Farm animals

Here are a couple of pictures of pigs from a holiday in Shropshire.

This is a picture of my mum milking our cow, when I was younger.

This is a picture of our nanny goat and kid when I was younger.

Guess who's forty?

Beatrix Potter

As part of our topic work we will be looking at the life of Beatrix Potter. This link allows you to find out more about Beatrix Potter and the Lake District.

http://www.peterrabbit.com/

Try making your own watercolour paintings using these templates.

http://www.peterrabbit.com/funandgames/funandgames0.cfm?territory=1&country=1

New orchard planted

It was very windy and cold on Saturday, but I managed to get all the new orchard trees planted, before having to go to Hull to meet my sister (and my brother and family paid a surprise visit) for my birthday dinner. The trees are only just starting to bud, and so you can only see the rabbit protectors at the moment.

Weather sayings

Red sky at night, shepherd's delight,

Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning.

Rain before seven,

Fine by eleven.

Rings around the moon,

Wet weather soon.

Shiny morning, cloudy day,

Cloudy morning, shiny day.

A sun shiny shower,

won't last half an hour.

If the sun goes pale to bed,

'twill rain tomorrow it is said.

Grey mist at dawn,

The day will be warm.

Rain on St. Swithin's day (15th July),

will be followed by 40 days of rain.

If the oak is out before the ash,

Then you'll only get a splash (a fairly dry summer).

But if the ash beats the oak,

Then you can expect a soak ( a wet summer).

If March comes in like a lion,

It goes out like a lamb.

If it comes in like a lamb,

It goes out like a lion.

Mackerel sky, mackerel sky,

Never long wet, never long dry.

When clouds appear like rocks and towers,

The earth will be refreshed by frequent showers.

When the bees crowd out of the hive,

The weather makes it good to be alive.

Even weeds can be beautiful!

I saw this dandelion in the garden and thought that it was so beautiful that I had to take a photo.

New chicken feeder

This is our new chicken feeder.


The chickens had to learn to peck the yellow bar. When they peck the yellow bar, food falls to the ground. I thought that the chickens would find it difficult to learn how to do this, but they managed to learn within a week. I made sure that they had something really tasty inside to encourage them to peck. They enjoy having wheat, maize, mixed seeds and nuts.

There is now no waste, which means that we don't get rats. The chickens also have an automatic water trough, which makes keeping chickens very easy. When we go on holiday, someone only needs to check them once a week. Our neighbours are very friendly and love coming round more often.

Ladybirds

I think ladybirds are my favourite insect. They eat lots of other insects, particularly the ones that eat garden plants. They are the gardener's friend. These ones have been sheltering from the cold winds and rain in a crack in a fence post. Do you think that they are all related? Do they all have the same number of dots?

Almond tree flowering

This is our almond tree. I have recently moved it to the new orchard field, and it seems to have settled in well. It is the first tree to flower and has these lovely pink blossoms. Last year we got a few cups full of almonds in the autumn, and we are hoping we will have more this year.

St. Valentine

It is St. Valentine's Day on the 14th February. Saint Valentine, according to romantic legend, was a kind-hearted Roman priest who married young couples against the wishes of Emperor Claudius II, and was beheaded for his deeds on the 14th of February.

It is believed that the custom started in France and England in the middle ages because it was believed that half way through the second month was when the birds started to pair.

For this reason it is also thought to be a good time to send love letters, cards and presents.

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"

Why not try designing your own love spoon for St. Valentine's Day. They were always carved out of one piece of wood, and the symbols had special meanings for the couple.