Heavy frost strikes at last

August 3 2014

Last night was the coldest night for 15 years. There was a heavy frost everywhere this morning but the house was still 23C before we lit the fire. The sun has shone all day too so the house is beautifully warm. The garden has not been so lucky. Those potatoes and tomatoes, that had survived most of the winter, have been badly hit as well as other garden plants. I am now glad that I up rooted the capsicums and brought them indoors!

One ewe gave birth in the frost but the lambs are large, warm, and healthy and she looks as if she knows what to do. There are now 9 lambs, which will make the protection job hard for Zulu. He actually did a sort of defence move last week when I took a friend and her daughter across the roof to see the lambs. He got between her and the sheep and somehow moved all the lambs away behind him. Not much, but it is at least he is doing something.

The goats are now developing udders and showing signs of pregnancy. We hand milk once a day in the morning and the un-pregnant goats are maintaining a minimal milk supply so that everyone who needs milk is supplied and we make cream cheese once a week. Edd is slowly eating his way through the stored hard cheeses but not all are as good as the last one.

I probably should not say this but so far this year has been delightfully peaceful. After the very dramatic events of the last five years my blog now becomes positively dull, but life is much more enjoyable. I am really enjoying talking to my mother in the UK. We chat for up to one hour every night over the phone and at last have a chance to become friends.  My mother is now in a nursing home and has difficulties with her sight and movement but she is very alert and so totally courageous. I feel very honoured that we have this window of time to get to know each other better.

Edd and I left the UK when I was about to turn 30 and in the long years before the internet and all the modern communication systems we had a period when our contact was almost all gone. I never dreamt that I would have this wonderful chance to renew lost relationships.

Edd has been fitting latches to the internal doors. It is amazing how much better it is to use a handle rather than ones finger nails!