Everything changes...

Such a 'grand' chap

On the 10th of December our faithful friend 'Duke' died, he was of good age for a dog of his size , sadly 'throat cancer' got the better of him and could'nt swallow his liquid food and passed away.  He is buried in our Woodland with a 'neolithic stone' placed above "he will always be remembered."

Better to RESCUE ~ Dogs from those who can't cope anymore.

Saturday 14th December 'Harley' a one year old Lab crossed with Collie arrived, all legs with a happy wagging tail.  Then came 'Freddie' on 21st Dec.....a two year old Labrador who is a much heavier breed of dog.......And responds to the name 'Eddie'.

Eddie

First thing 'Eddie' found was the 'water', he loves it, just look!  Our flood-made pond rose to quite a depth for Eddie to take that 'dive'., typical of his breed, whereas Harley did'nt take the plunge and never has.

~  ~  ~

Irregular bursts of squalling wet gusts penetrated most of Wales interspersed with calming sunshine during the Winter months, definitely ‘not’ what we’re used to....where many ‘wildlife’ were washed away from their underground habitats and those that flew were taken off course or killed!

There’s been ‘Dog fights’ between the House Sparrows and Blue Tits, within our garden.....Both of which are in decline in the UK, so have’nt put any foods out over the last few days which has proved  a point.... the squabbles have ceased.

6^th Jan...  blew part of the Barn Roof off, fortunately nowhere near the stables phewwww!  It did this twice.

7^th Jan...  Was when the ‘rain’ came indoors, ran-off road........so ‘carpet’ is up in hall to dry and this occurred many times .......:(   Still not returned to it’s rightful place as the ‘rains’ still fall.

Front of house was flooded

8^th  Jan.... The eliments took over the farmlands, rivers, towns and hinder our daily walks!  A wind came through from Siberia with icy rain to polish things off.

Icy rain

Could'nt of had much more go wrong as the electrics went off many times, no connections to outside world and only enough dry wood for one night's warmth, as the remainder are outside damp 'like wet sponges'.  

Our two female dogs are in season (having been separated from Chuckie for two weeks already.)  Chuckie lives in the lounge and uses the front garden whilst the girls use the rear.  By now the air is freezing and Chuckie insists on nibbling it, like gnasher.  

Although the night was very young,

Where things were all a-stir

For those to grasp late wanted feasts,

Had better be quick,

for those who start to stir

are swift for theirs!

Look, sniff-n-listen and don’t slip-up!

When  natural light goes down

Woodland sounds begin to change

A time to either go to bed or rise for night.

30^th Jan...   Woodlark caught on camera.

Nearest I've ever been to 'Woodlark'....was singing a glorious tune.

11^th   Feb.....'Meran' died........ perhaps frightened of the ‘gales’.  We're not giving-out names to hens since 'Foxy' has taken most :( 

Every Species was vulnerable!

12^th  Feb... Turned into 100 mile hurricane which burst the second caravan (used to hold small bales)  'like paper' into the nearby trees which sieved things out, all strewn and wrapped around the many trunks.

We humans hid indoors worrying the worst it could do to our ‘animals’.  Dogs and one Pony in stables whilst others are out using their strong instincts!

We felt the house ‘move’ twice !!!

14^th  Where the heavy rain was arriving in two different directions!

Sat 15^th  Red Kite determined to out-master the strong winds for it’s breakfast.

16^{th  Feb...} You know it’s bad weather when the ‘Oak Trees’ sway too much!  Ash down from earlier storms, oak with beech on it’s back....   The ‘top field’ is’nt a quagmire, an area of stone where plenty of ‘lichen’ grow to rinse the ponies hooves, ‘Nature’ is certainly fine.

The Sycamore was sick

Two Ash to trash

Oak broke a large limb

Oak that broke with Beech on back

19th  There be Spawning amongst the ‘Amphibians’  So have been Pond sitting with no dipping as they leapt above the water with joy!

23^rd  All night long the Storm rattled and rolled it’s way through anything it could fling!

‘We went the way of the Wind,

But then there was the coming back,

which hit us hard,

and took our breath away.

Pond had been thrashed and cleansed by heavy rainfall,

Attracting ‘life’ to start another year’.

25^th   Looking out,  through the upstairs window...we call  ‘ the box office’ see the stunted hydrangeas struggle to grow correctly with changing temperatures.  

27^th Feb’14

10.43 a.m   A large Male Fox snuffling the ground for anything that was remotely edible.....whilst up above a Crow followed his movements to warn others of his presence.  Then he snuck into the shadows of a thicket under a densely grown willow tree, weaving his way through.  My video is on Woodland Pages 'facebook'.

1^st March  St. David’s Day

 7.15  a.m  Where the sun did rise in it’s almighty size along the horizon, when moments later a thick  cloud cover hid it from sight.....ohhhh  "it did'nt return".

4^th March .....Decided the early morning was good enough for a four mile walk, after feeding the animals....... where the sunshine did stay with us.  'Great tits'....  ‘tom- tit- tom-tit’  spoke loudest of all as we arrived in our Woodland and was still sounding off  as we left for our walk.

9^th & 10^th March..... White tailed Bombus, Red tailed Cuckoo, Carder Bee and of course not forgetting the minute ‘Ladybird’ wearing her best spots (of seven.)  Peacock Butterly was fluttering along our afternoon walk....looking a tad pale and tired....as though been about all of Winter.

                      

Me, Eddie & Harley

New look-out post for Nippy where her view is vast

A natural climber unfortunately for Birds

'Bob' wearing his best waistcoat...Taken through bedroom window 

I know it's him by the curved edge of red.