Sunday 6 December 2015

Christmas is coming

Well, its has been mild and I know I should be grateful.... and we havent had the floods or anything like the weather Scotland and the north have had, and I am grateful for that - but it isn't exactly looking (or feeling) like Christmas.  Wednesday I went over the Symondsbury and was one of many producing Christmas wreaths, all moneys received going to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance - a very worthy cause.  Plus, of course, its great fun!!  I have now made my own at home from the bits and pieces in the garden, so we are working our way up towards making things look the part.  Happy Christmas one and all.

Monday 2 November 2015

November

Where is this year going??  We have now rushed into November - foggy and extremely warm!!  As soon as the fog has lifted it will be like a summer day.  I want to share with you 3 pumpkins - which never reached the stage of being carved...  I am considering what to do with them - there is pumpkin soup, jam and chutney - but now I have written this I realize I shall have to do all three.  Autumn is such an "orange" time - the pumpkins are deep yellow, the marigolds are deep orange, - all the leaves dropping are different shades... So I have added a bit of lilac - I have a clematis which is flowering so beautifully - it deserved a photo - plus the odd sweetpea still to be had.  Soon be firework night.

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Autumn

The year is romping on - and suddenly we are into autumn with beautiful hard bright days and cooler nights. We have been very busy here at New House Farm - lots of guests, lots to do and now living off the proceeds of the vegetable garden - and did I mention that there are so many apples....   All meals need runner beans and apples - even beautiful blackberry and apple compote for breakfast.  Below is a darling little longtailed tit on our feeder.  We adore our birds.

Sunday 19 July 2015

Butterflies

We are being asked to check on how many butterflies are flying about - well loads.  Especially the Speckled Wood, Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns.  Beautiful Peacocks, Commas and Tortoiseshells too.  Yet to see a Painted Lady - but I am sure she is there.  Here is a nice picture of an Adonis Blue.

Thursday 11 June 2015

Garden Visitors

We are very lucky to have lots of birds in the garden.  Yes, I know mostly sparrows - but there are also gold finches, linnets, blue tits, green finches, black birds, robins (now voted our national bird), and wood peckers. And more.  I can spend quite a lot of time watching them, identifying anything strange and trying to photograph them. Today, we have a Jay.  Perhaps common to many, but its a first in our garden.  He is seeing off everyone one and attacking the peanuts.  Very beautiful, but possibly going to be a nuisance!

Tuesday 26 May 2015

Spring Morning

Absolutely lovely morning - so thought a couple of pictures would be nice!  Firstly, my happy hens, who kindly provide the most delicious eggs for breakfast, and then my trio of geese that guard, hiss and huff above the lake!  They are also providing lots of huge eggs at the moment.  Happy days!

Monday 27 April 2015

The Lake

I thought that I should Blog that we have a host of ducklings at the moment - that are extremely pretty - plus a pair of tufted ducks are visiting.  They generally don't stay long, but make a nice change.

Wednesday 22 April 2015

April

I try so hard to do a blog every month and just sometimes seem to run out of ideas or time - and here we are nearly St George's day and we have had a beautiful April - so sunny, yet cold at night.  I have flowers in the garden that I have put on my Facebook page, so I thought since my pup is now a year old (!) - so where did that time go? - and still spends most of his time with something in his mouth.  As he is definitely part of New House Farm - he deserves a mention.  Here he is in the back garden with a hide ring!

Tuesday 17 March 2015

March 2015

Its a really lovely day - a little grey to start with, but now the sun has broken through and my geese have started laying.  About time too!
I was thinking this morning, and remembering, all of the calves and cattle that I have reared, we have reared, their offspring and how very fond I have been - on most occasions - of these large beasts.  Now we have no cattle here at all now, which is sad but we could no longer afford to do it.  I miss the very smell of them.  But on a happier note, some people can afford these magnificent creatures - picture shows a beautiful Long Horn.  We have sheep here at the moment, with their large lambs, and every evening there is a showing off period when these lambs gang together and race as fast as they can all over the place!!

Monday 16 February 2015

February 2015

I have missed my usual January blog - but really it was not a good month, except Burns night was fun, but we have had these dreadful colds, which lurk with you for weeks.....  Very Boring.... But now, February.  I went for a walk yesterday afternoon, it was so nice along the River Asker.  Spring is making a push and birds were calling for partners, the magpies were in their messy nests already, and flowers thrusting forward. Lots of celandines, lots of snowdrops, in clumps along the river bank and also primroses.  Spring feels early...  The nest box has occupants already - not the blue tits we had hoped for, but Mr and Mrs Sparrow....  All very pleasant for the half-term break.