30 June 2017

Field Trip

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It came to the stage that when I let the pet lambs out of the shed, they ran to the nearest patch of grass and planted themselves there, which meant that our walk was effectively over. In hindsight this was probably a clue that my idea was not going to work, but I thought that if I put the lambs into the linkbox and drove them to our destination it would overcome the hurdle of the grass in the yard and we could finally walk somewhere different. I drove them to a field, let them out, started walking, looked back, and...





Even Audrey, the clingiest of them all, was but a pair of ears sticking out of the grass.



Those ladies weren't going anywhere.


After ten minutes or so of grazing, the sun reappeared from behind the clouds and the heatwave continued in earnest.


The lambs, still eating, headed for the shade.



I sat in the shade of the tractor, resigned to the fact that there would be no walkies today. Penny, the sweetie, sat down next to me.



Audrey happy munching away.


Anita stood under the tractor wheel.



Maggie made herself comfortable under the tractor itself.


While we didn't get to have a walk, I still enjoyed sitting in the shade with my girls.

28 June 2017

The Heatwave and Haylage Begin

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On a blazingly hot Saturday in June the silage and haylage began. It was the start of a heatwave and so Dad brought out the mower to cut the first field of the year.



I went along to watch and photograph with my canine companions.


Up the hill.




It was really, really warm.


(Look at that cloud of pollen behind the mower - thank goodness I don't have hay fever.)


Despite the heat Teddy had a run through the long grass.


Jess suffered the least with her short coat.


Round again.


The rows of mowed grass create "paths" for the dogs to walk on.


I felt sorry for Teddy with his massive coat.



Even Jess's tongue was nearly brushing the ground.



Teddy sitting and looking down the hill.


Once Dad had finished mowing we all made a bee-line for the tractor. Pip wanted to have a ride in the cab - no one pointed out that this would be a bad idea because tractor cabs are like greenhouses in hot weather.



Jess had the right idea - she stood under the mower in the shade!

26 June 2017

Mint Green and Baby Pink

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After spraying this flock against flystrike (a nasty, horrible thing, and every shepherd's summertime curse) I sat out in the field with them to take photos of them before the colour from the spray faded.


The Hampshire boy is modelling the mint green spray along his back. This protects them from flies for eight weeks.


This ewe, as she is eats her own foot, is modelling the baby pink spray for the ewes which protects them for 16 weeks.


After an afternoon in the pens everyone was tired.


And hungry.



Sleepy sheepy.


Lots of mint green here.


It's always a relief to get everyone sprayed.


The sheep were very relaxed.




This one came over to see me.


This is a ewe lamb that I really like. She's got a funky hairstyle and she is cheeky too.



A nice Kerry Hill.


Some of the lambs were curious about me.



Some ewes too.


Rude.



Mother and son.


Standing next to mum (who's relaxing).


After the confusion of the pens some families were yet to be reunited.


This lamb was really enjoying itself!


The longer I was there the more sheep started napping.



That's one big baby!


A pair of ewes being very photogenic.


Iris's lamb looking for mum.


This lamb sneaked up on me!