Falling head over heels

We are reaching that lovely time of year, when after cold rain and wind, the skies suddenly clear, the sun shines across the fields and we get a glimpse of the beginnings of the spring to come as the snowdrops come into flower and the daffodils begin to bud.

The Happy Farmer has been out with paint brush and rollers, white washing the walls of the buildings. Taking advantage of a window in the weather and in our busy season, the cottages and farmhouse have been undergoing their annual re-decoration programme. It’s all hands to the pump to make sure everything is spring cleaned, polished, painted and refreshed. ‘Out with the old and in with the new’ as the saying goes. There is something very satisfying about dipping a paint brush into a new pot of chalky paint, and although hard work, the end results are worth every ounce of effort.

The animals are needing more attention too. Markus, our short horn bull, has been getting extra rations. Each morning he is at the fence. His greeting begins with a large guttural bellow as the Happy Farmer approaches on his quad bike with a daily portion of cattle cake. Hansel and Muffin, the horses, are next in the queue, waiting patiently. Then the sheep are treated to a new round bale of silage.

The only casualty on the farm is the farmer himself. His back much improved, his gait is beginning to look less like Frankenstein, but he is now limping and hopping along with a sore knee. I’ve come to the decision the walking stick he marches off with each morning is just for ornamental purposes, all show, as he still manages to fall head over heels…..but just acquires a swollen knee for his efforts these days.

Until next time…..