tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36675281356273004262024-03-05T11:46:16.259+02:00The Journeyan ordinary Lancashire lass on an extraordinary journey in LatviaJoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.comBlogger788125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-30496938111663904242023-08-26T22:27:00.000+03:002023-08-26T22:27:06.294+03:00Part 1: Oh dear!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxxI1PW-U0y3066OQ8yEneYzOVl1OnhEq6SLmLXKTgJWCNewZOQT2KL5580MIgYIMhkcNqb_nCzmDNoUlL0ufN-yttYnskxqOnKZ37OBPb-wQiiCwJ2qXKjrXDsW1AaRZcSSf2Mn7tBDz7tyZDpyTzx1Ty1f39W0IQW0Ua8auF3LEnKjZuFgos5KXAzEH/s1280/DSC_9092.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxxI1PW-U0y3066OQ8yEneYzOVl1OnhEq6SLmLXKTgJWCNewZOQT2KL5580MIgYIMhkcNqb_nCzmDNoUlL0ufN-yttYnskxqOnKZ37OBPb-wQiiCwJ2qXKjrXDsW1AaRZcSSf2Mn7tBDz7tyZDpyTzx1Ty1f39W0IQW0Ua8auF3LEnKjZuFgos5KXAzEH/s320/DSC_9092.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel has such curly hair and I think those curls<br />are getting tighter by the year. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>It seems it was a while since I posted! Such a lot has happened in this time. Typing though was a bit tricky until I could at least get my fingers moving, so that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I have nearly got the full range of movement back after breaking my wrist in February but not all the strength. It didn't help that my cast was taken off three weeks later than it should have, so that is three weeks less movement. Heh ho! I have the strength to lift things okay now, but I have lost a lot of the grip strength. Slowly, slowly I'm working on it. I'm just not very organised at the best of times and trying to think of all the things that I must do, kind of gets me down. I must exercise my hand, I must practice Latvian, I must get my job done. Spare time? What's that?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0G4raB5Cxwag3L2XqX9U1d0uDVClmAjwx7XoQ-LP259gbi-INRy6XNHMG_6ZoqVHcpkkZpHD-LrT_emB6TMeRQaz9vz7sdrTiqIkvwxQcuck2fQ89H-q5sCfXxrICAMDkfSqaCLv2YAApc5SfmfNU50Z1-uO9Lzcnm0F6Q8x_yNjsZlWyau8LU5qf-xWQ/s1280/DSC_9105.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0G4raB5Cxwag3L2XqX9U1d0uDVClmAjwx7XoQ-LP259gbi-INRy6XNHMG_6ZoqVHcpkkZpHD-LrT_emB6TMeRQaz9vz7sdrTiqIkvwxQcuck2fQ89H-q5sCfXxrICAMDkfSqaCLv2YAApc5SfmfNU50Z1-uO9Lzcnm0F6Q8x_yNjsZlWyau8LU5qf-xWQ/s320/DSC_9105.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one of the first things built on our land,<br />but it is no more. The roof collapsed about two <br />years ago and now it has finally been emptied and<br />taken down. Now the girls' paddock is a bit bigger<br />than it was before - just no grass in it, mainly nettles.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHluTTYEWEuZzbzkO6V699e0i4Hw2zKM4sUxXl-5SvaVo55NlsVe5G0-ei_N5-mRJK0J7Rs48cpv21umKYhmhvwhoVbtQkcPUMGamyvpD_8WYWqRYpMF9xFBdJgklJhwbULsA6HLP-IQ3dulvLsV8QAJBGX6_rB2gTfY_e-kZflibfQ2a5lTZ-J0nTjPfe/s1280/DSC_9107.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHluTTYEWEuZzbzkO6V699e0i4Hw2zKM4sUxXl-5SvaVo55NlsVe5G0-ei_N5-mRJK0J7Rs48cpv21umKYhmhvwhoVbtQkcPUMGamyvpD_8WYWqRYpMF9xFBdJgklJhwbULsA6HLP-IQ3dulvLsV8QAJBGX6_rB2gTfY_e-kZflibfQ2a5lTZ-J0nTjPfe/s320/DSC_9107.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is there really so little time since these appeared?<br />The 9th April is when these were flowering. The<br />harbinger of spring and snow finally disappearing.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>So what has happened over the last few months? News in brief:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSxlQyMnFHSaH1NILZ3O4JA8wyNISYEYf8PGJ3IWn9LS3P9JHmaIYznd9GrgOYDCiRd0jLHxDgWeHLpa_dq60qzR2kxjQ5RqhuryKtrrPyO-A4C7zaply5PgEg300xFYPqDSYdnCGaIJGHfu17bwrkHSdMPjxTuHFSvKImIjIsVqaBBlL1_2FDeYqAhlA/s1280/DSC_9277.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSxlQyMnFHSaH1NILZ3O4JA8wyNISYEYf8PGJ3IWn9LS3P9JHmaIYznd9GrgOYDCiRd0jLHxDgWeHLpa_dq60qzR2kxjQ5RqhuryKtrrPyO-A4C7zaply5PgEg300xFYPqDSYdnCGaIJGHfu17bwrkHSdMPjxTuHFSvKImIjIsVqaBBlL1_2FDeYqAhlA/s320/DSC_9277.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lincoln the oldest of our two Suri Alpacas who <br />arrived on our farm in April. They have settled<br />in well and seem to have picked up English pretty<br />well 😏 Good job as our Hungarian is negligible.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We have two new Suri alpaca boys from Hungary. They arrived mid-April. We kept them separate for bio-security reasons for a while. It was only going to be for a few weeks but somehow it got longer and longer. We sheared the two young boys who were going to join them and Marv's mother rejected him. He was so despondent we moved the two young boys into the paddock with the Suris. The boys were ready for weaning anyway. Norm, in contrast, thrived after shearing. He went from a nervous animal to a friendly, inquisitive little chap. We wonder if he couldn't see so well with all the fleece around his eyes. Anyway, all four alpacas are doing well and bonded - near enough anyway. In fact the three youngest love pronking about the paddock.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdOe-rxbucOML18G39WDLe5LMFjBzlpkxAPf-1eDRi5vnj0iayMPRC2toF5oND_3rb2AYEXxxGWZ01etv3h4MOFuYrcs5gQozughQg5DXy-b7ZKzdvc4O1eGWl4MyhTfgbEr4kJuJbfDz897lei7a8JETAIF_5SpupiL03FEOBjmv2xKsgVhnrNgeYUr0/s1280/DSC_9280.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdOe-rxbucOML18G39WDLe5LMFjBzlpkxAPf-1eDRi5vnj0iayMPRC2toF5oND_3rb2AYEXxxGWZ01etv3h4MOFuYrcs5gQozughQg5DXy-b7ZKzdvc4O1eGWl4MyhTfgbEr4kJuJbfDz897lei7a8JETAIF_5SpupiL03FEOBjmv2xKsgVhnrNgeYUr0/s320/DSC_9280.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Timon is the younger of our two Suri boys. Born <br />last year and just a few months older than the cria<br />born on our farm. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC4QBv7aWj6-lkp9OPTFakPLt-juBPoktxzmiY3SYfujdAh7JwKA_Y8iQqNDUzleLagWJTPgrhi6E1olYEtJ3lBXxgnEqGRBN_XuKXGoM2xqgG_iwxtpiCRwq2qUqQu8rWdRSpmEw7E2RLxu47XXEfX5-zNZpbG49r2OIicTjvSTTmpMsqOwAxxow2Y9x/s1280/DSC_9793.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC4QBv7aWj6-lkp9OPTFakPLt-juBPoktxzmiY3SYfujdAh7JwKA_Y8iQqNDUzleLagWJTPgrhi6E1olYEtJ3lBXxgnEqGRBN_XuKXGoM2xqgG_iwxtpiCRwq2qUqQu8rWdRSpmEw7E2RLxu47XXEfX5-zNZpbG49r2OIicTjvSTTmpMsqOwAxxow2Y9x/s320/DSC_9793.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the new kids on the block, aka the Suris</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The snow had only just about gone when the Suris arrived and then we had very little rain for months - three very minor short lived showers in three months. The days were sometimes hot but the nights were cool and so the plants hung on in there with their thick layers of mulch. The fields of hay though are dire and farmers are panicking. The main sections where we get our hay from was only about ankle height until it started raining. We had heard of places where normally farmers get 100 bales of hay and they got 8. The drought was really that bad! Normally it would be around waist height by cutting time, which it was near the forest edges but not in the drier areas. We hoped the grass would start to grow when the grass was going to seed and needed cutting, but that wasn't to be. We nearly cut everything and perhaps have about 100 small bales but that is a third of what we need. We have less than a hundred from last year.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7UY1DtIhiNGsDL0bGlhyEBMl6sRWdukTqFUNkUX35B2SOHnI4ZYZPP54ws6jR4cVFaWtRRnSb_1MxDM2vj_Cj4Fhh4NtfBJNjUUwombt3jQ9TX7FyDiEEFEuiK73Xm0xKWkqEt5Fl-ofa9b_YLsbyh_8l_P0spzG3XG2aZs7E-SZ6Gx0mue2BljnbiyG/s1280/DSC_9108.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7UY1DtIhiNGsDL0bGlhyEBMl6sRWdukTqFUNkUX35B2SOHnI4ZYZPP54ws6jR4cVFaWtRRnSb_1MxDM2vj_Cj4Fhh4NtfBJNjUUwombt3jQ9TX7FyDiEEFEuiK73Xm0xKWkqEt5Fl-ofa9b_YLsbyh_8l_P0spzG3XG2aZs7E-SZ6Gx0mue2BljnbiyG/s320/DSC_9108.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last remnants of snow on our land. Always the <br />last place to go. Date: 9th April.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wFjvsoUUTxzgCx547TaPsu5k0ArNp4z5hZGCeG2qElGKkZ7LXdHfQYWJ_NE7afU010xoJVXzLAB0H_KqEi43wuq11yuehk9J7oWPg4ieDfqpoiDzAPtwR1UK2c7nVkyH-RrCTJhsQX74YU18mhblGW_vsOsHyKZQuN7rq_YmI5oM_loimbJu81D7bR1E/s1280/DSC_9430.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wFjvsoUUTxzgCx547TaPsu5k0ArNp4z5hZGCeG2qElGKkZ7LXdHfQYWJ_NE7afU010xoJVXzLAB0H_KqEi43wuq11yuehk9J7oWPg4ieDfqpoiDzAPtwR1UK2c7nVkyH-RrCTJhsQX74YU18mhblGW_vsOsHyKZQuN7rq_YmI5oM_loimbJu81D7bR1E/s320/DSC_9430.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storks have been in abundance this year around<br />us. Surprising since we've had precious little rain<br />until the end of June</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQZTFhqMHVsKZ5kLoWWJRP1l8Mns7MBz8ds-j-AR6U9jNf4d4uo4YrIf80LrtAtTStQ2ulcMHPIwXRaDKIFRh1Lsx-ngNWZZ11CJVt5clRsoo5jHeT_15JxyJWtDw0FgDG8wo2BH9L_IyygU3ShpJkGHR51pGvr89MHcL7_S8P1tyEbWj8B4vq1piXpaJ/s1280/DSC_9110.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQZTFhqMHVsKZ5kLoWWJRP1l8Mns7MBz8ds-j-AR6U9jNf4d4uo4YrIf80LrtAtTStQ2ulcMHPIwXRaDKIFRh1Lsx-ngNWZZ11CJVt5clRsoo5jHeT_15JxyJWtDw0FgDG8wo2BH9L_IyygU3ShpJkGHR51pGvr89MHcL7_S8P1tyEbWj8B4vq1piXpaJ/s320/DSC_9110.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This has also seen better days. It was used to dry <br />herbs etc. but the frame collapsed again under<br />the weight of snow this year and there is no<br />more repairing possible. A compost heap will be<br />assembled here after it is removed.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I started driving again in May, which made things a lot simpler and I also found a local physiotherapist. At least I no longer need work colleagues and friends to fasten me into my coat or cut up my food like a small child. It is a good job I have good work colleagues and a sense of humour - at least most of the time. It also meant I could drive a colleague down to spend some time with us. She went through my stash of stuff so that the students can make some landscape models with it. So pleased we have found a use for it. I hate to just throw things out, so these will be used for what they are intended to be used for, something creative. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMd73iaEwRJViFrG7IhaEQif5zXDM15usvfj1PSN2uTx8nIREvqYbD8iAGD3TAUpNuoAWHCmmkVYGsj9yiYUs35Ho5vIi5pdN1KKowrAT2F6HJJiYrSGnzO7A1KTxW4E-m4_M13u3LjN98esgfrn-TOdBHf7MPhHDteHloGHRgb2fyS5fEUXny2YDIIUcq/s1280/DSC_9301.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMd73iaEwRJViFrG7IhaEQif5zXDM15usvfj1PSN2uTx8nIREvqYbD8iAGD3TAUpNuoAWHCmmkVYGsj9yiYUs35Ho5vIi5pdN1KKowrAT2F6HJJiYrSGnzO7A1KTxW4E-m4_M13u3LjN98esgfrn-TOdBHf7MPhHDteHloGHRgb2fyS5fEUXny2YDIIUcq/s320/DSC_9301.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">25th April and the leaves are just coming out, the<br />oak will leaf up later. It's now the beginning of <br />August and we are thinking that it won't be long <br />before the leaves start turning</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7N29wiex9-TXUuX1FfqUnYVDJtzVdUQdIgXWs4X4SnpWb5-VOxf5iAIqoZ7VB746jD1qgdWK1M92Ht-quypuutB_VcKJhdowY46_uPVwHQ5t20T3y4NAavDKyp5JK2bawHlals0meQChJu-m9i6BdkN_GGgm2UuW8AlhX8qGLkkmM0jZeqc8toSOlymRR/s1280/DSC_9302.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7N29wiex9-TXUuX1FfqUnYVDJtzVdUQdIgXWs4X4SnpWb5-VOxf5iAIqoZ7VB746jD1qgdWK1M92Ht-quypuutB_VcKJhdowY46_uPVwHQ5t20T3y4NAavDKyp5JK2bawHlals0meQChJu-m9i6BdkN_GGgm2UuW8AlhX8qGLkkmM0jZeqc8toSOlymRR/s320/DSC_9302.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another of our buildings that has seen better days.<br />The plastic keeps ripping and the wood has rotted in <br />many places. We are looking at options to replace it.<br />It's going to be expensive but we do use it a lot, <br />just not as a greenhouse, apart from the grapes<br />we grow in it and a hollyhock and weeds- don't ask!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I completed my first year in my new role as head of the master programmes. It was an interesting year and a joy to see students graduating. I was especially proud of my own student who got cum lauda - or an academic distinction. I can't claim much credit as he did much of the work himself for his thesis with just a little guidance and a bit of moral support when needed. Now he needs to find a place for the future as we don't have any funding at the moment for a PhD post. I need to start applying for funds to start up a small group research but not sure I could align his interests with something I would want to work on. So we are both looking actively for any opportunity where he can thrive or for some interim work while he looks. He is helping us out this next semester. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDAvNbehr2bUG0TaD3jaGJqxmPBz0bKfQeOC_bsiBU8ChABrEmh2PICXe1D6rZPWuHRkz1aopHW0o3N-Z0vMnoy_e5LPzoqPIHlPg6g-Ypyp-30hpSLOy-IpxkZbl_YaCV63BmSPwz105IWEzmF-_RqGsxcIqUKEqPpmEA72FFOV0xNoNF9J0svSvp71j/s1280/DSC_9313.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDAvNbehr2bUG0TaD3jaGJqxmPBz0bKfQeOC_bsiBU8ChABrEmh2PICXe1D6rZPWuHRkz1aopHW0o3N-Z0vMnoy_e5LPzoqPIHlPg6g-Ypyp-30hpSLOy-IpxkZbl_YaCV63BmSPwz105IWEzmF-_RqGsxcIqUKEqPpmEA72FFOV0xNoNF9J0svSvp71j/s320/DSC_9313.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very, very fluffy Norman<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimb_DTkrZjiRjdAMrXnMqpa4AYOUnakmLHM1hKWonfOf9LxE76vONLT_hSmmJK0pXwjME0tmdEtOwmfSS8iQlfbzXBPEw_byPLaNgeGG1upyvaJNuNrXjXmKKEBYEI_Rj9xDzEwE_7m_75nkaiqinJ24C-xL8eJhhokuwsA8GYOnpnbVrDvaPqYAVQiB6C/s1280/DSC_9337.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimb_DTkrZjiRjdAMrXnMqpa4AYOUnakmLHM1hKWonfOf9LxE76vONLT_hSmmJK0pXwjME0tmdEtOwmfSS8iQlfbzXBPEw_byPLaNgeGG1upyvaJNuNrXjXmKKEBYEI_Rj9xDzEwE_7m_75nkaiqinJ24C-xL8eJhhokuwsA8GYOnpnbVrDvaPqYAVQiB6C/s320/DSC_9337.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very, very fine fleeced and fluffy Marvin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjYD5gsXMLb67qc_Oqo-ajR-sS5mkVRLKMtcF_edNxbWxUf7EwPGFZRxvvaCTUzWgtwpP0z9rzmSY4iZuLA5thCMR5BwU2VLKKNXnkwJzOPykF419un2T5OnEh5nv54XEAD47atKn1CzwwGOxmtub5GRkTJv3PkZ8l9gg3pklIbtGhYhWhBk8Vb9S9-RJ/s1280/DSC_9352.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjYD5gsXMLb67qc_Oqo-ajR-sS5mkVRLKMtcF_edNxbWxUf7EwPGFZRxvvaCTUzWgtwpP0z9rzmSY4iZuLA5thCMR5BwU2VLKKNXnkwJzOPykF419un2T5OnEh5nv54XEAD47atKn1CzwwGOxmtub5GRkTJv3PkZ8l9gg3pklIbtGhYhWhBk8Vb9S9-RJ/s320/DSC_9352.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow, your putting on weight Vanessa, if we didn't<br />know better, we would think you are pregnant.<br />Good job the scanner said you weren't!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-MCuX1qt1UHB8tnlAHgmqOI0pmz_FwJWnIlGFcWPoECqsEQuZCs0042jgCJK91KvF3Zc4u6YRjbd4ulvMO-PPP6WDUYLpjV98opoOjPEkQcaYvjYQ5nqCLKlX9g4_gZZORyyeqflJzfSGGKsyagLRn7EAYUrrof-v0WphGK2BMW_81KK3oZMIx9vz55R/s1280/DSC_9885.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-MCuX1qt1UHB8tnlAHgmqOI0pmz_FwJWnIlGFcWPoECqsEQuZCs0042jgCJK91KvF3Zc4u6YRjbd4ulvMO-PPP6WDUYLpjV98opoOjPEkQcaYvjYQ5nqCLKlX9g4_gZZORyyeqflJzfSGGKsyagLRn7EAYUrrof-v0WphGK2BMW_81KK3oZMIx9vz55R/s320/DSC_9885.