October 2010

This has been a very changeable month, mostly gorgeous weather, cold but sunny, with leaves changing and starting to drop. Work has continued outside, the fences are now up, but alot of damage has been done to the ground, although I am reassured that it will be fine by Spring. Now I am in the process of dog proofing the fences, a considerable task in one and a half acres!

Its not all mangled, though, still got some green.

Not your everyday garden machinery!

Inside it seems slow, the painting is all done, but that's about it. Part of the kitchen is built and fitted, but I'm waiting for the electrician to fit the cooker and the lights, the plasterer to finish the plastering in my bedroom, and someone to fit my fires. Jeanie and I have been building trellis's to dog proof and goat proof the courtyard, and the boys have felled the ash tree (so my winter fuel is sorted.) here are some pics of the inside.

We'll get there in the end.

Today, at last, John came with the bulldozer to start the fencing. I had almost given up, although gradually the house is coming together. The painting is almost finished, and although there are still some jobs to do, after this week it should be ready to move in.

This week I've had to cope with the painters, the plumber, the electrician, the chimney sweep, the fencers and the neighbours. Help !

That was the befores, here are the afters.............

At last, when the fences are finished, I can move in because the dogs will be safe and so will the neighbours chickens.

My New Life Begins

Its been a couple of months since I've had time to write anything new but its been a stressful time selling my house and waiting..... waiting to get my new one.

At last the contracts are exchanged and next week I get the keys, then at last I can begin the exciting process of getting the house and garden organised. I'll add some photos of inside next week but meanwhile my sister took these as 'befores' of the garden.

My first task is to fence the entire perimeter, which may well use up my entire 'outside' budget in

itself, although I need to get somewhere sorted for Hansel and Gretal, my lavender pekins, to live.

I have ordered a couple of 'bluebelle' girls from

http://www.newlandgrange.com/ and I am hoping to get some lavender Orpingtons as well. I could get very carried away with chickens, there are so many beautiful ones, but I must be sensible (? )

I am planning to get a couple of angora goat does as I loved my old ones lots and they would eat lots of weeds.

The boys are back

We returned from the week away training the ponies absolutely exhausted but really happy. Their story is told in a new blog dedicated to them at http://badleywooddrivingponies.blogspot.com/

Because I've got to drive them as often as possible I wont have much time or energy for anything else.

5th March 2010

Today the sun has shone with some real warmth, I've been playing outside all day. John showed me how to start the quad so I can take my dogs all round the farm. Jo came too, clinging on the back of the quad. The dogs all had a great time running all the way with just a few stops for investigation of particularly interesting smells, the possibility of a pheasant to chase being too good to miss. They don't seem to realise that pheasants can fly and they can't.

Jeannie, myself and the ponies are going for a weeks training with James Broome next week so have been getting stuff ready. Its a bit early in the year to go camping, but we plan to do it in style.

I'm hoping to feel confident enough to drive them as a pair after that.

Meanwhile, Gregory mouse has finally got a head. The first one just didn't work, even after countless alterations, so I started with new drawings and lo the next one worked straight away. Yet again, the importance of good drawings was demonstrated! He also got a name. I was watching House on telly, and discovered his name is Gregory, Gregory House - Gregory Mouse, just seemed right. He's sitting on the dresser making me feel guilty for not having done his arms yet, but he's got to wait, the timing needs to be right.

5th February 2010

The sunshine today was so warm you could almost feel spring coming. I couldn't drive today but we wanted to give Turnips ridden career a start so although I haven't got a saddle to fit him yet, poor Rae, who hadn't ridden for 15 years, had to sit on him bareback. He has only been sat on 3 times before in his life and he is 6 years old, but he is very well schooled as a driving pony and doesn't faze easily and he was really good and Rae felt happy on him.

Later I went for a walk with my sister and 6 dogs, we all had a lovely time, the sun felt quite hot!

Protomouse is still evolving, his head and hands are going to be chamois leather, and I managed to find some playpen sand for the weights. Hopefully he will be finished over this next weekend.

3rd February 2010

Well protomouse is beginning to emerge, the body is ok, but now I've got to get the arms right, and I dont care to think how I'm going to do the head. He's just cotton drill, the real fabrics are still being auditioned.

Meanwhile this morning the snow held off, and we took Griffin in the field and put some cones out. The field was so soggy we gave up quite quickly, and even quicker with Turnip. His energy levels weren't up to it.

1st February 2010

Hi, and welcome to my blog. This is my first blog so I will be adding to it as I learn more about it.

I want to share my adventures with my ponies and my new passion, my mice. These creatures came to mind whilst walking with the dogs round the farm. In my minds eye, they were everywhere, fishing, bedding the cattle, feeding the sheep and the ponies as well as doing their domestic duties around the house.

I have been drawing mice, real ones o get the 'mouseness', and now my own mice are beginning to take shape in my sketch book.