The Jacob sheep are delighted that the cows have left – they have the barn in which to shelter from the downpour.

Before the rain I watched a Meadow Brown Butterfly sup on a purple allium

Picked from long established trees in the paddock which produce small, but delicious, early plums.

Son read mum great granddaughter’s school report. It was excellent – long may it continue! When the children left I went back

and Mum and I reminisced and also talked about Mack, our rescue cat who was run over more than two years ago. Mum has perfect recognition of the sunny, summer afternoon when it happened and how sad it was to watch him suffer. Strangely we are all getting used to visiting in this “new normal” way. We don’t like it but we have adapted and are grateful to be able to see each other – even if it’s through a window. At least we are now able to open the window. One day we might even be able to hug. Maybe.

Willow had twins and Willow has one udder and two teats. Each kid favoured one teat and all was well until kid Harry was rehomed last week. When I opened up the goat shed this morning I noticed that Willow’s udder was lopsided. I had been watching kid Meghan and saw that she only fed from the left side and now the right side looked bigger and felt warm to the touch.

I called Jeremy and we tied Willow up in the goat shed, gave her some food treats and I cuddled and stroked her while Jeremy milked the distended side into a stainless steel pan

She was as good as gold and gave about a pint of milk

We won’t start using the milk until our techniques are as sterile as we can achieve. I am going for a milking lesson, on Thursday, with a new friend in a neighbouring village who has a herd of goats. We are starting yet another project. Gables cheese anyone?

It’s a day of saying goodbye. First it was four chicks and now it’s Lucy and Lily. Mother and daughter have gone to a delightful couple in a neighbouring village.

A friend of a friend was looking for a few hens to add to her flock. She came over today, large cardboard box in hand. She chose two young Silkie hens

And two of the baby bantams.

They are lucky birds who will be treated to melon seeds as treats and lots of love and attention. I do hope they behave themselves.

I weed and they wait at the gate for barrow loads of treats.

I ate a windfall fruit with my cup of coffee this morning