny day...Gathered up fennel and coriander seeds, tidied around the corn salad seedlings (almost needed tweezers for this job!) and so, so much enjoyed the sun on my back! Found some perfectly edible tatties nearby, I'm loving it! :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 18, 2009, 03:36:52 pm
Bookcases done! all advertised on freecycle, thanks for putting the link on there! I didnt think to put it in myself, totally hopeless! Spring cleaning like mad here, guess it will snow again tomorrow! Freecycled kids trampoline at the weekend to make room for above ground pool for the summer, Friends have commented that if we put it up now, it will be full of rainwater by the end of the month!!!LOL  :D :D :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 18, 2009, 06:05:02 pm
not much today shopping for food,
went to post office to post of ebay sold items got really annoyed with the local post lady , as this is their jobs and they are not happy to process there parcells!!!
after all it people like me that keep the 'village' post office going !!!!
next time  going to the one in stirling near lidls as the post people are nice their
came home refunded people who i quoted to much for postage.
then home and hubby made tea after visiting people via svdp and pickingup little T from his centre and I am just getting ready to go to the meeting now and reading the rest of the forums
boring live i lead lol
linz

edit oh also forgot to say while i was out my new knitting looms arrived  yippy !!!! so i better start getting the christmas presents done
#
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 18, 2009, 06:09:25 pm
I can recommend the Clacks PO - really nice people and they play MY kind of music!  Not that musaccky stuff in the supermarkets!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 18, 2009, 09:50:02 pm
 The ladies in the Bridge of Allen PO are really lovely, don't know how far that is from you. Whenever I'm in town for an appointment I go in, last time was in the pre-Xmas time and they were immune to stress, just nice.:&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 18, 2009, 10:09:18 pm
maybe we just have grumpy old women working in the P O
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 19, 2009, 09:12:50 am
I agree Anne, the post Office in Clackmannan s great, (I don't like the music though,a it sloppy for me but I know what you mean, knowone would go in if the did play  music I liked!!!) they are very patient and always nice, I would add,the Medical center is also good, so many others have poor receptionits, I often have a laugh at the Co-Op as well, well done Clackmannan. I have a busy day today but am already messing around and had three of those "selling" phone calls, they make me realy mad as I then loose my momentum, now I'm off to cook some pasta and rice for the chickens for later today as a treat,strip the beds and finnish off washing the breakfast stuff, after work I am going to pick up my prescription glasses, what a shock!!! the cost!!!!! never mind, at least they have eventulay had some sun, catch up later.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 19, 2009, 11:52:46 am
Listened to the districts' kids Burns competition this morning - how are they doing it? Poems of any kind were such a struggle for me to remember...I had to leave before the pipers' entries because of a blinding migraine, so not much is going to get done today (other than cleaning the birds' quarters and cooking dinner). Always when the weather's nice and I could/should get really started out there...:&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 19, 2009, 12:43:08 pm
i think the mirgran is catching as i have it now, i was okthis morning  but now it's got me!!!!

so i have been sitting in the living room doing some kniting and drinking water and a couple of paracetamol just waititng to go to doctors /aldis with big t and little t
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on February 19, 2009, 02:33:13 pm
My morning started with finding one of my ponies looking very sorry for himself. Had not eaten over night and seemed to be in pain. Phoned the vet then let the other two ponies out while I waited for her to arrive. She is not sure what his problem is, could be bruising to the soles from charging about in the hard ground last week or he could have laminitis. Anyway she gave him a painkilling injection and a some bute to give him over the next few days. She also wanted him to have Asprin and another drug to help the blood flow to his feet, as she had none with her I made the trip to Turriff to pick it up from the surgery. While out I went food shopping, picked up chicken food and went in by the garden centre for seed composte. So a busy morning for me.  :horse:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 19, 2009, 04:19:26 pm
Morning out with dogs then feeding/freeing chickens and ducks.  One LS seems to think she is a duck as she flies over to their pen and goes out with them - almost down to the water's edge.  Might have to clip her wings before tomorrow.  Went to Post Office to post parcels, then Bank, then Lidl's, picked up compost, then on to Aldi's for seed trays/compost/dog tins - they love Gero as an extra treat in with their complete.  Yes, I know it unbalances it but a bar of chocolate every now and then doesn't hurt most folk's diets, adn that's their equivalent.  Also bought one of their trio fruit bush packs to try and a couple of shrubs.  Was browsing when suddenly my trolley stopped and I nearly fell into it.  There was Linz with Big T and Little T - met Big T for first time - nice chap!  Little T was busy looking at some sweets so I didn't disturb him - met him at house before but he probably wouldn't recognise me.  Got home to find white chicken sauntering around the lawn so spent the next half hour scattering food and trying to con her into going in with the ducks as they'd gone back whenever they saw the big bag coming!  So tonight is seed planting night!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 19, 2009, 07:51:05 pm
hehe i was gona steal your bag but didn't fancy my chances lol,

Planted up some seed here too, some of the packets i picked up last night and i have sneck them in to the living room next to the fire (fires not on)
i think hubby is getting annoyed with them in house so he has promised to help me clear the greenhouse out and repair the windows etc .
We are also getting the kitchen clean out as we are to get a new kitchen on monday (well started anyway) for 10 days !!!!! help am gona go mad. So not really any room for seedling.

I i don't think i will be getting much chance to used the computer as i think the power will be off and no room in the hall for me to sit on computer if work men are coming in and out of the house, So i guess am gona be busy with knitting and no-electrical work.
linz


Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 19, 2009, 10:10:38 pm
If you want to plant up some seeds take them over here - plenty of room in the conservatory.

I think I might have noticed my bag disappearing! ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on February 20, 2009, 03:34:52 pm
well, i finished building the dog run - destined to be the chicken run when i get them!!!

i'm putting down a boardwalk in the garden this weekend - so I can walk about without getting wet and muddy, essential when you are pushing a wheelbarrow about! - So i'm marking that out today

i've planted 36 chilli seeds - 9 different varieties

might pop along to the local nursery to see what fruit trees that have - think i'll need to plant new ones :-( Also need to get some blueberry/cranberry bushes for a bit of my garden that hangs onto a little more water than i'd want in there!

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 20, 2009, 06:47:24 pm
got an sort of empty greenhouse now and the brocken glass has been replace with wooden boards not brilliant but does the job (the holes tam plugs up with duck tape).
So hopefully tomorrow i can get some paraffin and thn i can get the heators going and see if i can get the temperature up in time for Monday, when Sunday and get the seedlng in it. Am also on the look out for a bigger greenhouse as mine is only 4 x 6 which doesn't give me much room with width or even high wise (being 5.8 not much head room). I want to raise the base up with bricks but that will have to wait for now.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on February 20, 2009, 09:28:08 pm
i have just repaired my greenhouse. next doors trampoline gave us a visit in december.it is enormous and blew 40 yards up over a hedge and acros our garden. it glanced the grenhouse, luckily and also broke part of a chicken run and my veg garden fence. i was so glad it missed my car by 6 feet. i will be sorting ut the greenhouse inside on sunday planting seeds and starting the strawberries off in little pots ready to go out when there i no frost. i had enough spare glass from my cold frame to repair it so i will have to replacethat soon. i think i might ask a double glazing firm if they have any old windows that they would spare.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: buddy on February 21, 2009, 11:34:38 pm
Today my kids and friends played on quad bikes and carts all day. Hubby and me did a bit of fencing and then started digging out a scrap of land beside the woods to park a car on. It was a very lovely day but I am knackered now, just waiting to do midnight sheep check, lambing is anytime now.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on February 22, 2009, 11:48:33 am
What a beautiful day it is here! I have been out pulling out the dead plants out of the undergrowth, and have loaded into the van all the honeysuckle I have removed from the garage roof and am about to take it to the skip. Kitchen man is coming this afternoon, but hopefully I will get some digging done anyway, and plant some more new trees and plants.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on February 22, 2009, 12:00:04 pm
I have been busy planting up some seeds this morning which have now taken over my bedroom window, yesterday my OH used the tractor to push my muck heap back and David brought me a couple of round bales of straw so two more jobs out of the way. My friend  May came with her clippers as Pitstop ( Shetland Pony ) who is on boxed rest was sweating up badly and I was worried he would end up with a chill. His coat was that thick that I had a bit of a struggle but got there in the end. Went to shut the hens in last night which was a bit later than normal and could not find the cockeral anywhere. Went in and my OH came out to help me search, we found him up a tree so had to leave him there all night. I was up early this morning to make sure he was safe, seems none the worse for his night out. its cold and very windy here so plan a lazy afternoon.  :chook:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 22, 2009, 10:54:07 pm
Busy day today.  No1 son came yesterday and helped me put a raised bed together so today was spent digging sods of grass, and upturning them into the raised bed on top of the grass below. I'll leave it for a bit like that to sink down some, then put in compost ready for planting.  Also went round grass edges trying to neaten it up a bit for a few more shrubs to go in.  Planted deutsia and spirea, and transplanted some offshoot dog wood babies.  Will plant reclaimed bulbs from back garden tomorrow. No1 daughter arrived with grandchildren so we took a dog and went off round the Dam.  Started to get cold and windy about half way round so only stopped a short time to feed the swans
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 22, 2009, 10:58:54 pm
I love Gartmore Dam!!! Glad you achieved your raised beds, you could have loads of tatties on your plot...I love tatties, it's my irish roots!!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 22, 2009, 11:15:31 pm
Only one raised bed - starting slowly ;) - only need enough veg for one after all!  ;)  Won't put tatties in there - either a big tub or tyres maybe - might pay a visit to David along the way.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 22, 2009, 11:30:39 pm
Whos David?????? i want to get started tooooo. I love to be outdoors and find it hard to come in some day's, never mind at leat we have guests
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 23, 2009, 12:03:43 am
David Manson - Garage at Kennet.  I only like it outdoors if I'm warm. Don't like cold, and/or wet, and/or snow ::)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Hilarysmum on February 23, 2009, 07:42:36 am
After moving the ducks out, scrubbed the bathroom, then cleaned the windows, then cleaned down the stairs as the sawdust had got everywhere.  Can now have a bath without 13 rubber necking ducks who have now learned that human beings do not have feathers anywhere.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 25, 2009, 02:38:13 pm
What a morning, in fact what a last couple of days, The field has dried up enough now to get 4x4 and horsebox on, so off I went yesterday and loaded horsebox up with straw, drove down across the field and unloaded the lot into the bottom barn. hard work on my own so stopped for hot chocolate in the polytunnel half way through. Felt guilty about the state of the ponies deep littered beds so mucked out one completely this morning. This is how I did it.
1. 3 wheelbarrows of muck taken from stable to muckheap and forked up
2. into polytunnel for hot chocolate, sowed some sweet peas.
3. 2 wheelbarrows taken from stable to muckheap.
4. back into polytunnel, sowed some tomatos.
5. gather eggs
6. 3 wheelbarrows of muck taken from stable to muckheap.
7. into polytunnel sowed more seeds
and on and on and on
Pottering I agree but it made a horrible job not so bad at all!!!!!!!

 :D




Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 25, 2009, 04:46:41 pm
Don't envy all that barrowing Julia !
I finally managed to get out to the shops and bought my seeds, tatties, onions and garlic - but strangely enough the garden centre and Homebase were both out of seed compost  ??? everyone must be sowing  ;D
So tomorrow I'll be getting all my loo roll tubes and various plastic packaging that I've been hoarding for months and hopefully get going. The sight of sprouting seeds (and the rocket I'm going to put under him :o) should have my other half racing away to get my raised beds made !
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 25, 2009, 06:32:47 pm
I went into homebase yesterday for some seed compost and apparently they wont be getting any in this year?? All they will be stocking will be john innes number 1 which if you read the back of the bag can also be used for sowing seeds......... ??? ??? ???
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carole h on February 25, 2009, 07:37:07 pm
I've never used seed compost - just a general purpose compost for everything... do you think it makes a difference?
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 26, 2009, 08:12:43 am
well it brought my sweet pea seeds up yesterday in 7 hours!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 26, 2009, 09:16:53 am
my seedling are in the greenhouse nice and snug, have to wait for hubby to do the garden (he has big plans lol, he didn't like my raised beds last year)

Linz
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on February 26, 2009, 09:41:04 am
NOTHING!!!! Just the 9-5 work that pays the rent, but it's very quiet.

today is the quiet before the storm, i've a hectic weekend of woodcutting, fence building, raised bed building, chillis and peppers to sow, willow to plant, gonna start some sweet peas and a courgette plant. I've a few tonne of manure/compst to turn and i'm cutting down some boards to make planters to help decorate around the drive.

then i've got 10 deid fruit trees to remove and 10 new ones to plant - the new ones are getting some serious protection to keep the rabbits away as well!

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 26, 2009, 09:56:37 am
What happened to your fruit trees, sellickbhoy? Did all 10 get so badly damaged by rabbits?
We planted the 4 trees I bought last week, 2 apples, one more pear and a black cherry. I had to restrain myself at Morrisons yesterday, they had fruit trees for £4.99, one of them my favourite eater, Red Devil. I had promised myself only to have one more tree and that would be a damson or similar dark plum. There's no more room to play badminton now in the summer..:&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on February 26, 2009, 10:31:07 am
What happened to your fruit trees, sellickbhoy? Did all 10 get so badly damaged by rabbits?
We planted the 4 trees I bought last week, 2 apples, one more pear and a black cherry. I had to restrain myself at Morrisons yesterday, they had fruit trees for £4.99, one of them my favourite eater, Red Devil. I had promised myself only to have one more tree and that would be a damson or similar dark plum. There's no more room to play badminton now in the summer..:&>

they were all fatally damaged by the rabbits. there was not a continuous strip of bark form top to bottom, every tree had had a (in some cases a tiny) small area that had been gnawed all the way round.

