A sudden thaw is upon us after last week's bad weather. Just as well as everyone was getting a bit fed up of being stuck inside. Instead we now have mud everywhere. Tuxedo has been spending the nights in the polytunnel all winter but with the snow and wind he didn't go out for several days and Wallace and Caesar joined him indoors during the worst of it. Warlord didn't even want to go out into the yard some days. Dunn and Dougal moved into the house field for some shelter from the east wind and to get water when the troughs froze up. Hopefully we can get back to normal now in time for lambing next month.

Given the freedom of the yard, Crystal, Skysail and Warlord have chosen to squeeze into the middle of the shed while their stalls are mucked out. They are standing in the snow that blew in under the doors and in up under the eaves overnight.

Tuxedo, Wallace and Caesar with snow on the bales behind them

Tuppence

Four days of wintry weather has seen cold easterly winds and drifting snow. Most of the animals have been stuck indoors for most of the time but even then they can't escape the snow as it is blowing in under the doors and up under the eaves. The snow has even drifted over the width of the river in places.

In the past two days we have spotted a kingfisher and then a snipe sheltering under the bank

Neighbour Jock Wilkie clearing the road

The Beast from the East struck last night and today giving us 6 inches of drifting snow and biting cold winds. Here are some photos from today of the horses and sheep and their different ways of dealing with the conditions.

JACK AND PEARL LOOKING FOR GRASS

JACK AFTER A ROLL

LOCKIE ENJOYING A GOOD ROLL

JACK WANTS TO BE WHITE

LOCKIE

THE SHEEP PREFER TO CONSERVE ENERGY

We have been having recent visits from the local beaver population, so Jimmy decided to try and capture some photos with his trap camera. Unfortunately the beavers have not been co-operative and we have no pictures. However the camera has managed to snap some of the other wild life visitors to the area. Some of the recent highlights that we have seen but not been able to picture are the beavers, a mink and a barn owl

A PAIR OF ROE DEER

A BADGER

THE ROE DEER IN DAYLIGHT

AN OTTER

A BUZZARD

JIMMY ON LIZZY, ALISON ON JACK

Not wildlife but it was a wild and windy day.

Having been largely free of the white stuff so far this winter it finally arrived on Wednesday evening. The horses have been going out in two groups day about apart from Warlord, who has only agreed to go beyond the yard for a couple of hours all week, preferring to keep cosy in the shed.

Crystal, Lucent and Rags, with Skysail in the background, enjoying the winter sunshine.

Pearl, Lockie and Jack taking their turn in for the day while Candy escapes for a walk with Jimmy

Cali, Dougal and Dunn

Crystal

The animals have been enjoying a busy week of visitors coming to give them treats and cuddles. Lizzie had a hack out with Louise on Thursday while the young ones had another walk out without their mothers. On Friday the sheep and horses got cuddles from Sarah, Stuart and Munro and Isobel and Bryan while the rottweiler Murphy, mastiff Caffrey and German Shephard Saskia were shut in a horse box and Felix the cat retired to the back bedroom for the day.

The obligatory photocall at the start of the walk, with Lizzie and Louise, Jack and Alison, Rags and Jimmy, and Lucent and John

Coming home

A very wet Jack with Sarah and Munro

Lockie, our gentle giant, enjoying the unusual attention