I’m sure that wasps have their place in nature. I sat beside one of the apple trees and watched some wasps feeding on the fruit. Live and let live.

We’ve fed the animals and before I go inside to wash and dress in clean clothes I’m having “quiet time” with Mabel under the pergola

I gave “Surprise” a bottle of goat milk this morning. She only took some. I’m not sure how much milk Pinky has and I “worry” so I will continue to offer the bottle throughout the day

I feel so sorry for “Surprise” who spent her first night braving thunder and lightning and a deluge of non stop rain. She has had to put up with intermittent showers today.

The ducks are happy that their pond is filling up again

I went upstairs this afternoon and, as usual, I looked out onto the paddock to see the four separated sheep (Pinky and her twin girls) and Domino. We don’t want Tufty to breed with Domino as she is unable to produce milk from her scarred udder and if she has lambs next year we will have to bottle feed them – again. Pinky had a really difficult lambing and it involved the two of us and friend Kate plus Farmer Rob extracting her second lamb and hoping that she and lamb number two would survive. She did and they (Spot and Susie) have done well but we don’t want father Tufty to breed with his daughters and we decided to retire Pinky – who has had several difficult lambing.

So, I looked out of the window and saw the four sheep and also the goats abs kids and……… a lamb! What? I looked again. I wasn’t going mad it was a black and white lamb up on its feet and feeding from Pinky. I rushed outside with J and there she was (a little girl lamb) being licked by mother Pinky who stamped her front hoof at us to tell us to keep away. This has never happened here before that a nursing ewe, six weeks after lambing has become pregnant again and produced an August lamb. Unheard of and not a common sight anywhere – August lambs!

More photos to follow tomorrow

To prove it

Nature is a balm to the soul. A Red Admiral sits on the flowers of the oregano plants

And across the road our old cow Lucy (who we sold last summer) is visiting a bull. She came over to see me when I passed the gate – she definitely recognised me.

The horrors in Afghanistan quite literally keep me awake at night. The terrible conflict between Ethiopia – whose prime minister was actually awarded the Nobel Peace prize just 2 years ago and is now committing war crimes against the citizens of Tigray province – where untold numbers have been murdered; the global warming that has seen countless fires throughout the world and just days ago an enormous earthquake which hit the blighted island of Haiti causing thousands of deaths and injuries and leaving so many homeless, without food or water. An hour ago daughter was interviewed on Australian TV news about Haiti and how best to address the humanitarian crisis. She has strong views about corruption, about where aid and relief money should be sent (not to fund huge salaries of NGO executives and their staffs) and this is after years of involvement with Haiti and its seemingly endless crises. I find myself reaching for the Off button when the news comes onto the TV or radio. Like so many I feel completely helpless faced with such a sea of despair and suffering.

They discovered lots of teenage friendly activities in St Neots – an outdoor skate park at The Riverside Park, indoor bowling and a trampoline centre. Who knew?