So, i've bought my plastic spiral tree guards, and i've got a few pallets that'll i'll use to build a "fort" around the trees until it's big enough to look after itself.

I've also just spent the last few days plugging all the holes on 2 sides of the garden - this weekend, i'll do the other 2 - so hopefully that'll keep them out and away from my crops.

I've taken mon/tue off, so i've 4 days to get all the jobs done - hopefully after that i'll just have to worry about planting/watering/weeding.


I've still plenty room in the garden to build my dog a wee agility course

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on February 26, 2009, 11:45:28 am
I'm at work, which is a bit quiet. contemplating which fruit trees to stick in. now I've read this i'm off to morrisons on the way home, at 4.99 i might as well get a few more than planned. i fancy a few apple, pear, plum and damson if available. feeling a bit sad this morning as one of my chooks, a little pekin called pancake, which was not happy about it's new companions was lying moribund in a corner this morning. i gave it a few drops of water, but i doubt she will be alive when i get home, she has that look of a chicken that has given up.( all hunched up and uninterested). i had put her a new boyfriend in along with some other bantams and poults, but she was not pleased at all and has spent a few days fighting with them all, I guess she became the bottom level of the pecking order. I hope she does make it through and I will have to move her again, don't know where to though.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 26, 2009, 11:49:50 am
Aldi and Lidl both still had a few fruit trees left when I came in recently, at £ 4 each.
So sorry about your hen, Carl, I hope you'll be able to save her! :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 26, 2009, 12:24:21 pm
I'm soooo jealous of everyone who's got fruit trees !
I would love an orchard - had great plans of cider making and preserves  ;)
But after speaking to various folk, it seems I'm just too far above sea level and too exposed to consider it. I'll have to restrict myself to 1 or 2 in big pots that I can grow in my sheltered courtyard in the meantime  ;D
If anyone has had successfull crops in exposed areas or 1000ft above sea level I'd love to hear what varieties you've got.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 26, 2009, 12:27:32 pm
Good Grief!  I was beginning to think you were in Outer Mongolia there!  You're only half an hour or so from me.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained - for tech price of these supermarket trees it's surely worth a try?  - I started off with 3 apples and a plum - total cost £20 - when I was in northern Aberdeenshire - where we regularly got snowed in.  Have a go!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: xxmillyxx on February 26, 2009, 12:28:10 pm
More packing for me today - the final move has been rearranged to Sunday thanks to BT being very efficient (NOT).  Friday and Saturday planting tree's up at new house.  Sunday moving.  Monday sorting BT out (AGAIN) and Sky - Tuesday upacking - Wednesday in hospital for an operation for a week.  

OMG this is going to be fun  :P :P
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on February 26, 2009, 12:29:09 pm
could you plant a line of something to sheild the orchard from the prevailing wind?
 a stressfulful time milly, good luck and hope all goes well.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on February 26, 2009, 12:53:27 pm
Hi Happy Hippy

i spoke to the very helpful Tracey at Deacons Nursery (they are based in the isle of white, but ship anywhere in uK - google them for an email)

they gave me lots of good advise on the types of trees that would be suitable for a northern climate, i'm sure they could pick out a few hardy types for your location/climate.

you can get dwarf rootstocks, I've bought M26 types which should grow to about 8-10 feet high/wide - small enough for you to put a fence up to protect from the wind, and also small enough for you to replace the soil if you don't have suitable soil

I was watching grand designs yesterday, the guy built a house from old tyres filled with sand, you could do something similar - using these to build a windbreak. you'd get them free from any kwik fit/mechanic type place. They'd also absorb any heat from the sun which might then be used to give some additional warmth to the trees (if you were to cordon them along the wall.)

also, with these cheap aldi/lidl teas, you could do some guerilla gardening, find a quiet wee spot at a lower altitude, and bung a couple of trees in by the roadside/edge of a woods, canal bank etc let nature look after them and you can go "scrumping" for your own fruit.

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 26, 2009, 01:02:43 pm
Use the green protection screening - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2M-X-50M-GREEN-GARDEN-NETTING-Crop-Plant-Seed-BedNet_W0QQitemZ300278799004QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_H_G_Garden_Plants_Landscaping_Garden_Materials_ET?hash=item300278799004&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1686|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A131
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on February 26, 2009, 01:51:25 pm
Use the green protection screening - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2M-X-50M-GREEN-GARDEN-NETTING-Crop-Plant-Seed-BedNet_W0QQitemZ300278799004QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_H_G_Garden_Plants_Landscaping_Garden_Materials_ET?hash=item300278799004&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1686|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A131


that's the stuff i need to protect my rasps/brambles from birds!! perfect!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on February 26, 2009, 02:24:05 pm
WHAT A CRACKING E BAYER! The ground cover material looks interesting too. another great spot. This is just the site that keeps on giving. :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 26, 2009, 02:28:58 pm
Although they're not trees, Sea Buckthorn is growing well in coastal (windy!) and high altitude areas (I've seen them in the Himalayas of all places). They might serve you well as a windbreak, especially if you opt for dwarf varieties of trees. The fruit, although prickly to collect make lovely jam and are packed with Vitamin C. They prefer sandy soil. :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 26, 2009, 03:28:22 pm
Just watch if you use PayPal on ebay - not as secure as they'd have us believe.  I just had $50 put on my paypal account and it's gone through my bank today - PP have assured me they will refund when they have had an answer from the sh-t house that took my money!  But in the meantime I have reported a theft on my bank card and am awaiting a new one.  So I have a credit card I can't remember the password for and £28 to last me till the new card arrives.  I am spitting feathers!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: rustyme on February 26, 2009, 03:38:38 pm
Very sorry to hear that Annie. I had my bank account cleared completely ...alright it was only £250 , but it was all the money I had , every penny. I had to wait till things were checked out , my bank was brilliant ,and said anything I needed to pay out would be ok to pay without any charge for overdraft, till paypal paid my money back . This did get done but it took over 2 months. I would have killed the ba*tards who took my money . Well this all got sorted out ok in the end ... then bugger me it happened again...only £160 but once again all I had . I now no longer have a card (debit) connected to paypal . Just my bank account , which is a different connection . The money can't be removed from the bank direct as it can from a card. I hope you get your money back soon love, I know exactly how you feel .

cheers

Russ
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 26, 2009, 05:07:42 pm
Mine was taken from my bank account - pay pal let it through automatically. But I've yelled at them a bit down the phone so they have assured my a hundredfold it'll be put back.  Why they have to check with the sick head that took money from an old lady i do not know!  Apparently standard procedure to ask them what the payment was taken for - like they are going to answer - duh!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: rustyme on February 26, 2009, 05:25:03 pm
fingers crossed for you then Annie....I did a bit more than yell at them down the phone......I used swear words even I didn't know.....and I know lots.... :o ::) ;D

Russ
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 26, 2009, 06:38:22 pm
Hi all,
First off - paypal, some guy in Texas bought tyres and paid using my dad's account, how the heck he managed it we'll never know. But to give pp their due they did refund him the cash.
Thanks also for the tree advice - I'd been advised to go for the more vigerous root stocks as they 'hold' better in the ground and grow better, I've tried the cheapies from Lidl etc before and never really got anywhere with them (they were in the most sheltered, but sunny, spot I could find) and even my crab apples (which I thought would grow anywhere, in any conditions) failed miserably. I was thinking that maybe I'll need to look at the soil type, but again that wouldn't make sense cos we've got 100 acres all succesfully growing pine / fir trees  ???  ???  ???
As it's almost past planting time for this year (and I can't afford to splash out anymore what with raised beds, decorating the house & the baby due) I'm going to mull it over and come up with a plan of attack for next year   ;) I'm thinking hedging, enviromesh screening AND a tyre barrier all covered with electric fencing to try and keep the bunnies and deer away from them when they do go in  ;D
Ever get the feeling that some things are just not meant to be  ???
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on February 28, 2009, 11:20:40 am
Today I will recovering from too much alcohol last night. However, plans still do include moving the goats around in the shed. Kream and Christina can now go back in together that Kream has recovered from having her babies and is eating a normal ration (and producing 7 litres a milk a day). Which means I get back the extra gated hurdle to give the kids a proper pen, which they need now that there are 6 of them!

I also hope to plant the 2 packs of fruit trees I got from Aldi last week, and the two more willow trees I got in Morrisons. Hopefully will attach the new plastic greenhouse to the back wall of the house so it can't blow away, and maybe even sow some seeds.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 28, 2009, 11:59:53 am
I've spent the morning with the girls, making birthday cards for a party they're going to this afternoon. Ater dropping them there I'll be coming back to get into 'mechanic' mode  ;D
Strangely enough the £100 car that hubby bought me has 1 or 2 things wrong with it.  ::)
Top of the list (not that it's too big a list - considering!) Is getting the brake pads replaced, isolating a small leak of something from somewhere underneath it and trying to get the drivers door to open from the outside !
That's really my top priority, since the car is a Fiesta, I'm almost 6ft tall and not the skinniest of people at the best of times (- never mind now that I'm 7 months pregnant), so trying to climb from the passenger seat over or lean over from the back to reach the handle is getting more difficult every day(and amusing to anyone that happens to see me !) :o
I'll spend any other 'spare' time waiting hand on foot on my OH who's laid up in bed with gout, that developed into a groin strain, that in turn has become a bad back  ::)
Men......... it's just the thought of all the work he's got to do that's brought it on I'm sure  ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 28, 2009, 02:45:58 pm
I went on an hour's walk with my eldest, a friend had offered seed potatoes in exchange or some comfrey and had 2 shot, plucked and frozen casserole ducks exchanged for a dozen eggs - a very successful day! I feel quite shattered from the walk (don't ask, how unfit am I???), but want to do a bit garden tidying in the afternoon ( but maybe it's going to rain lol ):&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on February 28, 2009, 05:00:46 pm
I was working till 2.30pm so not much chance to get anything done outside. I did muck out and put down fresh beds then took the dogs for a run in the field, why do they have to find the wetest bit to play in I have no idea so they came in rather dirty. Then went and shut the chickens in and while doing that stood and watch a deer grazing not far from the barn. I was down wind so she was happy eating away.The seeds i started just last week are showing a bit of green so pleased at that. :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on February 28, 2009, 05:38:13 pm
150 ft long 6 foot high fence built!! woohoo

tomorrow, 150ft of raised beds to be built

getting there!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 28, 2009, 06:55:27 pm
Wow !
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 28, 2009, 07:08:06 pm
After a day of our dog being sick we took him to the vet, not sure why he is ill but we both have been ill, he hadn't even eaten anything bad, anyway, he looks a bit better tonight. We then set about pruning a tree that was hampering the phone connection, that took ages as we had to borrow a ladder.I cleaned out the chickens and they enjoyed all the worms I found turning over logs and stones, I was asessing where to put the new hutch for my ducks, hope to get some, maybe a couple. I am doing some research but they would love the pond A few trips to the tip and some shopping a bit of a lazy day but looking forward to visiting Anne with our possy....Me, Steve and Robin, our surrogate uncle then I shall cook a nice Sunday roast....NOT a CHicken!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 28, 2009, 08:34:07 pm
MMMMm............................  looking forward to that very much!  When are you coming down?
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 28, 2009, 09:11:04 pm
Just after 11.00am if thats OK? Bruce is still quite poorly, he has tablets and medicine to stop him being sick but not sure what it is??
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 28, 2009, 09:12:32 pm
You won't be taking the dogs down will you?  I'd rather you didn't if Bruce is sick.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 28, 2009, 09:14:38 pm
No, he will stay in his bed, not even taking him out for a walk....Islay is fine, I hope he recovers soon.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: garden cottage on March 01, 2009, 06:50:26 am
funny how a lovely sunny day can turn into a crap day. one of our ryeland breeding ewes started showing some unusual behaviour signs, turning in circles odd head position slight foaming at mouth, the ram had kept marking her as she hadnt taken. off to the vets with livestock trailer,after quick diagnosis we were told its listeriosis found in sheep faeces and soil, 2 injections 1 stomach tube to get fluid into her plus another syringe of antibiotic and off home we go. wed been told to get 3litres day of fluid into her via stomach bag. let her settle down after journey, went out to the trailer to administer fluid she was stone dead. it may be that weve had a bad run of luck with the sheep but every time something starts to go well you then get a smack in the face with sheep, struggling to justify keeping them if things dont improve..........neil
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 01, 2009, 10:20:01 am
funny how a lovely sunny day can turn into a crap day. one of our ryeland breeding ewes started showing some unusual behaviour signs, turning in circles odd head position slight foaming at mouth, the ram had kept marking her as she hadnt taken. off to the vets with livestock trailer,after quick diagnosis we were told its listeriosis found in sheep faeces and soil, 2 injections 1 stomach tube to get fluid into her plus another syringe of antibiotic and off home we go. wed been told to get 3litres day of fluid into her via stomach bag. let her settle down after journey, went out to the trailer to administer fluid she was stone dead. it may be that weve had a bad run of luck with the sheep but every time something starts to go well you then get a smack in the face with sheep, struggling to justify keeping them if things dont improve..........neil

The thing about sheep, is that if they can try and die they will. You just have to presevere with them, everyone goes through very unlucky spells. For a time when I first got Anglo-Nubians goats, everything I had died, and that lasted for about 5 years before things suddenly turned around.

