clarts....

They say mud is good for the complexion, well they do don't they? I believe some folks pay a fortune to go to fancy health spas and get mud packs applied to their faces, we're so lucky out here in the countryside, we get the stuff for free.

Seems at the moment that it doesn't matter which way you look,

or step, there is clart (mud/mess) in every direction.

The brown gooey stuff seems to come in a variety of consistencies, runny and sluttery as above due to many small cloven hooves having passed by.

A more solid mess, tractor tyre tracks churning a gateway, a dry gateway at that!

Gateways take on a fresh look, also a fresh challenge, a great excuse for sheep to be uncooperative, the woolly blighters aren't always that keen to pass through wet, clarty gateways, sometimes encouragement from the dogs is needed.

Them woolly things aint so shy when it comes to feeding at the troughs, although turned every day onto fresh ground the signs of daily feeding are very evident when the ground is as soft as it is at the moment.

We have had some cheery mornings and the forecast for this coming week is promising, already today it is evident that the ground is drying, it has much drying to do but hopefully dry it will. One farmer recently winged (complained) and enquired as to whether it would ever dry up, my reply was "course it will, spring is on the way, followed by summer....."