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone looks a little wide for a non-pregnant alpaca</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We had our girls scanned to see if they were pregnant and they weren't.... errr they were... or at least some of them were. Confused! So were we. The vet who scanned doesn't have much experience of scanning alpacas but she did pick up something different in two of them, but couldn't see any babies. They were re-mated, one was compliant and sat down for the male, the other was having none of that nonsense and spat off the male, which she has done before. So there were no clues as to whether they were pregnant or not. A few weeks later and we began to think they are rather large in the middle and their udders also looked large - not normal for non-feeding females. Ian got hold of them on different nights and felt their bellies and realised that they were pregnant and due quite soon. Whoops!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4EooLnigs5Jjd-MwCTv_EFglOiYGE64-pXy7qD7IXMd4z4uQ-GH74nbKWbpfuPLFdov47GPxE3gs9uxf_0fNhG7301M5t6199y0nCGOKndl3hRBq5M0vCxXSDYftrxad5IeSmaLkRD0UzO_S15hBHLubjEjeRWgLsc1oQPie_2QB8NvTCa0RnsGy-esg/s1280/DSC_9358.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4EooLnigs5Jjd-MwCTv_EFglOiYGE64-pXy7qD7IXMd4z4uQ-GH74nbKWbpfuPLFdov47GPxE3gs9uxf_0fNhG7301M5t6199y0nCGOKndl3hRBq5M0vCxXSDYftrxad5IeSmaLkRD0UzO_S15hBHLubjEjeRWgLsc1oQPie_2QB8NvTCa0RnsGy-esg/s320/DSC_9358.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is great to have the use of the summerhouse this<br />year and the kitchen is set up and usable. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Just a couple of weeks later the first of our surprise arrivals came and two weeks after that another. Fortunately all are doing fine and causing havoc, as young male alpacas do, although these do seem rather like their fathers and not as calm or timid as last year's babies. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiJHgdVi_6FWVOtBYVZPf29k_I85rHeuwW6N5BVzpEeluvHq9Glf-2mgZhKLKPUk6luDDyYAOdgQgYaVDZ-H8j-bUPwtWtSjtyyy3fhBZ1cMAqna-C3IKO3on-l20IDFAkJurH618GrNMnWGJauKE0jjGYlX2oUeCpt_exzksW-dHETd-FEUGFaMBuUiZ/s1280/DSC_0205.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiJHgdVi_6FWVOtBYVZPf29k_I85rHeuwW6N5BVzpEeluvHq9Glf-2mgZhKLKPUk6luDDyYAOdgQgYaVDZ-H8j-bUPwtWtSjtyyy3fhBZ1cMAqna-C3IKO3on-l20IDFAkJurH618GrNMnWGJauKE0jjGYlX2oUeCpt_exzksW-dHETd-FEUGFaMBuUiZ/s320/DSC_0205.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pete, shortly after birth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71-11QaZZcEYY61jcuGfKU8nmy-jtXDIlcVjhXkLSnclPb5jkr_f3Z-d8pFoCH0i_Dm7beaq_6lFDtxY6HycufraZqTl1XztyP35sh8wpRegrXEV_FPot1z2Mb7EuBql0BnUXmIZ98zuMbzeGYwOvpz26XL4Y6k7ZESNFiR8qYiHud8cTMMTeX0wA4Y__/s1280/DSC_0280.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71-11QaZZcEYY61jcuGfKU8nmy-jtXDIlcVjhXkLSnclPb5jkr_f3Z-d8pFoCH0i_Dm7beaq_6lFDtxY6HycufraZqTl1XztyP35sh8wpRegrXEV_FPot1z2Mb7EuBql0BnUXmIZ98zuMbzeGYwOvpz26XL4Y6k7ZESNFiR8qYiHud8cTMMTeX0wA4Y__/s320/DSC_0280.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pete and Ollie playing outside.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD5RPt7Jkxx6r4gYSVXg9CO0UoS1UJhNNL_lA3j_33bMyLfrtXP4x_wen3lEl8KvEfRoF9F5wgYRbGUwK4VbsUlVeRsAIO0VkUCxR294guKiB9HmvC0wZJCksIOTdb077epFTpWaVqXZh4Tc-4fA87A2hAT-3jkCH5on7MEASIaHMvIDMeZkERzBEQiLr/s1280/DSC_9799.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvD5RPt7Jkxx6r4gYSVXg9CO0UoS1UJhNNL_lA3j_33bMyLfrtXP4x_wen3lEl8KvEfRoF9F5wgYRbGUwK4VbsUlVeRsAIO0VkUCxR294guKiB9HmvC0wZJCksIOTdb077epFTpWaVqXZh4Tc-4fA87A2hAT-3jkCH5on7MEASIaHMvIDMeZkERzBEQiLr/s320/DSC_9799.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gradually introducing last year's babies to the Suris</td></tr></tbody></table><p>These news briefs are in no particular date order as some bits of news were one off events and some a continuation on a theme, so jumping back to April I had a surprise birthday party. The first surprise party I have ever had. It was organised by my wonderful work colleague and she baked a cake specially for it. It wasn't a large gathering but special nonetheless for people making the effort to surprise me. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcrytje1x9Pnj7QdoUZKV3hkOhygKuaGYwm4te4PGT4KGZDCRcN4glj61rbQLtv7UFQGbXe6bZC71AGXOZasXqGIjLbXqGgy1VBfT1bsZk8NQPuuLfLkkpKVn8oRyrv0NGcZxWTbddGODqfV-XLY6YMWRxf8JnpEjBKDxHUm2XtjAwwx8IV9Nb2se4Jlu/s1280/DSC_9369.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcrytje1x9Pnj7QdoUZKV3hkOhygKuaGYwm4te4PGT4KGZDCRcN4glj61rbQLtv7UFQGbXe6bZC71AGXOZasXqGIjLbXqGgy1VBfT1bsZk8NQPuuLfLkkpKVn8oRyrv0NGcZxWTbddGODqfV-XLY6YMWRxf8JnpEjBKDxHUm2XtjAwwx8IV9Nb2se4Jlu/s320/DSC_9369.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh that fleece! I love to see our Suris running.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJTyYnMFX1SGShkrxez2uHU_7oVg0dP7pTObrrCCVZQ25pkub1QiznaI7tsF3UJITU_md2wUHfIxMD43cvQoqN790-pk8FP84GHLCeH2fuZrA31-kOglnGHulJY7962_dxwoXnfJOn0_Chi7k0Shf4j2gsge4t1sEc3ku_mtRS_k_PSJcncICPpw3Ad8U/s1280/DSC_9381.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJTyYnMFX1SGShkrxez2uHU_7oVg0dP7pTObrrCCVZQ25pkub1QiznaI7tsF3UJITU_md2wUHfIxMD43cvQoqN790-pk8FP84GHLCeH2fuZrA31-kOglnGHulJY7962_dxwoXnfJOn0_Chi7k0Shf4j2gsge4t1sEc3ku_mtRS_k_PSJcncICPpw3Ad8U/s320/DSC_9381.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An age thing I guess and no moderating influence<br />of Herk and Turbjørn. Those two used to quell<br />many a fight. Our boys aren't always fighting, but<br />hormones are high and grass low due to our drought<br />and so they have been a bit more tetchy than normal.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I thought I might have more time during my holidays but I found plenty to do in the daylight hours and it was often late when I looked at my computer. I also lost my drive to get something written. I seemed to do so much of that just lately. The problem is that there is then a gap in our diary and we can't look back on what we've done. Let's see what the rest of the year brings and if I can finally get to at least 800 posts (only another 10 to go but at my current rate it will be years in the making 😊). The very slow evening internet doesn't help either. In summer it feels like everyone drives out from Riga to us to their summer houses and then uses their phones for the internet. Sigh!</p><p>Hopefully there will be a part 2 of the events over the summer soon-ish.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ2gi2Gi4NP6E3nUAaXh9fE-TKE0lEXtYppZKnvvN_8JDVyFejI4faY1EiQ_4v0oJEbhG_SXx8kIhmxcB_RsgLkCES7uVMQnLPVc6psU5AZpGhCczaj2K_PK9-6Uzubj2Z-tvgPU5gRLGCmc0v-0AJVtaKIHPjtJzlaFzqOREuKjU87nFFjFMEfDDHSrz/s1280/DSC_9392.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ2gi2Gi4NP6E3nUAaXh9fE-TKE0lEXtYppZKnvvN_8JDVyFejI4faY1EiQ_4v0oJEbhG_SXx8kIhmxcB_RsgLkCES7uVMQnLPVc6psU5AZpGhCczaj2K_PK9-6Uzubj2Z-tvgPU5gRLGCmc0v-0AJVtaKIHPjtJzlaFzqOREuKjU87nFFjFMEfDDHSrz/s320/DSC_9392.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Betty is still tiny. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7N9UWgJASVExg87nlvEw5clFhFTE32OzH9PpZQutkjfqReLte2kAA4MUPMok0vNcp3EbSigFaEOU249RrZGRKvG71USnZim7RzdkUPvx-ppNDtBPrCbvgCDUUXrXhqIs_jAuxUaRoJ7tuwJqWLMjhl-_ElmKhw5izDOfAJW9a8QrRgTgb508M96rnXcB1/s1280/DSC_9422.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7N9UWgJASVExg87nlvEw5clFhFTE32OzH9PpZQutkjfqReLte2kAA4MUPMok0vNcp3EbSigFaEOU249RrZGRKvG71USnZim7RzdkUPvx-ppNDtBPrCbvgCDUUXrXhqIs_jAuxUaRoJ7tuwJqWLMjhl-_ElmKhw5izDOfAJW9a8QrRgTgb508M96rnXcB1/s320/DSC_9422.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just saying hello but staying firmly on the other <br />side of the fence.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbKDyaT7c4c6I84a2lXJOxTHBXb9gLwI5dQ55jfMOSgGsCPTT9lfyEeeqSh2ZiWMylmAxdnatS86-CpDiYgFh0k8_1PZon2SH6n-FCfqK4HIq4vzFtuyKrU2oep-hBvys44Nw_BV1d5w4g__dvRpQpD_oUHqSR7j32UB-nlIYBBs_Y6wp8FjmTKlFC4Sz/s1280/DSC_9433.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbKDyaT7c4c6I84a2lXJOxTHBXb9gLwI5dQ55jfMOSgGsCPTT9lfyEeeqSh2ZiWMylmAxdnatS86-CpDiYgFh0k8_1PZon2SH6n-FCfqK4HIq4vzFtuyKrU2oep-hBvys44Nw_BV1d5w4g__dvRpQpD_oUHqSR7j32UB-nlIYBBs_Y6wp8FjmTKlFC4Sz/s320/DSC_9433.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early heat before they are sheared is not good. <br />There is always shade provided though.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOcoy9JWRqvz66vWojZOaN_fzYWAz6Th55J0mJ15dRYdc_OAbb91c7JrxuyJ7gaeTJ6mIFoA0pa0EkZXaFFteFch0LXlpYg14NqDercPjnKYZHEBmAyysBs9ySvlhsTZf835SgGzLS0xE5I9DnTnw26kZHtocP0my5_JGQFQQvBJ9BxCJ5UO_rkoO8VsE/s1280/DSC_9474.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOcoy9JWRqvz66vWojZOaN_fzYWAz6Th55J0mJ15dRYdc_OAbb91c7JrxuyJ7gaeTJ6mIFoA0pa0EkZXaFFteFch0LXlpYg14NqDercPjnKYZHEBmAyysBs9ySvlhsTZf835SgGzLS0xE5I9DnTnw26kZHtocP0my5_JGQFQQvBJ9BxCJ5UO_rkoO8VsE/s320/DSC_9474.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiding by the old shed. This area gets the afternoon<br />shade from the trees, so doesn't matter that the <br />shed is no longer there.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlHvJWUaMdusB_XqpREDo4yyitNFsAAdmvawpXitGl8nws4gnLThrnssv59ATiar0pSoPRGy78k7dN6l89LYBDKBAo2ZoLUQioBNCC0uXhBiaypyyueWNBC2hLkq_0083tjsrhalDrG_XOiKKmVhFmTd_3uCkrfPjIfxJkEQyBmIvco7tWT121hm7FY1S/s1280/DSC_9528.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlHvJWUaMdusB_XqpREDo4yyitNFsAAdmvawpXitGl8nws4gnLThrnssv59ATiar0pSoPRGy78k7dN6l89LYBDKBAo2ZoLUQioBNCC0uXhBiaypyyueWNBC2hLkq_0083tjsrhalDrG_XOiKKmVhFmTd_3uCkrfPjIfxJkEQyBmIvco7tWT121hm7FY1S/s320/DSC_9528.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> I hope most of the swallows return,<br />but chances are many won't.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9t3RtvNiPlFzduSiaMPH3uea2-Nb13xo4cfc2b9H2Auv9_vuTRe7iEvwTzM0AgDLG0uGvjhvdEFJ1kLqnTKkv4GhqyumCQsLHJUZLic168p2f8k_L228tofUOjA14H0EkVrip6C3CbaEnjG67uB8MIH4o2xvR-O2gS09TLP1lBzVHblwCdSb_Ltj5m4ck/s1280/DSC_9583.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9t3RtvNiPlFzduSiaMPH3uea2-Nb13xo4cfc2b9H2Auv9_vuTRe7iEvwTzM0AgDLG0uGvjhvdEFJ1kLqnTKkv4GhqyumCQsLHJUZLic168p2f8k_L228tofUOjA14H0EkVrip6C3CbaEnjG67uB8MIH4o2xvR-O2gS09TLP1lBzVHblwCdSb_Ltj5m4ck/s320/DSC_9583.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norm was like a different animal when sheared.<br />Not just looking different but behaving different.<br />Could he not see so well that made him more<br />nervy? Well now he's an inquisitive little fella.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNN43jtG-xxIrDEDo7Q5WY_S434-PGSmny9ZHQhYOJMzGYCai4lZ-EAavIC34SyNe5aXvSgxW-vykgstHVVaFjktaT0T0XsL1n20xDfAqwZvHurORwXDwTD7lvRpDKqj3ipTuwG8SXxzpMnTl03ZnG9taEvMDhMy7jndg8ujeKvVSUtJz3UL9PJ0vlnLh/s1280/DSC_9601.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNN43jtG-xxIrDEDo7Q5WY_S434-PGSmny9ZHQhYOJMzGYCai4lZ-EAavIC34SyNe5aXvSgxW-vykgstHVVaFjktaT0T0XsL1n20xDfAqwZvHurORwXDwTD7lvRpDKqj3ipTuwG8SXxzpMnTl03ZnG9taEvMDhMy7jndg8ujeKvVSUtJz3UL9PJ0vlnLh/s320/DSC_9601.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor Marvin was rejected by his mum after shearing.<br />It was getting time to separate them anyway, but <br />we did feel sorry for the little fella.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLG85juu7KlNnazZVY1MJxfiUeUdYxuYYduOhU5V-8NZhvfa9PisLT0Cpw3vF1-m4PKLW7hoZilf3kWkpg7zhZVp9yLqMTWFWaoeCJMr9chi3e3BUGa5EgRXjeRP0bOjGOeZLsd0SFWHZVkvbOnpMi-hX145F8ojHv9GqCrXs-idJoGyA_Kf10OEJJ-tE/s1280/DSC_9616.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLG85juu7KlNnazZVY1MJxfiUeUdYxuYYduOhU5V-8NZhvfa9PisLT0Cpw3vF1-m4PKLW7hoZilf3kWkpg7zhZVp9yLqMTWFWaoeCJMr9chi3e3BUGa5EgRXjeRP0bOjGOeZLsd0SFWHZVkvbOnpMi-hX145F8ojHv9GqCrXs-idJoGyA_Kf10OEJJ-tE/s320/DSC_9616.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rain? Well there had been precious little of it<br />for three months. Three tiniest of showers between<br />April and the drought breaking late June.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixB2CnvGs2HMupGmI4p7v6dyQ6RPzaHGIZ6sTqZHZTXSfXw5LA0aEj2cCCT6rMAIwJWc2L2MTxfa0ZtEQh_jPcsTVcwdbYvVm1YQWqvOjEPDFDTsah30yNuKch7aSU-3tky_plYSfZb2ojEs4ufz41RRNpyIy8zT6yI25sWc5kprkV8ANI9NgRZbIkXx6H/s1280/DSC_9687.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixB2CnvGs2HMupGmI4p7v6dyQ6RPzaHGIZ6sTqZHZTXSfXw5LA0aEj2cCCT6rMAIwJWc2L2MTxfa0ZtEQh_jPcsTVcwdbYvVm1YQWqvOjEPDFDTsah30yNuKch7aSU-3tky_plYSfZb2ojEs4ufz41RRNpyIy8zT6yI25sWc5kprkV8ANI9NgRZbIkXx6H/s320/DSC_9687.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjJN_NA2d0Xz7YbBAiWEH3uztKjHxfzslpqi5otsgu-NIIUm7svRGWryRhkiWEfX4CYLCBjigeD9LkRGOm71DeTQSgGm2Xk0Oum6wHuiYUQmrYS2CVd7-sh9-C2lG5KiaMzZ01QgEOqBo3mnE5_z0Ba8rPWMGTA0y-kksWHaOuAaKkavtortSht_aDfCO/s1280/DSC_9700.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjJN_NA2d0Xz7YbBAiWEH3uztKjHxfzslpqi5otsgu-NIIUm7svRGWryRhkiWEfX4CYLCBjigeD9LkRGOm71DeTQSgGm2Xk0Oum6wHuiYUQmrYS2CVd7-sh9-C2lG5KiaMzZ01QgEOqBo3mnE5_z0Ba8rPWMGTA0y-kksWHaOuAaKkavtortSht_aDfCO/s320/DSC_9700.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was dry but also sometimes cold. Poor Amanda<br />had got quite thin in feeding Marv and so when<br />she was sheared and temperatures dropped she<br />was feeling the cold. She wasn't that impressed with<br />her stylish coat, but at least she was warmer.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_F22DEdYx2RdLG3CB8DoeeWcN3iT4Kb08L1QBynXewNDPAcrMWjZvn0Rg6Y1WruFJtoieUm33esaHZzzH3s6vfHxsReTUSbMpwPluztR07CmCcXltSARp0xx-wb1_xwU5966VKg-AIIr_KNwRrQQte7eas2uOCbqnmocX16hTydrRvziu7tVbqFhEpfOw/s1280/DSC_9726.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_F22DEdYx2RdLG3CB8DoeeWcN3iT4Kb08L1QBynXewNDPAcrMWjZvn0Rg6Y1WruFJtoieUm33esaHZzzH3s6vfHxsReTUSbMpwPluztR07CmCcXltSARp0xx-wb1_xwU5966VKg-AIIr_KNwRrQQte7eas2uOCbqnmocX16hTydrRvziu7tVbqFhEpfOw/s320/DSC_9726.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Mr. G.T. before he went on his holidays.<br />I saw him once when he meowed outside the <br />little greenhouse when I was working in it, but<br />he ran off. We've not seen him since. Wonder if<br />he will come back later in the year again?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFI1FpkAa9rCNRDvhp9KctNPS1gvR7xKmUBZWU3pJo_kvRhyK3aESzZWD3PnDdMuBe9f584L6hiEkNWQPLIy4itL-UKPyJTjvXpjBmSLCqhXm_7hc8IyUJqhmjyIf-rYHtz39NgzjLqRniTabf2e6zcDOMKb8Qrv6Nzqdx8HZ83OG302ogQi-CuwlB70c/s1280/DSC_9728.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFI1FpkAa9rCNRDvhp9KctNPS1gvR7xKmUBZWU3pJo_kvRhyK3aESzZWD3PnDdMuBe9f584L6hiEkNWQPLIy4itL-UKPyJTjvXpjBmSLCqhXm_7hc8IyUJqhmjyIf-rYHtz39NgzjLqRniTabf2e6zcDOMKb8Qrv6Nzqdx8HZ83OG302ogQi-CuwlB70c/s320/DSC_9728.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cattails - I read they make good insulation material.<br />Would need quite a few to insulate a house though.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpagxV26Egts9J7QBkUCYKdbScIeO45N2E_5i6rBWVFeLJMI2qdVR3uk3jmjkz6kdRdVLQvOrFSpyyFcjd2n9CYeMh8fXwyzxWeS_b_pJcu8Ll4yxxC0J6LagTWtI3hM5bkRZ7SGvP1WStN2b6lyQxsw8KyzywCvRyzh_OBVIl3t7jgodXMxpPQ4pEqAr/s1280/DSC_9730.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpagxV26Egts9J7QBkUCYKdbScIeO45N2E_5i6rBWVFeLJMI2qdVR3uk3jmjkz6kdRdVLQvOrFSpyyFcjd2n9CYeMh8fXwyzxWeS_b_pJcu8Ll4yxxC0J6LagTWtI3hM5bkRZ7SGvP1WStN2b6lyQxsw8KyzywCvRyzh_OBVIl3t7jgodXMxpPQ4pEqAr/s320/DSC_9730.