I'm sorry it all went so badly for this one.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 01, 2009, 10:53:21 am
Sorry to hear about your sheep.  My friend in Aberdeenshire who breeds blackies says that every lamb she has ever known is born with a death wish!  I couldn't count the number we tried to save when they were in our fields.  She's bred them for years.

Hope Bruce is better soon.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 01, 2009, 10:56:27 am
So sorry about your sheep. When we were given the ducks we had a few that just died. It is so sad every time, but we all have bad and good spells with animals. Don't feel discouraged about keeping going! :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on March 01, 2009, 04:13:50 pm
Sorry to hear about your sheep. It's rotten when something you've looked after dies like that.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on March 01, 2009, 04:20:45 pm
We've had a busy day. I'm looking after my friend's horse this weekend, so I had two boxes to do this morning. Dan's Mum and Dad came round and we had a (work) party. We bribed them with bacon rolls. Dan's Mum swept and hosed the yard while his Dad cut willow whips and planted them on the riverbank. They'll either take or they'll not - but they didn't cost us anything. Dan and I did the sheeps' feet and gave Jura and Jinx their Heptavac P Plus, then we moved them onto the track. We don't have a whole lot of grazing so we have to use what we've got. They were so happy to have fresh grazing!

I cleaned out the hens, while Dan lifted and split the rhubarb (Annie, it's in a Tesco bag on the bench outside the house. Swing by any time to collect), lifted the leeks (pencil slim - what an embarassment) and planted early Anya potatoes.

After bacon rolls, it was into the field to tidy up - lifting stones and stuff. We had some fencing done and a hump of waste material moved earlier in the year and it's left a Somme-like area. We're lifting stones in preparation for reseeding.

Now Dan's watching the football and I'm off to do the horses, then dinner, "Lark Rise to Candleford" and bed.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on March 01, 2009, 06:52:52 pm
the business continues........

i built one 150 ft long raised bed all around the perimeter fence (which was erected teh day before!)

I'm not looking forward to filling these up, it took long enough to do the 2 32' foot beds!!

I also built another 5 8' by 4' beds - so now, i've 300% more growing capacity than last year (as well as an extra tunnel and a new greenhouse!)

I also cut about 25 willow whips (the orange variety) and planted them in the garden. hopefully they'll do their job and help the soil/drainage situation in that part of the garden!

i bought mrs SB a kite for her christmas - we spent some time trying to make that work - no joy, back to the drawing board.

went into LIDL to see what gardening stuff they have - i might pick up a cherry blossom tree next week. But i was thinking of buying one of their cheap cloches, i want to make an agility course for my dog and i think they'll make a decent/cheap tunnel for him (as well as come in handy for growing some veg!)

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 01, 2009, 07:53:25 pm
Goodness me sellickbhoy, you are going to be growing a lot!

I spent the day dodging hail showers, fixing the fence at the bottom of the veggie garden so that rabbits can't break in and eat my plants (when I plant any!), removing all the rocks that the previous owner used to use as a path.
Trimmed three of the goats feet, and obviously had to spend a fair bit of time on feeding rounds for the babies.

Talking of Lidl's, having seen their catalogue for this week, I am tempted to purchase their mini electric rovator.

Also- I have some corrugated metal sheets that I want to get rid of- if anyone wants some you'd be welcome.

Beth

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 01, 2009, 08:28:13 pm
HappyH., I only just noticed- the Observer has a special offer in today, with 3 dwarf fruit trees for £ 23.98 (1 Apple Gala, 1 Golden Delicious, 1 Pear Doyenne) + 10 free strawberry plants (p&p 3.49) they don't seem to do this offer online, the phone nr. is 0330 333 6856, order code GUP07 :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on March 01, 2009, 09:49:39 pm
Excellent - just the thing for big pots in my garden.
I'll be on it 1st thing tomorrow. And strawberries - well, you can never have enough  ;D ;D ;D
Thanks for the tip  ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 01, 2009, 10:59:54 pm
Quote
(Annie, it's in a Tesco bag on the bench outside the house. Swing by any time to collect),
Thanks, Rosemary - will be into alloa tomorrow so will nip down for it - will try not to disturb Dan if he's working there.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 06, 2009, 09:03:40 am
It is sunny, so a promising morning! While it is too cold for outside work I'll phone my mother who broke her hand, write an overdue letter to a friend abroad, maybe a bit of spring cleaning. Outside I'll probably have a fire in the oil drum today with "all" the dry couch grass and thistles. :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on March 06, 2009, 09:18:56 am
it's friday - hooray.

i've just marinaded some venison in rosemary (not the admin!) garlic and red wine, making a venison and mushroom pie for tea tonight!! Then got a couple of films to watch  (Mrs SB is off out to see her pals tonight, so quiet night in for me)

it's a beautiful sunny, crisp morning here, so the dog has been out for an hour and a half. He's now curled up at my feet.

My van won't start, so i'm stuck in the house - it's hellish not being able to go to the office!!!  ;)

I got 9 tonne of compost delivered on wednesday and it's halfway down my drive, the friendly farmers next door are coming along with their new volvo tractor to shift it down to the bottom of my garden where the new raised beds are. that'll save me several days shovelling/barrowing it about.

bought some rhubarb seed last night, gonna try sowing it from seed (instead of buying a couple of new crowns)





Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 06, 2009, 11:10:51 am
Nice day here too and I am also stuck in, got guests comming anytime and my car is down the road as it would not start last night after dropping off a college from my care work job, flat battery as I am only using the car for short runs in the evening, I also had work issues to deal with and guests smoking in the house issues to deal with...why do people think you will not be able to tell they are smoking especialy as they were clearly told when they arrived, Steve had to go and inform them again of No SMoking at 11.00pm and I had a job sleeping due to all that is currently going on... I am taking Annes advice and being assertive!!!!!!!!! I am in an assertive mood...not sure how long that will last? Now I am having a very strong coffee, ringing up AA, ringing up the garage about my beloved VW and then off to jolly old work...what fun...if only I could say!!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 06, 2009, 12:44:23 pm
That's it, Sandy - stay positive.  I've been watching Crufts heel-work to music all morning, with occasional flicks over to hoovering, mopping, writing breed notes for the dog paper, dog walking, and choir accounts!  Off to ahve lunch now and do more housework fro my sister's visit next week.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 06, 2009, 10:26:25 pm
Annie- did you see the Bandits heat?


I was at work so missed it.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 06, 2009, 10:53:09 pm
I love watching crufts, shame that it is not on tv now.....if I had my way I would have loads of dogs..and chickens.....and hens.....and ducks...... and pigs......and cows....and ????????
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: buddy on March 07, 2009, 07:11:28 am
Good weekend ahead with nothing major planned. Going to get a gearbox won on ebay for 99p. Lots to do in the garden, kids have friends over today/tonight. Son had rugby match tomorrow and all the usual animal feeding, dog walking etc. Need to tidy hay barn as its full of trailers and useful junk that needs to live elsewhere according to me, but not my husband.............
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: minidax on March 07, 2009, 07:18:13 am
The usual - too much to do and not enough time.  I go into that polytunnel and get 'lost' and forget to come out!  Hope to get some of my earlies planted, clean out the hen house, wash their food/water dishes, walk the dogs, pick up my son and his friend, feed everyone ... just another day at the ranch!!!!  :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 07, 2009, 05:07:31 pm
I love watching crufts, shame that it is not on tv now.....if I had my way I would have loads of dogs..and chickens.....and hens.....and ducks...... and pigs......and cows....and ????????

watch it on computer - gundog group is tonight at 6.30 www.cruftslive.tv
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 07, 2009, 05:12:29 pm
Annie- did you see the Bandits heat?


I was at work so missed it.

Beth

Which Bandits?  I know nussing ..............................  nobody told me whatever it was!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 08, 2009, 11:16:27 am
Annie- Well you know Sam is involved with the Broxburn dog agility club- its them that provide the agility training whilst the college provide the venue. Their flyball team Broxburn Bandits had qualified for crufts. Their heat was on Friday at half 1, but I was at work, so I don't know how they got on.


As to what am I doing today, had planned to do stuff outside as always, stuff to trim back, tidying to do, veggie garden to dig. Well I got up and was faced with a blizzard, so have cleared out my wardrobe instead! Having a cup of coffee just now, then off to clear out the ducks as the blizzard has now stopped. Have to head to livingston this afternoon to choose the final details for the kitchen. Really could do with mucking out some of the goats, but the weather is just too bad today. I shall have to instruct himself to do it during the week! To be fair, he does help out with mucking the goats out far more than I expected.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on March 08, 2009, 11:51:59 am
We're in the midst of a blizzard too - so all my outside stuff will just have to wait !
I think it'll be a big pot of soup and a lazy afternoon in front of the TV  ;D I should really get on with the painting but it's not worth the hassle with my kids trying to 'help' - there's more paint everywhere else than on the walls with them  ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 08, 2009, 04:27:45 pm
well I've been on and off this flipping thing for four days (Crufts is on if you didn't already know)  All I can say is good riddance to the BBC and their biased opinions!  Live streaming is definitely better than sitting in front of the telly - you can nip over to the forum every now and then.

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on March 08, 2009, 05:59:24 pm
been uploading thing to ebay and also adding things to freecycle (for the locals you might have might have noticed!!!)

have got some morethings to add to ebay but it the writting everything out that doesn't help also in the mists of ebaying and freecyling i have been sortting out the new process/website for freecycle clacks and torfaen and also tidying the house
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carole h on March 08, 2009, 07:02:25 pm
We managed to sort the polytunnel out today (with the help of 15 curious chickens - sheltering from the hail/snow/wind ...good day to be in the poly!). It's all ready for the first new crops of the season. I will sow lettuce, mangetout and broadbeans in the beds later this week, and I am still picking plenty of winter salad greens from the plants sown in October - they've done really well this year. We even managed to rescue the strawberry plants that have pottered on without any water at all over winter (and been scratched around by the chickens within an inch of their lives!) - they always give a good early crop - well worth the space they take up.
Before the weather changed at about lunchtime, I managed to cut two lawns and tidy the front borders - I feel as though I've actually done something useful today ....!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on March 09, 2009, 09:48:21 am
This morning its very cold, wet and a strong wind so I am indoors house cleaning. I know very boring but jobs need doing. so far the animals are still inside even the chickens have decided to stay in the barn must have some brains.  :) :chook:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 09, 2009, 09:54:39 am
very cold wind here, too, but it is sunny, so I will go outside later with a hot cuppa for some tidying the veggie plot after cleaning the birds' night quarters. :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on March 09, 2009, 12:07:39 pm
Hi all, just back at my desk after a frantic morning. Up at first light ( not that I slept much), disinfected car and trailer, loaded piggies( easier to say than do), did normal chores, ( chooks etc) then changed into clean clothes. sorted son out with a lift to school. Then took pigs on their holidays, 40 minute ride to the abattoir. waved them goodbye, which actually felt much sadder than it sounds, and returned. cleaned car and trailer again. returned trailer to farmer. Very windy to be pulling a 2 tonne trailer. If only they didn't look at you in such a trusting way. Just when you think you are working hard, you come across someone who make you feel quite lazy. While cleaning the trailer an old fellow drove up, he must have been @ 80. He asked if it was allright to park on the verge nearby, he was here to mend his sons stone walls. i know his son, who keeps a few sheep in a field up the road, and he is 60 odd. H e then put on his coat,  hat , wellies and gloves, climbed over the fence, and before long was pulling the wall apart and rebuilding it. The wind was nearly blowing him over. fantastic .
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on March 09, 2009, 12:26:55 pm
I reckon linz must be my long lost twin sister, we seem to do the same things on the same day!! Ebay here as well, its called spring cleaning, if I dont freecycle it , I ebay it! Also playing on my new laptop which incidentally Linz is fab but on my facebook farm town I cant actually see anybody else, its like a ghost town I go to the market place and noones there, any suggestions?  ???
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: buddy on March 10, 2009, 06:46:53 am
I am due to start lambing tomorrow. Set up everything in basic last week, finalised it all yesterday in the dry. Now its time to wait, in the rain. I am training our unruly dog today with a remote control and sensor collar, she is a rescue nutter that just needs smoothing out a bit. Don't have to go to school this afternoon for a change as the kids are coming home on the coach, no after school clubs. I  do not have to go out at all today which is a nice thought, I feel like being a loner today.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: xxmillyxx on March 10, 2009, 12:08:10 pm
Hi all
Having a bad start to the day today.  Joiner broke his leg on Saturday night (in the pub), I realise he's having a worse time than me, but now I've got to go out and try to finish erecting my polytunnel.   ??? ???

Phones still not working here at the new place (been off since moved last Sunday) - ok plus point is it's quiet.   ::)

Going to plant another 4 tree's today, planted 4 yesterday - ok I'm getting there  ;D

Planning department playing silly b...ers, sent back my application for a dormer & orangery because we are using it as a residence when it has an argicultural occupancy clause and we should be asking for this removing.  Drrrrrrr, just moved in - only just started getting things ready - don't want it removing !!!!  Waiting for Natural England to visit (planned for 18th) to discuss SSSI (don't want to be doing anything wrong to start with) - Ok I've done a letter back to tell her this, hopefully she can stop getting ahead of herself now.   :-\ :-\

Well its nice & sunny out there - I'm feeling a bit better now writing this - the birds are singing - OH playing with the dogs (while sorting the polytunnel on his own)  wish the dogs would stop running off with the wooden bits  :D

OK happier now - still happy I'm here - still cant wait to get started !?!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 21, 2009, 10:26:33 am
Mucking out! Finally got a nice day, just off to put the female goats out in the field (make take a video of them for youtube). Then need to muck out a couple of pens. Also want to go to the garden centre this afternoon (mother's day present to buy).
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on March 21, 2009, 10:44:18 am
so far today 2 tonne of compost have been shifted into their new raised beds - 7 to go!!

