Outside the milking parlour the cats wait for J and the milking bucket – their morning liquid treat

Another 10 jars of honey. That’s it for the season snd now it’s time to wash out the spinner and pack away the capping knife and the empty honey jars. I think I will do that in the morning – feeling lazy!

The grey hen has been living under the paddock hen house since we took her off the goose eggs about three weeks ago. Whatever we tried she would only come out once the other hens and cockerels had gone to bed. It was time for action.

In the polytunnel run the white cockerel has been terrorising the bantam cockerel and making him miserable. He didn’t want to come inside at night – frightened out of his wits

This state of affairs couldn’t continue. So, this afternoon, we managed to grab the grey hen from her basement hideaway and tempt the terrorised cockerel into a new home.

They seem to have settled down straight away. Two outsiders together

J took his chances up a tall ladder, picking a bowl of damsons from the tree besides the front gate

Plums contain lots of pectin and the jam sets well

Cuddles under the pergola yesterday afternoon