It was harder getting up this morning. I probably shouldn’t have stayed up for the whole of the first episode of I’m a Celebrity. I enjoyed it at the time. Anyway, I slept well and it wasn’t raining at Tregurnog so we didn’t get wet. The hens have pretty much stopped laying for the winter now. Shame. They are happy with the pumpkin though so that’s good. I had a quick breakfast and went to Garth Hall.
On my way up the lane I saw a ram in the cabbage field. Oooh, best to go in that way today. I could see his work ethic. I parked up and went in the tradesman’s entrance. As I turned back to shut the gate I saw an ewe with her head stuck in the fence. Oh FFS mun. Sheep 🤦♀️ She got more and more panicky as I got closer. This usually helps them free themselves. If she was well and truly stuck she would need my help. As I got within touching distance, she got her head out. I sent a message on the chat to say she’d been stuck. Neil replied: “Thick mun” “I know you are but you work hard!” It amused me. Ernie Hutch was nudging an ewe and then he mounted her in front of me. Go on son! There were a few other ewes hanging around. One of which was Daz (Munchie’s daughter) She was named Daz because she is such a dazzling bright white. Fingers crossed there’ll be some brown on her soon.
I counted all the coloured bums I could see as I walked around. It was up to 5. It had been 3 on Friday. I had been hoping for a few more by now. Now they are out, they have further to go though so I suppose it will take longer. I went to the Bedw then. It was dry and looking pretty good so I put Camelibra in the bucket. Hennessey was a bit slow moving. Time for more alpaca drench I think. I put their Camelibra down and she did a few mad dashes about before eating so she couldn’t have been that bad. Must be as cheesed off with the rain as me. Then I went into the girls’ field. As usual this time of year, there is a lot of mud in the blue shelter pen. I went in to move the troughs. Better not to use it any more than we need to. I put it in the first non boggy stretch of grass I could find. They were eager for food.
I went up the field when I came out. Burt Starsky was there with several ewes and one with a drak reddish brown bum. She was pounced on when he was let out. The colour is very pronounced. That made 6. I’ve updated my list. I went up further then to see the area Neil had been clearing. He has chopped down a few branches and dug a route into jail. The branches that were left on the ground have already been stripped of leaves. Burt Starsky was helping himself to the last few leaves and he was making his way up and around the alpaca boys’ field. I went back the other way to feed them. Garth Vader came bouncing over to the fence to see me. It was me he wanted to see. Not the bucket of food I was carrying! I fed them and then the big boys. I decided to walk back up the nursery way in case there were any more brown bums. Starsky was coming down that way. He did a lovely pose for me and I’ve taken his picture and posted it. He carried on down and then out of the Bedw. He was closely pursued by two ewes, one of which was the black one. They were chasing after him like they were groupies. It won’t be easy to see brown on the black wool but I will look closely. Those two were definitely after him!
I checked on Ally next and sent a last minute invitation to Rhianydd. My father decided he wasn’t up to the open afternoon on lamb performance so I asked if Rhi was available. Luckily she was. We agreed to meet at the Co-Op in Gilfach. When it was nearly time, I dropped the eggs off and got diesel in Ton then waited for Rhi. My phone rang. “I’m having car problems but I’m on my way. Send me the postcode and I’ll meet you there.”
I got to the farm and sent the postcode and extra directions. I made my way to the shed where the meeting was. I got talking to a woman on the way. We washed our boots in disinfectant and joined the queue to sign in. By now I needed a wee. Of course! There was a portaloo outside. After I visited that, I went for a cup of tea, as you do (well I do) I popped outside. Still no sign of Rhi but I saw Tom the shearer and had a long chat with him. I wandered in then and waited for the talk. Just as it started Rhi arrived and came to join me. I made some notes on my phone so I could tell my father and Neil all about it. We both enjoyed it and learned a lot. Plenty to mull over.
Helen x