There is a continental fare in Linlithgow this weekend, so i'm popping along there to get some treats, then back to shifting compost until the Ireland rugby match starts.

Tomorrow - off to the garden centre to see what i can get to brighten up the garden! Then away to get some brambles fae fife - i have no fear of their wild spreading attributes, i shall conquer the brambles and have many a delicious treat from them!

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on March 21, 2009, 11:58:27 am
been out in garden lovely weather, so my kind. Planted out the broad beans that made it, in to raised bed. Getting fed up with cat using it as litter tray (thinking i might need to borrow a water gun) . Little T was helping me do a little bit ,moved the tatties to patio that way i can see them an removed about them filled them a bit more with soil as movement distributed the soil them a bit. Open greenhouse to get the air cirularing in the greenhouse as it can get a little stail, it's only a small greenhouse.
i am now to think about so of the flower i want to plant out inbetween the fruit bushes while watching a bt of the garden and food channels on sky.

Linz
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 21, 2009, 01:41:46 pm
 :bfly: Not much :bfly:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on March 21, 2009, 03:58:23 pm
what a beautiful day again!!! polytunnel over 80 degrees, had to open both doors to let some air in, seedlings going bananas. have applied for a stand at a local farmers market as a one off trial, have masses to go on it and lots of ideas, any body with any experience of them? have helped on my sister in laws but first time on my own. chickens laying like crazy all excess eggs being sold at the gate, just counted egg money and in the last 4 weeks have sold over £100, worth. keep going girls! :D :D :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 21, 2009, 05:29:00 pm
Managed to muck out 3 pens in the goat shed. Both my sisters showed up this afternoon (with their husbands and children) Roped the adults into shifting a 6 by 4 foot shed into our little paddock to act as a shelter for the kids, and as a duck house for the cayugas who can now become free range in the paddock and field to clear up the fluke snails! Have to say the shed was a lot heavier than expected!

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 21, 2009, 06:00:48 pm
After 4 days with the loveliest weather and us down with the sick bug (and no expensive restaurant to blame) I started slowly with garden tidying and cleaning the birds. Still so tired, but nice to have been outside! :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 21, 2009, 06:31:42 pm
Done a bit more and now have the basis for the duck pen, just need to get some mesh tomorrow. I hate having to spend the day inside when it's so nice, tomorrow I am out all day in the arden etc and I bet it rains >:( :(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on March 22, 2009, 09:44:09 am
apart from picking up the lambs, I potted on my tomato's, checked on the garlic which has been growing all winter and seems to be doing well and looked out more seeds to plant in pots to start of in the house ready for the pollytunnel. time just flew past. Not enough hours in a day. also did washing and irong as working all next week but that's just boring stuff.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 25, 2009, 12:45:47 pm
Being angry >:( >:( >:(Why do people STILL smoke in there rooms? I wanted to do so much today but a group of men went to a party and were sick in thier bedroom and one man is still in ther asleep, funny thing is they paid yesterday and I said how good they are, very neat, quiet and clean, then, last night, they were noisy, 2 were soking at 2.000am as I got up to use the toilet and smelt it, there was sick in the bathroom and they were in and out up and down leaving lights on and as I said, o ne is still in bed >:( I was going to clean out the chickens  :chook: and tidy the garden and have a nice long walk and I usualy LOVE runninng this B&B  but not today.........urrrrrrrrrrrrr >:(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 25, 2009, 12:47:04 pm
And my smiley's arn't working, and its sunnny!!!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 25, 2009, 01:45:54 pm
Oh dear, poor you!  Chuck them out - wake that one up!

Yesterday I laid some slabs at the back for a small patio, and today I walked Freckles and belle, then laid two more slabs to continue the path round the new conservatory.  Now I'm cream crackered so I'm having a break, then will take Allez out training
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 25, 2009, 01:54:57 pm
One chap has just left, I told him last week and I think he ws blowing it out of the window but the smel was only faint, last night I went upstairs and the smell was strong, I was unsure if it was one hap or both, as I said, one has left and the other should know better, he is the boss and sacked last weeks lot, they were great, in bed early, not ken on much booze, these I hope will learn thier lesson!!!! I will tel him again tonight when I see him >:( >:( The joys of a B&B
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on March 25, 2009, 02:00:36 pm
I've managed to get out in the garden to do some planting  ;D
Had tried last week but ended up clearing it all up and generally messing about instead.
So now I've got my varigated holly & ivies planted (hopefully have enough growth on them by the end of the year to start my wreath making enterprise this xmas)
Lavenders are in, again so I can use them in soaps, candles, pomanders etc (beautiful AND profit making - hopefully !)
Now I'm going to wash all the baby clothes and get a bag packed just in case I need to go to hospital to have this baby. Turns out my homebirth midwifes are only on call from 7 days before I'm due - and I've got a funny feeling I'll be early !  :o
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 25, 2009, 02:10:15 pm
Not sure how long you suppose to have left but when youget that nesting energy, it's nearly time!!!! I remember being 2 weeks early when it snowed badly one year, I spent ages in the garden shoveling snow and low and behold, went into labour, no stork smiley so  :bouquet:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on March 25, 2009, 03:40:59 pm
Well I have been working at the hospital today, it was rain and hail when I left home at 6.20 this morning with nothing but dark sky. The sun has decided to shine but boy is it cold.  while working I was admiring a photo that was sitting on one of the lockers. turns out the man is 100. I said he did not look anything like that age which delighted him and his comment was, he been lucky to have had a first class wife who had looked after him well and a stree free job that he had enjoyed. Now how many of us could say the same  :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on March 25, 2009, 04:07:44 pm
Not sure how long you suppose to have left but when you get that nesting energy, it's nearly time!!!! I remember being 2 weeks early when it snowed badly one year, I spent ages in the garden shoveling snow and low and behold, went into labour, no stork smiley so  :bouquet:
I've still a way to go - feels like I've been pregnant for years this time around lol! Not due until 30th April. I've been 'nesting' since I started my leave, 6 weeks ago  :o
But it's not so much nesting, as necessity cos I know I'll have NO time to get it all done afterwards  ;)
Other jobs I can strike off my to do list now are the painting in our living room, hall and kids rooms -got hubby to thank for that one, but I suspect it's his way of getting out of outside work  ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on March 26, 2009, 11:16:10 am
taking a day off from the garden today. I had targetted shovelling 1 tonne of compost into the new raised beds a day every day this week, but i got a bit ahead of myself yesterday and decided to take today off.

so, 3 tonne to go - friday, sat and sun!!

Gonna plant a lot more green beans, peas and sweetcorn to start them off indoors tonight, then once they pop through they'll be moved outside next weekend

the chilli plants are now up to 4" so they are coming out of the propagator tonight and will sit on the kitchen worktop for a few weeks to harden up a bit before i start to move them out to the greenhouse during the day

popped down to Lidl today to buy a circular saw, i needed one that would cut scaffold boards - 55mm - and wasn't prepared to pay £80-90, got one for £32 today :-)

might pop back on sat to Lidl to pick up some of their cheap rose bushes and a few other shrubs (time to start planting pretty things instead of edible things!)

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 26, 2009, 11:51:02 am
Well, another sunny day, I had a nice walk yesterday,eventualy, I spent ALL day cleaning the sick..yuck as I had to wash stuff 2x only to find the carpet had a HUGE stain...yuck yuck yuck....I went in to clean it a bit but will have a better go with our new shampooer carpet cleaner. Again I found more sick in the bedroom and am now realy mad, not one of the men or the boss appologised, I was realy nice too and offered the poorly man a coffee and advice, I am now quite mad although No smoking last night, that message got home. Today I cleaned out the chickens and put more SUdocream on Bens nose, he is sweet. I am now off to tackle the next lot of washing that I did not expect and maybe tomorrow I will not be so mad, I want to say bad words! instead I will  :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: :bee: >:(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 26, 2009, 07:13:09 pm
Well, the day went better in the end, Anne came around and I got things off my chest then, got out my new carpet shampooer and cleaned that mess, worked great, did a lot of cleaning and then took the dogs out, Islay went miles ahead and Ben looked lost, I was mad with her but she came back so I gave her a treat and put her on a lead and then went off to Devilla Forest, where, she could go a long way off without me worrying, the other woodland was too near to a road for Ben if he followed. At the end of a nice long walk in the rain, it was getting dark and, guess what, my car key had dropped through a whole in my inside pocket!!! I found dog biscuit and £1, so, instead of tracing my footsteps I rang my partner and he was just talking to the guest about the sick, so, they gave my partner a lift to the forest with my spare set...turned out OK as they also apologised etc. I will go back and see if I can find them but I went off track a few times as I wanted to go for a weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!  :-[
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on March 26, 2009, 08:44:02 pm
Is that not what you have retrievers for?
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 26, 2009, 08:53:55 pm
Islay is a good dog but until Ben is a bit older I worry about him going too far away and getting distracted like a young boy would!!!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 26, 2009, 09:01:50 pm
If I wasn't going to Edinburgh tomorrow i'd come and help you look for your keys, but I'm meeting school pals for lunch.  Hope you find the keys.  You could try sending Islay out for them after putting a hanky or scarf round her nose to give her the cent.  And you'd better sew up that hole ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 26, 2009, 09:21:32 pm
Funny thing, my key ring broke off in the car so all I had was a Key, very hard to look for but I will give it a go, I will then put it on a HUGE key chain so if I drop it I should be able to see it and the dogs maybe able to recover it...at least we had someone to run steve out with the spare key, I thought he would have to ride his bike.....Thanks, have a nice afternoon, nice to meet up with old friends, 2 of mine should be comming up here soon but they are not OLD old friends, they are young, relatively recent, friends, my baby daughter is up here for Easter, hope we have room for her :Dher partner and her dog, Aunty Bessie, another Black Lab :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 27, 2009, 12:29:35 pm
Just taken delivery of my hired rotavator- it was supposed to be here earlier, but was delayed when the delivery driver had an accident! Alex was supposed to be picking up his mum at the airport at 10:30am, and they're still not back yet because of delays with her flight. So an odd morning! Have arranged to take Alex's car transporter trailer over to the trailer place this afternoon to have some work done on it next week. My sisters will probably show up this afternoon with my neices and nephews as well.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 27, 2009, 07:42:33 pm
Well, I went to town on the choo choo train!  Exercised and fed all the dogs, arranged fro Sarah to come over and let Hester out at lunchtime, fed and watered all the birds.  Drove to Alloa, caught the 9.40 to Stirling, transferred to the Edinburgh train and mets my old school pals for coffee, then lunch at Ricks in Frederick Street - delish!  Hopped back on the train at Waverley, back to Stirling then to Alloa and home in time fro tea.  Lovely day!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 27, 2009, 08:10:27 pm
I spent the day chasing my tail :) I have more people comming next week, bursting, we have also turned a few away today.....After a day of cleaning and sorting, still loads to do, I noticed the gate opened in the Chicken part of the garden, they were very quiet then I noticed them digging in my nice bit of garden, squashing down m flowers >:(I sent Ben in, he ran in, took no notice of the hens but they ran home, he stayed to clear up some chicken poo and would not come back, I enticed him with a treat and then he came and sat under the outside table as he knew he was naughty. We went for a nice long walk in Devilla Forest, Ben was brilliant, we saw loads of dogs and he had a sniff and came back...such nice dog and of course Isaly ran miles. Now and Indian and some Whiskey so, from now on, take no notice of ANYTHING i say, CHEERS :yum Oh I forgot, someone wanted to give me a brand new rabbit hutch for my chckens/ducks but is was soooooooooooooooo BIG, that I could not collect it...dam (and stronger words) :(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 27, 2009, 10:51:34 pm
and why didn't you phone me - you KNOW my car can take that sort of thing! ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 28, 2009, 06:07:23 am
Formula 1 racing is back!! Up to watch qualifying, then out to the goats after that. The littlest kids will be graduating up to only 3 feeds a day (but they get more milk per feed). Got a rotavator dropped off yesterday to go over the veggie garden, so thats on todays list. Want to sow some seeds and put out my early potatoes. Also still have 2 pens in the goat shed to muck out, but need to fetch straw first so that we have some to restraw the pens with! When we fetch the straw, will ask if can steal 2 orphan lambs from our local farmer to raise on the goats milk.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 28, 2009, 07:16:36 am
Anne the person said it was too wde for even a people carrier and you were out to lunch, never mind, it's gone. We wll watch Formula 1, my SOn in Laws brother  is a Mechanic in the Red Bull Team.

WHat a lot of wind ast night, it felt like a storm at sea. Today I shall check out the Chickens and then I am afraid I shall be stuck cleaning and doing some sorting.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 28, 2009, 08:08:46 am
Anne the person said it was too wde for even a people carrier and you were out to lunch, never mind, it's gone. We wll watch Formula 1, my SOn in Laws brother  is a Mechanic in the Red Bull Team.

WHat a lot of wind ast night, it felt like a storm at sea. Today I shall check out the Chickens and then I am afraid I shall be stuck cleaning and doing some sorting.

