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 5 February 2013

Please horses don't gobble me up....

I spent yesterday running around like Sooty the chimney sweep. Why is it disaster always strikes when the Happy Farmer has exited to the mainland?

My mantra of, as I am on feeding duties, 'please horses don't gobble me up today' worked wonders. I gingerly retrieved the buckets from the horses field without them spying me, safely managed to deposit them over the gate, complete with sugar beet, before the horses came galloping over, and then scaled the far away gate while they were busy munching, to sort out their daily hay rations from the back of the horse box. Hansel's jacket half hanging off did require a call for emergency back up though, rather pathetically I know my limitations, even if Hansel is a gentle giant, it is the 'giant' that I am a little cautious of to say the least.
Anyway, having admirably, I have to pat my own back here, taken on the various feeding duties about the farm and overcome various hurdles and anxieties gnawing away at my imagination, I woke up yesterday to find the sitting room awash with soot. Gales had cracked and blown away half of one of the chimney pots. The chimney that runs at an angle, so has lots of soot deposits hiding away in various corners, lots of soot deposits that decided to travel along with the gale into the comfort of my sitting room. Everything was covered with black ash and dust, sticky, thick soot. So yesterday was spent peeling every cover and cushion off various settees and seat, washing down lampshades, glasses and various ornaments. The never ending sticky soot clinging to everything and hiding in every corner. I fought a pointless battle yesterday and to make matters worse found the towels I had tried to block up the fireplace with just wasn't holding back more flurries of soot deposits. Last night saw me battling against those gales, with pillows shoved up the chimney, bin liners taped, although the tape kept peeling off with the draughts, towels and finally a big bed sheet covering the whole fire place. Just a light sprinkling of soot today then, and no roasting, roaring fire.
Until next time.....

33 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Wow! How DID you manage to take that photograph? A mighty fine pair of legs you have if I may say so! lol!
The snow is back - terrible when the coal supply is in an open top bunker! Hmmmmmmmm!

Pondside said...

There's a rule that states;
"Any and all emergencies will occur only when one half of the partnership is away"
I can't imagine the mess you've had to deal with. Not fair!

Elizabethd said...

Oh, poor you, that must have been a horrid mess to deal with.

Molly said...

Lovely to have you back in blogland, Posie. What a nightmare to have all that soot to deal with - and no roaring fire in the grate. I know what you mean about having to feed rumbustuous animals too. A few years ago I had to help feed the sheep on my Dad's farm. There used to be two bleary eyed, evil looking rams which if you weren't extremely wary, would but you in the bot as soon as they saw you with a bucket in your hand. Hope the Happy Farmer is home to help you now.

Posie said...

Haha, years of yoga helped me photo that pose from the chimney pot ;) my coal supply is no use here as I can't light the fire until the chimney pot gets fixed

Posie said...

Pondie, it always seems to happen that way, although probably because the happy farmer deals with all of the usual emergencies without me noticing! I did start to feel it was a losing battle with the soot and dust though.

Posie said...

Ah thankyou, I did feel ever so slightly sorry for myself.

Posie said...

Molly it is lovely to be back I do mean to blog more often but then things get in the way or my thought s won't flow out into a blog format! Loved your ram story, animals are all such characters, I know the horses would play me up.

Frances said...

Jeepers Posie, you've definitely had a lot to handle.

You are a wise woman to have submitted some good and timely evidence of this. Just in case, if you get my drift.

All joking placed to the side, this post does show what a lovely landscape photo of a beautiful place actually does involve micro-wise.

Posie, take a bow. Bravo. xo

bayou said...

Oh, Posie re-surfaces - even if it is only with her legs first :-)))
What a mess! Soot is the most horrible sticky black thing one can imagine. I used to work for the leading company producing carbon black and I was lucky to be in the offices or on the road. But my son used to earn money during the holidays and once had to clean inside the factory. I have never seen somebody that black! Clothes were to be thrown away, impossible to get the black shimmer out. Poor, poor Posie. I am sure, the horses have spotted that the farmer went off the island for to play with you! They are so mischievous. Hope that your chimney will be soon repaired - winter is not over (at least here, woke up to a fully white landscape).

jane said...

Hello Posie - lovely to catch up with you and your animal friends - it is true what they say animals have a sixth sense and can tune into your thoughts = soot is shocking stuff - getting into every nook and cranny - including uo your nose!

Fennie said...

Hallo Posie! Lovely to hear from you again. So glad that all is well and there are only the usual pattern of calamities to contend with. I can imagine that having a chimney shedding soot is not ideal when young children and animals are about. Rather you than me! Look forward to more tales.

Posie said...

Frances, it does all look very idyllic, but can be quite harsh in terms of climate at times, the storms whip up and lash in from the sea, and we don't have the protection of all of the high buildings that provide some shelter in the cities.
Lovely to hear from you.
Bayou...I thought it was an excellent photo, summed up my predicament perfectly, except it had blue skies on it!!
Jane, I feel like my lungs and nose are full of soot, I really didn't know where to start with the clear up process.
Fennie...yes there is never a dull moment with all of the usual calamities, it is really lovely to catch up with you.

Maggie Christie said...

Oh my goodness! Soot everywhere?! I sympathise (having had to clean up after a chimney fire which put itself out with an avalanche of soot down the chimney). We're without roaring fire here too thanks to chimney problems - but at least the soot is (for now!) contained. Hansel's such a handsome horse, even in his winter woollies.

Chris Stovell said...

Ouch - you poor thing. Soot's a nightmare to clear up - we had a 'blow back' before eventually finding a cowl to resolve the problem, but the sooty deposits ruined one set of curtains. I feel your pain!

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Kicoolaght Farm said...

Great blog Posie. Really enjoy reading your work. Looking forward to the next post :)

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Rob-bear said...

Bear has made it out of hibernation, and is trying to get settled in the world. I see that your circumstances have been fairly trying, too. Hope that is over with and your farm is functioning normally.

Blessings and Bear hugs!
Bears Noting

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