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's one of those find the frog in the picture <br />competitions. No prizes but kudos for how many <br />you can see.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNNJeWC--_vglNAvw4Yp6LWZB4sH5YU3p9v8Dwv3_YxiiVtl5x9Xyh1gh7URDqZTi5OV8PNRIBsbPYp_563fXV_l1wJI1UOhk_AHc3cww_53bZixSdpuRLUB-rgveSHTmw6WN2BjnyO0MX0HSLz1OKFGrLZhdPSRQofY9BSrOV6YWsvJqMZ84jnNoL27K/s1280/DSC_9734.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNNJeWC--_vglNAvw4Yp6LWZB4sH5YU3p9v8Dwv3_YxiiVtl5x9Xyh1gh7URDqZTi5OV8PNRIBsbPYp_563fXV_l1wJI1UOhk_AHc3cww_53bZixSdpuRLUB-rgveSHTmw6WN2BjnyO0MX0HSLz1OKFGrLZhdPSRQofY9BSrOV6YWsvJqMZ84jnNoL27K/s320/DSC_9734.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's been a good or bad year for insects that like<br />leaves, depending upon whether you like the plants<br />or the insects. Some trees were almost decimated<br />by insects. What apple blossom we had was eaten<br />by caterpillars.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkpTUAF6b8obD3nZarkseJUYP-Xbwm3gb02Sw9S8EUVm7uAGBmv3MaiSmRfLrNUMOqTfTY6EObqVHYkImgtI_xXCqIlieILQdH9CKnpC0E44xlL7b6Ms7-8ymBJeG3Oxx47IPGdQHcj9lAi6RweSlSO3YdThVSQfoGSlZEVxp2MmUy1xY3_s-gunSHrc3/s1280/DSC_9906.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkpTUAF6b8obD3nZarkseJUYP-Xbwm3gb02Sw9S8EUVm7uAGBmv3MaiSmRfLrNUMOqTfTY6EObqVHYkImgtI_xXCqIlieILQdH9CKnpC0E44xlL7b6Ms7-8ymBJeG3Oxx47IPGdQHcj9lAi6RweSlSO3YdThVSQfoGSlZEVxp2MmUy1xY3_s-gunSHrc3/s320/DSC_9906.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better than nothing I guess</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwRbFnrR8K7dpHOZPT_To-HETTDE5ES2H-pqj2vBlyaKTR0QLWqVSaEnpGIPxz5yWEHrlqwIbCQtIm6Z1HQXwZfevFyWBSq_9Te9rzNEsSqjQbiNODQzJNuqGuwAdGOTHO1-cW8jgu7xMKXIfxPfHNZ6TDkyh9tjHPAqmtbEFt3hYMnyRG4MygBJCy582/s1280/DSC_9909.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwRbFnrR8K7dpHOZPT_To-HETTDE5ES2H-pqj2vBlyaKTR0QLWqVSaEnpGIPxz5yWEHrlqwIbCQtIm6Z1HQXwZfevFyWBSq_9Te9rzNEsSqjQbiNODQzJNuqGuwAdGOTHO1-cW8jgu7xMKXIfxPfHNZ6TDkyh9tjHPAqmtbEFt3hYMnyRG4MygBJCy582/s320/DSC_9909.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My work colleague enjoying driving the tractor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9C_nYU3eWDthhNFRx759pHP1j2thxW6qPpaz2wyw1_kA72tdVoV0p_RpZ_So81gRS0XZUDt251_9M2N7SBI2tJOzLH01l0XYgCawJpbFoODIqCOlSqBqLv_XDBJH0oyiU525DJ1jJsCT5XkSVsM6QkzCeapG4VLdTzJGLxh2TL8lV_xHMmFeEalca38Dr/s1280/DSC_9923.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9C_nYU3eWDthhNFRx759pHP1j2thxW6qPpaz2wyw1_kA72tdVoV0p_RpZ_So81gRS0XZUDt251_9M2N7SBI2tJOzLH01l0XYgCawJpbFoODIqCOlSqBqLv_XDBJH0oyiU525DJ1jJsCT5XkSVsM6QkzCeapG4VLdTzJGLxh2TL8lV_xHMmFeEalca38Dr/s320/DSC_9923.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rain? Really? </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtkZ3Dfox__9thRC32z53IrbqjpPIwTseQuY1r1SxT_4FpWvc1Rn3WMVpHXzvlDXB6tQRNyBV6psCH5t_jUHxScz9TvncVPnvJIuHRo1o3vUt1GYf9ukvZXWZROxAQLSj5lxbcqO_KlqAZ9M4tCX0m5mgtpHzRjlYbz9x62D7aO5wM5cGjXrkraVNdO6C/s1280/IMG_20230516_092419_6.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtkZ3Dfox__9thRC32z53IrbqjpPIwTseQuY1r1SxT_4FpWvc1Rn3WMVpHXzvlDXB6tQRNyBV6psCH5t_jUHxScz9TvncVPnvJIuHRo1o3vUt1GYf9ukvZXWZROxAQLSj5lxbcqO_KlqAZ9M4tCX0m5mgtpHzRjlYbz9x62D7aO5wM5cGjXrkraVNdO6C/s320/IMG_20230516_092419_6.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahhh! Problem! Lots of pollen washed into the buckets</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRS_GxfmZWbUhlaMn4DBuiHAGqu-gHpWKzLPcqt4z9GmbFTcvFz2zYtINSyQRuIK2KyS70H7iIqPHA-p6pHe7rAMpzmomiuvZzUKwh2-xXii35CSAWPp8D8l9GnqpDNLFbDVnVdXwdpLvuijRV2v4zUU7TfcmspFItFM4AGJQeBJvCxV20FO8dWmBEqaY/s1280/IMG_20230523_134353_8.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRS_GxfmZWbUhlaMn4DBuiHAGqu-gHpWKzLPcqt4z9GmbFTcvFz2zYtINSyQRuIK2KyS70H7iIqPHA-p6pHe7rAMpzmomiuvZzUKwh2-xXii35CSAWPp8D8l9GnqpDNLFbDVnVdXwdpLvuijRV2v4zUU7TfcmspFItFM4AGJQeBJvCxV20FO8dWmBEqaY/s320/IMG_20230523_134353_8.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not very elegant Lincoln!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3rXric9ZB7UzK0pVpcVJ5cmejDw4WrbBF6YMiOM_x8Yr8JwEijiqLR7ys1bdFbdKkZnp2OBt-I5pZtjky5pAWaJ5d1jzgZ_N6LvLsj2FYM87hqxxW4UxvfX7M5Ye5GoRhwLPPGGMyve_TeWwva5va9nN8_z3VyLosECddwkxoU7K9Uc1E1cPdigXy6cF/s1280/IMG_20230523_174801_2.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3rXric9ZB7UzK0pVpcVJ5cmejDw4WrbBF6YMiOM_x8Yr8JwEijiqLR7ys1bdFbdKkZnp2OBt-I5pZtjky5pAWaJ5d1jzgZ_N6LvLsj2FYM87hqxxW4UxvfX7M5Ye5GoRhwLPPGGMyve_TeWwva5va9nN8_z3VyLosECddwkxoU7K9Uc1E1cPdigXy6cF/s320/IMG_20230523_174801_2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swallows arrived and started nesting.<br />Lots of swallow babies this year - 10<br />in total, five in each nest in different<br />alpaca houses.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kxm9COlYuJbDjU-z9fwMVpSPcNRj3MmoZr4mabBgGsqVsqeSkmlDmd1NbHS_Aub8zmOLfYgWM2pxfFry0TAp-GvnjbIYstmt9bzUGCHBaREJbqGvh4IB6P5zvsJWBweIZU2KCuRhZRS4AVlqie1Hi-r0wquvpSsGovUgBp79_efmN77oet_eoetkhpRf/s1280/IMG_20230529_081311.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kxm9COlYuJbDjU-z9fwMVpSPcNRj3MmoZr4mabBgGsqVsqeSkmlDmd1NbHS_Aub8zmOLfYgWM2pxfFry0TAp-GvnjbIYstmt9bzUGCHBaREJbqGvh4IB6P5zvsJWBweIZU2KCuRhZRS4AVlqie1Hi-r0wquvpSsGovUgBp79_efmN77oet_eoetkhpRf/s320/IMG_20230529_081311.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is near my friend's place in Tartu. I love the <br />sharp shadows from the alliums. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jK_HA4FaN8RL3qszuqj06WwqIwknZV5_IHTxs7kwjhaWpOFatgCd-3KhW8MjcHW4qux_0LgpAMUybc1kuVa3n8CVlRop5iz7aJAqE0iJY5klFO95A5jAPoqb9GtaGytrj96NU_GOB2lMXjk7wOPvjUkhNlETtlPfJG73p4pRKuiBhnH655_BqfkK4ZD1/s1280/IMG_20230604_110453.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-jK_HA4FaN8RL3qszuqj06WwqIwknZV5_IHTxs7kwjhaWpOFatgCd-3KhW8MjcHW4qux_0LgpAMUybc1kuVa3n8CVlRop5iz7aJAqE0iJY5klFO95A5jAPoqb9GtaGytrj96NU_GOB2lMXjk7wOPvjUkhNlETtlPfJG73p4pRKuiBhnH655_BqfkK4ZD1/s320/IMG_20230604_110453.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken when driving around for the grassland project<br />I head up.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NfDBWuhOmgp5eL5BBRzNpxzIcS5BteNmiEsoXxGA8ikHOSLjFcScwf11ezmUhW9MIGCq-CXLw_Wz41GsxeNNI-LKHLCwScCkNiEaM7BQHvfNldWEh5In_mitEurn5ul4AukBnqQeTUZBfAc1cWDIT8f1i2qe36PATMBaZJAscfdiVQMtOPFDbMojj3ae/s1280/IMG_20230611_143315_6.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NfDBWuhOmgp5eL5BBRzNpxzIcS5BteNmiEsoXxGA8ikHOSLjFcScwf11ezmUhW9MIGCq-CXLw_Wz41GsxeNNI-LKHLCwScCkNiEaM7BQHvfNldWEh5In_mitEurn5ul4AukBnqQeTUZBfAc1cWDIT8f1i2qe36PATMBaZJAscfdiVQMtOPFDbMojj3ae/s320/IMG_20230611_143315_6.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still not very elegant but at least a bit<br />more elegant than in the other photo.<br />He does like a good sunbathe</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WfD1ny8xMvRPDrEZWDROf5zvMqUzhz6Zo6jsDxFE__x-JNEB0ch6XbFS01BVYDkbdSLrdQ7EuLfmc0xYlmH-7EepaHuvcddq0-eFBuRnQU12C1tFStnovz7-FqbZ3zeuZCUEt51U4FUZovpixPh1X-STDf95-3edFWh6YyEBVjwi6EUVlzbhYJxr0zLf/s1280/IMG_20230614_183916.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WfD1ny8xMvRPDrEZWDROf5zvMqUzhz6Zo6jsDxFE__x-JNEB0ch6XbFS01BVYDkbdSLrdQ7EuLfmc0xYlmH-7EepaHuvcddq0-eFBuRnQU12C1tFStnovz7-FqbZ3zeuZCUEt51U4FUZovpixPh1X-STDf95-3edFWh6YyEBVjwi6EUVlzbhYJxr0zLf/s320/IMG_20230614_183916.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ieeja means entrance. Any guesses how<br />one would navigate this with a wheelchair?<br />Seen in Riga. I had gone there on a bus<br />to collect internationals for a conference in<br />our village. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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} catch(err) {}</script></div>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-66631480260230247332023-04-09T10:15:00.004+03:002023-04-09T10:15:40.801+03:00Life hacks with one arm<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ50jG7unTH5lc2_HbmgPmkiGk-_AdSsmK_tNfikdQRqh_v27-TLnapyzdpSaCMVnjfgXm4Tt2getKD-TF7CQVHk_hez1fkUH3cSiGE1N9IRsIHd-zq2VSQViSEp-pis9v_KXarsR2spVQU1gaUzfjMhB-oXwRHHLkxEMiECM9jRu782V5Rj-djOFfg/s1280/DSC_9106.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ50jG7unTH5lc2_HbmgPmkiGk-_AdSsmK_tNfikdQRqh_v27-TLnapyzdpSaCMVnjfgXm4Tt2getKD-TF7CQVHk_hez1fkUH3cSiGE1N9IRsIHd-zq2VSQViSEp-pis9v_KXarsR2spVQU1gaUzfjMhB-oXwRHHLkxEMiECM9jRu782V5Rj-djOFfg/s320/DSC_9106.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We can see the snowdrops at last</td></tr></tbody></table><p>How come tips are now hacks? When did that happen? Why are they billed as life hacks, which kind of sounds serious, when in reality they may just be those useful -and not so useful -little hints and tips that supposedly make life simpler. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheB5k-YN3nLdPH2zmiH-wLA5o6A077wNrtWn01bftEAE-4SGiRPphpmlYgZ9hZhpmZY5ek42yb5nrbWubzV055RL5rFLTiWT2i9qTac4lNa7l8p7SnPHnPOlUL_pCmryJbLxmN9AjPCOGy2KXjEW2oL7Fms2to2VbbiEJhU0THmHo94qcwkuTYuc44zQ/s1280/329978499_1271480036737183_3866124944851725291_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="771" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheB5k-YN3nLdPH2zmiH-wLA5o6A077wNrtWn01bftEAE-4SGiRPphpmlYgZ9hZhpmZY5ek42yb5nrbWubzV055RL5rFLTiWT2i9qTac4lNa7l8p7SnPHnPOlUL_pCmryJbLxmN9AjPCOGy2KXjEW2oL7Fms2to2VbbiEJhU0THmHo94qcwkuTYuc44zQ/s320/329978499_1271480036737183_3866124944851725291_n.jpeg" width="193" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shawl made from our alpaca<br />wool (with a little Estonian lamb's<br />wool in the warp) at the local <br />hand-weaving mill<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFFZffVKRHxmbHRUrtvLXnlp07SoEvh8PyBorL6RTuALXlAjJkCc7E4Yl4JrayCBHS_QERKRU7g3lgMH4IYMakr0UEaLSYjJlIf9moIOlJQxxL3yKs-XZWGpbRQqsVw1H4_bR_6Ovc2JN95u8KoJE0Me8Spk0qo0T39vgLX5xGujEJXWBSZtMJc3HIg/s1280/DSC_8946.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFFZffVKRHxmbHRUrtvLXnlp07SoEvh8PyBorL6RTuALXlAjJkCc7E4Yl4JrayCBHS_QERKRU7g3lgMH4IYMakr0UEaLSYjJlIf9moIOlJQxxL3yKs-XZWGpbRQqsVw1H4_bR_6Ovc2JN95u8KoJE0Me8Spk0qo0T39vgLX5xGujEJXWBSZtMJc3HIg/s320/DSC_8946.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilvija one of the fleece contributors to the brown <br />stripe in the shawl, along with Josefs<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCWg__bzBFDPTip7UAW7yT4PZMxZh2uBG--hnvHYI9Bdij2ga2Hp6wzjOWtZjYVNEKlyUsnD0GCoZ-vFd5K-fBOF1qMaHx6F2JqpQBxuTM7giC8X4rdgH1l68tHKF6xXoM6CIjYN3Zj-mnmQHlLiJbGr9FypaDHD_W59mPWkpnbrQsXdbPrwjJx4cYg/s1280/328589837_723189702634310_7401920741244551948_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="959" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCWg__bzBFDPTip7UAW7yT4PZMxZh2uBG--hnvHYI9Bdij2ga2Hp6wzjOWtZjYVNEKlyUsnD0GCoZ-vFd5K-fBOF1qMaHx6F2JqpQBxuTM7giC8X4rdgH1l68tHKF6xXoM6CIjYN3Zj-mnmQHlLiJbGr9FypaDHD_W59mPWkpnbrQsXdbPrwjJx4cYg/s320/328589837_723189702634310_7401920741244551948_n.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One arm life!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Anyway the reason I was looking up one arm life hacks is that I I broke my wrist attempting to finish off clearing a huge pile of snow. I was so close to finishing but the angles were all wrong. It was just a little slippery ridge and so down I slid. There was no great pain, just that sickening feeling and thinking that wasn't good. I got up and let my injured arm hang down, I carried the shovel back and quickly headed inside. I lay down in the hallway then thought I'd better take my coat off in case it wouldn't come off later. I then text Ian to tell him to put the animals away then come and take me to hospital. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcgmEXlbDNIi1T2Iw72jyKiUG2IlIgof2LgdBVr_xfQjiLLdnztuna91JDE3aBWSl16wK_5U6YUQVktybNBzw5UAj2BEsoxHahvdKnD0oupRtdlvqwXKKdDNtTV5eTPL531YK6hUDgO9QPH17J7wEo0D_-j5Fy_e25_T-p3WC6TMFbA6GaJj2AYHg6A/s1280/DSC_8774.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcgmEXlbDNIi1T2Iw72jyKiUG2IlIgof2LgdBVr_xfQjiLLdnztuna91JDE3aBWSl16wK_5U6YUQVktybNBzw5UAj2BEsoxHahvdKnD0oupRtdlvqwXKKdDNtTV5eTPL531YK6hUDgO9QPH17J7wEo0D_-j5Fy_e25_T-p3WC6TMFbA6GaJj2AYHg6A/s320/DSC_8774.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow had got quite deep (22/02)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9pwOWvOKW99c-3sj9GEnb7B80Er45X0LCa0IXsoNlDvPOsW9W7dvJp0P2lSmBDOap3rrjU5tcDLHATFFHgC4Wm3Xm8wZSK87xPXBSrORz6FVwAodSKX5dDY-yrZPTL_smumzTS4Rg3-llqJEoICB4lnXHPpo233qThyAEwu3k4hqU9VXD5cDay6Vpg/s1280/DSC_8864.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9pwOWvOKW99c-3sj9GEnb7B80Er45X0LCa0IXsoNlDvPOsW9W7dvJp0P2lSmBDOap3rrjU5tcDLHATFFHgC4Wm3Xm8wZSK87xPXBSrORz6FVwAodSKX5dDY-yrZPTL_smumzTS4Rg3-llqJEoICB4lnXHPpo233qThyAEwu3k4hqU9VXD5cDay6Vpg/s320/DSC_8864.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then it got very deep (27/02)</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-y4u5gm7QFo9c7c2_fNhgWwwCu9kCJb606qFJN5TdOidrfq79VhqnOuQzzc_WQrjvXe6YQSnMq54_stnP8QwLssMSWH2HtFKTtYd6Re-FdlYRBT8zoJc4T9qtHStm2uObDX21BYAqrM_U58zULjDSTBnbhUN-sVeuHlfCWRAgg7UFk45Gyh48SI3ZQ/s1280/DSC_8898.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-y4u5gm7QFo9c7c2_fNhgWwwCu9kCJb606qFJN5TdOidrfq79VhqnOuQzzc_WQrjvXe6YQSnMq54_stnP8QwLssMSWH2HtFKTtYd6Re-FdlYRBT8zoJc4T9qtHStm2uObDX21BYAqrM_U58zULjDSTBnbhUN-sVeuHlfCWRAgg7UFk45Gyh48SI3ZQ/s320/DSC_8898.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian was complaining of having to constantly clear<br />paths but not everyone was complaining</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The good thing was that although it took Ian time to fetch me and longer than normal to get to the hospital due to the poor road conditions - even in our 4x4 pick up - there was no queue at the hospital. Zilch in fact! A guy left as we went in and a patient from an ambulance was wheeled in as we left. I was back home five hours after my accident. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-L5aSmhqrbLFnpK0rdA2FhLhng-7aHnUt-g01c53xQWBNnr0VhNlkPd8dIO3HOIAWzYywsHTyB2jPHsWI7icKQ7VnpNN_nTrPfkgFABFxoZFLo8bdkffC_nNHMVCVZmeiTEqU-MeR7aFULtzbNXjfcBpbbYzVYqfXcpbkFE-tqFDGRCD9u9S4GKd1A/s1280/DSC_8962.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-L5aSmhqrbLFnpK0rdA2FhLhng-7aHnUt-g01c53xQWBNnr0VhNlkPd8dIO3HOIAWzYywsHTyB2jPHsWI7icKQ7VnpNN_nTrPfkgFABFxoZFLo8bdkffC_nNHMVCVZmeiTEqU-MeR7aFULtzbNXjfcBpbbYzVYqfXcpbkFE-tqFDGRCD9u9S4GKd1A/s320/DSC_8962.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So when not sunbathing, Lolly likes to have a <br />good roll in the snow<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hEIT9q38pt24nHRCevIgjAH8VicWZzAUMVqu0Qu6WxJ-xGlwXAs35FXsF5Fyw0kwpLsefc5SJWpltfEyjIWfeyNswnlQcTjGksbIozo0hnLabMHUDl8UJ-cWpfrotZSW7OueXaVTXsnkFRnPKwDKgKHbnmsDjxSL645AncmFIBew7aVqrymjIc4A0Q/s1280/DSC_8968.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hEIT9q38pt24nHRCevIgjAH8VicWZzAUMVqu0Qu6WxJ-xGlwXAs35FXsF5Fyw0kwpLsefc5SJWpltfEyjIWfeyNswnlQcTjGksbIozo0hnLabMHUDl8UJ-cWpfrotZSW7OueXaVTXsnkFRnPKwDKgKHbnmsDjxSL645AncmFIBew7aVqrymjIc4A0Q/s320/DSC_8968.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and then perhaps a little more sunbathing<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzr0lJB9stPHJ6hCs6glNt9mM0blSswL8sN4KL0zuF5i0W7OZH3xtSWV1Wnn8SYd7-OaujZt7aAsu4JNL9h9Y0qLxt7Iyhb1rP7ahS9OTPGrZve_P5MIzMGuAHN1eDPQcm0HD_W3yn1CRDcVKU8yaiWiJ7586Mk2CMiEssm-JPDgpwuHdQAyV9wxza0Q/s1280/DSC_8972.