Goats don’t like wet weather so they went into their shed when the rain began

I tempted them outside with some bramble cuttings – delicious!

Kate’s Dexter herd are looking glossy and contented.

Mrs Silkie is a great mother hen and hatched six chicks a few weeks ago. Five of them are now nearly as big as mother

but the sixth chick was tiny and, yesterday, I showed the chick to Diane and said I was very worried about it.

This morning, when I opened up the hen house, I found the little bird dead. I picked it up, put it in a bucket and brought it back outside the kitchen door

I’ve just dug a hole and buried the bird underneath my favourite apple tree. RIP little one.

The geese have quietened down and have stopped laying eggs

There are nectarines and apples and cherries on the trees but will the nectarines ripen?

We net the cherry trees to stop the birds eating all the fruits. I saw a Robin inside the netting yesterday so it doesn’t always keep out the smaller birds.

(Look him up on YouTube) who donned his mask

And joined the Black Lives Matter demonstration today in Hyde Park

Sad that we still live in a world where skin colour defines us and determines access to justice and opportunity. Did Martin Luther King die in vain?

Grandson and I went for a walk across the fields, hoping to catch a glimpse of the new calf born across the road. We didn’t see the calf but we did meet a friend out walking her two rescue dogs. The larger, Jack, is deaf and responds to sign language – bless him.

Grandson was anxious as Jack approached. I called out to explain his worry and Jack was put on the lead. We then talked about the incident, soon after the refugees moved in, when daughter, grandson and niece ran for their lives when chased by a large dog over Bolnhurst way. Jack’s owner is an animal lover and has a great deal of contact with the Wood Green Animal shelter. She explained to grandson that the best (and counterintuitive) way to deal with a dog that is chasing you is to make yourself very still and boring. She demonstrated

Stand still, look skyward and cross your arms over your chest. Grandson suggested that I could make myself boring by talking about birds! Cheeky monkey. I hope I never have to face an aggressive dog and if I did would I be able to overcome my instinct to run (or hobble) like crazy?

The most glamorous cleaner in Bedfordshire!

The site of the bonfire that we lit three weeks ago, is now a hard, ash area. This morning I saw the goats on the grey ground, rolling around and scratching themselves in ecstasy.

A cloud streaked sky this evening indicates a change of temperature tomorrow