Round bales view

This is the view up behind the farm looking north. The white house on the ridge has just been sold and is going to be pulled down and rebuilt. A very tragic story - the man who lived there died in the freeze-up last winter. The house had no double glazing or central heating and hypothermia overcame him. Why his family did not watch out for him is anybody's question. Between the ridge and our hill is the lower part of the village tucked right in at the bottom out of sight. They have a different climate to us down there! The houses are in a frost pocket but they are also very sheltered from the winds and gales which come roaring in from the south-west. Flying through the sky on the right a helicopter is just visible. They are a very familiar sight as Augusta Westlands the helicopter manufacturing firm is only a few miles away and their pilots are forever making test flights. And last but not least the two straw bales left over from last year's harvest. They are still usuable although they have begun to sprout some greenery!

This morning B invited me to coffee over the way to see R the new baby who has grown enormously since Christmas! T and P have been dehorning the beef cattle all day. It is quite a job and I am glad to say the animals have a local anaesthetic jab before the task begins. N has been rushing about in the car collecting medication from the vet and buying new halters from the agricultural suppliers.