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzr0lJB9stPHJ6hCs6glNt9mM0blSswL8sN4KL0zuF5i0W7OZH3xtSWV1Wnn8SYd7-OaujZt7aAsu4JNL9h9Y0qLxt7Iyhb1rP7ahS9OTPGrZve_P5MIzMGuAHN1eDPQcm0HD_W3yn1CRDcVKU8yaiWiJ7586Mk2CMiEssm-JPDgpwuHdQAyV9wxza0Q/s320/DSC_8972.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... oh that sun is so good<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvX_gL1Nv3LzShPAvcCJLsORpO2c_1Aznrcua0RQvo_mTq-Qi6s3T0IMLYWkAV4SopSUYFoOEnaU_1oK8xnjdN8IiJ-u7t-PrRzRYhMZHxL0OViu0FulF0J5B0gB808QyZJLLC1V2wVozbXbb3otTd3LHXDvTR0PKjyip3UcNZsE4UqEscAJX6k1X2Jw/s1280/DSC_8760.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvX_gL1Nv3LzShPAvcCJLsORpO2c_1Aznrcua0RQvo_mTq-Qi6s3T0IMLYWkAV4SopSUYFoOEnaU_1oK8xnjdN8IiJ-u7t-PrRzRYhMZHxL0OViu0FulF0J5B0gB808QyZJLLC1V2wVozbXbb3otTd3LHXDvTR0PKjyip3UcNZsE4UqEscAJX6k1X2Jw/s320/DSC_8760.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Others who enjoy the cold sunny days (22nd Feb)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I had to return on the Monday though for surgery. However, after a day of no food, a saline drip (standard procedure in Latvian hospitals, which might seem strange to some but makes sense as it's easy to get dehydrated in those places) and only sips of water, I was told by a very tired looking doctor that they had run out of time due to the number of accidents on ice over the weekend. At least I could have some errrr... hospital food... barley milk soup (a sort of thin porridge). They managed to fit me in the following day though and so I now have a metal plate in my wrist. They eventually let me out on the Wednesday morning.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95Z9kr2hZSa0RG0bfNlVZVMnUKJyExcDU6nkWsl90I4G8FNnjiJoJzC8Qj0dQN_jXDggUYixg_RluhXKJrrNpctcqkPCAY2ciH51j4P_yTtnjlLdMIM8Ck1f7iwsx9sFAdK9-WveTYZFxvSv3Bnu_tygBjWeVFu-JHsaMuGbIfUCnUqDACmyJHduRSw/s1280/DSC_8765.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95Z9kr2hZSa0RG0bfNlVZVMnUKJyExcDU6nkWsl90I4G8FNnjiJoJzC8Qj0dQN_jXDggUYixg_RluhXKJrrNpctcqkPCAY2ciH51j4P_yTtnjlLdMIM8Ck1f7iwsx9sFAdK9-WveTYZFxvSv3Bnu_tygBjWeVFu-JHsaMuGbIfUCnUqDACmyJHduRSw/s320/DSC_8765.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George has been eating snow<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgDBii7JGeE8bRs0rqVJXbCk8BnxmVphe8e-xfe8DuW9kwEscRaEyRfRlM5MmIJoGdUsN4AE9ce0ENiDvJWMg-cTvzj8k-GRw5u0wDAHHO9hQh_j4E57m9fILJXPNqFwLKYNAfEDkG8ZRHYM56TVpH0zhFN54CpGewLCq-VYbiKsv-H0kb7P_eKfO1g/s1280/DSC_8772.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgDBii7JGeE8bRs0rqVJXbCk8BnxmVphe8e-xfe8DuW9kwEscRaEyRfRlM5MmIJoGdUsN4AE9ce0ENiDvJWMg-cTvzj8k-GRw5u0wDAHHO9hQh_j4E57m9fILJXPNqFwLKYNAfEDkG8ZRHYM56TVpH0zhFN54CpGewLCq-VYbiKsv-H0kb7P_eKfO1g/s320/DSC_8772.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The track to the garden to dump the alpaca manure<br />and get haybales</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXvoLaYNhT2aJ73NyMXKrPuqrBBcoa3oZ18AQ_en74mNe-BWv8CdXbKppaXO-Q86oOthlTbhVYHRb-T9YupG4_-4x8olcORJzzNngud3Uwwv7qVqPMQrrH_8fIszb6Nd-u-pCg5-Lr3XgiYBb4I0sSrxeTY7P18edj3E-27MIi0HyQhwZ_iROfgNRVw/s1280/DSC_8778.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXvoLaYNhT2aJ73NyMXKrPuqrBBcoa3oZ18AQ_en74mNe-BWv8CdXbKppaXO-Q86oOthlTbhVYHRb-T9YupG4_-4x8olcORJzzNngud3Uwwv7qVqPMQrrH_8fIszb6Nd-u-pCg5-Lr3XgiYBb4I0sSrxeTY7P18edj3E-27MIi0HyQhwZ_iROfgNRVw/s320/DSC_8778.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter is one of those times of the year when it<br />is tough on everyone and yet is so stunningly <br />beautiful </td></tr></tbody></table><p>So each day there has usually been a new challenge. For example, I picked up a cough from the hospital and Latvian supermarkets often have herbal teas to soothe a cough or ailment of some kind, so Ian was given instructions to buy a pack. First challenge was to get the plastic wrap off the box - that was easy, I asked Ian. Next I found they were all individually wrapped in a plasticised wrapper, but without those little tear tabs. I asked Ian again, but knew the next day, I would have to solve that challenge on my own. I used the butter knife just down from the edge, held the knife down with my elbow and was then able to tear off the top. It worked.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazum7jWBwoMauRhFB8-8enimF9wMaR0v1hKbKJn8FYKzdtasYaWYcw8Jb5BD66zjReWwcTRO15ZLape4KxHKvyFL0mtNyjSWScrX9uzwrKafRpzPdrcB2xrvHylCuig_s0BSS21mAnfA0p3gbZiSpm9UC-EC6plB-p7o8XZDAdbbTxELVur2JNZxs4w/s1280/DSC_8781.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazum7jWBwoMauRhFB8-8enimF9wMaR0v1hKbKJn8FYKzdtasYaWYcw8Jb5BD66zjReWwcTRO15ZLape4KxHKvyFL0mtNyjSWScrX9uzwrKafRpzPdrcB2xrvHylCuig_s0BSS21mAnfA0p3gbZiSpm9UC-EC6plB-p7o8XZDAdbbTxELVur2JNZxs4w/s320/DSC_8781.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian cuts paths in the snow so all the alpacas can <br />get out and about<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJ6knVnIRu_4BnNwNm5GVFMasbl9yM6HQhuWh5cxmeYfIae9uD3QNPssYknGhrWgPvCAXUC-EOmQUuMrBhTH6vo9rtrGUuIdj5lN13hpW1PIptWeXUdNC_KQU94FgQETL9nlSHFOLW-6YzhdhKu8dTR95kXypdy3ZwmwTgk7PUSBN4khRA_YJZcYxTA/s1280/DSC_8789.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJ6knVnIRu_4BnNwNm5GVFMasbl9yM6HQhuWh5cxmeYfIae9uD3QNPssYknGhrWgPvCAXUC-EOmQUuMrBhTH6vo9rtrGUuIdj5lN13hpW1PIptWeXUdNC_KQU94FgQETL9nlSHFOLW-6YzhdhKu8dTR95kXypdy3ZwmwTgk7PUSBN4khRA_YJZcYxTA/s320/DSC_8789.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They won't be sharing a kiss, really!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmhqgeWa1GRLHv-0_h3K1ZveqpCRDUyFvIJ2Q1vHA-qQoKgZ1_kAQa9q-Ct0Xwjs0klrR8nJDpEmfX-3OHGdP4V4tbwy7zUgbMpC_vuIbLa8TbuH0C97h-X3Ue4l7zkdup45EfQDjSWv847TA_A-SdMxCym177eTyHt7RsFpUvdu6klPKjOmgd_0O0A/s1280/DSC_8791.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmhqgeWa1GRLHv-0_h3K1ZveqpCRDUyFvIJ2Q1vHA-qQoKgZ1_kAQa9q-Ct0Xwjs0klrR8nJDpEmfX-3OHGdP4V4tbwy7zUgbMpC_vuIbLa8TbuH0C97h-X3Ue4l7zkdup45EfQDjSWv847TA_A-SdMxCym177eTyHt7RsFpUvdu6klPKjOmgd_0O0A/s320/DSC_8791.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin enjoys eating the snow too</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Lighting the fire? Ian set the fire in the morning and when I came to light it in the evening, I jammed the matchbox against a piece of wood so the box is stable enough to strike the match with one hand. Cutting up veg? Okay with mushrooms and peppers one handed, but generally anything harder has been more of a challenge until I could at least use my fingers again to steady the food. I could have maybe used the grater but I couldn't peel the veg first. I did once peel some potatoes one handed but it was too much of a faff to do many. If they were ready peeled it would be better to use our electric grater - but then I'd have to put it together one-handed. I did see a nifty hack for cutting toast, and that was to use a pizza cutter. No home-made bread though for a while as I can't cut it. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgcqlc95W177kaZ3So_awu8Dcg7CmDFCQxXBk8KbhNdmX4yebgzrZDk-xjteJEvMkkRT9upJNHNr_bOOboMKVy8WtpPhmtEBEyXmUi1o5D7NbqwxruR9CE2xpcN29N8nxCQUoL7xfXdINF8QHase2xO4bn7ZYpueuuiJvkaj2VDtHqRbiNyYPPqfXeQ/s1280/DSC_8793.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgcqlc95W177kaZ3So_awu8Dcg7CmDFCQxXBk8KbhNdmX4yebgzrZDk-xjteJEvMkkRT9upJNHNr_bOOboMKVy8WtpPhmtEBEyXmUi1o5D7NbqwxruR9CE2xpcN29N8nxCQUoL7xfXdINF8QHase2xO4bn7ZYpueuuiJvkaj2VDtHqRbiNyYPPqfXeQ/s320/DSC_8793.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As I said, winter is tough on <br />everyone and there have been<br />a few health issues. Karla <br />had a problem with mites<br />but we think this is sorted now.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxK2MGVHKJ0qadJ082q_E5L1gFxByq2Snbar_HrTSZcIQlrDTXiu0exfZ7Xm-KihEJUKmVn8W5jxZTbmd1fAkUBT3HwxkwKmmzOIFYpfU4iQYsarJWjik_NU5uYo-2SwgmVAn-TzgxvmdkTsMaUinEvJDxjjmk2CG9FHg0qwtsx8iEScNCyW3ymYXmQ/s1280/DSC_8813.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxK2MGVHKJ0qadJ082q_E5L1gFxByq2Snbar_HrTSZcIQlrDTXiu0exfZ7Xm-KihEJUKmVn8W5jxZTbmd1fAkUBT3HwxkwKmmzOIFYpfU4iQYsarJWjik_NU5uYo-2SwgmVAn-TzgxvmdkTsMaUinEvJDxjjmk2CG9FHg0qwtsx8iEScNCyW3ymYXmQ/s320/DSC_8813.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bored with sunbathing now?<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnDx-sbP4sVQPR6NHX3McTCQ-dUn9W-yl9VVxl4lwGLti7O10OxHGRS5zpn08sOuQt_d_MxXzT707j-304FxyvrSim_nrXUIFg5xvMo0sBgsL_cR4OZruLYoSJxGTS6Ew5QEqaScUEMqPtBZlMLi2JK8X28YDWcvotwBP8r72u0cQZig9AdZcYD8EEQ/s1280/DSC_8816.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnDx-sbP4sVQPR6NHX3McTCQ-dUn9W-yl9VVxl4lwGLti7O10OxHGRS5zpn08sOuQt_d_MxXzT707j-304FxyvrSim_nrXUIFg5xvMo0sBgsL_cR4OZruLYoSJxGTS6Ew5QEqaScUEMqPtBZlMLi2JK8X28YDWcvotwBP8r72u0cQZig9AdZcYD8EEQ/s320/DSC_8816.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A path for Ian to get to the alpaca house.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So what else does a broken wrist mean? Adding firewood to the fire meant going backwards and forwards with one log. I can't stack and balance a load on my sore arm. Also opening jars of food can only be done if they are fairly loose. A bit tighter and they are put between my feet to hold them and I use my good arm to turn them. Worse I guess is that I can't drive. My boss was meant to take me to university for the week but it meant Ian driving to a pick up point and he came down with the cough I had picked up from hospital. He was so ill he didn't eat his porridge in the morning. My husband not eating is serious, as normally he eats almost constantly throughout the day - he also burns it off looking after our animals, so he's not overweight, just in case you are wondering. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUE-tZUBucqpVHettAKsDz3HUohwmh2zkNW__2daQtJlbQr_4P3Lvb3BHCIHxyO6_mAIiQat5xrNzgQVNQERRDHbCqsSnv95CChR_mCgNVJzEEsd4puzN5PzKSCXvIIfGWkQujEjS_6VYcCuLxdulzhqEY9XfokkHWfBDN8a8QFxV5nLZ6hrkIQuoZQ/s1280/DSC_8823.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUE-tZUBucqpVHettAKsDz3HUohwmh2zkNW__2daQtJlbQr_4P3Lvb3BHCIHxyO6_mAIiQat5xrNzgQVNQERRDHbCqsSnv95CChR_mCgNVJzEEsd4puzN5PzKSCXvIIfGWkQujEjS_6VYcCuLxdulzhqEY9XfokkHWfBDN8a8QFxV5nLZ6hrkIQuoZQ/s320/DSC_8823.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A path to the chickens, who spend the winter in<br />the greenhouse<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SVxc4bb2gTNT8eQXVCCLe3HMc4rlgdX3NaI2g1qCam0gNm8u-GguhhChoraHl9nQf-Of0HyruyMWuss2h6BP_SqTV2RVmmxfwtgsh-cw4wwgZR2pWPjfkSfdHNpmHkjZBdQmdoJHVobSX8zkOKCetxRZ6knF7TgywP2_gnmhUVPpmrhjQhORhRKqfQ/s1280/DSC_8832.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SVxc4bb2gTNT8eQXVCCLe3HMc4rlgdX3NaI2g1qCam0gNm8u-GguhhChoraHl9nQf-Of0HyruyMWuss2h6BP_SqTV2RVmmxfwtgsh-cw4wwgZR2pWPjfkSfdHNpmHkjZBdQmdoJHVobSX8zkOKCetxRZ6knF7TgywP2_gnmhUVPpmrhjQhORhRKqfQ/s320/DSC_8832.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aggie's eye often needs steroids and she maybe <br />losing sight in that eye. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPI2wjphv-uO5YwaYDH2DDf0xhyt_3XaEfVtpeT_n62whoc2hQOROypwmmNaSuNAwo9QEuz42aD7dz7zCUKAexsr67Bz7UM_T6EEbcVVzeWTSVEXWK0iYQ63L2y_mGhaadrY0oSLLMpEjiWMyOW0hnjRDYXuTrmlMrJIaIhs4rfmxThr0UEddP0ThnEA/s1280/DSC_8850.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPI2wjphv-uO5YwaYDH2DDf0xhyt_3XaEfVtpeT_n62whoc2hQOROypwmmNaSuNAwo9QEuz42aD7dz7zCUKAexsr67Bz7UM_T6EEbcVVzeWTSVEXWK0iYQ63L2y_mGhaadrY0oSLLMpEjiWMyOW0hnjRDYXuTrmlMrJIaIhs4rfmxThr0UEddP0ThnEA/s320/DSC_8850.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the path was cleared yet again 25/02</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We therefore had to have help as we ran out of firewood and Ian didn't have the energy to fill up the alpaca's feeders with hay. Not much fun on wintry days. Fortunately people helped us out. Someone brought us wood and two more helped Ian with feeding the animals. The coughs took a long time to go, but at least we were well over the worse quite quickly. Ian took me to the train station a few days later and my boss picked me up at the Estonian border where the train from Latvia terminated. Another colleague joined him to make sure I was delivered safely to my friend. At least by then the icy patches of pavement had decreased substantially and besides, I was picked up and dropped off every day to save me from the risk of slipping on ice.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXru9ko8p7y7y5Cz7YHdMN7PfgFDNr-0tFSoMx5FBA7ul-yySRfgqqHq2NdMQ0hnGBRySR-Yrs02HklHeW_e_pU2Rs-5aNHFjjUIbbQ6zvXk9U3KYRkZNF7czBHFj1xTpDIL-Qt61BpUdlPjWNPWvLSENg-CWqWHspMTSvku11ODuowRDAOcLypbWtBw/s1280/DSC_8852.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXru9ko8p7y7y5Cz7YHdMN7PfgFDNr-0tFSoMx5FBA7ul-yySRfgqqHq2NdMQ0hnGBRySR-Yrs02HklHeW_e_pU2Rs-5aNHFjjUIbbQ6zvXk9U3KYRkZNF7czBHFj1xTpDIL-Qt61BpUdlPjWNPWvLSENg-CWqWHspMTSvku11ODuowRDAOcLypbWtBw/s320/DSC_8852.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our caravan used to go in the greenhouse, but it<br />just wasn't worth the risk in a collapsed greenhouse<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzjk2H7qIZG5cLoty-1u79WecVMgu-Nps2L6rh751_WwDgPs4KpzhOGQtYaIl7Yzr3CJtb4ueITm4ejwCygV7bOGqocqy69gscgYDKsiOokGiWfdV7KQBMW2UWGhVKS-NF4x7NoVTCg-BwEWjGv6jvRMxkcUfCxM8kHBhye0Gvt54YFpljMtZ8uW6FA/s1280/DSC_8859.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzjk2H7qIZG5cLoty-1u79WecVMgu-Nps2L6rh751_WwDgPs4KpzhOGQtYaIl7Yzr3CJtb4ueITm4ejwCygV7bOGqocqy69gscgYDKsiOokGiWfdV7KQBMW2UWGhVKS-NF4x7NoVTCg-BwEWjGv6jvRMxkcUfCxM8kHBhye0Gvt54YFpljMtZ8uW6FA/s320/DSC_8859.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, it got quite a way up the walls</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPp-Wb7WIdbggAJrpM8YXCF4mD7e2F4MOqDuQJWohVF4AJ6igFfNAGIDNGno7IfcId670oDloBHARScLQ3mqI3-H9fV8Z9K6zgk8jQA3PY_ucb1K6oJI9OQHsxD849PNIY_rpOIoKSmYKvedoljf0nMU0xvQhkkrjK0cQCPwnJtxkQyYFTsbb5ProZyw/s1280/DSC_8863.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPp-Wb7WIdbggAJrpM8YXCF4mD7e2F4MOqDuQJWohVF4AJ6igFfNAGIDNGno7IfcId670oDloBHARScLQ3mqI3-H9fV8Z9K6zgk8jQA3PY_ucb1K6oJI9OQHsxD849PNIY_rpOIoKSmYKvedoljf0nMU0xvQhkkrjK0cQCPwnJtxkQyYFTsbb5ProZyw/s320/DSC_8863.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">25/02 Paths cleared</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One of the nights I needed an early night but other than that I lasted quite well. I was surprised. I did take everything easy and one of the reasons for the trip was to get acquainted with a new member of staff who will be starting later in the year - so an opportunity for a nice natter really errrr I mean for some good discussions on workplace priorities and working for a university in Estonia. It was enjoyable anyway and I'm sure we will get along fine and that is what matters most. Most of the week one of my dear colleagues fussed around me to make sure I was well looked after. She zipped up my coat each time I went out and she cut up my food to make it more manageable. I never had to ask really, she just knew when I needed help. I was driven back down to Latvia and Ian was there at our rendezvous point to collect me and take me home.