APRIL BITS AND PIECES

I've had no internet for four days now; it's been very challenging, especially as I'm in the midst of a mother crisis. On Tuesday, she was in a panic and said she couldn't cope any more. Since then, I've been in a whirlwind of arranging carers and looking for a respite place to bridge the time before her hip is replaced. Now, with a delightful commode and people coming in to help her (and me), the respite is no longer needed and she feels capable of staying in her lovely bungalow. I'm relieved as I can't manage it all on my own, especially as it's lawn mowing and gardening season as well as all her paperwork and, well, everything else too. Aging can be a terrible thing. 

OB takes his SATS next week and is very nervous about them poor love. There's so much pressure on kids these days. I never had homework OR tests at primary school. Did you? He'll have a room on his own in case of tics distracting the others, and a dedicated teaching assistant with him. We're so lucky to have such a supportive school.

I will be 51 next Friday. Rather an anti-climax after last year's fabulous day I fear. Slightly concerned that, the usually incessantly pestering M, hasn't asked me what I'd like as a present. My childhood birthdays were always pretty awful and, as an adult, I make a show of not caring whether I get nice things or even, perhaps, a party, while my pathetic inner child is screaming "Where's my ****ing present!". Perhaps I need to talk about this.....it's been a hard week. I'll try not to back the car into a wall the day before if you remember that eye wateringly badly timed incident last year. 

Trigger is going on holiday for about four weeks from Tuesday, to some friends whose ponies I've been helping get halter trained over the last couple of months. It will be a walk of a couple of hours but worth it as he'll have grass and company and his little paddock might recover a bit. I'll try and take pictures on the journey for next time. 

Time for a selection of pictures from April. they would have been nearer the end of that month had it not been for crises and internet issues. I didn't think it would be back till the middle of next week so I'm amazed to be posting at all. First a couple of sheep. Eyes and ears....

That bit of grass looks like white wool coming out of her mouth:

Fresh green of new Beech leaves. I do love that curve of more in the distance coming out too:

Fresh Hawthorn leaves and an old berry:

Remember the Dun pony I thought didn't look like the rest of them out there? Well here she is a couple of days before I managed to catch her and return her to her owner, who was delighted to have her back. Her name is Tilly:

New foals......this one has a mark like a tick and, since OB calls his tic supressing exercised 'tic tac's', that's what we've christened her (that means she's probably male knowing me): Tic Tac:

Another one....no name yet as I haven't got a decent picture of it's markings:

One of the gelding protectorate rolling a bit too close to a drop:

This year's herd on the move:

Skylark refusing to look at the camera:

Beautiful Buzzard:

Meadow Pipit singing and doing its Skylark impression:

Closer to the ground:

A lone Pheasant out on the moor looking a bit lost:

Kestrel about to drop on its prey:

Metal bird (Lynx I think) over Chagford:

Crossed vapour trails over Kestor:

This hasn't come out quite how it looked....I was trying to show the impact of a field of oil seed rape in an otherwise green landscape. Someone is stealing the show:

I love the colours of the trees in this one:

A few extra pictures from that day in Westwood Ho!....

The pebble ridge:

Jack and Finnian, who has a distinct height advantage!

The surfers prepare:

Scuba Jack?

Don't know what possessed me to take this. It was a beautiful day at a remote part of the river where I knew there was no chance of anyone disturbing me, my back was killing me, so I lay down on a rock and took this:

Then I heard some quacking......

All on his own in the middle of nowhere:

Mr Woodpecker giving me a hard stare:

The Bumble-footed Chaffinch is still going strong. 

I have a million things to catch up on so I'd better get on. I have no idea what you're all up to but will try and catch up over the weekend. Some more followers which is fantastic. Welcome and thank you. So, until next time, here is Snippet just after his haircut and Jack out cold, or warm, on my new wood-chip area. Have a lovely weekend!

