More animals, more work...

Richard's contract in the summer surveying sewage works had an unexpected spin-off when he found a bunch of young Welsh cobs grazing one site. Eventually Hazel joined us, a rather plump, friendly but previously unhandled 3 year old filly. She's making very good progress — Rue's backed her already and we also hope she'll take to driving (as we've bought the harness and two traps!). Luckily she seems unfazed by traffic, or even the trail bike which screamed past her nose during our first walk on the common.

Home improvements this year have focussed on the outdoor facilities. A combination of the British monsoon and nine cattle had its effect on the yard — water buffalo might have been more appropriate. A week of back-breaking labour and fifty tons of concrete later, the cattle have nice dry feet, subtle lighting in their sleeping quarters and multiple rainwater collection points. The house, however, is still in need of complete modernisation and the veg patch will not be the same again having been the recipient of all the tons of liquinure, mud, chippings and worse that we excavated from the yard. Never again!