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWZz-ThB2liS__F8Duphcsub0GCDz8qKQvkYpxXeqZRLS_YuvZ6HdADyPSBxe2DDnOZ7TlkMzoxdnpfEnjpI7l0EYYYkkZXvnj5cznx0uxc2UNaI6ZauiVzo3t5EFxnp0yq587QwsIKwsrqj3hZeHIhEp9yrZ_8fFDdkDalv08d5Pvcu3UQAV2I0mWg/s1280/DSC_8867.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWZz-ThB2liS__F8Duphcsub0GCDz8qKQvkYpxXeqZRLS_YuvZ6HdADyPSBxe2DDnOZ7TlkMzoxdnpfEnjpI7l0EYYYkkZXvnj5cznx0uxc2UNaI6ZauiVzo3t5EFxnp0yq587QwsIKwsrqj3hZeHIhEp9yrZ_8fFDdkDalv08d5Pvcu3UQAV2I0mWg/s320/DSC_8867.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian went to check on this caravan one day and<br />found the weight of snow was causing the roof to<br />bow. Fortunately it returned to normal once he <br />cleared the snow off. Lesson learnt!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQproeHtm9md-q56GrNd85ksbNvDaou13qfmgyY_WUgL9aq_L7CDOWuikWn9TYijCdD1G32xFW347VbrstJko-rYPqYr_qZDb-vDTB_NpJ9iC6hN_hwysK7Ps80LEA8DteUUK4QJXxVbQjkCchcH2W81BDTuPjfy34eGLhvqDKmmyblJQ7swTN_WKFw/s1280/DSC_9070.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQproeHtm9md-q56GrNd85ksbNvDaou13qfmgyY_WUgL9aq_L7CDOWuikWn9TYijCdD1G32xFW347VbrstJko-rYPqYr_qZDb-vDTB_NpJ9iC6hN_hwysK7Ps80LEA8DteUUK4QJXxVbQjkCchcH2W81BDTuPjfy34eGLhvqDKmmyblJQ7swTN_WKFw/s320/DSC_9070.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Although this caravan didn't buckle under the <br />weight of snow, Ian caught the skylight while <br />trying to brush it off. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOawVZZBmSNi5nEuNXwpz_k8vCYIHTR_fXFWdsHah-IReZmhMALtRGLhVfTMlAxVm4pLzDH8MX5lDRtSj1fNod9MYvrkotx_k-PE1EdS327u-EF9lAjIJ87PQjMVzvOVY-rxosl51CHEq-PFvdY77dzTLRYME02-2qCSoSUlJmEudTWQvmzxmKOyrWA/s1280/DSC_9095.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOawVZZBmSNi5nEuNXwpz_k8vCYIHTR_fXFWdsHah-IReZmhMALtRGLhVfTMlAxVm4pLzDH8MX5lDRtSj1fNod9MYvrkotx_k-PE1EdS327u-EF9lAjIJ87PQjMVzvOVY-rxosl51CHEq-PFvdY77dzTLRYME02-2qCSoSUlJmEudTWQvmzxmKOyrWA/s320/DSC_9095.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally enjoying the sunshine without the snow</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We had reached the awkward time of the year as Ian was returning later and later to our winter home - the apartment in our village - the lingering winter this year made staying out on our land more difficult with me all strapped up. Finally the snow and more importantly the thick ice left and we decided to head out to our summer season living, It's still not been easy as the weather was still cold at first with days of snow, that thankfully didn't last long, but at least the days are much longer, so just easier to plan our eating times. Gradually Ian sorted out the electrics and the summer house is becoming more organised. We sleep in the caravan though because we still need to get a bed for the summer house. It's been warm enough in the caravan with the heater on and an electric blanket to warm the bed through and finally the days are beginning to lose their winter chill and the snow is confined to the forested areas mainly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTK4vDKlBAVfHSJPyqUdwcZf-aUlytT5p-AUSWvyTRVPGAA0NfsHnE9znnioORfdHRu954ahuW8sOJXurEnyfNhpElU5x7FIgdq8W3lnBV7PcpDNuDGRF-YoPu5dE03lkIMV6YMQeSB0U7C9n-3MxXaOUz7yraRc8HFSQKOAIY0oQHxJP8dImh9OEsMQ/s1280/DSC_9108.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTK4vDKlBAVfHSJPyqUdwcZf-aUlytT5p-AUSWvyTRVPGAA0NfsHnE9znnioORfdHRu954ahuW8sOJXurEnyfNhpElU5x7FIgdq8W3lnBV7PcpDNuDGRF-YoPu5dE03lkIMV6YMQeSB0U7C9n-3MxXaOUz7yraRc8HFSQKOAIY0oQHxJP8dImh9OEsMQ/s320/DSC_9108.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last remaining snow in a shady field</td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6lGIrBJMaF2t0cO0QId87VFQmMXD8NZWlfW6RmIRkHW-Gi0BwQbxSC_cLcJbGoqNcKICIRuHYqKDdJX39XXlSBDKBwUXRxMPSDHuedu9qJ2-mAJdBmw1lYi9yRAb3sWIY4zHWdy_MvpeLP1EOZSVrkFO9_Sea7dAQGUQdls7GNRYvxgBjp6oprCyOQ/s1280/DSC_8873.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6lGIrBJMaF2t0cO0QId87VFQmMXD8NZWlfW6RmIRkHW-Gi0BwQbxSC_cLcJbGoqNcKICIRuHYqKDdJX39XXlSBDKBwUXRxMPSDHuedu9qJ2-mAJdBmw1lYi9yRAb3sWIY4zHWdy_MvpeLP1EOZSVrkFO9_Sea7dAQGUQdls7GNRYvxgBjp6oprCyOQ/s320/DSC_8873.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The path from one of the girl's alpaca house to<br />the other one. They sleep in two groups each night<br />but mingle during the day. They are so used to it<br />now that they generally separate themselves each<br />evening before putting away time.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsJ5wDcSfX4D_bXNsbuYEWz0Pt1ZRdr0qRkJbGzCESCxc_n0XY_nfoDyNMlbzyzlp25wqrwZ6V5_dZGSUfJe-NfcPc4OItrZKZgrxjONI3MZq2Zsg6tYQbUC_Z0wX02PBdTxijW3VzIq3cVVg9xwq_4YwJNWAXOsSMWvWVGrhq8qXp-WP_3HZDEe-DQ/s1280/DSC_8877.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsJ5wDcSfX4D_bXNsbuYEWz0Pt1ZRdr0qRkJbGzCESCxc_n0XY_nfoDyNMlbzyzlp25wqrwZ6V5_dZGSUfJe-NfcPc4OItrZKZgrxjONI3MZq2Zsg6tYQbUC_Z0wX02PBdTxijW3VzIq3cVVg9xwq_4YwJNWAXOsSMWvWVGrhq8qXp-WP_3HZDEe-DQ/s320/DSC_8877.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The icicles can get quite long and at some crazy<br />angles as the snow slides off the roof.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QDUudxLzOilPUrceeRdnoD4WI_GsWX0ZbMnSZjLyD3_m-kS7dMrfeedircU7uSAji9y5MNZD8__roFb33YdIzSjYeh4l3MvlCl3Aol-5-mhQRKkt1JKv7amxBBWGh4QqOL3uOI5qQ4OHtH7yvlOsNqsSGwX844_LJoev6tSofOk-9Hq9xArdyN-rjg/s1280/DSC_8880.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QDUudxLzOilPUrceeRdnoD4WI_GsWX0ZbMnSZjLyD3_m-kS7dMrfeedircU7uSAji9y5MNZD8__roFb33YdIzSjYeh4l3MvlCl3Aol-5-mhQRKkt1JKv7amxBBWGh4QqOL3uOI5qQ4OHtH7yvlOsNqsSGwX844_LJoev6tSofOk-9Hq9xArdyN-rjg/s320/DSC_8880.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel enjoying the sun</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFIJdMsgzN18FVlNm_LIl99R5ZSUR21MdIPIbUiAEFb6nXhzjjpaOPwa9K4eH_awX0PjW1Tfjs2qklNLrVTVYj2poqfJisRCW_kEmRzoeceRuxTyQFvUq3WDkrEkKSVtuOzTr5huz1GhWbFNv9QV8F2T-S4Fn-xok4vEk9EtWI3sypbk9qHdSbPpJ_g/s1280/DSC_8887.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFIJdMsgzN18FVlNm_LIl99R5ZSUR21MdIPIbUiAEFb6nXhzjjpaOPwa9K4eH_awX0PjW1Tfjs2qklNLrVTVYj2poqfJisRCW_kEmRzoeceRuxTyQFvUq3WDkrEkKSVtuOzTr5huz1GhWbFNv9QV8F2T-S4Fn-xok4vEk9EtWI3sypbk9qHdSbPpJ_g/s320/DSC_8887.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bored or getting ready for a sunbathe?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFrUfBrn-YpKS2zhWc7ALaGrdoLbtws_3m-7lxzFJAL-eEkBWdhSq8az0tQRCqXwxf1ZRxhjOx1kNOcbZqfNLulowIdtSI2EIB7FdXss78OZ5phh4uUcSVlmjS3kxuiEDc-iWg5qkh3FXjeEGAnJiZ9MrEigMiAx4AdZXHybEDsytGNlG9QJqRINdRg/s1280/DSC_8895.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFrUfBrn-YpKS2zhWc7ALaGrdoLbtws_3m-7lxzFJAL-eEkBWdhSq8az0tQRCqXwxf1ZRxhjOx1kNOcbZqfNLulowIdtSI2EIB7FdXss78OZ5phh4uUcSVlmjS3kxuiEDc-iWg5qkh3FXjeEGAnJiZ9MrEigMiAx4AdZXHybEDsytGNlG9QJqRINdRg/s320/DSC_8895.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly isn't the only one who likes a roll in the snow </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae0ee6KWxzZhTnHbeaZW8IlWzPjGoRx7cHZEYM8Nl_IYKEaE0s98UukN4Lq9JocnxT-Et22D3Yr9_50Aic6TLFhWbmeHQ1NqBJpFR-Ja_WNbu-JuIujQdmkEStO4YWuz2GRCzfhmQ_mf1dHO0kky_wdmKvZpNnLLkzqdXcy4f4PAocNbRjyrVl-NIvw/s1280/IMG_20230227_105310_4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae0ee6KWxzZhTnHbeaZW8IlWzPjGoRx7cHZEYM8Nl_IYKEaE0s98UukN4Lq9JocnxT-Et22D3Yr9_50Aic6TLFhWbmeHQ1NqBJpFR-Ja_WNbu-JuIujQdmkEStO4YWuz2GRCzfhmQ_mf1dHO0kky_wdmKvZpNnLLkzqdXcy4f4PAocNbRjyrVl-NIvw/s320/IMG_20230227_105310_4.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More evidence!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8NgESxUvVJ6812Y45sWi8XE4lwUlhtToue8d66RKKHXTxUdq00uVsUa0GaAuW36-t4ypZq8SZMY5wH0sFoXmcq84kI2fj6ijmxOvA9DptuwFVuYrSVyzeweoKJ6fDmUKIjLQVsx2djW8lyV5OZfqUh0hdKsdjEq0qYty9AV1l1LXWz3rLUA2VwDCzA/s1280/DSC_8919.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8NgESxUvVJ6812Y45sWi8XE4lwUlhtToue8d66RKKHXTxUdq00uVsUa0GaAuW36-t4ypZq8SZMY5wH0sFoXmcq84kI2fj6ijmxOvA9DptuwFVuYrSVyzeweoKJ6fDmUKIjLQVsx2djW8lyV5OZfqUh0hdKsdjEq0qYty9AV1l1LXWz3rLUA2VwDCzA/s320/DSC_8919.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the snow slides off the roof it builds up - the sides<br />are around 2m high.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDDf9tBCMHx5YYYLEf5WZdr6yWwG7ja9_uhgbxfIgdH_sP0dMpSgKiKfCB-Xpsxc84pREUi8jjzphT07JWcziAU_x2E2WJBqoJ9cJr19ItpId_lzyUhovQ4MJspwfl-ftiA6Yxzj7RC0jnO7IPI7-A6WJtzFVXWBcmmzuOkI-9EJWmLgNyopMzJx7hQ/s1280/DSC_8941.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDDf9tBCMHx5YYYLEf5WZdr6yWwG7ja9_uhgbxfIgdH_sP0dMpSgKiKfCB-Xpsxc84pREUi8jjzphT07JWcziAU_x2E2WJBqoJ9cJr19ItpId_lzyUhovQ4MJspwfl-ftiA6Yxzj7RC0jnO7IPI7-A6WJtzFVXWBcmmzuOkI-9EJWmLgNyopMzJx7hQ/s320/DSC_8941.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paths need to be kept clear so that Ian can get to <br />the animals</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0uhlk6MwquFXY8zAZDAh8PAw2tUXwAdNw3XS3uVWnnX2Nsq8plq9m-npvJryDlBQLBalI6-IpaLAndUz8R1AsgGFy7yJUz48RZwC7oVSpYErCci5sHCxqVNQQvIzLPRcXtUYSz20nGvrdAKe5ifXHQeAGxyTkFQtVG9ZDSxO4je-ZP830gHXmL1S0g/s1280/DSC_8954.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0uhlk6MwquFXY8zAZDAh8PAw2tUXwAdNw3XS3uVWnnX2Nsq8plq9m-npvJryDlBQLBalI6-IpaLAndUz8R1AsgGFy7yJUz48RZwC7oVSpYErCci5sHCxqVNQQvIzLPRcXtUYSz20nGvrdAKe5ifXHQeAGxyTkFQtVG9ZDSxO4je-ZP830gHXmL1S0g/s320/DSC_8954.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla looking sweet in the snow</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsJhfZESqS9LaaH5GJ1TGU-riedIaqha1TTItxiygFZAJ8HC6RBeG7j0IHH-IQ4n6UvsdERGoZa43aGHfYs2qOav-M4qsdZhhRso2i7xzRBImn7ptrF8Tb_KtDM43D22Gc1Zb9on5NuHbqJSdlqBC8shhCkMsiSFzK1D8IpQDCYKh9eED3qObQ8D9MA/s1280/DSC_8956.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsJhfZESqS9LaaH5GJ1TGU-riedIaqha1TTItxiygFZAJ8HC6RBeG7j0IHH-IQ4n6UvsdERGoZa43aGHfYs2qOav-M4qsdZhhRso2i7xzRBImn7ptrF8Tb_KtDM43D22Gc1Zb9on5NuHbqJSdlqBC8shhCkMsiSFzK1D8IpQDCYKh9eED3qObQ8D9MA/s320/DSC_8956.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silla with her minimalist headwear. I think you need<br />something more than that to keep your head warm<br />in this weather. Good job you also have an alpaca<br />wool hat on too.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKjI3c4oS08BQx6NzdOoKKAwG3UD2FvbVr7ZmMGYxKJYUeym9laxd-dPWSaNxl6jeOnnUBwvgkQabhHqJ3pJpJmPn5YETfN04KWiVV20tXq71magTyfBUyurAPJcedtU24pJfwJ_cVYxHfRsxNwOT1CNDtcJAKvG46sJBAYw1UUxt8LD1YGg0NTWPPw/s1280/DSC_8958.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKjI3c4oS08BQx6NzdOoKKAwG3UD2FvbVr7ZmMGYxKJYUeym9laxd-dPWSaNxl6jeOnnUBwvgkQabhHqJ3pJpJmPn5YETfN04KWiVV20tXq71magTyfBUyurAPJcedtU24pJfwJ_cVYxHfRsxNwOT1CNDtcJAKvG46sJBAYw1UUxt8LD1YGg0NTWPPw/s320/DSC_8958.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On tap sorbet</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhNHivRvBXZPI3ei1Nlo4AEo6J8U1xSL2e5Mvy0-3LR0dMTvK3HXMdsFOZejDSi4lybTXWsgS_XAXrjq3Zzn0a6ZPjYHAEP3sIvWA6aMMm36y-M7s3Z7kBVfy_RwThsFAgLzhGNxguSOAwsMz-9XcOkVWCAsNbhvhL6orFaXbnZmQqBvBvG80daQJQg/s1280/DSC_8959.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhNHivRvBXZPI3ei1Nlo4AEo6J8U1xSL2e5Mvy0-3LR0dMTvK3HXMdsFOZejDSi4lybTXWsgS_XAXrjq3Zzn0a6ZPjYHAEP3sIvWA6aMMm36y-M7s3Z7kBVfy_RwThsFAgLzhGNxguSOAwsMz-9XcOkVWCAsNbhvhL6orFaXbnZmQqBvBvG80daQJQg/s320/DSC_8959.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman enjoys the snow too</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieQU9H6SAMDl04luhpqX2OHGZzu1gXiXW_VKrGsFlwt1py24ZB3YYGur4A9fPMGpenW_KOaguD-GzciJP6YU6UYppkzRVLnFkE8EC1W4N125LSzOTtNRCJ7Aq5zz1L-IjNCZ7xXBlvTaH5EoK5Yi_J-fXzJB7NfqW8qvZ766xpPns5fnIGZvNDuoZMA/s1280/DSC_8987.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieQU9H6SAMDl04luhpqX2OHGZzu1gXiXW_VKrGsFlwt1py24ZB3YYGur4A9fPMGpenW_KOaguD-GzciJP6YU6UYppkzRVLnFkE8EC1W4N125LSzOTtNRCJ7Aq5zz1L-IjNCZ7xXBlvTaH5EoK5Yi_J-fXzJB7NfqW8qvZ766xpPns5fnIGZvNDuoZMA/s320/DSC_8987.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes water is good too</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRVDxc8wb2ce_aOrmcOE909In-eG7G2QhKABClq2482dL9WcamUfW8nXa_rDjWvguBlw36ls3k_fApnZWzzQ3AX89jxs1vNXerpT2PSdSKd3mQTqZ8Ltl1r8S7Iw-R5EwRrPHfOtEtcPr328FUKAojEzNSZzeGO-poVvjXJ9754k_04yE0zovHhzdTw/s1280/DSC_8991.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRVDxc8wb2ce_aOrmcOE909In-eG7G2QhKABClq2482dL9WcamUfW8nXa_rDjWvguBlw36ls3k_fApnZWzzQ3AX89jxs1vNXerpT2PSdSKd3mQTqZ8Ltl1r8S7Iw-R5EwRrPHfOtEtcPr328FUKAojEzNSZzeGO-poVvjXJ9754k_04yE0zovHhzdTw/s320/DSC_8991.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are you sharing? Leave me some!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU949Sk_EnDjXOvi9XEMY19Fh9kqq3gVvmAdGkNuAmuuJKfPC32hf8BBJwfz4Fd0rtlN5coSMCm5IwMoCVIb5ZTwcL11lhQCSBgcuCLzJDkbnBFdJIlrdnRrmupew4Sx2pL_dYnFGaY85JXaIZdvofYS702Y0jjJyEtHSZ1bY1Q8Lfb-8H1L_LMyL6EA/s1280/DSC_8990.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU949Sk_EnDjXOvi9XEMY19Fh9kqq3gVvmAdGkNuAmuuJKfPC32hf8BBJwfz4Fd0rtlN5coSMCm5IwMoCVIb5ZTwcL11lhQCSBgcuCLzJDkbnBFdJIlrdnRrmupew4Sx2pL_dYnFGaY85JXaIZdvofYS702Y0jjJyEtHSZ1bY1Q8Lfb-8H1L_LMyL6EA/s320/DSC_8990.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. P starting to look quite grey</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPShUoShSjwxSFocnW5aRsQ6kapszReuntgvVBlWPq6Joe5YUjHYA418C6chmcO0yJFxecvcdmS6UxbdTK2bfzDX6ScG38DcvQJRlE5E0UfF7lXK0bAWpba9YwWGxd8wGEkPuxBBniSxkIQzJhsgaMstZU25SPkTwpVND6VwMDFetn8jr-9UuKM5OGw/s1280/DSC_9011.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPShUoShSjwxSFocnW5aRsQ6kapszReuntgvVBlWPq6Joe5YUjHYA418C6chmcO0yJFxecvcdmS6UxbdTK2bfzDX6ScG38DcvQJRlE5E0UfF7lXK0bAWpba9YwWGxd8wGEkPuxBBniSxkIQzJhsgaMstZU25SPkTwpVND6VwMDFetn8jr-9UuKM5OGw/s320/DSC_9011.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting to the hay can be a struggle at times</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_1K-97Wl9qgbKHB4xyzGuRGGKuN4kFtc35KQyJF1m6eYXrSJdt8YZAvwCmZh8oRhBIjJ3GfQFBFwpkK4lCI89Jr_trStd74GkFrYw_gL85-P2JC03WBLI_cXJqEcEe4kbokHP1iqfFS8Ru3gd8BSrRPgyAL3XIsEDrnFOaB3lS5_k3NKI5iMee51fA/s1280/DSC_9016.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_1K-97Wl9qgbKHB4xyzGuRGGKuN4kFtc35KQyJF1m6eYXrSJdt8YZAvwCmZh8oRhBIjJ3GfQFBFwpkK4lCI89Jr_trStd74GkFrYw_gL85-P2JC03WBLI_cXJqEcEe4kbokHP1iqfFS8Ru3gd8BSrRPgyAL3XIsEDrnFOaB3lS5_k3NKI5iMee51fA/s320/DSC_9016.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the first alpaca house to be built. It's<br />on it's way out now as the roof has collapsed.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57q6yOvIBDxjj6Z_8co-gq-IKGsQaZLmRH5YWLH7B-f7YzXEaZqZl2JAwUsS__rOboAGyOxYRB_vTh-nvyWC01OuoQ3kAAV7ewsdjUH2DZPLLbv4dykwGXpptpd1-TfwbSSNAcb5FrNxA0E17Ovc6PrElHss7J_duKhxBRxhBiPpkXufsG6okLgA22A/s1280/DSC_9018.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57q6yOvIBDxjj6Z_8co-gq-IKGsQaZLmRH5YWLH7B-f7YzXEaZqZl2JAwUsS__rOboAGyOxYRB_vTh-nvyWC01OuoQ3kAAV7ewsdjUH2DZPLLbv4dykwGXpptpd1-TfwbSSNAcb5FrNxA0E17Ovc6PrElHss7J_duKhxBRxhBiPpkXufsG6okLgA22A/s320/DSC_9018.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin is getting very fluffy now</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhFS5UX9le-ssXeJvEdd6aRLtJ9BtJJ-S3e0mrlKeKe25Kbl2NGXKJQrD1JZjoRfnjaN1OeiaWyqMlIiItteBYd6vKcm2rllTbjnjvWC6NZGdlCPGulcg-mZf4Xzn3b_TxdhjWQ_gnO65K2qB-gABBvaIyDwCxumpkcQaoBk-OqqVie6GvgPZGtXFZQ/s1280/DSC_9030.