Rose Gall

I found this beautiful and fascinating Rose Gall on the banks above the Burn yesterday.

Golden Hornet

Our domestic Crab Apple, Malus Golden Hornet is laden with fruit this year, not quite ripe yet hopefully they will end up in something delicious in due course......

Chicks

I couldn't resist another photo of the chicks today, they are growing so quickly and becoming a little more independent every day.

Mother and Child

One of our Dorking x Light Sussex hens enjoying a dust bath with one of her chicks this afternoon.  All the poultry are moulting at the moment so egg production is significantly down but they are laying just enough to  keep our customers happy.

Malus sylvestris, Native Crab Apple

The Crab Apples are looking good this year, on this tree in particular, one of two in our orchard. I sense a bumper jelly season on the horizon....!!

Worcester Pearmain Apples

The Worcester Pearmain eating apples are almost ready to eat.

Three headed Self Heal

Among the large variety of wildflowers we have here at the Cottage, after Common Field Daisies Self Heal must be the most common.  This morning, I think for the first time ever, I found this three headed Self Heal on the scrub banks above our little burn.  Looks just like a beautiful little candelabra.....

Heartbreaking

Driving from Consett back to the Cottage this afternoon I passed these fields full of hay bales, perhaps 2/300? They have been lying there for a couple of months now, rotting away in the rain. I can't understand why do this? At current price perhaps £6/9000s worth.... As a smallholder constantly searching for decent hay, it just breaks my heart to see such waste........

No Thunderstorm....?

No dodging thunderstorms this evening, a lovely clearing sky as I mucked out and filled hay nets.

Sourdough

I may finally have cracked the code to mysterious world of Sourdough, the latest loaf is just about right, definitely the best yet!

In-between

In between downpours I dashed outside to fill hay nets and muck out the horses. Nicely timed to catch the evening sky.

Longhorns

The Longhorns are not overly impressed with the thunderstorm this evening....

Shady roost

Another hot day here, some of the hens had the right idea and decided to roost in the shade of the Granny Smith apple tree.  Not as daft as they look......

Production Line....!

None stop in the kitchen today, finishing washing the dishes after yesterday's celebrations cleared the decks for bread making, butter making and finally the next batch of yogurt started.... In-between times, animals, dog walking, feed buying and egg collecting..... Where's the whisky?

Sunday Morning

A busy morning in the Holly Cottage kitchen.  Hilary is preparing for a family "do" tomorrow, the children's Great Aunt is 100!! And I am baking the latest batch of sourdough bread.  In the corner the boys are relaxing in the sunshine, Harry on his roof terrace solarium and well, Jack is just a basket case......

Longhorn

It lovely to have a small group of Longhorn cows and their calves in the field next the Cottage for a few weeks, such a change from our neighbour's beautiful Pedigree Ayrshires.

New Neighbours

We have new neighbours at the Cottage, beautiful Longhorn Cattle. Completely different to the equally beautiful Ayrshire dairy cattle normally in the field. (I may have to steal one of the calves tonight!)

Fox

We have lost another Muscovy Duck overnight, the second this year. Judging by the pile of feathers and the scent she was another victim of our local fox community.  I wish the huggers would accept that foxes are ruthless predators and not fluffy, cuddly things to be encouraged at any cost. It is heartbreaking to find yet another dead bird.  We are now reduced to three layers.....

Common Centuary

Common Centuary.  Relieved and excited to find this on the banks above our Burn this morning, I was beginning to think we'd have none this year.  Of all the wild flowers we have here, Centuary is the the one I most look forward to seeing every year since I first found it four or five years ago.

Wholemeal Seeded

In addition to the poultry's success at the North Pennines Smallholders Show last night, my Seeded Wholemeal Loaf came second in the bread section!!