Snow warning

We had an yellow snow warning, then we were upgraded to an amber snow warning, I always thought snow was white - ah ha!  I now know what the forecasters were on about........................

 

Amber snow! or is it yellow? pretty rare stuff I doubt coz most places you look it has a whiteish hue about it.

Aye! It snowed, quite a change from Thursday

 

Thursday saw the covering of snow we'd had melting away nicely, okay, this isn't exactly a picture of snow, the hard frosts we'd experienced made the stuff run off roofs and duly freeze, now the freezing was dripping (yes you're right, it took me ages to catch that drip in mid air, must have nowt better to do!) 

So, that was Thursday. Friday saw hay being frantically laid out for sheep, Friday afternoon saw sheep being hounded in to lower ground, where the hay was laid out for them, ready for the onslaught, and it came, right on cue, this was the yellow snow we'd been warned about. It wasn't until today, Monday, that the amber stuff appeared, again right on cue. The weekend had seen as much feed put out for sheep as possible before the onslaught of wind and snow hit them and had them blocked out from the comfort of feed and security.

This picture may not exactly show signs of comfort and security but at least if they should get happed with snow in these driving winds I'll know where to find them.

 

As for old Glen, so long as his lugs are sticking up I'll be able to find him an' all!

Thought you'd all enjoy this link, showing the highs of farming, a cheery compilation http://youtu.be/iWdFTa7UNPs

The wanderer returns

It's tup time, so the wanderer would of course be a sheep - well? wouldn't it? After all, sheep are wandering with a mission at the moment, either ewes looking for a fella or the tup looking for a floosie. We are just getting into second time over on the hill tupping front and I would imagine all shepherds have their fingers crossed that there won't be too many ewes a wandering; looking for a fella to fulfill their desires. Now the boys ought to be wandering, desperate to find that elusive ewe who slipped the net first time over and desires the company of an amorous male. Time will tell just how the boys faired first time around.

You may have noticed Shep has been missing for a spell, I did make the return trip from Dalmally away back when (so long ago I can barely recollect) and since then there has been much to do and coupled with the fact there was no broadband connection for a fair duration this blog has found itself put on the back burner so to speak. Hopefully some normality may return, I once again have contact with the outside world which is a godsend as the weather has been somewhat arctic of late, making travelling and visiting a no go for those of us who are wusses on the roads, unless they are perfectly dry and the sun is shining!

Shep hasn't had time to partake in any winter sports, it's fair to say that a fear of 'getting hurt' would probably ensure I wouldn't wish to partake in any winter sports other than making a snowman, but regardless, there hasn't been time for such frivolities to date. I did manage a little bit of sledging however..........

Tup harnesses - awful things! A contraption worn by the tup (sire), strapped around his belly and shoulders to keep a coloured crayon in place on his brisket. Why? Well, when he jumps up onto a ewe he very kindly leaves a crayon mark behind to confirm he served her ( it is hoped that is what it confirms, in reality it only tells you he jumped up onto her back).

It is fair to say that over the years Shep has had little to do with tup harnesses, hill tups rarely get strapped up, it seems to be some form of in - bye bondage, the hill lads aren't into that fancy stuff!

It was necessary this tup time for Shep to strap a suffolk tup into his breeding attire, now that in itself was a challenge, working out where all the straps went around his huge bulk. He wasn't even a friendly beast, and had me dancing around the pen as some form of shepherd baiting took place, his head was definitely harder than my legs. It was a relief to get him backed into a corner and tied around the neck to a rail in the pens, my legs might get to see another day and not find themselves snapped like matchsticks.

Unfortunately, squashed up to the railings in the sheep pens meant only one side of him was free to work on at a time, so the battle ensued to get tup harness contraption untangled and re tangled around this heavyweight chap. There was much chuntering and head scratching went on I can assure you and after a fair duration I concluded that all lose ends were tied up and the crayon was in the correct place, right between his front legs sitting on his brisket - success!