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhFS5UX9le-ssXeJvEdd6aRLtJ9BtJJ-S3e0mrlKeKe25Kbl2NGXKJQrD1JZjoRfnjaN1OeiaWyqMlIiItteBYd6vKcm2rllTbjnjvWC6NZGdlCPGulcg-mZf4Xzn3b_TxdhjWQ_gnO65K2qB-gABBvaIyDwCxumpkcQaoBk-OqqVie6GvgPZGtXFZQ/s320/DSC_9030.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow alpaca! It startled Ian one day, but it was<br />just a snow accululation on the gate.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWPriy1ok8yXxBjKeE145y4YxFWe0K9D95x775_R7hYeYCgKfxGGd6JnoKWzPuKPWwkvPKswcg0LPLuO9hGqVDVFu6jN3W23hPHyJ03nTNWveVWQpStq9lDcD5_mwMpfV6upuvHySlov9kEBVod-6AiR4VxuhZ1vjm23XfUP7m5PdZ_s1sLe-NURXyw/s1280/DSC_9040.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWPriy1ok8yXxBjKeE145y4YxFWe0K9D95x775_R7hYeYCgKfxGGd6JnoKWzPuKPWwkvPKswcg0LPLuO9hGqVDVFu6jN3W23hPHyJ03nTNWveVWQpStq9lDcD5_mwMpfV6upuvHySlov9kEBVod-6AiR4VxuhZ1vjm23XfUP7m5PdZ_s1sLe-NURXyw/s320/DSC_9040.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin is on the path really!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3J1Dl6LVdTIJ25TXyK_uWMb0apKCmICBp4u95fY_psFuwNjyFW3PgQmkyji8Zc_nvdM9E_qpsdL7k5oBl5VQBbZ7DA0qDFIARNQIVqb7vRye1TK0bF-qqPRircEfwVEooj0sdrTpy3zlPeTjd6vNmxFojTpyNSZfzSV5eLsTWkMBA58nJVJ-sTUInA/s1280/DSC_9055.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3J1Dl6LVdTIJ25TXyK_uWMb0apKCmICBp4u95fY_psFuwNjyFW3PgQmkyji8Zc_nvdM9E_qpsdL7k5oBl5VQBbZ7DA0qDFIARNQIVqb7vRye1TK0bF-qqPRircEfwVEooj0sdrTpy3zlPeTjd6vNmxFojTpyNSZfzSV5eLsTWkMBA58nJVJ-sTUInA/s320/DSC_9055.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brencis</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HNYPxqL79WciYztJDfVXYdRpCixjfjdzGtezyju-a8XOzoipDi7BNzGh2RfPsgFfCPtItdwIv5Xaye29vhjXtG08th3gpZcGoQAfCABDy96kCp4ENvJiLETCNL11-Ajj1c2gX3Md88RpNgmVjEJ-pwmftGq1zYjKED3kKXTlmy6t2mFzhfVzwh9OkQ/s1280/DSC_9058.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HNYPxqL79WciYztJDfVXYdRpCixjfjdzGtezyju-a8XOzoipDi7BNzGh2RfPsgFfCPtItdwIv5Xaye29vhjXtG08th3gpZcGoQAfCABDy96kCp4ENvJiLETCNL11-Ajj1c2gX3Md88RpNgmVjEJ-pwmftGq1zYjKED3kKXTlmy6t2mFzhfVzwh9OkQ/s320/DSC_9058.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josefs wasn't well over the last month and we <br />had to have the vet out to do an x-ray. The poor guy <br />had an upper tooth root abscess. This was the second<br />animal with a tooth root abcess as Antonia had a <br />lower jaw one too. Her's was more obvious and was <br />caught sooner. Unfortunately for both it means a long <br />course of antibiotics but at least both have shown a good<br />response to treatment.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7_mvctufgMHlbx1T1B4i698yGoqDF9AonhQ9RPR0xLPCL1h6-Zx9oKutVU3jbKa5-oKf0RmKW0ugb2ES57wHZrkvgzAdnaYUd6_DP6IclzBkXLLzDGQo15fS7s-geew3LoVNVrG1TqAc0CBbW8RA4DvxZlqF9ZywxSImbHKr5wWWopb1eUH0qFmITQ/s1280/IMG_20230224_104856_3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7_mvctufgMHlbx1T1B4i698yGoqDF9AonhQ9RPR0xLPCL1h6-Zx9oKutVU3jbKa5-oKf0RmKW0ugb2ES57wHZrkvgzAdnaYUd6_DP6IclzBkXLLzDGQo15fS7s-geew3LoVNVrG1TqAc0CBbW8RA4DvxZlqF9ZywxSImbHKr5wWWopb1eUH0qFmITQ/s320/IMG_20230224_104856_3.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a few rather chilly days and <br />Mr. P with his silkier fleece struggled<br />a bit, so he ended up in a coat.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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Getting my brain to slow down from the million mile an hour swirl had been necessary if a little melancholy. Half of me wanted to be with the grandkids in their various locations - not that this was actually possible (see below) and half of me just wanted peace and quiet and rest. I got the peace and quiet and my brain feels a lot less frazzled. The downside or upside to a less frazzled brain is actually time to think. I'm not sure that is always a good thing, you should ask Ian. "I've had an idea" is not his most favourite phrase.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshoIBrrhyEY-stY1IMPfggeiddJcx6BaEQu3VXlHdG5-Ep3ZhfSDVV-3QyRBoTKyomH2Y0FdYTQ-_l7KrfmYVTaVAhMu75stzyJOBglhQuCiwqdGn_pRibRsfRvQM2R89dIp-7U_H55aDt9i1PpiX6qpH2sjO4eHm2BVAhlC247iQUfVtAgmakYhLvQ/s1280/DSC_8655.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshoIBrrhyEY-stY1IMPfggeiddJcx6BaEQu3VXlHdG5-Ep3ZhfSDVV-3QyRBoTKyomH2Y0FdYTQ-_l7KrfmYVTaVAhMu75stzyJOBglhQuCiwqdGn_pRibRsfRvQM2R89dIp-7U_H55aDt9i1PpiX6qpH2sjO4eHm2BVAhlC247iQUfVtAgmakYhLvQ/s320/DSC_8655.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys! There is a hint of spring in the air. Over<br />winter they are very placid - well most of the time.<br />As spring starts to arrive, they start to jostle each<br />other a bit, with some major disagreements from <br />time to time. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0ZqBzhj3_JGKIuquajwhkL8xq8Q0OWC-YmqbcUQj5AeqgVHRDl541Pda6Hwe7jmQEvgcMxHk6ZZUcH-DFhpwL_7Uqu2apZylBQdEEM9o29xmwGLusiMERVMrAVAAxxueUYd38huaCWPgf04ln8Rl47QtoI_YUBYh4U8z9JCphcUmqRvcpEDutQXSDQ/s1280/DSC_8675.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin0ZqBzhj3_JGKIuquajwhkL8xq8Q0OWC-YmqbcUQj5AeqgVHRDl541Pda6Hwe7jmQEvgcMxHk6ZZUcH-DFhpwL_7Uqu2apZylBQdEEM9o29xmwGLusiMERVMrAVAAxxueUYd38huaCWPgf04ln8Rl47QtoI_YUBYh4U8z9JCphcUmqRvcpEDutQXSDQ/s320/DSC_8675.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla, you are supposed to eat the hay, not wear it<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd19R65S-rGuyDqxJrrBQ7iDcZlkgZSYBu-ySU5Wqu0KrxZoqr0LsZNEGFfC_kMFztB-2L_J4kp7CV8EeyIXC7HSMGvQBmAiVGrq2ocjd8fznhIKZygxORBIyrKajj9mJJvDuFA-TXs7RYeGRO7qtYYpjNAgI8rhh-jQQvx2OGt6llntWRw8j_rMlr9Q/s1280/DSC_8336.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd19R65S-rGuyDqxJrrBQ7iDcZlkgZSYBu-ySU5Wqu0KrxZoqr0LsZNEGFfC_kMFztB-2L_J4kp7CV8EeyIXC7HSMGvQBmAiVGrq2ocjd8fznhIKZygxORBIyrKajj9mJJvDuFA-TXs7RYeGRO7qtYYpjNAgI8rhh-jQQvx2OGt6llntWRw8j_rMlr9Q/s320/DSC_8336.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes Freddie, it looked like someone stole the<br />snow<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We are living our dreams and yet our dreams are not quite how we imagined them would be. I dreamed I would have a new project, a new baby and I would be called Doctor. That all happened and being in the right place at the right time with the right skill set needed (or at least some of them anyway) I ended up getting promoted to Head of the Masters Programmes for our department. It is all a bit bewildering at times if I actually stop to think of what has happened over the last few years. It's hard to believe that this is actually the first "proper" full-time job I've ever had. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5p1bu4QquKzME-I33xtqHQzVOt2aYJ_ugMxTPJDGPpNhVdSjI7AzPE0n817F2Cswu45b0B1Gonr4LrdtWbqBcxbIpEewEgGKTLpsc_oEnTbPxox1z-P1EEa7QoBdpZSEiKReUvNom9EGBQxOkRxwWjGJ9dQAFqQPNS2esU9wCDNwUTY8rtjKP-w8luA/s1280/DSC_8338.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5p1bu4QquKzME-I33xtqHQzVOt2aYJ_ugMxTPJDGPpNhVdSjI7AzPE0n817F2Cswu45b0B1Gonr4LrdtWbqBcxbIpEewEgGKTLpsc_oEnTbPxox1z-P1EEa7QoBdpZSEiKReUvNom9EGBQxOkRxwWjGJ9dQAFqQPNS2esU9wCDNwUTY8rtjKP-w8luA/s320/DSC_8338.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After all the snow we had in December, this was<br />a bit unexpected for the 1st January. It didn't <br />last though and our snow came back.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6e8WLvG0SqMEPHq-L-zobVUYkYU1-Z0tv_7SdN9xScgFGhlFh8NcMbFS4Saq1Xfnlox_gOUJzILbvYEIs_fL2oqeF490NigxK45QGdMH1hoyjtaeLXlYKSJH3PCy4iWe3BSyg0vLLGhg34yn78gsF9uLWGhksQ5aLU4wOu8_T2g64ROezEWCmXGeaCA/s1280/DSC_8414.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6e8WLvG0SqMEPHq-L-zobVUYkYU1-Z0tv_7SdN9xScgFGhlFh8NcMbFS4Saq1Xfnlox_gOUJzILbvYEIs_fL2oqeF490NigxK45QGdMH1hoyjtaeLXlYKSJH3PCy4iWe3BSyg0vLLGhg34yn78gsF9uLWGhksQ5aLU4wOu8_T2g64ROezEWCmXGeaCA/s320/DSC_8414.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't blame you Freddie. It will be nice and <br />warm by the side of the alpaca house in the <br />sun.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPZSE6p1KUkPCTeRYS0HRIVixcJ8QqDl9T6Hc25i55J_bO-aobDcs9YuOzJoA6ffhdShwSAE9evo4X4-UZC0D8HX03FzQvpknBy8fHVAnB8Jb3B5SXCrLKIzyWygTKCrKii_VcppYllzEEA7qSThMTPrwN7RnCunHIAuT1ZSnV2VuL4UmG3mZUzS8Hg/s1280/DSC_8363.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPZSE6p1KUkPCTeRYS0HRIVixcJ8QqDl9T6Hc25i55J_bO-aobDcs9YuOzJoA6ffhdShwSAE9evo4X4-UZC0D8HX03FzQvpknBy8fHVAnB8Jb3B5SXCrLKIzyWygTKCrKii_VcppYllzEEA7qSThMTPrwN7RnCunHIAuT1ZSnV2VuL4UmG3mZUzS8Hg/s320/DSC_8363.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brencis is a handsome chap, very curious and very<br />greedy. Love him anyway!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>That's not to say I haven't done stuff, that's how I ended up with most of the skills I've needed. I've done leadership training, counselling training, home educated my kids, tutored kids online, headed up Sunday Schools, moved countries and dealt with taxes (try sitting down to a 100 page form to update a tax consultant on the current state of finances going back over 20 years if I remember rightly - that's the land of the free for you). I've organised craft projects to keep 1500 kids entertained and educated over a three week period and craft workshops for about a dozen adults on a weekly basis. I've taken creative embroidery classes to expand on what I had learnt from my mother and grandmothers. I've done flower arrangements for my daughter's and my sister's weddings. That's a fairly random list of things I've done, but in all that time, I've never had a full-time job. Actually not sure I had the time for one.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCnDUl0SYbKS5kJuLzBHNIR0dwAYj2DFVdNR3eORjg0V18KY_CjY_JGTa0xfRCiqwZFvqYwfKFj7qmo42MqlA0MmlkQtRwE0ISC1ElPULHayrdZWsB5aN58ipFQ8imF_dDGB3hxVYZvN5Dy9SWeAa2Xx15tZxA68uqsbik0vSfo58fhgbhdLP5WgVew/s1280/DSC_8385.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCnDUl0SYbKS5kJuLzBHNIR0dwAYj2DFVdNR3eORjg0V18KY_CjY_JGTa0xfRCiqwZFvqYwfKFj7qmo42MqlA0MmlkQtRwE0ISC1ElPULHayrdZWsB5aN58ipFQ8imF_dDGB3hxVYZvN5Dy9SWeAa2Xx15tZxA68uqsbik0vSfo58fhgbhdLP5WgVew/s320/DSC_8385.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to think of Venessa here, squinting in the<br />bright winter sunshine, is Brencis' half sister. She <br />was one of the earliest of Veronica's offspring and<br />Brencis was her last. Veronica is no longer with<br />us, but she would have been 19 this year.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHuNlHkuGt4Li77isfF0b3W_UNmqjaC68osVMARdw9zIiLcb478EJyb3G1Y41PaaHj_PeLnuS86xGFoOGR0gyARET5jFkpZwYTulD7w0vDEFxnSemTXZBTjdO_TLkeJwwCetunXFMkzDtwKP5WKvF45u98EsN4LoHEbXSiO7wtTvDUZOeWxmWsBw3Lw/s1280/DSC_8678.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHuNlHkuGt4Li77isfF0b3W_UNmqjaC68osVMARdw9zIiLcb478EJyb3G1Y41PaaHj_PeLnuS86xGFoOGR0gyARET5jFkpZwYTulD7w0vDEFxnSemTXZBTjdO_TLkeJwwCetunXFMkzDtwKP5WKvF45u98EsN4LoHEbXSiO7wtTvDUZOeWxmWsBw3Lw/s320/DSC_8678.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Has someone been eating the snow, Norman?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZUIZ3wukVzp6K6lID6NZ7eDXktIrijPHj-SajvkHHX-0ZYswhUDNBbFyStpBbn_iTnIR7t6AVy52t7RhwFVCeFHoMZr3CaHWDczDwhqsYYJ_lAU_thmFp6yz0CPhAzj4nze2vYXSZ6wdwaH9vb7pYUqmWsBUzY1rux6wwgH7pN6lppfR1yUFnhiUOQ/s1280/DSC_8509.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZUIZ3wukVzp6K6lID6NZ7eDXktIrijPHj-SajvkHHX-0ZYswhUDNBbFyStpBbn_iTnIR7t6AVy52t7RhwFVCeFHoMZr3CaHWDczDwhqsYYJ_lAU_thmFp6yz0CPhAzj4nze2vYXSZ6wdwaH9vb7pYUqmWsBUzY1rux6wwgH7pN6lppfR1yUFnhiUOQ/s320/DSC_8509.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had to look back to see if Chanel had such<br />tight curls when we got her - apparently not. <br />She had slightly curlier hair than her daughter<br />but not much, but over the years the curls have<br />got tighter and tighter. No idea who the <br />hairdresser is.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>What else didn't I expect about living the dream? It's hard! I wonder if I thought once I got there it would all be plain sailing and not the start of another epic journey. I never thought that being called a doctor would involve me working in another country to the one I live in. I suppose it didn't even cross my mind that I would be leaving Ian for a week at a time once a month to do that either. Thank goodness for the internet though and online conference software.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkC_az5PI23vwnn3kqJNfboTUwp7jKQ40DzAE_4RhIfQJI0SrDauyHRR_eA-jCQOmCuU5zC4jDqfmFUcgJAbT2lu6WVE7ae8ZnSy4l55BaSm57ZzG1EXj4sgXdugvA0lim3BMHNOfx545_VlBLVxwjmmWY5qPUfsEZCFb3u81i9ueHAy3D4GBQVgJqmg/s1280/DSC_8406.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkC_az5PI23vwnn3kqJNfboTUwp7jKQ40DzAE_4RhIfQJI0SrDauyHRR_eA-jCQOmCuU5zC4jDqfmFUcgJAbT2lu6WVE7ae8ZnSy4l55BaSm57ZzG1EXj4sgXdugvA0lim3BMHNOfx545_VlBLVxwjmmWY5qPUfsEZCFb3u81i9ueHAy3D4GBQVgJqmg/s320/DSC_8406.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our cats have a job to do catching moles. Ian saw<br />GT sat by a big molehill today, so there's hope. <br />Meanwhile they continue to act as our drainage<br />managers and have intentions of an extensive<br />network this year. Absolute pain.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0smO5nZ2dq7Kdt5b5r60S6TgF3Fumbiu65DIVrfO4So35jjpEXFJnUfmv6y_r3ALcIBB0B3ypASKP6oR0r26sf8HnuR_2n8tC4HP77nRNT6yxx1IaD-FAMS3C1_mlvDqo9XJ53aYm5oBqLqT7dhpJ8n2jPKP_WtAMh0gZBbaxJnwkrhM0r9yxbilIUQ/s1280/DSC_8408.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0smO5nZ2dq7Kdt5b5r60S6TgF3Fumbiu65DIVrfO4So35jjpEXFJnUfmv6y_r3ALcIBB0B3ypASKP6oR0r26sf8HnuR_2n8tC4HP77nRNT6yxx1IaD-FAMS3C1_mlvDqo9XJ53aYm5oBqLqT7dhpJ8n2jPKP_WtAMh0gZBbaxJnwkrhM0r9yxbilIUQ/s320/DSC_8408.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The soft winter has also meant<br />more unwelcome visitors - wild boar.<br />They make a huge mess in a <br />very short space of time. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORwv7kpSLYpi1UuRK-vBEJqvlL2rsZJdACcSgL3RR1U65xTtxYfV52LAOuca19hytgZ9PBwgY02i7lGGnNjQLGy97hA34lvWpW9yioA35AgP9ObMguJVurtHpzvmr8pi2HerB6fXqeekgd8jU--Io5sX_PEYpvo6tELNszQUZpryLB2r6qJ9dgVqt3A/s1280/DSC_8461.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORwv7kpSLYpi1UuRK-vBEJqvlL2rsZJdACcSgL3RR1U65xTtxYfV52LAOuca19hytgZ9PBwgY02i7lGGnNjQLGy97hA34lvWpW9yioA35AgP9ObMguJVurtHpzvmr8pi2HerB6fXqeekgd8jU--Io5sX_PEYpvo6tELNszQUZpryLB2r6qJ9dgVqt3A/s320/DSC_8461.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin out for a stroll with his mum, with Aggie<br />following behind.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>When I was a stay-at-home mum, honing my negotiating skills - sorry kids you were the guinea pigs but I did learn a lot from you - I tried to live by the phrase of "the best ability is availability". Now I have to think in terms of my availability to who? How do I divide up that time? How do we make this work without it dissolving into a nightmare where no one wins. How do I prioritise my time when I have a full-time job, we have a farm and I need to learn Latvian. Why am I doing a blog anyway when I have so many other things I could be doing?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih622CoV1hrEZog48N10s7AZJKmZ8HcRBOoNRX6hrMiEb9UWyMTk_zRCkTX0ZRnmD11ArhZ-MhKRvL7fzbVEheK7gjONMUEWnPGxDOR9LNqLdb0KolsbKKSGk8izYUPERbMYSzMuuFbrezQxrtS4iLfqYpOYaot6ejcZVFemWIWKsApzeuAaNShl042A/s1280/DSC_8477.