Village Shop Blog!

We've a community shop in our Devon village & I'm running its Blog: 
do have a look as it will help push up the Visitor total!




and of course, if ever you are in North Devon - drop in at the shop!



Ponies Aside

Arrived today - a pony-sized side saddle!

Of course we had to immediately try it on....


The saddle will need a little bit of flocking (stuffing) as it slips slightly to one side - 
and of course Kathy will look more elegant in a proper riding habit!




With Kathy correctly dressed in her tweed habit....







and here's how the pony USUALLY looks!


Birds ... and pheasants!

Throughout the day we have loads of birds in the garden - blackbirds, thrushes, blue tits, great tits, dunnocks, chaffinches, woodpeckers, (and the owls at night). I love hearing and seeing the buzzards soaring against a blue sky (when it is blue that is!)

These are not my photos (one day I might get a decent camera for myself!) but I found this fabulous site with so many beautiful photos I had to share them - the photographer is more than happy to share his photos as long as his page gets a mention. So thank you to Simon for your fantastic site.

Please do visit and look at his other photos. He has details of his equipment, web cams - all really interesting!

blackbird
blue tit
buzzard
female chaffinch
male chaffinch
collared dove
dunnock
great spotted woodpecker
great tit
green woodpecker
nuthatch
robin
rook
thrush
tree sparrow
wren
cock pheasant
link to the British Garden Birds website
British Garden Birds Facebook page

and every morning we have a Mother's Meeting under the bird feeders. At least eight hen pheasants gather, have a a good feed of all the seed that's spilt from the feeders, then the disappear as suddenly as they came, melting away into the winter-dead undergrowth.
The hens are quiet and unobtrusive - unlike the silly cock birds, who, quite frankly must be the stupidest of birds, especially when it comes to sitting in the middle of the road!

this hen is braver than the others, she often comes up to the patio to see what's available!

photo taken from our dining room window



Wet Walk in the Woods

I'm a bit behind with some updates - on Friday (17th) I took Bonkers dog Baz for a walk through our woods.
We got a bit wet - and not because of my usual paddling in the Windfall Stream.
It poured with rain.

The Windfall is several little streams at the moment - and a raging torrent in places. Our one waterfall is now at least four! 

We recently hired a professional woodsman to come and clear all the brambles and dead wood and to make the whole area generally 'walk-able'.... thank you Chris!

So here's the result - enjoy the virtual walk!

(some of the photos are a bit murky - that's because of the rain!) 


up the drive
noticing the snowdrops...
the thingies....
and the violets
Bottom Field Boundary
looking over our boundary - note the nice natural log seat

a bit of a muddy tributary! 
through the woods -
notice the new easy access through the bank
moss
Baz has found something interesting
Mum's Bridge
(or the Bridge That Mum Built!)
The Windfall - note the now cleared bank.
The waterfall in full spate
near Badger's Drift

somewhat boggy!
Upper reaches of the Windfall

Pirate Island!






loads of primroses are sprouting up now the bramble is cleared







looking back down through op Wood
and at Walk's End  .... the rain stops!




note the wet knees!