FIRST FOAL OF 2015 AND MARCH BITS AND PIECES

Hello from the Dartmoor stranger. So much has happened and when I've posted, I always think of the things I didn't tell you about. A lot can happen in two weeks. One VERY important thing is that my glucose meter is here at last. It is, as I hoped, completely life changing. I can scan my arm, which has a strange looking white plastic disc stuck to it, any time; OB even scans me while I'm driving which is a massive relief as I felt so vulnerable in the past and would often have pulled over to do a blood test, which was very inconvenient. I discovered that the reason the National Health won't pay for it is that is has yet to be passed as okay by NICE. Once it has, it has the possibility to reduce complications in many, many cases, saving the NHS millions for a very modest outlay. Sounds sensible doesn't it? If it's sensible, there's a strong possibility it won't happen.

Right, on with some photos. I saw the first foal a couple of days ago. First for me and for its mother who I remember as a foal herself about four years ago.....very distinctive hair. 

The March bits and pieces start with a series of the Golden Plover flock who are in their breeding colours now. I've never seen them like this here before:

One of our resident Buzzard's in flight:

Meadow Pipits of course:

As the crow flies:

I was going to call this post 'Home Birds' last week but had to put it off as time ran away with me and other things came up. All these were in the garden, which, incidentally, has changed a lot today. I've been re-modelling an area under the very lovely inherited Acer under which absolutely nothing will grow, including grass. I've scraped off an inch of top-soil today...well more like rubble mixed with the clay from the failed turf we laid a few optimistic years ago....and covered it with the chipped wood from the beech limb that you may remember collapsed a few years ago. Thank you kind neighbours for the donation. It would have cost a FORTUNE to buy it for such a big area. I can't tell you how much I ache!

The Nuthatches are definitely nesting in our box, which is fixed to the side of OB's play house up on stilts. We were having lunch in there the other day and the birds were tapping away with the clods of mud they kept bringing in. Here's one of them in the tree waiting for me to vacate the area:

Sparrow's bum:

Male Chaffinch with a beauty spot:

Female Chaffinch in the rain:

Thrush -0 not brilliant but all I could get; they so rarely come to the feeder:

Blue Tit:

I have tried and tried to get a shot of the Nuthatches feeding that isn't blurred, but they're so busy frantically chucking out all but the Niger seeds from the feeder that I have failed:

Then they turn their backs on me:

I'm not sure if this is a deformation of this Chaffinch's foot or something stuck to it. I've blown it up but still can't tell. He seemed fine but the weight of it must be wearing....update.....CT tells me what it has is 'bumblefoot'; what a brilliant name. Not a brilliant thing to have though. Thanks CT:

What's this one looking at I wonder?

Trigger's winter coat is falling out rapidly:

Jack's remote control spray collar has not been a success. When it works, it's brilliant, but it doesn't always work so you can never be sure whether he's ignoring it or whether it's malfunctioning. I rang the manufacturers and they're sending a replacement.....

It doesn't seem to hinder his athleticism: 

Cobweb on a frosty morning:

A sea of mist:

Moon above that Frosty morning:

And the sun in the East:

So, I started writing this on Thursday and it's now Sunday. Can I publish tonight? I'll try my best.....

Other news........OB managed to suppress his tics for over 12 hours a couple of days ago. Amazing. He was completely exhausted from it but what an achievement. We've dubbed it a temporary cure on the basis that he can, to all intents and purposes, appear to be without it when he needs to. We tested it out at the cinema last week watching 'Home' (I fell asleep; a very expensive snooze), and he made it through with no tics AND enjoyed the film. He went surfing for the first time on Easter Monday and stood up almost every time. Pictures next time. The dogs had a fabulous time too. 

Although Jack's frenetic barking at the fence continues in the absence of the spray collar, at least I managed to stop him escaping from the garden with some strategically placed roof tiles amongst my hastily constructed but ineffectual palisade on top of the wall. Phew - something is working. 

The Easter holiday is over from tomorrow, so I might possibly get  more done. However, my mum is taking more and more of my time as her health deteriorates and I'm very behind with the painting next door. I'm under pressure to finish so..........until next time, here are the dogs, one of whom seriously needs that haircut and the other is wearing his useless collar in a very heavy frost for the time of year. Have a great week....or two. Miss you all!