Smallholding
Paths / Mickey / Shallots and leeks
Monday 8 April, 2024
Monday 1st April
April Fool - joke’s on us. Spring has once again retreated and it’s pretty cold outside with a brisk wind and the threat of precipitation – not sure if it’s rain or snow this morning.
The antibiotics have made no difference to Riley’s problem, so I’ve made a vet appointment for next Monday. I specifically want to see Fiona, but she’s on holiday this week – I don’t think a week is going to make any odds. Riley’s not unwell. In fact, she’s bouncing. They had their first routine spot-on for worms and external parasites today – well, first for Cooper; Riley’s been done before.
Pot Tetris / First paths / Rhubarb
Monday 1 April, 2024
Monday 25th March
Spring seems to be on hold. It’s cool and cloudy – but dry. Riley’s been really scooty overnight; she pooped in a clean litter tray and there was blood in it, so I phoned the vet at 9am and she’s to have a week of antibiotics. If you have cats, you will know how relieved I was to find the antibiotic was in liquid, not pill, form. TBH, I don’t think they will make any difference – we think it’s some kind of IBS but the vets want to rule out other possibilities before prescribing steroids longterm.
Henhouse / Pointing / Crow
Monday 25 March, 2024
Monday 18th March
Lovely morning, sunny with a wee breeze. We took our post-breakfast tea outside with Cooper and Riley. They were much braver today. They have a joint vet appointment tomorrow – him, to be weighed and registered, her, maybe bloods.
The stirks aren’t going away until Wednesday now.
Single Application Form completed; this may be our last year as by next year, we won’t have any livestock. I need to check if having other folk’s livestock on the grass allows us to claim.
More willow, seeds and kittens
Sunday 17 March, 2024
Monday 11th March
Office day.
Test results coming back for Riley are all negative – no campylobacter, salmonella – nothing. Which is good, but she’s still scooty. Blood tests next – and I’m extending her insurance. She’s put on half a kilo in weight though.
Tuesday 12th March
Dan and Murdo finished cutting down the willow, trimmed it and planted a load along the ditch to stabilise the back. And signs of Spring are around.
Willow, seeds and kittens
Monday 11 March, 2024
It’s been a variable week, weatherwise. We had a couple of nice days at the start but it’s been bitterly cold, with a breath-taking easterly wind, at the end. Damp, dreich. Only the snowdrops and daffodils show that it’s spring.
However, I started sowing some seeds on heat – tomatoes, sweet peppers, - and some in the greenhouse - some herbs, sweet peas, calendula and candytuft.
First 2024 seeds.
Mainly more kitten spam
Monday 4 March, 2024
W/e Sunday 3rd March
How did it get to be March? We’ve had some nice weather this week. It’s been mainly kittens, as they settle in. Riley’s still scooty, so we’ve put them in dried food of the same make we use for the big cats. I can’t always get a consistent supply of wet food of any particular variety.
I don’t know how they managed to tip this stool.
Havoc.
Mainly kitten spam
Monday 26 February, 2024
Monday 19th February
Final kitten preparations today. We’re excited and apprehensive.
Tuesday 20th February
Collected Riley and Cooper from the shelter this afternoon. Oh boy, is he uber confident!!! Bounced up to Diesel (who’d sneaked (if a 6kg cat can still sneak!) into the cat room) and booped him on the snoot. Exit Diesel.
Riley is much quieter. She stayed in the carry box for a while after arriving home. She’s very cuddly and not anything like as playful as Cooper, but he’s had an easier life. So far.
Sunken Garden / Cooper and Riley / Lego
Monday 19 February, 2024
Monday 12th February
Dry, cold and sunny
Tuesday 13th February
Dry, cold and sunny. Finally finished the article.
Smokey had his feet trimmed.
Wednesday 14th February
Damp and cold. My Valentine was off early doors with a trailer load of manure to the allotments.
I was obliged, compelled, I tell you, to bake a fruit cake as MV had bought two bags of “brandy soaked Christmas fruit” on special and it’s out of date soon. I made Delia’s Last Minute Christmas Mincemeat Cake. It’s OK. We’ll eat it.
Sleepers / Smokey / Ditch
Sunday 11 February, 2024
Monday 5th February
Still windy. Dan started removing the gooseberries – and the huge amounts of ground elder.
Tuesday 6th February
Racing corgis. That’s Gwenna at the back – not because she’s slower, but because she’d have been distracted by some smell.
Bryn and Gwenna.
Vet was out to give Smokey his annual onceover, flu & tet, and teeth check. He behaved perfectly. Although, I think he’s hoping he won’t be noticed if the vet returns before next year.
Salix Mount Aso / Seeds / Wind
Monday 5 February, 2024
Finally got the polytunnel cover cleaned; I started it last week and now it’s done. What a difference. I’ve moved all the plants out of the green house into the tunnel so that I can get ready to start seed sowing. I’ve had the seed box out and sorted out February seeds.
The seed box
I also sorted through the shallot sets I bought for autumn planting that didn’t happen. Jermor and Griselle – two or three were a bit soft, but plenty to go in later this month.
