A Little Cottage in the Country

I've started a new cardigan, having just finished one which is blocking at the moment. This is a  Drops pattern  and I'm using Drops Flora to knit it. I tend to buy a years worth of yarns in around November, so I have them ready for projects as I need them. I'm aiming for this to be ready for autumn as it has a nice leaf design. I couldn't get an orange colour in the 4ply so picked this coral one instead, it's not normally the kind of colour I go for but I'm ending up with a succession of cardies in the same hues so thought I'd better have a change!

It often surprises people when I tell them sheep can live to twenty years old. Milady sheep is of undetermined age, I bought her along with another ewe a few years ago as cull ewes. For whatever reason - age, getting worn out, reproductive issues - they couldn't have more lambs and these ewes go to the abattoir. I bought them for abattoir weight so they could live out a retirement with me. Since I only have wethers (male castrates) if there were medical issues meaning they shouldn't get pregnant again it was no issue. Milady is a Herdwick, one of my favourite breeds, and Herdy's go white with age. She's almost snow white, so I can only guess she's probably in her early teens. She came off the fell, and since Herdy's are hefted - bonded to their particular patch - she could never go back as wherever she was put she'd try to make her way back to her bit of the fell. One of the biggest issues with ageing sheep is teeth. Obviously being a grazing animal th...

Okay, I know it's a bit late but the first version of this macramé bracelet was slightly on the small side so I re-made it. It's made with sunstone and moonstone, the shimmer and sparkle didn't really show up on the photos but it's really pretty. The cord is 0.4mm S-Lon. It can be an issue with natural stones finding those with a drill hole big enough for cords, usually the 8mm round have a hole that will just fit your two holding cords through if you stiffen the ends with nail polish. It's a very simple design using larks head and square knots. I love these little bracelets, they look nice stacked and are a quick, relaxing make.

This is Merv, he's supposed to be a pygmy goat but I think he's actually a pygmy cross as he's smaller than a standard goat but much bigger than you'd expect a pygmy to be. I have to say his attitude is far bigger than he is! He's currently going through the terrible twos as in goat years he's the equivalent of a stroppy teenager. I think we're all hoping that does calm down because he can be a lot to handle at times. Even though he's castrated he still wants to be boss, much to the annoyance of the sheep. As you can see he has no problem finding trouble, and if he can't find it he'll create it. I'm typing this one handed as he managed to somehow get my wrist caught between his horns this morning as I was putting down a feed bowl. One of the things I love about goats is their playful sense of curiosity but that can be challenging too.  Merv doesn't have to stay in the field if he doesn't want to, he can easily get out, he's...

This time of year we're into crop spraying season, I can spend many days trapped indoors, and that's not only to avoid breathing in fumes. My local farmer uses the services of an agronomist employed by a local agricultural supplier. Thus the agronomist turns up at all kinds of times to stalk about the fields, scuffing and looking at leaves, and doing whatever it is agronomists do. One morning I was coming home along the bridleway from my normal constitutional with the dog only to see a truck parked in the middle of it a little way up from my house. I didn't really think a lot of it apart from it's a nuisance people just leaving vehicles. That was until a chap jumped out and hastily started to pull up his trousers and pants. He then turned and waved at me before getting back into the truck! To say I was a bit shocked is probably an understatement. I thought perhaps he had a lady in the car with him and they were up to *whatever* (the lady who trims Star's feet ca...

Corvids have been very much centre stage recently, and as with many things views are polarised when life is rarely black and white. We have resident magpies who nest in the hawthorn at the bottom of the garden each year, and also have a few resident crows out in the fields. I fully understand what they're capable of, but I also regard them with respect. The magpies can prove a problem in spring and summer as they've learned where the hens lay, in multiple coops, and will frequently steal the eggs. I've also watched with interest as they teach their offspring to do this too. Thus we have an ever present issue with this each year, however as with other predators I have to admire their intelligence and audacity. I have found a fairly simple way of stopping it and it's not a gun or elaborate trap. Very simply I move my bottom outside at regular intervals and collect the eggs. Certainly it can be a bit of a nuisance at times, but that's all it is. I try to make sure ...

 I have two North Ronaldsay sheep - Bobble in the photo above, and Mitten in the one below. They're both wethers and were the first sheep I owned, they're 10 years old now. I'd always wanted sheep and saw these at a local RBST farm. One followed me all the way around wanting a fuss, so I was smitten. North Ronaldsay's are the sheep that famously were walled out on the island and survived by eating seaweed. After several generations on the mainland the need for seaweed in the diet ceases though so no need to worry about regular beach forages! They're brilliant, tough, hardy characters and I just love them. Bobble actually had an operation for bladder stones aged two, and recovered amazingly. Obviously I spend a lot of time with my sheep so they're very tame. They are just lovely characters to be with, Ronaldsay's are always amazingly individual, and quite fiercely so. Tends to blow the "people are like sheep" thing out of the water, Ronaldsay...

It's been a while since I've blogged, so much so I think blogging has maybe gone out of fashion a little. But that's okay, I'm always happy to plough my own furrow in life. In fact I think it's important to walk your own path rather than try to piggyback on someone else's. I'm Emma, I live in the English countryside with a veritable assortment of feathery, furry and woolly friends. I'm also addicted to making things. About the only thing I've never tried making is my own shoes, or rather wellies would be more practical! I'm probably what's described as eclectic and I have a varied set of interests which make for a rich life. The little chap in the picture is Mr Flump, my Pekin cockerel, he's head of his band of Flumpets, or at least he thinks he is. They seem to see him as a bit of a fusspot who finds them inedible treasures such as twigs! Aside from my Flumps I keep Call ducks, Brahmas, and Cream Legbars. I've a small flock of ...