Oooooh thats exciting Sandy. Vettel did well too- I think I might back him this year as DC has retired. I've just been pricing up to go to the Italian Grand Prix this year. Sadly its expensive!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 28, 2009, 08:50:10 am
My son n law gets all his clothing, very nice stuff, my parter has a Red Bull SHirt, all the stuff is not allowed to be sold and it has his name embroidered on some things, funny thing is, my son in law does not appear interested at all and although he can have family tickets to events, he does not go...
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 28, 2009, 09:50:14 am
My god- if that was my family, there would be mass arguments over who got to go! Both my sisters and their husbands are very keen on motorsport as well, my mum hates it and can't understand how she came to have all these children who are fanactical. Anyway off to rotavate/muck out now.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 28, 2009, 09:40:52 pm
John used to drive me nuts watching Formula 1.  First husband died in a car crash so fast cars make me scared
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on March 28, 2009, 10:04:14 pm
Thanks so much for the wire, now I can stuck into the Duck enclosure, they will be wandering around in the day with the chickens, I suppose they Will be in my little pond. I came home to find Steve hoovering with VERY LOUD music on, Pink Floyd, he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw me, I'm surprised he heard  you arrive...Thanks again..I hate fast car's too, I have been to a few car racy type things but I find them a bit boring, you only can focus on them for a second then they are off, used to like the jet cars at Santa Pod and the Jet Lorries...they were loud too. My SOn in Laws brother got spotted when he worked at a garage as an apprentice straight from school, the garage owner had a racing car and took him on, apparently now he has had enough as although he goes all around the world he soen't see much, he is nearly always in a small hotel room or working, he now wants to spend more time withhis family...I bet he can do a service quickly, I should get him to look at my VW, now that's what I call a slow car :paw: :paw: :paw: :paw: :paw:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 28, 2009, 11:19:42 pm
Ooh - I like the little paw prints - never noticed them before 
:paw: :paw:
:paw: :paw: Islay
:paw: :paw:
 :paw: :paw: Ben
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on March 29, 2009, 08:13:31 am
I quite like fast cars, and the other half loves them. I can understand why you might not though.

Been up since 6am (summer time) for the race, its nearly finished now. Tired today, not had enough sleep over the past few days! I might have a snooze later. Want to finish off the digging and rotavating in the veggie garden, and there is another goat pen that needs mucking out. The rabbit and pigs need cleaning out too. If its not too cold I'll get them outside in the garden.

Oh and by the way- I got sunburnt yesterday! OK, so it might have been more windburn than sunburn, but it looked the same.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on March 29, 2009, 09:10:39 pm
I got the chicken shed cleaned out yesterday, and bought more straw ready to do the ducks when they get moved to their new quarters.  It was quite warm here this morning so let the dogs into the back garden and started sieving more soil from the spoil heap from the conservatory to put into the raised bed.  Nearly filled now. My friend appeared unexpectedly and went off after coffee with a dozen eggs and a bag of daffodil bulbs for teh Culross Community Garden.  Does anyone know if there is Clacks one? Found a lump of grey clay and saved it in case Sandy can do something with it.  It might be too much mixed with soil though.  Then the kids arrived and we cleared the furniture out of the lounge and I hoovered the old carpet.  Sarah shampooed it so it just needs to dry for a couple of days and we can lift it for my neighbour's daughter's new flat.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on April 02, 2009, 10:59:22 am
Fort Knox has been secured - the dog run, that will become the chicken run had the last of the mesh put up this morning and he (Fella) now can't escape, so it's secure from mr fox getting in!

The ripped plastic greenhouse/mini tunnel thing is coming down. it lasted a year, ok for £50 i guess. Once it's down I'll build the base slightly bigger and i'm on the look out for a good sized greenhouse (let me know if you have a spare!!!)

I've got giant planters to assemble - I'd cut some old scaffold boards down to 4' lengths, need to make them into planters to go around the house/driveway and then get them filled with compost and some plants (these will all be for flowers/shrubs rather than food)

that should do me for today

the good news is i got round to my first sowing on tuesday night - planted 80 seed tatties, sowed my carrots, parsnips, peas, beetroot and bulb fennel. I'm gonna sow my french beans, sweetcorn, courgettes and some more onion sets tomorrow. I've got a few rhubarb plants from seed started off, though i realise this is a long term project - so i might start some more off to ensure they all survive the year ahead!!

i've started some onion seeds indoors - had mixed success with them last year, so will try again in a more methodical manner.

all the chillis and peppers are coming along nicely now - though i have no purple numex twighlits germinating yet - so i'm a bit disappointed in that one.

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on April 02, 2009, 12:19:42 pm
but is was soooooooooooooooo BIG, that I could not collect it...dam (and stronger words) :(

don't forget the van Sandy (payment in eggs or likewise is welcome) :D :D

linz
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on April 02, 2009, 12:22:05 pm
Does anyone know if there is Clacks one

Try 'the Orchid'

in alloa
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: garden cottage on April 05, 2009, 09:43:29 pm
Installed sprinkler system in polytunnel, works a treat instant rain. eartags on new calfs all cattle moved back down the lane to better grazing. went out for 2 long walks with poppy our on load rda horse with both girls, gorgeous day lovely sunshine. took blank firing ram down lane to small orchard which we have free for grazing,phone call 1hr later to say 4 horn jacob ram and our ryeland are trying to kill each other either side of the fence head butting constantly. another trip down lane moved ferdy down to next field with dexters. ahhhh the joys of keeping livestock!!!!!! ;D ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Hardfeather on April 07, 2009, 08:04:02 am
It's my birthday today.

My wife and the two boys are on holiday in a cottage in Sutherland.......I'm at home as we have electricians in this week rewiring the house.

I got a new all singing all dancing mobile phone last week, a money-saving exercise, and put it in the washing machine in my jacket pocket yesterday. It's drying slowly..................I hope it works again.

Because of the work in the house I slept in the caravan last night.....my back is killing me this morning and I can walk.

On the bright side, I do have two little gifts, left at home by my sons, to open today.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: jameslindsay on April 07, 2009, 08:16:55 am
Happy Birthday, enjoy your day, I doubt your phone will still be working! :hshoe:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on April 07, 2009, 09:25:14 am
happy birthday.

try taking the phone apart as much as possible and putting it near a source where you can dry it eg near a radiator (but not on top as you could melt it)

it may take up to 48hours to completely dry but worth the wait if it was very expensive!!!!!

hope this helps you out

Linz
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on April 07, 2009, 11:00:07 am
Happy Birthday!  I have washed a few  phones due to taking them upstairs in my dressing gown pocket then putting my dressing gown in the wash, I dried on too quickly and it melted, one lost a number, the only way I could connect that number was to take the front off the phone and press the are cell with a pen tip!!!!! so I could only ring people who where in my memory, then!! I dropped one down the toilet, gave that o someone to repair, they got it working again and Finlay washed my partners work phone, it was in his zip pocket, but, we took it apart and left it in the airing cupboard all weekend and it works fine!!!!!! Good luck with drying it out and
[move]HAPPY BIRTHDAY
[/move]
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on April 07, 2009, 01:38:59 pm
Happy birthday. sorry to hear about your phone.
my oh washed my fleece two months back, without checking the pockets. Mobile phone washed and tumble dried. it was in bits. it did go back together and i had to buy a new battery. It still works and is very shiny. It was just a very basic phone though.
today i am having a quiet day at work.
will do some gardening when I get home.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on April 07, 2009, 02:20:58 pm
Happy Birthday Hardfeather ... many happy returns

For your phone I agree with FWS, take it to bits, especially the sim card and let it dry, gently. Give it all a wipe over once dry and put it back together. This was how my ex used to do his after performing his party piece of dropping his mini phone into his pint !

I've really had to slow down on all my plans and the work rate is almost nil ! So other than the occaisional 'play' in the garden I'm not getting any REAL work done.
On the other hand, I've been busy with midwife visits, scans at hospital and getting the house ready for juniors arrival and the home birth. Officially 3 weeks left to go, but given my track record - anything could happen lol ! No one is taking any chances, I've got an army of willing drivers and I'm not allowed out on my own now !!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on April 27, 2009, 03:00:38 pm
Bit sad today, took 4 of our meat chickens off to be 'done' . 2 were cockrels very big and looking uncomfortable now as they free ranged but 2 were pullets who as I took them out of the dog crate in the back of their car literrally cuddled into me and hid. I could only say sorry and give them a kiss. At the moment I feel awful but what i pick up on thursday will not resemble my chickens at all they will look exactly like the chickens you find in the farmers markets oven readied. I felt the same at xmas when we took the geese to be 'done' but still ate one for xmas lunch (it was lovely). once again thinking am i cut out for this? The worst part was going into the barn this morning (they sleep in large strawfilled barn at night and are let out in the morning to free range in the paddocks) and picking which ones were going, please someone reply to this and make me feel a bit better!  :'( :'(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on April 27, 2009, 03:35:22 pm
i've been watering the garden all morning  ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on April 27, 2009, 03:38:51 pm
Sorry you're feeling sad, I think each and every one of us feels the same way when we take any animal to meet their maker - whether it's a pork chop for the freezer or a much loved pet who's suffering. As humans we CARE, you can't help that, in fact, if you didn't care it would be pointless keeping animals for meat or pleasure. You have to reassure yourself that you gave them a good, happy, healthy life and they didn't suffer.
Hope that helps you feel a bit better Julia  :-* , if not - can I perhaps try my mind powers of distraction ?  ;)
I am 'due' to have my baby on Thursday (yeh, right  ;) like I can control it lol!) and had my check up today with the midwifes who delivered my last baby (home birth AND on Xmas day!) now, they are determined that they want to be the ones who deliver this baby and the only day they are on-call together is tomorrow, so needless to say they poked, prodded, examined and 'swept' with gay abandon to try and 'get me going'  :o I'm also thinking a spot of trampolening with the kids might work, so if you start to feel down just imagine a v.pregnant, lumpy & bumpy me bouncing away like a lunatic on a trampolene  ;D  ;D  ;D
I'll keep you all posted on developments  ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on April 27, 2009, 03:53:41 pm
someone has been watering my garden for me? the good lord works in mysterious ways, must have noticed I needed a hand.
I went on a good course at the weekend. how to despatch and process meat birds. It was at a local charity farm, but was run by a lady all the way from hampshire, who brought all the birds up with her and her colleague. we despatched a sasso, using the broom stick method, but was taught a more subtle approach than my nearly rip its head off method.then after plucking, which was no news to me. we were taught how to efficiently gut and bone the chicken, leaving a fully filleted bird. although I have already done plenty of this at home I was glad to have someone help me improve my technique and give me more confidence. the lady was alison wilson from chicken keeper in hook, hampshire. It was a good course and it was nice to meet other chicken keepers who were a bit shy of killing their own beloved chucks. One of the chaps on the course was very interesting and has just written a best selling gardening book. he runs web sites about allotments and poultry. it felt like networking, but about something you actually enjoy.

good luck with your impending joy.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on April 27, 2009, 09:56:37 pm
Love the thought of happy hippy jumping up and down on a trampoline 9 months pregnant, :D :D :D certainly made me smile. yes you are right these birds came out of a broiler house at 4 weeks old, the others they were with would have been slaughtered at 6 weeks, they are actually sold to tescos as tescos cheapest chickens so I guess that by us taking them and giving them the life they have had is so much better. they are now 16 weeks and have only gone now because they are so big they physically look uncomfortable and can have some trouble walking etc. I still have 5 of these but they are smaller.  :-\
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on April 27, 2009, 10:44:40 pm
Is there a course about how to overcome the killing inhibitions? I just can't do the thing of growing animals for meat, especially not once I've cared for them, fed them etc. I do feel really torn about this issue (glad I'm not alone). :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on April 28, 2009, 12:05:42 am
No, you're definitely not alone, Kerstin.  I can't do it either - I've often said I'm happy to eat other people's animals but not my own. :(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Hilarysmum on April 28, 2009, 06:55:21 am
I need one of those genes too, have to pluck and gut the 3 cockerels we finally managed to dispatch.  Tissues please.... :'(   :'(    :'(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: MrRee on April 28, 2009, 10:04:42 am
I don't think there is a course to "get over that feeling" and if there was,would you really want to go on it?  I spent 15 years working as a mercenary and have,at certain stages throughout my career,had to kill. ( I have to add that it was only in self-defence) As hard as I try,I've never quite got to the stage of total emotional detachment. When killing out our meat birds,I just concentrate on making it quick and painless,I feel like crap after and I hate the thought of doing it before. It is my choice to eat meat and I don't wish to be a hypocrite,so I raise them happy and dispatch them with care!

Today,I shall rebuilding the wall in the bathroom I knocked down last night. Didn't plan to start for a week or so,just got curious with a hammer when it started to rain. The "mother of all" shower cubicles is arriving on Monday and I need to knock down another wall and rebuild (to extend the room) get the plumbing/wiring sorted,buy a new toilet and sink and choose the flooring. Have 10 people coming on the last May Bank Holiday for the weekend,so it all needs to be finished by then!
       ...... Ree
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on April 28, 2009, 10:22:34 am
I think that's the point, raise them with care, give them a good life and get the job done as quickly/humanely as possible.

I was speaking to a friend of mine who refused to have any of the 1st bird i had killed myself. She would happily eat the cheapest intensively reared chicken from tesco, but not a good healthy bird who'd had a much better, longer life. I couldn't get my head around it - especially as it wasn't her who was doing the deed or who had cared for it's upkeep whilst alive.

some folks attitude to food baffles me!!!!

Today, i've a load of glass to move out of the van and i've to show face in the office, argue with thomsons and Morgan about over charging my postage on my FREE items, sort out a new mobile phone provider, and continue to empty the stables pre demolition

not really too much in the garden - certainly nothing i'm looking forward too!! Though the sun is just poking it's head through the clouds now, so might be quite nice in 20 mins or so.

