I can’t do much outside (the hip gives me an excuse to sit by the fire on rainy days) but I can still feed the animals. On a sunny day this is a joy and even in bad weather it is a pleasure. Today I hand fed some of the pregnant ewes with concentrates. My favourites, Pinky and Perky, are always first over to the fence.

The ducks were preening themselves and looking splendid in the sunshine.

And Mabel decided to climb onto the roof of the green polytunnel – where most of the chickens live – just as I was trying to tie down the polythene roof that had been partially blown off its frame during the early morning wind.