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih622CoV1hrEZog48N10s7AZJKmZ8HcRBOoNRX6hrMiEb9UWyMTk_zRCkTX0ZRnmD11ArhZ-MhKRvL7fzbVEheK7gjONMUEWnPGxDOR9LNqLdb0KolsbKKSGk8izYUPERbMYSzMuuFbrezQxrtS4iLfqYpOYaot6ejcZVFemWIWKsApzeuAaNShl042A/s320/DSC_8477.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norm enjoying a Christmas tree. Plenty of <br />vitamins there.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoZQQModkE0hb6bwSd7rjjv9FUK1fcm509SAegiyiug7xKslOxMdKOAzbRp9aKT67Be0Vq4xY-iUYKS4QAIOe-ZE0TVF5O4M-Cxv8y8qpde9-Jxoq9xBrhsibLhCWanS5UwDCTbtZVq-FhjU2fKRn_-Kb5guRF_UEhoaspdO1U8RZPGPeZSKHsRy7lg/s1280/DSC_8506.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoZQQModkE0hb6bwSd7rjjv9FUK1fcm509SAegiyiug7xKslOxMdKOAzbRp9aKT67Be0Vq4xY-iUYKS4QAIOe-ZE0TVF5O4M-Cxv8y8qpde9-Jxoq9xBrhsibLhCWanS5UwDCTbtZVq-FhjU2fKRn_-Kb5guRF_UEhoaspdO1U8RZPGPeZSKHsRy7lg/s320/DSC_8506.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More sunbathing! This time it's Karla<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp44Lc91_UTiwb17c9-BDAPJzc1SX3-Ch4tKYcDREby1i3KI5adXlA94gQCY6lp-jVT22pHLWYIqV6uJZFdfjALf5xl6WEkEESwKZxdCSnbnuB6U0EdGUb6i5KuaEqoZRYqIEW139PB5blzh3-FDGyN1k_v0QUEcDSGC46Wx6J419s-H3zSLJ0pLex1w/s1280/DSC_8474.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp44Lc91_UTiwb17c9-BDAPJzc1SX3-Ch4tKYcDREby1i3KI5adXlA94gQCY6lp-jVT22pHLWYIqV6uJZFdfjALf5xl6WEkEESwKZxdCSnbnuB6U0EdGUb6i5KuaEqoZRYqIEW139PB5blzh3-FDGyN1k_v0QUEcDSGC46Wx6J419s-H3zSLJ0pLex1w/s320/DSC_8474.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There seems to be a lot of sunbathing going on<br />here. You wouldn't think it was in the minuses.<br />Having said that, it can be glorious at -10C<br />when the sun is out in January/February.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Well the last one is easy. I do like to write. I do like to create with words too. It helps us remember, it helps us to leave a trail of where we've been and what we've done that I hope our grandkids can read some day. A friend of mine had a wise friend of hers who said, "Never move to be near to the kids" - did she not like them or something? No! She went on to say, "They'll move anyway" and it's probably true. I would have to find a job nearby, we both would actually in order to afford to live there. My skills might still be useful, but not necessarily in the right place at the right time and that could be more difficult to get employment somewhere else. We would settle down and then the kids might move. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dFMBJ68GcduGPfegB5IDTGfatuTzADTW_aCsGAroxfArgnuJQSo8peN3G3-56uBYkr1NZKv-cKnGi5EpWpL85-oByRG0P0dfKB-mtPpYy90yY1IlpxcEsrkJX_LgSPvEU8db4UDI7AbAOjOdsctGE5LD61TDamMkqO5-QKPQ3LKyW05MOtSrNo2QGg/s1280/DSC_8696.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dFMBJ68GcduGPfegB5IDTGfatuTzADTW_aCsGAroxfArgnuJQSo8peN3G3-56uBYkr1NZKv-cKnGi5EpWpL85-oByRG0P0dfKB-mtPpYy90yY1IlpxcEsrkJX_LgSPvEU8db4UDI7AbAOjOdsctGE5LD61TDamMkqO5-QKPQ3LKyW05MOtSrNo2QGg/s320/DSC_8696.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last year, Marv needed a neck brace, now he's <br />wearing his own fluffy neck warmer.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3FXrKNQ39fNCpB2lQBcPKK0dLWCv8Ky9Yo15ynzdvrvhBxDg9iJeaIkV3qCOvB9JLmotxANghEaiv82SNqwkWtekRA2tw8lQHY_iYXkDBLbUwyLXAb-4-Kd3w4Rus44vtKmUJRM9PllKMpTMwMJXSoUkkLfy5S1HdF3qxVUQogQu_eibOJf16uKG6A/s1280/DSC_8703.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3FXrKNQ39fNCpB2lQBcPKK0dLWCv8Ky9Yo15ynzdvrvhBxDg9iJeaIkV3qCOvB9JLmotxANghEaiv82SNqwkWtekRA2tw8lQHY_iYXkDBLbUwyLXAb-4-Kd3w4Rus44vtKmUJRM9PllKMpTMwMJXSoUkkLfy5S1HdF3qxVUQogQu_eibOJf16uKG6A/s320/DSC_8703.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only rolling in the snow mum. Honest!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIJoWOnOgBVVQZt03HZk7fXv5DcrnwffclLtMQJ7I0fPjHWIz0RhoF8TYjXBJEr5H47s6HlqpwgAz5FBxI_TvE4LiFEPTDGqpoesB420ZrhNym62GygBj-BqvSNWzQN0OOP9vM3GCYfzaaOa4H2Jcmutb0OhrT3SagxwOxTjyqvcvA_Lz5Krj_FaVHA/s1280/DSC_8654.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMIJoWOnOgBVVQZt03HZk7fXv5DcrnwffclLtMQJ7I0fPjHWIz0RhoF8TYjXBJEr5H47s6HlqpwgAz5FBxI_TvE4LiFEPTDGqpoesB420ZrhNym62GygBj-BqvSNWzQN0OOP9vM3GCYfzaaOa4H2Jcmutb0OhrT3SagxwOxTjyqvcvA_Lz5Krj_FaVHA/s320/DSC_8654.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the summerhouse<br />over the garden. The bumps are<br />not huge moles but where Ian has<br />been dumping the alpaca manure<br />over winter, ready for the <br />potatoes in spring. Fortunately<br />it is not as strong as cow and horse<br />manure.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So we try to adjust to this new reality that has only been a reality for the last few years. We try to find a new rhythm - even though the rhythm feels a little out of kilter at the moment as we adjust. Changes still need to happen, family needs to be connected to, new global realities need to be adjusted to as well. New friendships, new patterns of learning and a sense of trying to release the next generation to be who they need to be and given the space in which to do that. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLkHLutryVTkf-F0bpd3pznv4EqeXpvsE8fLy8H7EEo31iYhsBKFG2_vEWrebyIybN0CRLb8xSgOZIBF8n9sLqKqfKqN5Jg8G54-BOn73ocKfLrtr9efOuF7p174zvr1l3p1AdgPjyCu-L-YP416SmhjCIaVxDR6C1vP9CTEs6T7HG1PB-zXHd4yowg/s1280/DSC_8659.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOLkHLutryVTkf-F0bpd3pznv4EqeXpvsE8fLy8H7EEo31iYhsBKFG2_vEWrebyIybN0CRLb8xSgOZIBF8n9sLqKqfKqN5Jg8G54-BOn73ocKfLrtr9efOuF7p174zvr1l3p1AdgPjyCu-L-YP416SmhjCIaVxDR6C1vP9CTEs6T7HG1PB-zXHd4yowg/s320/DSC_8659.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We don't need those fancy Christmas lights, we<br />have the real thing - real icicles.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3awfjTHrxmJGVV1XOjK01Ne94_bAkbjZyPNUh4YubX6N4T-G4xAMcVDgPwyQeZe132PGrmvis2Rox0cwDeLtkaK3lTTBHPFTsRwwl0CPa-GgwiqZnZhD1-fu_QDpoSP-ROIh4CED_QDhEW3HbWSuSlp-s1nUbAdFKEzMjKvkywqHq8nkASJYCGgCIOQ/s1280/DSC_8672.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3awfjTHrxmJGVV1XOjK01Ne94_bAkbjZyPNUh4YubX6N4T-G4xAMcVDgPwyQeZe132PGrmvis2Rox0cwDeLtkaK3lTTBHPFTsRwwl0CPa-GgwiqZnZhD1-fu_QDpoSP-ROIh4CED_QDhEW3HbWSuSlp-s1nUbAdFKEzMjKvkywqHq8nkASJYCGgCIOQ/s320/DSC_8672.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel's daughter, Ilvija - not rocking a perm.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixM7TP2oMbMBO44orIkkQ-S9LJmrknahs7mrNb7igv4pWk6zZLubgRQtOaW5PEtSh_CtOZNOKzGgq4g-MI5g2DrVz0V6sgDqqI9c5p5aNwoljUWP27JWCFGtqvVhEqttW7S49FHk-kgRh-3a4Xp6vp2i_SFCRj60_IO923t4XVxyF2fLRKRs1EMDar6Q/s1280/DSC_8467.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixM7TP2oMbMBO44orIkkQ-S9LJmrknahs7mrNb7igv4pWk6zZLubgRQtOaW5PEtSh_CtOZNOKzGgq4g-MI5g2DrVz0V6sgDqqI9c5p5aNwoljUWP27JWCFGtqvVhEqttW7S49FHk-kgRh-3a4Xp6vp2i_SFCRj60_IO923t4XVxyF2fLRKRs1EMDar6Q/s320/DSC_8467.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrrh! The signs of spring! Evidence that the <br />electric company are going to work on new<br />electric lines. Yey! </td></tr></tbody></table><p>The reason we, or should I say I, couldn't join the kids was because it took so long for my passport to get to the UK. I knew I would have to get it renewed early so that it didn't affect my residency. I needed at least three months on it, prior to the ten year term. I sent it off mid-November but it only arrived just before Christmas at the passport office and fortunately was processed pretty quickly just after Christmas - it took 6 weeks and 2 days from posting it to getting it back. Good job I hadn't booked to go at Christmas time. We hope to go later on this year for a family reunion though.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIpf9cjJadQ25nI4IoZPR1nyNIe-7NPQFSK1-uZlB-HgQaKkVPc2kXgbWBqIfnsyVVRoLiOvrCNRgPHPQhY7GaFKHgzS3jCL9ONSQcji7LhmY0CsPKrdK-QFr8qE9SWacDwa7WM6Jf7X5vxdKipQ4xtZwEepcBIkTHLqKVkQu03pyrVzHsanGTbKrVQ/s1280/DSC_8661.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIpf9cjJadQ25nI4IoZPR1nyNIe-7NPQFSK1-uZlB-HgQaKkVPc2kXgbWBqIfnsyVVRoLiOvrCNRgPHPQhY7GaFKHgzS3jCL9ONSQcji7LhmY0CsPKrdK-QFr8qE9SWacDwa7WM6Jf7X5vxdKipQ4xtZwEepcBIkTHLqKVkQu03pyrVzHsanGTbKrVQ/s320/DSC_8661.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes boys! It's just a little pussycat <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfufpUqFmMUFvhHPaxC0s8SPcGo9EZ-B1U4XE8F4BqXU-KqhMADsD81DJB28Xf7nYiK2XfjQehwc760H5A2PIWczrAkr30Ag9tgKVE7w-PkewPAQxp1SiKkuRD6poLFndPDjdKbmbroAbo31DDYAM3irHosMXXiOqxlMIVLuf_PuOc2UtHjUTZTRk8cw/s1280/DSC_8663.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1280" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfufpUqFmMUFvhHPaxC0s8SPcGo9EZ-B1U4XE8F4BqXU-KqhMADsD81DJB28Xf7nYiK2XfjQehwc760H5A2PIWczrAkr30Ag9tgKVE7w-PkewPAQxp1SiKkuRD6poLFndPDjdKbmbroAbo31DDYAM3irHosMXXiOqxlMIVLuf_PuOc2UtHjUTZTRk8cw/s320/DSC_8663.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See! Only Rocket Ron.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelAmQaZZ3LvLODuroF_Hhir1AaKAR3gxV3FD9mCIZMM1DcUPv7Z-b3TmgOBPkTzuq9OD3FqHgQfXmwhRO0EmqbosLeNA1Pg9u5peAvrDyPmZONtD8hOU9s3JDBiO_BOCE7UcUY5j_CJ8IAkAUlhw7PJJe5d0Y5bYWi6rie8_fB_P0y6k1KJ3-EUa8NQ/s1280/DSC_8677.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjelAmQaZZ3LvLODuroF_Hhir1AaKAR3gxV3FD9mCIZMM1DcUPv7Z-b3TmgOBPkTzuq9OD3FqHgQfXmwhRO0EmqbosLeNA1Pg9u5peAvrDyPmZONtD8hOU9s3JDBiO_BOCE7UcUY5j_CJ8IAkAUlhw7PJJe5d0Y5bYWi6rie8_fB_P0y6k1KJ3-EUa8NQ/s320/DSC_8677.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes the snow is cold on the paws, but it's your<br />choice to be out in it.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>January wasn't as relaxed as I thought it would be with staff development days, preparations for the new semester and assessing work from the last semester. I also marked the last set of exams for an organisation I've been with since the late 90s in various capacities, first as a home educating mum, then a net nanny moderating their student cafe and finally a sociology tutor. The extra workload I have now has meant it wasn't feasible to continue and I let them know last year that I would be leaving once the current students had finished - I couldn't leave them mid-course. So that chapter closes, but I'm grateful for all it taught me. I often roll my eyes when people get on about the problems of online learning when I've taught students in countries as far as Brazil, Bangladesh and even the UK, from my little caravan in the middle of a field in Latvia. It taught me how to work online too and that's how I got my Masters. So I know that while online learning has its challenges, it is also full of possibilities. So when a student finally emails me to tell me they are actually not around because she is studying and travelling somewhere sunny, who am I to complain! I merely told her thanks for letting me know and gave her tasks she could do and still travel. It worked!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY61i7MFixquqoWo8C9zYvNFW_per3Rhroj11jabMow1ewxe_BA0aLih3Zl99wRYy_LTlKxju8be_EESo9wjbRy5oSActbE_pz5qaW7xiOXl2TRjr4yBpcnFiMOdKCm9P9XLGmRn66FYaKM1B3wqebLcZ97smBTcOdSW2vclSsruJJF7VPP1DDW8aIQ/s1280/DSC_8749.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwY61i7MFixquqoWo8C9zYvNFW_per3Rhroj11jabMow1ewxe_BA0aLih3Zl99wRYy_LTlKxju8be_EESo9wjbRy5oSActbE_pz5qaW7xiOXl2TRjr4yBpcnFiMOdKCm9P9XLGmRn66FYaKM1B3wqebLcZ97smBTcOdSW2vclSsruJJF7VPP1DDW8aIQ/s320/DSC_8749.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh right! So now you are sunbathing in it!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATW_jns09p59lzYftOUhNXr4gFkI5Gr7BNHErLBI3iietkgNXORzeyfMHgTS9sgWdeBRohpcvyduN7b_0S5orRoHVcnO9uKSTAoLmPX8wpQ60rF8s6KV8MX107tOXnXlVvUOH2vEgSQUxiDjqc2L9mkLNIqT2Vm3e3IAo7naYZbXiLnYv1iktvftpKw/s1280/DSC_8714.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATW_jns09p59lzYftOUhNXr4gFkI5Gr7BNHErLBI3iietkgNXORzeyfMHgTS9sgWdeBRohpcvyduN7b_0S5orRoHVcnO9uKSTAoLmPX8wpQ60rF8s6KV8MX107tOXnXlVvUOH2vEgSQUxiDjqc2L9mkLNIqT2Vm3e3IAo7naYZbXiLnYv1iktvftpKw/s320/DSC_8714.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly in the snow. Looks like one of those 3D pics</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXXjrhtWB1o0oCJ_Yd334bgWkVEyucofzwrLFjJcqjaKEEpZR0B5aWdT0ju81cHg_BwTkqY1WvKZeiEfU5lHYal-4k-LWz7bsQnCvoHvUOpSpDhIhyPYMEdWNLtvrDv-GzmsjCVuywx4fWGw3PVQ2VQrqrgViEUZfIsMAGBhEuv4zCohCX6o8-PwAdg/s1280/DSC_8330.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXXjrhtWB1o0oCJ_Yd334bgWkVEyucofzwrLFjJcqjaKEEpZR0B5aWdT0ju81cHg_BwTkqY1WvKZeiEfU5lHYal-4k-LWz7bsQnCvoHvUOpSpDhIhyPYMEdWNLtvrDv-GzmsjCVuywx4fWGw3PVQ2VQrqrgViEUZfIsMAGBhEuv4zCohCX6o8-PwAdg/s320/DSC_8330.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little summer house. Ian uses the small<br />bedroom so he doesn't use as much energy to <br />heat the whole house. Since he's only there<br />during the day, that works.</td></tr></tbody></table>So I have my intense weeks at work, in a physical office, and my down days at home working quietly away from the buzz. Both have their pluses. I get to meet my friend who I stay with, my colleagues who I also can call friends and my students who encourage me that there are young people today who have so much to give. I then get my quiet time at home too, not with the alpacas so much during the winter time, as I spend a lot of time in the apartment. Soon enough though it will be time to transition to my summer home and get used to living, not in a caravan this year, but our little wooden cabin. Meanwhile the snow still lies on the ground and the days gently tick by to the gentle rhythm of my old grandfather clock. Tick! Tock!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8rtg0YRMfao10-MaPOp_I5UoJu7HUV4q38sbTtQ4Xq1OjiueNVFQNZyxiI-SwDPWO8AXlskFX3kRS5Ru_57vv9DAQ6KEtBV4uD58YXDLXsnF1FVmzNyYAhSRElnW-c0JohoSMhWw4z9ibrV6JPvFXBHM0afO_hSS-uDm9kxdV4AzqK21m_Y8P5I1qQ/s1280/DSC_8349.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8rtg0YRMfao10-MaPOp_I5UoJu7HUV4q38sbTtQ4Xq1OjiueNVFQNZyxiI-SwDPWO8AXlskFX3kRS5Ru_57vv9DAQ6KEtBV4uD58YXDLXsnF1FVmzNyYAhSRElnW-c0JohoSMhWw4z9ibrV6JPvFXBHM0afO_hSS-uDm9kxdV4AzqK21m_Y8P5I1qQ/s320/DSC_8349.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GT and Betty practising for the next winter olympics</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTLAeOu8_zxug0JTdy7m7D1NB0E8zOdoATgTXD6HRBfy9PiZWdLAUTNOCW1oYpsCWuWylSsoI-UC8g72YUlbsHc0wRAQhlHwX5xfwY6V-lwudiShosVKxmgfqyybXc7Ept9k6KzWoAL3dOODiQV9yPE3dZJo3gQfrGe_pyz4Qv5d1bAYboSCDr3lprA/s1280/DSC_8370.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTLAeOu8_zxug0JTdy7m7D1NB0E8zOdoATgTXD6HRBfy9PiZWdLAUTNOCW1oYpsCWuWylSsoI-UC8g72YUlbsHc0wRAQhlHwX5xfwY6V-lwudiShosVKxmgfqyybXc7Ept9k6KzWoAL3dOODiQV9yPE3dZJo3gQfrGe_pyz4Qv5d1bAYboSCDr3lprA/s320/DSC_8370.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumping about because she has decided the snow<br />is not so nice to be in after all</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRGkGnbnE8mUPSF-ni7fhT74OOfln4tgxSsgeNCPHHp8HtjJHesbxWQxcPmFdkIunnW0K7gppzqrq9TLlcykHB7mAh28pEqgi6aCEsWJv8w3jmCQoD9mf2nOLdvj7KVccnGhkEMMZgfRGvJVeaB80Dm1E2xFKmJmwWCagfuGknnGlyrlJPsQPYcRswQ/s1280/DSC_8472.