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Lizmar on April 28, 2009, 10:36:18 am
I am so jealous of all of you.  I am sitting in my office at work and once again reading the site.  I want to be out there in wellies doing dirty things and talking to the animals - yes I'm another one who couldn't kill anything I look after. 

All I can do is wait for the weekend when I'm putting together my raised beds - seeds will be grateful they are outgrowing their pots and trying to arrange my field so that it is manageable.  That means me trying to move a stable which the last owners put on the hill and it leans very ominously down, so need to get it straight and in a sheltered place.  Chicken Ark will be with me in mid May.

Main problem is still training my Jack Russell - Colin.  He is a menace to anything that moves with wheels or legs. I could tell you some stories about him that would make you laugh or cry depending on your point of view!!!

Anyway back to work - please carry on telling what you are all doing I love to think it may be me soon

Oops here comes another pile of papers - back to work!!! :(
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on April 28, 2009, 11:48:08 am
Quote
Main problem is still training my Jack Russell - Colin.  He is a menace to anything that moves with wheels or legs. I could tell you some stories about him that would make you laugh or cry depending on your point of view!!!

Try a water pistol.  Usually works fro barking etc, if he really persists get the hosepipe on him at full blast.  A few times being prepared and ready for him should do the trick.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on April 28, 2009, 01:22:56 pm
I am at work at the moment. but have had the oppertunity to do an egg transaction, swapping eggs for preserves from someone who wants to make lemon curd. also in the middle of renovations back at the barn. our carpenter friend is helping us fit a better kitchen. i am doing all the donkey work in the spare moments I have. didn't get my evening meal till 10.30 last night.a bit more before work and again tonight etc. should be ready in 3- 4 weeks. why do you always have to undo over peoples bodge jobs before you can get sorted? wires and pipes are very shoddy, bordering on a death trap. still thats why we could afford the place.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Lizmar on April 28, 2009, 02:25:45 pm
Its not the barking thats the problem, its the 'etc'. He has scared a sheep into some wire and removed all the wool from its behind trying to help it out!! Fortunately the farmer thought it was the funniest thing he had seen, but did warn about the lambs, so Colin stays on the lead at the moment. 

He also loves cows especially when they moooo! He barks at them, they do what every 'normal being' does when scared and he rolls in it while its still hot and steamy. 

Lastly there is the tractor, which if he's not carefull will kill him one day - he likes to bite the tyres while its moving. 

He is the sweetest thing unless he gets fixated on something. I tried the starving idea and only fed him when he did what he was told - he whipped out when someone opened the door and went straight down a rabbit hole and pulled himself out a nice rabbit and proceeded to eat it in the middle of the field!!!!

We start classes in a few weeks - lets see how he likes that
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: carl on April 28, 2009, 02:42:40 pm
i'm sorry but I think Colin is real class, a proper JR. My lad and me are now taking next doors JR jack on his evening stroll as his ma & pa get home from work late. we love it. he is such a charecter. OH will not let us have a JR as her sister has two and she won't copy? . He drags th wee lad along at such a pace I have to jog to keep up. so we all get the benefit. I am trying to get alex to work on his mother to let us have a dog, so i am hoping he is still as keen when we get a little bit wet on the walks.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on April 28, 2009, 04:26:03 pm
The water squirting should work on the chasing too, not just on barking.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on May 26, 2009, 03:52:34 pm
I know it's been a while since anyone posted on this thread, but I've been out of action since the wee man arrived and haven't done much except sleep, feed him and housework.........................until yesterday !
I managed to get out into the garden and have now done all my weeding in the rockery (which looked like a dandilion exibition) and got my seeds sown and tatties planted, I know I'm really late with the tatties but hoping for a long summer to get them going well. So everything in the garden is rosey, or at least it was yesterday.
We woke this morning to go and feed the guiniea pig with the girls only to discover he'd popped his clogs in the night - cue massive crying fit from Rebecca who's 5. She had 2 of the critters originally, one died very shortly after we got them, but this one had been with us for over 2 years. So today has been spent making a cardboard headstone and dad got roped into giving him a funeral service - she made sure there were 2 carrots in the box and when we asked her why she said 'when he gets to heaven, Boydie will be hungry and the other one's for dado (the first guniea pig) Boydie will give it to him'. We were expecting a day of tears and depression, but luckily dad's new mobile arrived and the free wii console that arrived with it has taken her mind off things - not looking forward to bedtime though!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on May 26, 2009, 11:13:22 pm
So sorry about the guinea pig - they don't get much older than that I think. I still remember when mine died (I was 10!), I cried and cried and cried. The first time is always the hardest...
Well done you that you got any gardening done - when mine were wee it went all downhill! Took a few years to get it all back to a certain standard - mine! :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sheila on May 29, 2009, 10:24:05 pm
It's a long thread this one and very entertaining. Today I have been on a course learning how to be a volunteer beach watcher. (blue flag)
As I have two broken feet at the moment I am relying on others to deal with the lifestock so not much to report but I hope others will continue to entertain me.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on May 29, 2009, 10:27:21 pm
Goodness, Sheila - how did you manage to break both feet.  That is dreadful for you.  I hope they mend soon.
You're right about this thread - quite interesting! ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: blackdubh on May 30, 2009, 08:37:25 am
Goodness, Sheila - how did you manage to break both feet.  That is dreadful for you.  I hope they mend soon.
You're right about this thread - quite interesting! ;)
 
   Two broken feet! That not only sounds painful but just to think how difficult it must be to get about. Hope you get better soon.
I have some decorating to finish today then I will venture out into the world.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on May 30, 2009, 10:42:57 am
Been an early start this morning - easy when the sun is out like this!!

anyway, been weeding the garlic, onions and shallots out - they suddenly look like they were all nicely planted in equidistant little rows - i am most pleased. some garlic will be getting lifted in a few weeks - and i'm looking forward to it, as it looks cracking!!!

i've been hand polynating my strawbs as i have them in the plastic greenhouse this year (too much damp last year) all the early runners were cut back and i got my wee artist brush out to give them a wee tickle - they are coming along nicely, another week or 10 days and i'll be eating them. I've got 4 different varieties in there a mix of early, mid and late seasons - and they are all looking great - about 45 plants in total - gonna be a strawberry fest this summer - and next year, there will be 90 or so plants!!! YUM!!!!!!

the spuds have been earthed up - i've a raised bed 32' by 4' just for them - so that took a wee while - and i think i'll need to do it one more time next week - but after that, they've had it! (or i've had it - no more dirt and i can't get it to balance any more!!)

it was about 30 degrees in the greenhouse at 9am this morning, so i've taken out my goji, peas, sweetcorn and french beans for the day, but the peppers and chillis are loving it in there and they are looking great, my sainsbury own organic peppers are starting to flower - they look fantastic!!! As are my sainsbury own "british red chillis" I didn't expect either of these to fruit, so i'm ecstatic - and i've a load of saved seed for next year if anyone wants some!!!

the hot wax is showing sign sof flowering and the hot cherries won't be long now.

So, all in all, things are looking good in the garden this morning

Oh, and i had a fantastic breakfast thanks to some fresh eggs i got from Jo Rainyplaces blackrocks last night. Her 4 wee tamworths are the cutest things i've ever seen. And i think i'll be seriously investigating some of them. My love for pigs was confirmed an hour later as i met Andrews 2 slightly older pigs (which are 7/8ths tamworths) Fantastic wee fellows.

Now, loading up the car and off camping!!! woohooooooooooo


Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on May 30, 2009, 04:16:13 pm
been in my garden all day, :)

planted up the french beans and dwarf french beans also hubby made the rhubarb bed and the rhubard is in it and WELL watered might pop out a bit latter to water it again, He also started on the boarder that he promissed to make me since we started the garden yippy :)



and cover is dirt so off to get a clean up while hubby go off to church to sort out some balloons and then coming home with fish and chips :)


Linz
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on May 30, 2009, 07:23:36 pm
WOW almost filled up my frist bobbin on the spinning wheel

Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on June 15, 2009, 02:47:21 pm
been playing in the polytunnel today, clearing up and cutting down the weeds. found very large toad and relocated him to a spot under a hedge. field needs topping, must try to arrange that soon , also thinking of giving the barn a good clear out ready for this years hay deliveries. Came on here to say hello after not being on for a while. good to read everyones posts again  ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on June 15, 2009, 02:52:35 pm
boring day for me as no gardening but i have been clearing the bedroom as i have my parent to come and visit at the end of the month, Oh and boring shopping
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: jameslindsay on June 16, 2009, 10:47:43 am
I had to have Lucy, one of our 2 rabbits at the vets for 8.30 this morning. Last Tuesday she started going to the vet as she was breathing funny and had a very yucky eye. Well after 4 trips to the vets, injection after injection and eye cream in she is no better a week later. She is luckily enough happy enough in herself and still eating but just not responded to any treatment. So, yesterday our vet contacted the Animal Hospital in Edinburgh to draw from their "world renowned" knowledge.

So, Lucy is away in to the vets to get her chest and skull X Rayed. They think there may be a mild strength of Miximitosis,  luckily she had been injected against it. They are very concerned at "knocking her out" with the bad breathing she has but they have to make an effort and get her on the right path. A worrying time now this waiting especially being a week later with no improvement.

When I returned from the vet's I was out talking to the ponies when I heard a clatter and then the bleats from Freddy and Gizmo(12 wk old British Toggenburg goats). The monsters were on the roof of one of the sheds - 12ft high and were chuffed as punch when dad(me) saw where they were. I was terrified they would try and jump to get to me when they saw me but then the fun did begin.

We have 4 sheds in a row, all different heights and the highest one is a flat roof. No idea how they got up there in the first place but somehow they did - that's goats for you I guess. I shouted on Kenny for reinforcements and without too much trouble Freddy came to us and we got him down safely. Gizmo on the other hand was having great fun running round and was not for coming down. Eventually Kenny had to climb up and chase him and then hand him down to me. They both came for a cuddle as their ordeal was over but somehow I just wonder when next we will see them up there again!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sheila on June 16, 2009, 12:50:13 pm
 oh what interesting lives you all do lead. I have been and banked last nights W.I. money and am now sitting out in the sun
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on June 16, 2009, 02:23:56 pm
who needs children when you have goats lol

Linz
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: HappyHippy on June 16, 2009, 02:30:04 pm
I think my 4 year old must've been a mountain goat in a previous life  ;D
It'd certainly explain the fearless love of climbing she's got (Oh, and the horns LOL!)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on June 17, 2009, 09:41:05 am
Wet :gloomy: :-[I am going to stay in and do some inside stuff as I have just got soaked looking for snils and slugs !!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: lovespigs on June 17, 2009, 09:45:04 am
I had to have Lucy, one of our 2 rabbits at the vets for 8.30 this morning. Last Tuesday she started going to the vet as she was breathing funny and had a very yucky eye. Well after 4 trips to the vets, injection after injection and eye cream in she is no better a week later. She is luckily enough happy enough in herself and still eating but just not responded to any treatment. So, yesterday our vet contacted the Animal Hospital in Edinburgh to draw from their "world renowned" knowledge.

So, Lucy is away in to the vets to get her chest and skull X Rayed. They think there may be a mild strength of Miximitosis,  luckily she had been injected against it. They are very concerned at "knocking her out" with the bad breathing she has but they have to make an effort and get her on the right path. A worrying time now this waiting especially being a week later with no improvement.

When I returned from the vet's I was out talking to the ponies when I heard a clatter and then the bleats from Freddy and Gizmo(12 wk old British Toggenburg goats). The monsters were on the roof of one of the sheds - 12ft high and were chuffed as punch when dad(me) saw where they were. I was terrified they would try and jump to get to me when they saw me but then the fun did begin.

We have 4 sheds in a row, all different heights and the highest one is a flat roof. No idea how they got up there in the first place but somehow they did - that's goats for you I guess. I shouted on Kenny for reinforcements and without too much trouble Freddy came to us and we got him down safely. Gizmo on the other hand was having great fun running round and was not for coming down. Eventually Kenny had to climb up and chase him and then hand him down to me. They both came for a cuddle as their ordeal was over but somehow I just wonder when next we will see them up there again!!!


All sounds pretty mental and hilarious, on a serious note how is the wee rabbit?
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on June 17, 2009, 11:09:18 am
Lovespigs - if you ever venture to Scotland go up to Guardbridge Hotel - James and Kenny are excellent 'mein hosts', and their animals are wonderful, meals are good too!

Hope Rabbit is OK, James.

Oh and it is bucketing with rain and my birds all have wet feet again - and they won't flipping go inside so their backs are wet too!  Ducks don't mind though.

James, if Sandy wants more ducks i'll give you some eggs and you can hatch them out for her.  Will ask her and let you know.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on June 17, 2009, 12:49:08 pm
boring day to wet for outside work, Ran errons to P/O, argos , and food shopping in tesco's on my own no fun!!!!


Linz
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on June 17, 2009, 12:53:21 pm
'Fun' part of today is tonight's CSSA meeting! lol  Picking up Sandy at 6.30, see you 10 minutes later.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on June 17, 2009, 12:57:16 pm
yeah sure, Tam is out with the school on a school trip to braehead today.
So home along
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sellickbhoy on June 17, 2009, 01:08:30 pm
I'm planning on doing NOTHING today

i've had a frantic couple of weeks looking for wedding venues & bands and trying to find out from my far flung friends when they can make it back to scotland for a wedding. Luckily it's all falling into place - and i'm just waiting for the band to confirm they can do the dates we have in mind (and for nairn Highland Games to confirm what date the games are next year!!)

there are some truly awful bands out there btw!!

