Now planted out in the newly tilled earth. The cardboard will breakdown in the soil and we hope that the parsnips will flourish.

This little lamb (Jeremy has name him Biggles) is a boy. Their horns grow much faster than the girls’ horns.

After a walk in Bedford with the U3A, along the embankment

Over bridges

Past the statue to John Howard, prisoner reformer (think The Howard League for Penal Reform)

then past the courts where the A6 murderer James Hanratty was tried and convicted and later hanged at Bedford Gaol in 1962

I returned home to a gift from the husband. Thank you Jeremy.

The old, but serviceable, Kubota tractor that we bought second hand soon after we moved to The Gables is an invaluable piece of machinery. Yesterday, before the afternoon drizzle, two patches of ground was turned over and there is now a fine tilth ready for planting parsnips and other roots.

The animals bring joy but also anxiety. Lucy and Lady were in the barn overnight but Lucy is bellowing to be allowed out so we will probably have to accede to her demands!

One of Domino’s twins is very tiny and was sleeping in the hay feeder when I went out this morning.

She looks spindly and tired so we might have to give a supplementary bottle. Domino hasn’t rejected her and does let her feed so will have to decide whether to “stay out of it and let nature take its course” or to “interfere”. Hmmmmm.?

Kate thinks that the calf looks well and Lucy’s udder is not distended. We will keep them in overnight and hope that Lady starts to suck. Good to have an experienced cow woman just along the road. Thank you.

We have just brought Lucy and Lady into the cow barn – with Lucy protectively trying to head butt us away from the calf. It’s not because of the light rain but because Lady had not yet “found” her mother’s udder. She needs to feed and Lucy needs to give suck. Kate is coming over to lend a hand.

Click below. Just born and mum cleaning the calf.

Floppy waits while her foster mum lickS the salt and mineral bar in the cow barn.

Bags of potatoes in the green house and the prospect of new spuds mid May.

And a photo to show Elsie that Stanley is getting his cuddles and is enjoying exploring the orchard with the other Silkies.

Always together from dawn to dusk and all through the night. I was allowed a cuddle under Gertrude’s watchful eye