J made me a delicious breakfast using Gables produce

I was enjoying eating so much that I was the last one to arrive at the monthly U3A writing group! It was a stimulating class where we read out our assignments and even had time for a writing exercise

Back home it was time to put squashes in nets and hang them in the onion barn

On the way to St Neots a posse of young pheasants zig zagged on the road in front of my car

When I got home (having received a good report from the dentist and having replenished my wardrobe and the toy box from my favourite charity shop) I tried out a new recipe – pear sorbet.

Then it was time to make soft goat cheese. We haven’t been making cheese since April as Willow was pregnant and then birthed and fed twins. The twins don’t need the milk anymore and the bottle fed lamb is nearly weaned. Now it’s our turn to enjoy Willow’s milk.

I called in to see the two beautiful calves over the road. The mother of the older calf died suddenly from milk fever. 11 times mother cow Ivy is now suckling her own calf and the orphan.

I was shocked to discover that I had forgotten to lock up Lucy and the ducks last night. Thank goodness all survived a night playing on their pond. Lucy and Lola had sensibly taken themselves into the unlocked duck house. I watched Lucy shovel up her food with her deformed beak

I decided to let Blackie and her three chicks out into the fresh air. I hope the chicks stay close to mum and don’t get lost in the long grass.

Outside the back door Nigel had left a half eaten rat which I had to throw into the ditch and lovely Mabel was nowhere to be seen. I checked the garage, the barn snd the polytunnel. I nearly put on black mourning weeds. Then Jeremy suggested the barn kitchen. Yup she was in there all night, silly girl! Luckily the sun is shining and some of the foxgloves are flowering again.

However I do have a dental appointment this morning. What could go wrong?

Mr cockerel is now in a separate run and we have given him a second wife to while away the empty hours