The rain is watering my garden nicely for me, i'm a wee bit concerned about my Goji berries since i moved them outside. they are turning a little brown and leaves are curling. I thought this might have been due to a lack of water since moving them outside, so i had to by a hose extension so i could reach them at the bottom of the garden

My builder has had an accident so the new log cabin has been put back until the 24th - but i've been out buying sockets, light fittings, floor tiles and stain so i can get the job finished when it's done.

i've been speaking to accountants and solicitors all week about my proposed new business venture - luckily both are on holiday for the rest of the week, so i can switch that off for a few days!

So, i'm frazzled.

So, i'm hoping to have a few days of not doing anything before launching into gardening/building/wedding/business mode this weekend

I shouldn't have planned all these things for the same time really huh?
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: jameslindsay on June 17, 2009, 01:30:10 pm
Here's the rascals. looking as though butter wouldn't melt...
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: jameslindsay on June 17, 2009, 05:05:14 pm
Lucy got home from the vets lastnight and was still very sleepy. All X Rays have shown things as normal but they did find a problem with her back teeth. They have now been cut back and hopefully that will do the trick. They had wanted to flush out the tear duct in her eye but it was so badly swollen they couldn't get access to it. She now has 3 different medicines to get and still has to get the eye drops in. Today she is  over the anesthetic but her breathing is still difficult and her eye still a mess. Hopefully by Friday we should notice a difference in her eye.

Thanks for the concern.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: jameslindsay on June 18, 2009, 11:17:40 pm
Very concerned about Lucy tonight. When I went out to give her her various medicines her skin is covered in spots/small lumps and her ears are all marked with "scabs". Don't know if this is a reaction to some of the anti biotics or what but we will be back at the vets first thing tomorrow.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on December 19, 2009, 10:02:39 am
Morning all,

I've been doing probably exactly what most of you have been doing- tramping outside in the snow getting all the animals fed, and warm fresh water out to everyone who has frozen water.


Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on December 19, 2009, 12:06:28 pm
Same here, lots of snow and more on the way. I am so glad that all my Christmas shopping is done  :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on December 19, 2009, 01:39:02 pm
Yup, same here!
& watching the heavy snow just now and worrying about family members out and about on the roads... :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: shetlandpaul on December 19, 2009, 02:57:20 pm
just spent an hour and half inching the car up the drive. total sheet ice on a steep slope. its now snowing hard.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: RUSTYME on December 19, 2009, 03:22:44 pm
only a very light dusting of snowy stuff here so far last night. Hope it stays that way too !!
Have had no vehicle for a year now , so it is a 5 mile round trip on foot to feed the horses every day  .
Apart from the fact something has gone pop in my knee , causing absolute agony !!!, I got to the land today only to find that the two new bales of haylage that were meant to be there this morning ...aren't there !!!!
 I gave the horses the last of the haylage yesterday !!! I take a few pounds of oats and barley with me to the land everyday , so they have had something at least , plus what haylage I put in the feeder yesterday, would have lasted till late this morning early afternoon.
 Why is it that it is always the worst moment that you get let down ? I ordered the haylage 7 days ago . He normally delivers no problem , plus I order well before I run out .
 All the other people I used to know who sold hay/haylage , have either stopped selling it , moved or died !!!
 I have now got hold of the farm that I buy the haylage from and although he is out at the moment , he  will be back soon ? So the haylage will be there tonight or early tomorrow morning .
 

cheers

Russ
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 11, 2010, 08:18:32 pm
Blimey is this one still going............ makes me so proud to have contributed something useful  :D :D :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 11, 2010, 08:51:18 pm
I always liked this thread- half the time its me that resurrects it!


Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 16, 2010, 02:04:19 pm
The Big Thaw!

Its SO nice to see grass again- I hope its thawing where all of you are as well. I have been able to go out and move the little chicken run to a fresh bit of grass, the same with the rabbit and guinea pig run. Have emptied out huge bits of ice out of the ducks big water container's, sorted out the chickens into the appropriate runs, now that the old cockeral is gone. Let out the ex batteries out of the goat shed, the first time they have been able to go and roam for about 3/4 weeks. Fed the goats some hay, tidied up old the old feed sacks in the goat shed. Actually looked at the veggie garden- it looks a tip!


Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 16, 2010, 02:12:39 pm
There's heavy rain forecast for Monday, so that may shift the rest of it - I sure hope so, but then on Wednesday there's to be sleet - just hope it's not bringing more snow with it.
I haven't done much outside today as I'm trying to get my Club books finished, just off out with the pup though so will let the birds out and see his reaction.  One of the ex-batts pecked his nose the other day so I think he'll stay clear. ;D (He was being rather forward with them at the time so I didn't blame her  ;)) I daren't let his mother out as she'll go and pick up the ducks and bring them to me. Time for a quick cuppa while he has a 'cat' nap though, then I hope my son will be over to finish off the dog run pop holes.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 16, 2010, 06:50:30 pm
Now all the pups have been selected and I have met all the new mummy's and daddies for Islay's babies I am happy, now they have all been named (I think) and will go to thier new homes and I will miss them...if I had loads of land I would keep them all ;D ;D so cute and should be good little dog's....the rest of the day has been spent cleaning up after them and watching them..pups are us!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 16, 2010, 07:35:38 pm
Awwww you're so lucky Sandy, I so wanted Jess to have puppies. It looks like its never going to happen now sadly. I love puppies, they're one of the best things in the world.


Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 16, 2010, 07:51:29 pm
I agree, but so time consuming..Ben still thinks he is a puppy, he wants to play with them and they love him!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: garden cottage on January 16, 2010, 10:20:28 pm
heavy rain forecast so getting the ryelands back in the barn until weather improves, dexters are getting very frisky at feed time nearly got a set of horns in my backside the other day!, ground even on banks is absolutely sodden after thaw, cleaned out geese and chickens,chooks have started to lay again...........................neil
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 17, 2010, 11:49:15 am
Trip to the tip!!!!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on January 17, 2010, 01:54:37 pm
Tidied out the linen cupboard. Was going to clear out but decided to wait until I've a better idea of what I'll use in the new house.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on January 17, 2010, 03:13:36 pm
Well our day got of to a bad start with no water, OH and the farmer have found the problem so should get a shower this evening. As I have been mucking out deep litter I need one. Front of the stable barn is where i have my two yearling colts, it gives them plenty of room and in bad weather is ideal. I still have the other five stables, one being Pitstops and one converted for the chickens. In the bad weather the chickens get the free run of the barn during the day and the ponies seem not to be bothered. they lay eggs in Pitstop's hay rack so he does not touch hay in it all day, i have to feed him hay from the ground if the weather means he cannot get out. As the paddocks have all been flooded the colts are in the small one next to the stables where the pigs were all summer, i was surprised at just how quickly it recovered. also mucked out the field shelter today, I gave the two colts on the hill field a straw bed on top of their rubber mats in the shelter when it became very cold. I know I am far too soft as being Shetlands they have nice thick coats but I sleep better knowing they have a warm dry bed to sleep on.  ;D :horse:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 17, 2010, 04:21:23 pm
I mucked out too today. Cut 4 goats feet last night, mucked out Buttercup and Comet's pen this morning, and went and fetched a big bale of hay. Am going to appease the OH for having to go to work yesterday and probably next weekend by going to see Sherlock Holmes tonight. Must try and cut more feet. Looking for a recipe for moussaka just now.


Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 17, 2010, 05:31:59 pm
Did some clicker training with the pup, Allez and Belle joined in - all three sitting to command and also to whistle - but will he remember tomorrow..............................  My cousin phoned to borrow a dog fro a walk so I said she could borrow me too and Allez, Morag and me struggled round Gartmorn Dam - it's still pretty well frozen water and the paths are extremely treacherous so glad I had John's walking pole with me.  Allez hasn't had a good run for weeks so he was predictably disobedient, but had a tremendous time hunting.  I was a bit worried he might go on the ice to chase the ducks but since most of them were down at the entrance looking for food he didn't try.
Donald was here finishing off the kennel popholes so we all had a sandwich then I took some more shots of the pup.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 17, 2010, 11:14:11 pm
Was it really icey still ???Cannot waite to go there again, I feel like I have been in my kitchen for years...well since 2009! ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 17, 2010, 11:19:04 pm
Yes, at one point we felt like turning back but it would have been just as bad.  needs another 2 weeks like this to clear enough for safe walking.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on January 17, 2010, 11:26:33 pm
Rosemary, whatever you throw out you will need. We had a small house and threw away loads of stuff as we moved into rented did not want to take excess with us, then we got this house and I had to buy stuff like I had thrown out, e.g, we had a full size tin bath, I loved that and did think it may be handy but took it to the tip as it took up space, then, as soon as we moved in we wanted to bath the dogs and so I got a small one from freecycle...I now have loads of surplus stuff and although we have a big house we cannot stor stuff in the bedrooms as they are not like ours....I suggest you just throw out ripped or broken stuff and keep everything else!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 18, 2010, 03:22:35 pm
Its my birthday!  However have had to spend the day driving O/H as he was banned last year under the totting up points thingy. Also no pressie from him as we over did it at xmas and are having a lean month. so feeling a bit sorry for myself.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 18, 2010, 03:25:23 pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANYWAY - CAN ONLY GET BETTER!  ::) ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 18, 2010, 11:13:39 pm
Its my birthday!  However have had to spend the day driving O/H as he was banned last year under the totting up points thingy. Also no pressie from him as we over did it at xmas and are having a lean month. so feeling a bit sorry for myself.


Aww Happy Birthday!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: garden cottage on January 19, 2010, 06:33:12 am
Happy Birthday julia.....................from gromit
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on January 19, 2010, 08:11:51 am
Thankyou thankyou thankyou!!!!!!!!!!! I am feeling so much better today. poor old o/h , he did well last night  bringing me a nice glass of wine and then basically staying out of my way all evening.......lol. I did tell him that yesterday was officially called black monday so I had every right to be in a bad mood but today is tuesday so its back to normal!!!  Thick fog today, a real pea souper........ oh well he is the one stumbling around the field doing ponies /chickens etc. I said i would just stay here and take the kids up to the school bus, being the only driver does have its compensations you know!
 :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: northfifeduckling on January 21, 2010, 03:07:01 pm
I so love this thread  :)
The hens went out with the ducks first time this afternoon after spending all winter in their run.
Then I started tidying some plant pots, potato containers and strawberry plants, finding some victims of neglect from last autumn's dry spell...
So much more to do, I'm now waiting for another dry spell to burn off all the accumulated rubbish! Piles of brambles, thistles and dock needing to go!  :&>
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 21, 2010, 07:09:45 pm
I finally managed to get the gate free enough of ice to get in my chicken and duck run, and the sheds - the duck one is virtually deep litter since all I could do over the snowy period was poke more straw in through the pophole, and is disgusting.  Hope there aren't any RSPCA bods lurking on here  ;)  I'll get it cleaned out this weekend as I've bought half a bale of straw to refill it and that'll keep it going till the ground is soft enough to put in the fence posts for the new duck run.  Putting them in with the chickens was a bad idea!  Anyway, the hen shed was fine, just needed a clean out of the old mucky straw and new stuff put in - and I found 7 eggs! That must have happened in the last 10 days because Donald (my son) managed to get the side gate open enough to check the hens were OK and there were none then - that was a week past Saturday.  I topped up their drinkers, fed them then went to take the dogs out - well four of them anyway - wee Bobby jest gets in the garden at the moment.  When I came back to give them their tea, the chicks were in bed and the ducks were telling me something - there in the dusk was another egg - on the ground - outside the shed!  Somebody must have been in a hurry. ;D ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: MiriMaran on January 21, 2010, 08:45:11 pm
I had coffee with a very good friend who I haven't seen for months.  Her good news was her Visa to emigrate to Oz has come through.  Her bad news is she needs a double Masectomy before she goes!  What do you say to that?  I really feel for her.

I then did a couple of hours work in a friends overgrown garden, tackeling Brambles e.t.c.  Came home for a quick coffee, collected the boys from school (Harry was in trouble for stealing tomatoes at diiner time to make a potion - I managed to stifle my giggle!).  Had tea, did homework and then took Harry for his first Reiki session.

Now finally relaxing trying to find TAS people on FB and failing miserably!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on January 21, 2010, 09:30:35 pm
I've been at a "World of Work" day in Grangemouth for P7 kids. I was accompanied by a local farmer and our lifesize fibreglass milking cow, Forth Vallerie. We do a wee talk about the life and work of a farmer, and the kids get to "milk" Vallerie. I've also spent four hours organising farm visits, farmer speakers into schools and the dreaded "Count and Grow". I'm awful short of farmers to support schools - willbe trying the gardening societies next.

One of our hens died - she's been ropey for a while so I had her isolated for "special" treatment, but she succumbed today. 

Took Smokey for a brisk trot up and down the road and washed his feet with a mild bleach solution - he has a wee touch of seedy toe.

Bertie the kitten was attacking a mark on the wall (of which there are a few, I confess). What an imagination he has. I think he needs Reiki.

I've picked radiators and a bathroom suite for the new house and complained to the Council about the litter on the roadside along to our house. I don't mind doing out bit of road, but I'm d*mned if I'm doing the whole street.

