Posie's Blog. Tales of island life on a hebridean hill farm

Posie's Blog. Tales of island life on a hebridean hill farm

Tuesday 8 May 2007

Our Farmyard Friends




April showers in May that is what it felt like today as purple rain clouds stained the blue sky with huge inky blotches that led to torrential downpours, feeding the thirsty ground, and hopefully encouraging the seeds in the vegetable patch to grow!

There was pandemonium here yesterday when upstairs doing the ironing I heard shrieking children, squealing, giggling and shouting, and a lot of clucking and squawking coming from the kitchen. I went to investigate to find a rather plucked cockerel running for shelter across the room, before flying onto the windowsill. We eventually managed to coax him out and get him to safety; well away from the snapping pup who had game fully chased him around the garden, plucking out a huge mouthful of feathers as she went.

I went to feed the cockerel this morning, he appeared looking not quite so confident and proud as usual, his backside bare, totally bare, he looked more like a chicken today with not a tail feather in sight. I have not posted a photo as that would be too cruel, but he does look rather funny. He is our gay cockerel, a present from Farmer C a couple of summers back, he lives with his two girlfriends, the Black Rocks, who follow him everywhere, but between them they have not produced one chicken, in fact suffice it to say he is a total gentleman and does not participate in any ‘outdoor sports’, apart from ‘chasey’ with the pup that is. He knows the pup will chase him, he knows the pup lives in the garden during the day, and still he dares to fly onto the gate and then over into the pup’s hunting ground, well hopefully after yesterday he will remain in the field from now on.

The happy farmer has employed two new 'hedge weeders’, the pigs. He has decided to allow them into his established hedge for a few hours at a time, regularly supervised of course, so hopefully they will weed around the bushes. If left for too long they would of course uproot the whole hedge, but so far so good. I stood in a David Bailey pose this morning, joining the snap happy tourists on the farm, trying to capture the ‘perfect’ shot for the blog, well at least to try and get a photo of a whole pig and not just a back end!

I nearly went flying over the pet lambs as I went for a run with the dogs. Two of them decided to join us, bleating away, running to heal, and then running ‘in the way’ of the mad jogger!! In the end I managed to out run them. They are very people friendly now, I think they will be adopting a tourist at the pottery soon; we’ll need to check the boots of visiting cars, not just for the pottery cats, but for the children’s pet lambs at this rate. The novelty of having pet lambs is of course wearing a little thin with the children now; the enthusiasm of feeding times has dwindled as they argue over whose turn it is. Last night saw the happy farmer, a bottle in each hand and one stuck between his knees with the hungry lambs sucking eagerly away at the bottles.

Until next time…

12 comments:

Chris Stovell said...

Oh I'm so jealous! I love pigs! Great pics.

Suffolkmum said...

They are good pics, you're a very accomplished photographer. April and May seem to have got mixed up here too. I remember the cat bringing ina morrhen once, and that caused plenty of pandemonium, no wonder your kids were shrieking and giggling!

DevonLife said...

blimey that was like something from Charlotte's Web, some pig indeed

Exmoorjane said...

Have had a mighty enjoyable time catching up on your blogs. SO lovely to see big pictures at last! I quite agree with you about being able to find beauty in towns and cities as well as in the wild and wonderful places in which we now live. In fact, I think it makes you notice more - you have to work harder, hunt a bit.... I love pigs too - and love the idea of them weeding your hedgerow! Janexx

Inthemud said...

Poor old cockerel, dented his confidence a bit!

Love the photo of the pig!

Un Peu Loufoque said...

Hmm we have a cock with no tail feahers Dogs got himlast sdummer and he is rowing them back very veyr slowly so they don't notice and do it again!!I love pigs!!

Westerwitch/Headmistress said...

Oh poor cockeral . . . . when he is all feathered up can I have a piccy. Something attacked mine last year and he died of shock overnight - I loved my old bird so was very upset . . . not going to get another, my two remaining old hens seem quite happy. Love pigs too, but although I have been offered rescue ones I have so far resisted. Oh yes know what it is like when the hand rearing of lambs novelty wears off.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

wonderful pig pictures. Ian is offering pigs as a way of clearing the ground in which I might have a cutting garden. I am not sure whether he is taking the mick. always love your blogs.

snailbeachshepherdess said...

Isnt it strange - ive only just found your blogs -so I've sat and read the lot - wonderful. Lovely to meet a fellow shepherdess, FROM WALSALL in the WEST MIDLANDS -I sort of know where that is living 10 miles out of Shrewsbury. In fact we are off to IKEA today - you know- the one near WALSALL - you stick to that island dear - the M6 holds no charm these days!

Pipany said...

Hello Posie. Love the 6th MAy blog - so made me think of Dave. He always goes out to feed the ducks in the morning wearing boxers, wellies and a smile! God knows what the neighbours think when they spot him through the hole in the hedge! xx

LITTLE BROWN DOG said...

Yes, we've had April weather today too - much needed by all the dessicated gardens round here.

Lovely pigs!

Carah Boden said...

Aha! A fellow Gemini! Enjoyed this very much - you are one of the people I keep mean to getting round to reading more of! Promise I will...

THanks for your supportive comments on my blog re schools - will keep you informed. Had a meeting tonight. Lots to fight for.