It was a huge relief to release the chap to a field full of ewes and let him get on with the job in hand.

Two days later I noticed something was amiss, a ewe that had been 'served' seemed to have a crayon mark on her hip rather than on her rump and sure enough good old friendly suffolk tup was tracked down and it was noticed he was now wearing his crayon under his nearside lisk (okay, simple terms - left hand arm pit!). More head scratching ensued, from Shep, not the tup. How on earth did that happen? Pretty obvious really, my incompetence at dressing the beast had caught me out - humph!

I was going to have to get a hold of the fella and redress the situation. Memories of shepherd baiting flashed back in an instance, this fella really didn't appreciate the feminine touch the first time, he probably wasn't gonna walk up to me in the field and ask for assistance was he? The sheep pens were a fair old distance away, the roads were solid ice with a  covering of snow and any vehicles brave enough to face the treacherous conditions wouldn't be happy to find a shepherd and flock of sheep on the road would they?

Not to worry, I'm sure greed would get the better of the fella, a bag of cake would surely take his attention long enough for me to be able to get a hold and so I duly returned with a bag of cake (sheep feed). The ewes soon came forward and started guzzling the pile I laid on the snowy frosty ground, the tup? well of course, he held back, suspicious, memories of being tied up in the sheep pens fresh in his mind. - Humph!

More piles of sheep feed laid out, in a tight circle, more ewes guzzling............... eventually he couldn't help himself and did indeed come forward and joined in with the feeding frenzy, unfortunately every time I felt I was slowly closing in with bag in hand as a decoy he backed off, neither of us really wishing to get to close to one another.

I concluded I was going to have to spring into action, attempt my infamous rugby (sheep) tackle and hold on for grim death until he succumbed under my enormous weight - easy!

More little piles of cake were laid out in an increasingly smaller circle, yet more ewes guzzled and finally he dropped his head in amongst the melee, I pounced, fingers locked around the harness which was strapped around his chest and off we went. I tried desperately to throw all my weight upon him and wished instantly that I'd had enough common sense to have started this daring ambush on the level, not the steep as he careered down hill, his 100kg bulk gaining speed with every stride with me skidding along beside him on my belly, side, back,...... bouncing off every frozen bumpy bit hidden under the covering of snow that the field seemed to possess (why is it fields look flat and smooth?), it seemed every angular bit of my body was managing to clatter against something frozen and hard as I trailed along at increasing speed and totally out of control of the situation.

I dare say teeth were clenched, I know there were no swear words uttered, it took me all my time to get my breath, steely determination set in as we neared the roadside, fortunately the roads were very poor for driving upon so hopefully no one would be trundling by, but I could still feel my pride hurting. Time to take control, I managed to swing my legs past his and he cowped (fell) over, there was a huge feeling of relief, elation and success which quickly evaporated and was replaced with a deep feeling of despair as I found myself lying there and with the tup up on his feet and his heels kicking up dust (snow) as he disappeared into the distance, harness flapping around his lugs (ears). The strap had snapped, pulled out of my hands and left me quite literally downtrodden - so much for sledging!

Moral of the story? The lazy mans way isn't always the easiest........... he found himself gathered up, out onto the roads and down to the sheep pens, tied to the rails and sorted. He's never come forward for the cake bag since!

Lambing and the weather

My lambing over the borders commenced on the night of the 1st April. As morning came around I headed off to the hill to acquaint myself with the ewes I will be lambing in a fortnights time. Out there, on the hill, not in a shed and not during the night.

Here they are, by jove they seemed fit. Might just take a bit more handling this coming lambing time. The sheep in the foreground have just received a bite of cake, not much, mebbes half a pound a head, the sheep in the background are being greedy, I have yet to reach their part of the hill and the race is on to turn them back to whence they came and give them a bite of feed on the ground which they belong.

It was good to see the girls again, they're looking well of that there is no doubt. The weather was dry and mild, a far cry from the roasting temperatures we had all experienced the week previous, more like normal April weather, quite pleasant really.

During the night of the 2nd of April it rained, not too heavy but rain all the same, I know these things, being a bit of a night owl, wandering around whilst everyone else is tucked up in bed, all I had for company was a shed full of sheep and the badger that took flight in front of me once over when I was returning to the cottage for a cuppa. No owls twit twooing yet, there is time tho'.

By the time I headed to the hill on the morning of the 3rd April the rain was getting heavier, the wind began to lift and as my route commenced the weather began to deteriotate, by the time I was heading in back to the steading the weather was truly atrocious

the above photograph was how the conditions were down inbye upon my return - ugh!

I was fortunate that day, offers of help in the morning were given before I took refuge in the cottage and took no encouraging to hide under duvet and try to catch up on some sleep. I rose about tea time and upon drawing the curtains was somewhat dismayed to find the weather had not improved.

Those lambs outdoors would be fine if their tummies were full and shelter was available. The lambing ewes had been held in the shed all day so new lambs were also fine. Shep commenced duties earlier than usual to allow the shepherd an early finish, a warm at the fire and a well earned sit down.

I listened to the radio, trying to get an idea of weather conditions throughout the country. Radio two is my preferred station and their weather forecasting is abyssmal, all I was able to find out was that there might be snow in the south tomorrow - what about us?? Do we not exist?? I also learnt that a giant panda poos 30 times a day - now there's a useful fact to have stored in your head!! As for weather conditions in the north east of England or South East of Scotland I was none the wiser, coupled with the fact the cottage 'phone was out of order and there was no mobile reception I defintitely was none the wiser!

The pens in the shed were full of new born lambs and much moving around was necessary during the night to accomodate new arrivals. The wind howled like only an arctic wind can, flurries of snow persisted throughout the night. It was cold, bitterly cold.

Morning once again saw me head to the hill, my third morning out to the hill, it was the 4th April, every morning to date the weather conditions had been different, there's nowt like a bit of variety in life! Ewes were fine out there but had all been blown off the ground they ought to have been on, no problem on that front, when conditions improved they would return home.

That the wind had blown there was no doubt, the snow had also frozen ground was glistening every direction I looked - hard on the eyes as the sun reflected off the whiteness causing a bright glare, a pleasure to behold all the same

The strength of the wind had blown through the gaps of the wall giving the snow a honeycombed effect on the sheltered side, the photo really doesn't do justice to just how intricate the resulting natural piece of artwork was.

We were fortunate on the amount of snow which fell, especially as it was accompanied by such a strong wind, it left the surrounding countryside looking beautiful without causing too much grief. One of the in bye lambs died, a very unfortunate scenario. A large single lamb, with such a kind mother she had managed to lie on it in an effort to tuck it in and keep it safe, the lamb would suffocate under her bulk and was found stiffened in the morning. Other than that all was well, we are nearly a week on now since the snowy day and other than odd little pockets of snow lying in dips and hollows everywhere is once again green. Weather has been relatively dry, sometimes even mild, good lambing weather at the moment, lets hope it holds on for the hill ewes beginning to lamb.

Fragile World

The view on Monday morning, the frost was still holding on although the forecast was promising a milder spell.

The waters edge had taken on a magical quality.

Water transformed to a 'rock solid' state.

Three days later and the world was taking on a different look - a more fragile appearance.

The burn had widened, it's life was changing, tempered by nature.

A tiny patch of snow, but was it? It had been transformed to ice and now it was changing again, disappearing, fragile in it's very existence.

And so is life, a fragile world, nothing remains constant, forever changing, forever altering.

The spiders in our little cottage are finding themselves homeless, thanks to pre santa busyings. Some are even finding themselves no longer part of this world, nests of eggs are found and disposed of with ner so much of a backward glance. A fragile existence. Lives are turned upside down, whether of the arachnid variety or the human, flora or fauna, ovine or bovine, nothing is ever constant.

As said, a fragile world in many respects, but a special place at that, one to savor and appreciate. A need to live life to the full as who knows whether we'll be the homeless spider, the none existant ice, or the life that never hatched.

5th Dec Brrrrr......

 

The view up the valley this morning looking north westerly

 

looking across the valley to the south west.

Brrrr.......

Short Memory

I trundled off this morning to herd (shepherd) some tups. Go around and bunch up sheep and check all is well is basically what the job entailed. The sheep are all off the hill ground and held in fields which makes the task a lot easier.

On arriving at my destination I noticed the highest ground on the farm, the hill tops, had a greyness about them, a covering of snow. Upon leaving yesterday my wiper blades on the car were fighting with lumpy rain so it was of no suprise to see the sight infront of me.

God it was cold! How short our memories are. Just days earlier we had been experiencing a very mild autumn/early winter and here I was, nithered, nose running with the cold, eyes watering with cold air stinging them, wishing I'd put ski pants on instead of waterproofs and not because I would be going skiing but for extra warmth on the quad. Even my double layered goretex gloves weren't stopping my hands from feeling the cold. It seemed like it had been cold like this for as long as I could remember. But it's really only the start of winter, we have been fortunate up until now - short memory!

 

There were some sheep in a planting.... now they ain't gonna get tupped in there are they?

 

There are a few farms I work on where it is sometimes necessary to retrieve sheep from forestry or plantings such as this, I am always nervous of working a dog in such conditions, there are so many hidden dangers. To start with the ground is undulating, cut through with drains, then there is the brash left from felled trees which sticks out at all angles and basically lies in a tangled mess everywhere. Tree stumps are at least larger and the new trees themselves don't worry me too much at all, being 'Christmas' trees they don't really have hard spikey branches to poke a dogs eye out.

 

Moss was sent in to the 'danger' zone. Dogs get focused on the job in hand, the sheep they have to find and drive out, they don't always look where they are going, what they are travelling upon and the hidden dangers held therein, I am always nervous for the dog on ground such as this. Hardly noticeable on the photos but it was beginning to snow, just to add to the 'excitement' of the moment. Thankfully sheep and dog came off the ground, sheep were set off in the direction of tups and dog was praised and a beady eye ran over him to check all was well.

Years ago Moss' father Tyne was sent into a similar situation, he worked well and retrieved sheep, on returning to me I noticed blood on his face. It wasn't until the gather was finished and sheep were in the pens that I looked closer. The dog was showing no ill effects and worked well but closer inspection showed he had a twig which had pierced his cheek and entered his mouth, a pair of pliers were needed to pull the offending article out of his flesh. He was very lucky as the piercing was just below his eye - no wonder I am nervous of running dogs in such conditions.

 

On continuing my journey I found lying snow. Brrr.... no wonder I felt cold and me nose was still running, thankfully the fancy gloves have a soft cover on the thumb - specially put there for runny noses, it was getting a lot of use!

 

These were just small patches of snow, tucked in the back of the planting where the ground was sheltered from the wind, at the time I couldn't help but think how pretty it looked, umm..... that was soon to change.

The trip around the tups didn't go as well as possible, a few problems to iron out and a few which weren't, getting colder by the minute, nose still running, eyes still smarting. 'Twas cold!

Then it really did start to snow, ugh! real snow.

 

I tried to work out how to record the snow coming down and decided in the end to use young Kale to show just how it was laying it on.

 

The camera really wanted to use it's flash so I gave it a go and ended up with a manic looking dog! Is he really possessed with the devil?

 

I tried Glen, but he said he really didn't want his picture taken, or maybe he was just feeling miserable?

 

I turned my attention back to Kale and I guess this picture does show that indeed it was snowing.

 

Finally the shower lifted allowing a 'scenic' shot, although a grey one at that.

Some bracken caught my eye on the drive home through the forestry

 

It had been sheltered from the worst of the shower and the contrast of white on golden brown caught my eye.

 

Unfortunately this close up is not as sharp as I would have liked, the camera by this time was sodden and I was shivering!