Off for some hot chocolate now.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on January 21, 2010, 09:56:38 pm
Low fat, of course! ::) ;) ;D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on January 23, 2010, 05:04:21 pm
My body hurts a lot! Have been mucking out the kids pen. Its a big pen anyway, and really needed mucked out just before Christmas- except of course we couldn't because of all the snow on the ground. So chucked the kids out in the field, and mucked that out. It was a good job Alex was here as I had to get him to finish it off as my elbows got too sore.

My big billy goat got brought back this afternoon, he has been away longer than expected, again because of the snow! Had to move the silkies out of his pen, as they have been living there for the last few weeks.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: MiriMaran on January 23, 2010, 08:16:05 pm
I kick my kids out in the field too when I muck out their bedrooms!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 10, 2010, 03:11:24 pm
Listed lots of bits and pieces on Ebay, put swimming pool on freecycle (amazing how many 'posh' sounding peole use it. I had to laugh when I had an email from a managing director of a company in clifton ( the posh part) of Bristol. Stingy bugger why cant he go and buy his kids a pool and let someone who cant afford to buy one have it!!! jobs to be done are
ponies deep littered stables to be mucked out
chickens to be cleaned out
polytunnel to be tidied and sorting out what seeds to start sowing!
And what will actually get done
None of it because I am spending the last half an hour before the kids come home on here!!!!!!!
 :D :D :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: MiriMaran on February 10, 2010, 07:31:56 pm
Wow I wish you were closer - I would love your swimming pool!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 10, 2010, 09:06:46 pm
The kids had great fun in it last year, I have many great videos and photos of them and all their friends playing in it. only a 15' above ground frame pool but it is heated and really warm, I am only getting rid of it to put a more permenent one in.

None of the above jobs got done today, oh well there is always tomorrow, must change my library books which are overdue as well!!!!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sagehen on February 11, 2010, 12:18:15 pm
I've got masses to put on Ebay, but keep putting the job off - not really sure why though. I have to clear the veg beds some more, but there's ground frost still, and I'm not looking forward to numb fingers! On the plus side, I was doing that yesterday and found some parsnips! Yay!
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on February 11, 2010, 03:37:13 pm
Day off work as went to a funeral this morning of a family friend who died far too young. Since coming home I have tidied up the chicken food, refilled the chicken hoppers, blocked off the hamburgh's escape route they had found out of their run (don't think they are too pleased about that). Unloaded a round bale of hay, fed some of it to the goats, had a quick cuppa (just now), and ought to go put the last touches to the laminate flooring in the office.



Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sabrina on February 11, 2010, 03:44:00 pm
I did far too much yesterday so trying to take it easy today. Mucked out the ponies, tidy the house then did the ironing. Been watching a film this afternoon that I recored ages ago.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 12, 2010, 02:24:34 pm
Same old...poo pooo and more poo followed by, feed, feed and more feed and of course hoover...and OH NO!! my washing machine ate my dressing gown and so now is broken......have to get it repaired on Monday now so dirty clothes again!!!

P.S course some pups went and one came! ;)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 12, 2010, 02:25:51 pm
Dd you get one back already? Why?
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 12, 2010, 02:41:50 pm
No, we bought a pup the same age as ours, we were thinking of getting a chocolate Lab eventualy but then thought we would get the  puppy stage over all at once.....she is lovely litle girl, settled in very well, bestes friends with the others already, she is smaller and 6 days younger but a good enough pedegree, her mum is used for beating!!!! you shall have to have a look....they are all o utside at the moment...more to go later today....Oh we are calling her Rhum
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 21, 2010, 02:37:00 pm
Sorted out the flower bed on the way down to the house, homebase busy with lots buying their grow your own range,,,,, feeling little tinglings of anticipation for the coming summer. even started to muck out the deep litter stables as well. ready to sit down now to my lamb chops (lamb from my neighbour, practically zero food miles) carrots courtesy of sainsburys I am afraid.  :D
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Wizard on February 21, 2010, 03:23:27 pm
Well I've sat indoors wi Kath sat on me bottom lip ;D I have been braggin we haven't had a inch of snow all winter but there was 3" mid mornin but its all gone off the roads in this lovely sunshine Its getting a bit late for serious snow in Gy but we keep getting those nasty frosts.Mate of mine says I don't mind the frosts kill off some of those nasty bugs To which I replied Don't know about that Dez If Professor so and so wants to save some he freezes Them same as the bull in the bowler hat.Now I could tell you about the vet and a big condom but it may make one or two of you blush so I wont ;D ;D :farmer:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: ballingall on February 21, 2010, 05:51:38 pm
I've had a lovely day pottering about outside. Cleaned out the runner ducks, and one of the hen houses. Fixed the perches in that henhouse, and put in a nest box. Did a little repair to their gate to block a gap where the wee ones had decided to start squeezing through. Repaired the pop hole on another hen house, and put a net over the top of their (6ft high!) run, as they were still managing to escape over the top. Hamburgs are such  escape artists. Had to go out and get more shavings as I ran out. Moved a paving slab into a chicken run to stand their hopper on. Moved the rabbit and guinea pig's run onto a fresh patch. Shifted some feeding and kept checking the goat, but she's not kidding yet.

Beth
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Wizard on February 21, 2010, 07:09:40 pm
and what did you do after breakfast? ;D :farmer:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 21, 2010, 08:57:23 pm
Brea2fast++++
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Helencus on February 22, 2010, 10:14:54 am
pretending to work from home... naughty me but i'm just finishing a contract and there's nothing for me to do! Normally I work very hard when I work from home but the last few weeks theres just not much left to do. Still start a new role next Monday so no more working from home.. shame as it's allowed me to be here to feed horses, pigs and shut up hens at night..over to OH from next week.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Daisys Mum on February 22, 2010, 02:49:59 pm

Today I am tearing my hair out, have had a new kitchen fitted, it's minus 2 doors has 2 damaged units and the dishwasher doesn't work. Phoned
magnet this morning to be told that it should be fixed by Friday if ! they can get hold of the correct doors. So as you can imagine I am seriously P****d off. They demand there money up front then you have nothing to hold over them so they don't care, they left the place covered in dust and finger marks and did not bother to fit the little caps in the unused shelf holes, my sink leaked too. I need a large drink its just a pity that I am allergic to alchohol.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Wizard on February 22, 2010, 04:55:38 pm
Daiz dear did you not read of my altercation with the manager of Morrisons? The same game rules apply.There are plenty about who will supply your needs but in your case its to late now I feel most sorry for people like you.I am considered by some of the big store managers to be some one of doubtfull parentage.True story Breeze into Curry's looks at a 50" Panasonic flat screen TV.Agree with a sales person (note the PC) a price of £1200 how are you going to pay Sir With money of course What do you mean Sir.Well you supply me a Panasonic TV and I will give you 24 £50 notes Oh it doesn't work quite like that Sir you have to pay for it before we order it and its got a delivery price to be added as well when it comes we will deliver it to your home.Now young man let me tell you about the price of corn will you?Nobody but a bloody idiot pays good money for what they haven't got Tell you what you keep all that information we've spent the last hour sorting out and I'll keep my 25 bits of paper no doubt if I keep calling I will see the one on that stand in Managers offers for 999 quid next month you still have a TV you cannot shift at retail because its a demo but I still have 25 notes I can spend any where So I went to see John at Manders the local Panasonic agents George you don't want that one Your house has a grade 2 listing and that TV needs a dish to receive Free view Let me show you a TH46 PZ its not quite as big but for £1250 I will supply and the lads will bring it and wire it up for you and set it all up ready to go and give you a Panasonic DMR-EX768EB Recorder to go with it.The following morning a red van pulls up out front a lad knocks on the door Mr Baker Yes Brought your new TV and video recorder Bring it in and then put your van round the back.The two lads unpacked it all set it all up showed me how to use it Put the other TV which was a 36" panasonic in the back of his van and took it to my lad who is poorly with cancer and set it up for him removed all the packaging and Alex old TV I called to see John to settle up and asked what the extra was for the Alex job nothing Pleased to be able to do it for him £1250 will settle your bill and many thanks for trading with us.I can see Curry's being that helpfull can't you ;D ;D ;D :farmer:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: sandy on February 22, 2010, 10:22:31 pm
 ??? ::) ;DLove it WIzard...so are you enjoying your new TV?
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Wizard on February 23, 2010, 07:59:53 am
Yes Sandy and I would recommend any one who can afford to save up for one to have one its lovely some of the flowers in the greenhouses I have videoed in Lady Yarborough's Walled Garden are larger than life Kath particularly likes some Peruvian Daffodils I like me tractors and combines Can go back to 2000 in the garden and on the Estate.I can go back to ploughing matches and Country Fairs mostly in Lincolnshire I also have quite a few DVD's of Steam Engines 2 or 3 of scrap to being brand new in overhaul and repainted finish Even my self with a 30 TD in as many bits as it will breakdown into  All passes a dark night away when some one comes Often its Show us the Video of Sage decorating the church for the Harvest Festival or Tom splitting hosters Its often better watching than the repeated repeat of a repeated repeat program on TV  ;D  :farmer:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: juliag on February 25, 2010, 07:00:37 am
Thanks Wizard, I remembered your post when I was in  a shop the other day after 2 new sofas, We had bought 2 cheapish ones and they had broken twice within 8 months. The company we bought them from (next) were very good and collected them and refunded my money, so I thought we would splash out and try to get some that should last 20 yrs.............. off to sofa workshop then. The sofas we loved were originally £2600 each!!!!  :o :o :o
down in the sale to £1600 each , still a huge amount but they should last the 20 yrs we wanted them too. Ok off to order them.
Yes we needed to pay up front and they couldnt give us a delivery date but would let us know when they were ready  :o
Wellllllllll Wizard, what can I say your post put me in good stead and I refused! ( The reason was to be fair was the sofas were hand built to order so to be honest fair enough but why take my money surely a deposit would have been enough!!!)
I went home and looked online for the same sofas only to find the exact same sofas on Ebay (only 3 months old and immaculate) for £700 for the pair......... can you believe it??? The owners were downsizing and the sofas would not fit into their new house.. is that Fate or what?
 :)
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Hardfeather on February 25, 2010, 07:32:03 am
So anyway, juliag, what are you doing today?  ;D

I'm just in from feeding the outside horses, the colt in the stable, and the fowl. After I've dropped the eldest bairn at the road end for the school bus, I'm off to work to see what needs done there. I have a mare in training, so will longrein her, then I have a horse with loading issues to work with for a client, if the snow permits. I've another three similar jobs over the weekend, but they are inside so weather doesn't matter.

Yesterday's snow turned to rain overnight, and the temperature has risen to 2 degrees this morning, so it's just wet and, with a sour easterly off the sea, miserable. The wet cold is the worst, isn't it. All the time that snow was on the ground, and the frost bit, I hardly felt the cold, but now......

Seems there's a lot more snow to come across Scotland today and tomorrow.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Wizard on February 25, 2010, 09:07:05 am
Juliag hello I'm so pleased my nasty obnoxious ignorant manner worked when you went to buy don't be kind to the sales person they want your money no need to be rude just FIRM and it worked for you As you found out theirs wasn't the only pair.There is a saying that one of our wags on here will complete for us It starts Nil illigitimy desperandun Carborundum. If some one completes it I don't think it needs a lot of translating If I set you off with Don't let the Bast***'s in desperation grind you down So long as you have the money you win every time without of course its a one of hand made article you desperately want Good luck If you go to buy a new car it really is surprising how far they will go especially if you say I will pay with folding stuff none of these plastic and cheques I'll have to get the manager ah bluddi ah ;D ;D :farmer:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on February 25, 2010, 10:46:32 am
Watching the rain and being thankful that we're not a few miles further North. It seems colder than it did when we had the dry cold - it's miserable. However, I have cheered myself up by declaring diets off until the weather improves and had a nice slice of fruit loaf that I made yesterday. I'm going to do some RHET stuff and then write some content for the new TAS site.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Wizard on February 25, 2010, 11:08:45 am
Hello again Rosemary Do I call it plum bread?If so sod the diet 1/2" thick slice  buttered (not spread clover or flora. Butter)1/4" bestist vintage cheddar on a plate cut into 1" squares and placed in the mouth wi a fork.Save me a slice please ;D :farmer:
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Rosemary on February 25, 2010, 12:57:12 pm
It's a tea loaf - easy peasy. 12oz mixed dried fruit and 4oz of brown sugar soaked in 1/2 pint tea overnight. I use Chai tea which give a nice spice, but mainly 'cos we've got a box of the bags and we don't really like it as tea. Add an egg and 8oz self raising flour. Mix and put in a 1lb loaf tin. Bake for about an hour in a 180 oven. Servce sliced with butter sufficient to see toothmarks in. Takes about 10 minutes to make.

I used to use just sultanas but I use raisins, currants and sultanas now and it's even nicer.

In fact, make 2. I don't bother to wrap the first one.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: doganjo on February 25, 2010, 02:18:27 pm
I just spent £6500!!! New PVC windows and doors.

BUT without George's words in my mind it would have been £8750.  I bit of banter and chatting up a nice salesman and refusing to sign up there and then got it down to £7250, so I pushed a bit more, offered him advice on training hios daughter's GSP, and some eggs, and told him what I wanted to pay, and to include MY choice of glass, and My choice of doors.  Bingo!  Ta, Wizard!  I won adn they won too because I am 100% sure there ius still a huge margin in therre for them.    If they do a good job I'll be referring them so won't tell you which company it is yet.
Title: Re: morning all, what are you doing today?
Post by: Wizard on February 25, 2010, 04:36:34 pm
Hello Annie as I say no need to be rude just assertive its amazing.Hes got the windows in your case and you have the money it works wonders when you point it out.Very pleased for you :farmer: