the peace of The Gables. Sorry.

As you know we have many animals here and I won’t insult them

By calling these cowardly, inhumane and brutal bipeds, animals.

Jeremy made 8 of them last night. I don’t think there will be any left by tonight!

A Wednesday walk, wood delivery, oil delivery, putting out hay and straw and then working with the bees.

It has to be warm enough to uncover the hives and today was that day. We donned our bee suits, Jeremy mixed some oxalic acid with water, loaded syringes and then we went across the field and uncovered the hives. J sprayed the liquid in between the frames to kill off any varroa mites. I was amazed at how active the bees were even in the middle of winter. Keep going little ones. It might soon be spring.

Is cheaper than buying UK wood. How strange. Last load for us this year

We found Gertie lying in the barn this morning. She was over 12 years old and had given birth to several lambs during her time at The Gables. The last time the vets were here they looked in her mouth and saw that she was toothless. That’s what happens with old sheep (us too!). She had a good life here with lots of grass, hay, concentrates and cuddles. She had a painless death on a bed of straw. She will be collected by the knackers today. Farewell old girl.

But, sadly, we don’t learn the lessons

It commemorates the Holocaust. Today marks 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz – a day when we remember those who perished simply because they were Jews. We also remember those who survived and who, against all the odds, managed to find a way to live – working, raising children and grandchildren and even great grandchildren.

Sadly we are watching, today, the resurgence of antisemitism and racial prejudice throughout the world.

I watch as the sun has broken through the thick grey clouds over Colmworth. Maybe we will all find a way to live together.