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRGkGnbnE8mUPSF-ni7fhT74OOfln4tgxSsgeNCPHHp8HtjJHesbxWQxcPmFdkIunnW0K7gppzqrq9TLlcykHB7mAh28pEqgi6aCEsWJv8w3jmCQoD9mf2nOLdvj7KVccnGhkEMMZgfRGvJVeaB80Dm1E2xFKmJmwWCagfuGknnGlyrlJPsQPYcRswQ/s320/DSC_8472.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had some serious ice rain this year and the <br />trees were covered in thick ice, here it's not<br />so thick.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKG7BtbxX_AvNRDP8GB01qILaXyDQMzqGgMfE4xFB5wGWffuWDGVApj3zNfXyZ2t7ed_ItZT2axHv8RRfkgz0z074qi0I1g9_BDEYEpSSCEXp0_dftxOEV3Q7yslxbrKfU95dBNCAINgUNEljY02L23s93Uu8BaidSMjVNj40TMuIKSS53_iQcIxnQQ/s1280/DSC_8744.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKG7BtbxX_AvNRDP8GB01qILaXyDQMzqGgMfE4xFB5wGWffuWDGVApj3zNfXyZ2t7ed_ItZT2axHv8RRfkgz0z074qi0I1g9_BDEYEpSSCEXp0_dftxOEV3Q7yslxbrKfU95dBNCAINgUNEljY02L23s93Uu8BaidSMjVNj40TMuIKSS53_iQcIxnQQ/s320/DSC_8744.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilvija with her son, Norman.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8IdkZ1CjLpg_sX2usEiF8Zm6APlPADj5UjRBRSxGP7Xkx3cIv1bvU16yV4qxbjZOqenWImhL7XtUt64l53izZyOwTgWHQ_TPR9qUB7_nkgJlS7EXhX52V8Dw2LBKkc-7qYXHzsjvN80zQdBeXeW5xht9CNLE2JQwXApsQLNLJ-1Q0Ifc5EH4Eh6P8g/s1280/DSC_8754.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8IdkZ1CjLpg_sX2usEiF8Zm6APlPADj5UjRBRSxGP7Xkx3cIv1bvU16yV4qxbjZOqenWImhL7XtUt64l53izZyOwTgWHQ_TPR9qUB7_nkgJlS7EXhX52V8Dw2LBKkc-7qYXHzsjvN80zQdBeXeW5xht9CNLE2JQwXApsQLNLJ-1Q0Ifc5EH4Eh6P8g/s320/DSC_8754.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Either looks like someone's been playing or lots<br />of little snow Buddha's</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabdLvaI6EdL4r_8mKsU8vUkzz3PL-MFm9Dte2yPByN54dmwgR4mTdANas5RmFLsKGVtd0qJClTniEFm2v_UtpPHeA8tQjSqPzSBDQpMs46z0-22kxxWOttYlFVMCrNInDCmtGEW9QYxMCBPiOrguFFkpuQ7QrlSGsYpkl1GeR21iyeP_JfBvHV5PmDg/s1280/DSC_8755.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabdLvaI6EdL4r_8mKsU8vUkzz3PL-MFm9Dte2yPByN54dmwgR4mTdANas5RmFLsKGVtd0qJClTniEFm2v_UtpPHeA8tQjSqPzSBDQpMs46z0-22kxxWOttYlFVMCrNInDCmtGEW9QYxMCBPiOrguFFkpuQ7QrlSGsYpkl1GeR21iyeP_JfBvHV5PmDg/s320/DSC_8755.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The skies are often dramatic at this time of the year</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbL3FgDKZ9IJfZTySnzUSO1ncli0OCgJPvdLXwLD4cDbZEiC00HQEykcVOWwONPxro-oHlOF1UzHBXflL3SaKDAJq4LEYUYRz1eWd8Q-0Z_DggDlcK8paBuhPr1jkLaB9PLNMqPLa5YnJ3YMDtanN8PmMbSayYu8ti1KdBiKfZnYK_2EVWSP_mrSGwA/s1280/IMG_20221228_084533.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbL3FgDKZ9IJfZTySnzUSO1ncli0OCgJPvdLXwLD4cDbZEiC00HQEykcVOWwONPxro-oHlOF1UzHBXflL3SaKDAJq4LEYUYRz1eWd8Q-0Z_DggDlcK8paBuhPr1jkLaB9PLNMqPLa5YnJ3YMDtanN8PmMbSayYu8ti1KdBiKfZnYK_2EVWSP_mrSGwA/s320/IMG_20221228_084533.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well there had been some pumpkin seeds drying, but<br />we apparently had a mouse. It must have succumbed <br />to something, as we have had no evidence of one <br />since.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJS8SSOb9b7LH3QXBSDXJoZ5O8ZoW3HKJqNlHv75JCxS121hnpm1LUD-4--LdhgxTBYQEZ5MBt3KkPyYZ67GetwaKgq83uH1xfCG0M9AcJ4lyPk1dUf3onIbuMfEn6kmHxBqbQVdp0kwjBbthUOZwg-ONpczrcxQ3nxiWGjINSiKY6CvGbRBNlSUeLFA/s1280/IMG_20221231_082300.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJS8SSOb9b7LH3QXBSDXJoZ5O8ZoW3HKJqNlHv75JCxS121hnpm1LUD-4--LdhgxTBYQEZ5MBt3KkPyYZ67GetwaKgq83uH1xfCG0M9AcJ4lyPk1dUf3onIbuMfEn6kmHxBqbQVdp0kwjBbthUOZwg-ONpczrcxQ3nxiWGjINSiKY6CvGbRBNlSUeLFA/s320/IMG_20221231_082300.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wintry skies from our apartment</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrxeiMiMc97HbUyFMHDNPJGdTjRK5VRy7HTNtb-rQYLKoI85ntoMw1URsxtv-GNfyLO7K_HYPUlNeeoHr6oYAeN9UcYpBMh4FoXpKfHpB1kH5kvrM-nvwI0A_RhVgIgP0iETlcfmDG6gprNLi1U78snqU5UK_DDIIVhNIzrhWdTRpxgAjhpoO1UA9GQ/s1280/IMG_20221231_133205.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrxeiMiMc97HbUyFMHDNPJGdTjRK5VRy7HTNtb-rQYLKoI85ntoMw1URsxtv-GNfyLO7K_HYPUlNeeoHr6oYAeN9UcYpBMh4FoXpKfHpB1kH5kvrM-nvwI0A_RhVgIgP0iETlcfmDG6gprNLi1U78snqU5UK_DDIIVhNIzrhWdTRpxgAjhpoO1UA9GQ/s320/IMG_20221231_133205.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No I'm not going across that to my car. I'd be flat<br />on my back. I'm not really good on ice. Fortunately, <br />I haven't had to resort to the ice grips often this<br />winter.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvg-bh_B6tRcdBYeFYcAk5PzcOmU_PLvxfsN6WM-7prPV8jncZ568WBwhcbJC7svFuD2nZ8xoM7huprz3fNcKB1tyKmkRT38HJrwIJ0viBZ0h7DLVuqs5EvGbZvdGYBg9D5YiTpF9VMS3VaJHbT0z75P8huNp0pXla-AE9Xozk-ykL3MiEIAE5iwHMMQ/s1280/IMG_20230101_201614.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvg-bh_B6tRcdBYeFYcAk5PzcOmU_PLvxfsN6WM-7prPV8jncZ568WBwhcbJC7svFuD2nZ8xoM7huprz3fNcKB1tyKmkRT38HJrwIJ0viBZ0h7DLVuqs5EvGbZvdGYBg9D5YiTpF9VMS3VaJHbT0z75P8huNp0pXla-AE9Xozk-ykL3MiEIAE5iwHMMQ/s320/IMG_20230101_201614.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well how else do you wind up a ball of wool?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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} catch(err) {}</script></div>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-50960590348466666302022-12-24T22:47:00.001+02:002022-12-24T22:47:08.720+02:00Winter happened<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuXqB4IfPZ7IjXviwQ-TwWABGfsTuW96RVDCNEL3q6qzmrpihwM0YEirLiPBeOFk4JokxgDFJ7sTTbsgjZzrqCDB8V_58B9ybAKX4QntP8-N397UtGwMsUYEPnmgr-ZtSK3eEvCWcxns9AplOzZGf8VtPOAeXurI-vbudRHXRjyIUOA0hMapdEp6t8A/s1280/DSC_7762.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuXqB4IfPZ7IjXviwQ-TwWABGfsTuW96RVDCNEL3q6qzmrpihwM0YEirLiPBeOFk4JokxgDFJ7sTTbsgjZzrqCDB8V_58B9ybAKX4QntP8-N397UtGwMsUYEPnmgr-ZtSK3eEvCWcxns9AplOzZGf8VtPOAeXurI-vbudRHXRjyIUOA0hMapdEp6t8A/s320/DSC_7762.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rodent control crew. Betty has settled in<br />well with the boys (castrated, don't worry,<br />no little kittens from our cats, there are always<br />plenty more if we needed any)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Oh dear! I think I get later and later with my blogs. There are times I think of finishing but it is our diary to some extent.Ian's photos are the ones that pepper the page and liven up the text. My words are what stitches it together. Maybe in years to come our grandkids will read it and know what we were up to. </p><p style="text-align: center;">The changing face of winter</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHHPJ5q3rblcOsYX-yV_v4JMtwa21NUw1OR2QLuMowX6b1CT35q1orZ5v3-zSDSc6SPGM6FsPiHoLp-Uj9ZS-gVSqs9zKPLe2uMXbw3IRqpxOJGPgwnP1l5jrmCqYEejOtnhug0MKlXvnCdc1ZTE1wME_7ws9HVO-BAID5okv4NDgHJslvEy7eTNNtg/s1280/DSC_7814.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHHPJ5q3rblcOsYX-yV_v4JMtwa21NUw1OR2QLuMowX6b1CT35q1orZ5v3-zSDSc6SPGM6FsPiHoLp-Uj9ZS-gVSqs9zKPLe2uMXbw3IRqpxOJGPgwnP1l5jrmCqYEejOtnhug0MKlXvnCdc1ZTE1wME_7ws9HVO-BAID5okv4NDgHJslvEy7eTNNtg/s320/DSC_7814.jpeg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0reuYv6oPnYchj4pxpOSPuk6qIgpx7IfFUW0BJ9T0zgmxfc-M1GANJuCw37boPN83Lt2zNr-2JSTd-617lbeY_91TUQJJQe2l1MV49RoyL9of12X2c3n2g3KAJ5SqcTyus8nJnQMxtySqZqS4fYSU8KJjfnlTEkKGLDUzLwPpgfzV0rc-Tdo7E8h1g/s1280/DSC_7964.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN0reuYv6oPnYchj4pxpOSPuk6qIgpx7IfFUW0BJ9T0zgmxfc-M1GANJuCw37boPN83Lt2zNr-2JSTd-617lbeY_91TUQJJQe2l1MV49RoyL9of12X2c3n2g3KAJ5SqcTyus8nJnQMxtySqZqS4fYSU8KJjfnlTEkKGLDUzLwPpgfzV0rc-Tdo7E8h1g/s320/DSC_7964.jpeg" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYqISsCE669Fhj9dVcZfCozO5KAnPitWC566hemNYRDiOicSdeq73W0kV8-nF1fEWDGlJLC3YSjBaWTWs1Hgw-E7d1VIDrwjfj1YU9Jw-sme-QiZORnvLXewUdvOgxsoGr-mAVA5A44SGu0IGNWcJ7XK4Hqbath7zA5hS30II18lNvupPY8bsWCUKkg/s1280/DSC_7990.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYqISsCE669Fhj9dVcZfCozO5KAnPitWC566hemNYRDiOicSdeq73W0kV8-nF1fEWDGlJLC3YSjBaWTWs1Hgw-E7d1VIDrwjfj1YU9Jw-sme-QiZORnvLXewUdvOgxsoGr-mAVA5A44SGu0IGNWcJ7XK4Hqbath7zA5hS30II18lNvupPY8bsWCUKkg/s320/DSC_7990.jpeg" width="320" /></a></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTELpmc_fBwZ0FxtB3B-fLM2rn3f_BtEvCu1fKeqyL0HNtNysm-pfn4eZar0wZMvXiGYZBDRAFaz0_Hof7ZfPaQhWQ8gJNZvlRhym-Jv0it4u4NRTLkiYxkBHfkk9u0l1LbR8OxtVWIOiE3VkvjlXc1vCLrfLWtBwZ4z-AUemeYw905gvq6vh5ugavg/s1280/DSC_7783.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTELpmc_fBwZ0FxtB3B-fLM2rn3f_BtEvCu1fKeqyL0HNtNysm-pfn4eZar0wZMvXiGYZBDRAFaz0_Hof7ZfPaQhWQ8gJNZvlRhym-Jv0it4u4NRTLkiYxkBHfkk9u0l1LbR8OxtVWIOiE3VkvjlXc1vCLrfLWtBwZ4z-AUemeYw905gvq6vh5ugavg/s320/DSC_7783.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new fence ready for when Marvin and Norman<br />need to be moved away from their Mums. The new <br />fence is a job that would have been better done<br />before winter but at least those poles went in.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I looked back at the blog from last month and the scenery is so different now. Winter just about caught us out this year. It had been so warm that we weren't really expecting such a sudden drop in temperatures. The snow wasn't particularly early, we have had snow earlier in the year before, but this snow was different, as it is still hanging around but only just as it has begun to thaw a bit this last week. There have been many years when early snow meant waiting for a thaw and then a mad dash around to finish off pre-winter jobs. Not so much this year, at least not yet, although the blanket of snow did at least mean the ground was soft and not frozen hard so that Ian was able to put some fence posts in and remove some electric fencing poles shortly after it snowed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkzp_eYKNl8DT_K5damUs_CNbIoSQzIS5mpt7Uosxuxt8P3yLjroujo7brT7KlPLSiMC7lJ9bA16_Ip7ECoCK4c1bSwG51J1TT46qxiqeNcRdzNVSsuxtOa24YpyKrOtXiIbrQKnzkMhLAqosASUqy2Bn9EHKOmjpqRcRmsWxAq5wrjBt8RFmAOY9nA/s1280/DSC_7808.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkzp_eYKNl8DT_K5damUs_CNbIoSQzIS5mpt7Uosxuxt8P3yLjroujo7brT7KlPLSiMC7lJ9bA16_Ip7ECoCK4c1bSwG51J1TT46qxiqeNcRdzNVSsuxtOa24YpyKrOtXiIbrQKnzkMhLAqosASUqy2Bn9EHKOmjpqRcRmsWxAq5wrjBt8RFmAOY9nA/s320/DSC_7808.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The greenhouse is showing signs of age now but<br />been up over 10 years now</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqv2IyuYG6wJkN6gitH1IPya7JwkJHvhQHYbLAK8-Z9j7b4IBWDzdErpCc_ntuSJW0sDFaQOUNL85hW2wgLPZTAQBfKklxvUzOTI6mn1DUcoxW8Nb2x7a1uG_R5cqT2WjIMzVQtSus2cXSgsCCnaVABavz_KY_9Y0NS1ThfuOgFzoDTRL3mkZdyAlXFQ/s1280/DSC_7815.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqv2IyuYG6wJkN6gitH1IPya7JwkJHvhQHYbLAK8-Z9j7b4IBWDzdErpCc_ntuSJW0sDFaQOUNL85hW2wgLPZTAQBfKklxvUzOTI6mn1DUcoxW8Nb2x7a1uG_R5cqT2WjIMzVQtSus2cXSgsCCnaVABavz_KY_9Y0NS1ThfuOgFzoDTRL3mkZdyAlXFQ/s320/DSC_7815.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to keep the weight of snow against the side<br />down means clearing a path to put the snow into.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxq5wIq4-k8vA7Kn5N3ypI5ghL0XXdX46x8TzUoQBPuQWuMMAGFLzfMKJj8p8BcYw6ISnAZMt9jI3f6hjB4XgKxfosDWviF0axF_BMHZsWcrUwVbd_9tvHzBcMqHFiDMNA8zBId5ftniVvHRBockjk41lcfREjDs3oYRrUddqsJjBKA_ZWViUxo8TjDQ/s1280/DSC_7871.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxq5wIq4-k8vA7Kn5N3ypI5ghL0XXdX46x8TzUoQBPuQWuMMAGFLzfMKJj8p8BcYw6ISnAZMt9jI3f6hjB4XgKxfosDWviF0axF_BMHZsWcrUwVbd_9tvHzBcMqHFiDMNA8zBId5ftniVvHRBockjk41lcfREjDs3oYRrUddqsJjBKA_ZWViUxo8TjDQ/s320/DSC_7871.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't fancy those grapes now. A bit past their best</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="text-align: left;" /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNXPCHevwvzcHSeALfAHeE7fOSHfRs6uD05gFJI_OmMstKqceuc97e5K20KReV3qBjgtyfhR6Fq5eAXpgM0_K5UOWHnbTv1Z-aH1HlOICVfFFJte2NbsqDXdnBrmfaBUWCURDbYxMXUOOelJ7n8xgTfUU-KPrUeEkAtBDo3kB-gQzOMalnqj-Pyr54Q/s1280/DSC_7872.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNXPCHevwvzcHSeALfAHeE7fOSHfRs6uD05gFJI_OmMstKqceuc97e5K20KReV3qBjgtyfhR6Fq5eAXpgM0_K5UOWHnbTv1Z-aH1HlOICVfFFJte2NbsqDXdnBrmfaBUWCURDbYxMXUOOelJ7n8xgTfUU-KPrUeEkAtBDo3kB-gQzOMalnqj-Pyr54Q/s320/DSC_7872.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repairs on the repairs. I think the plastic is now <br />held together by an intricate web of greenhouse tape.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_BOVvDi1WpTs_Hm7UJayISHzJWDOFavZERsfFnR6Z20NY9xEQPN3f_E7EMO1qQRbdJciLSqOere8lRh0DelhxkLF8ptGlG1ohpQuullFN49-QbhwNsV1-Azu5o9DsSwPG0ve6sFd_0efV1_2uRhLocBUHcuHn3e3tmI3UK4CobJqWMk3nGXcPxkxRQ/s1280/DSC_7754.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_BOVvDi1WpTs_Hm7UJayISHzJWDOFavZERsfFnR6Z20NY9xEQPN3f_E7EMO1qQRbdJciLSqOere8lRh0DelhxkLF8ptGlG1ohpQuullFN49-QbhwNsV1-Azu5o9DsSwPG0ve6sFd_0efV1_2uRhLocBUHcuHn3e3tmI3UK4CobJqWMk3nGXcPxkxRQ/s320/DSC_7754.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking rather worse for wear and very frozen.<br />This was partly because Ian was using it and so<br />had the heater on inside. It wasn't helping.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Our old caravan ended up staying outside, partly because the greenhouse needs some repairs and partly because the ground has been so soft anyway it couldn't be moved to a more sheltered position. Unfortunately it isn't holding up well and cushions froze to the outer wall. With the recent above freezing temperatures, Ian managed to prise off the cushions and bring them back to our apartment. We moved back at the beginning of December into our winter lodgings. It was kind of nice this year to be resident during the day in one caravan and sleep in the other. No making up the bed every night like we used to. It also meant that we could put an electric blanket on to heat up while we sat in the other caravan. It was kind of odd though to lock up one caravan and then move by torchlight to the other one at night. I know! I know! We are kind of odd anyway.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Outside our apartment</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iPUoHP-uLtNtXWeHQZdS6_Gf7zz3ROTyeDJ49mb5iuEYurxHHUec1dUdZ4E9NfpTTlElZ3EouO4kZ_I0_42DOrmAvLQoLrQ6_j4LasDiilFB767B1gaOGM-J7p2TTKzJI18gNufL5Se9-Z-f-AgnayShOfJ_38cxHhqlOhftwyzw3gedQ9Wv4B3atQ/s1280/IMG_20221207_130040~2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="1280" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iPUoHP-uLtNtXWeHQZdS6_Gf7zz3ROTyeDJ49mb5iuEYurxHHUec1dUdZ4E9NfpTTlElZ3EouO4kZ_I0_42DOrmAvLQoLrQ6_j4LasDiilFB767B1gaOGM-J7p2TTKzJI18gNufL5Se9-Z-f-AgnayShOfJ_38cxHhqlOhftwyzw3gedQ9Wv4B3atQ/s320/IMG_20221207_130040~2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fFRUIKAmfnEJ0dVPZJKwBw-oyz_FsjCKf5mDtkQ7yD74QggiG3rtcDxtWM5foKoFwIwe7f05rsVrxHEkEwRv_4vEBsinm_wMJF1yQLPdtUnBPKB8qMfuLIuVSwsgQkuA9baBYOH45UnS3yGAiTD3uh3xR8UHwjlnwnzxU7hX84tGDpyuxR2c4qHeRg/s1280/IMG_20221207_130726~2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fFRUIKAmfnEJ0dVPZJKwBw-oyz_FsjCKf5mDtkQ7yD74QggiG3rtcDxtWM5foKoFwIwe7f05rsVrxHEkEwRv_4vEBsinm_wMJF1yQLPdtUnBPKB8qMfuLIuVSwsgQkuA9baBYOH45UnS3yGAiTD3uh3xR8UHwjlnwnzxU7hX84tGDpyuxR2c4qHeRg/s320/IMG_20221207_130726~2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLI7-JzxnPOsm4wuigLUTAilw0DQtisKAxRtWj634U0yUV4nHBJ7bONxFlT8m59xp0F2_qtHcdKt4ppHUBOcBOjQnztU93GzE2at4dqLKxXPkoeFOe9tzE5Z1fFR7vmiumLo06_jTDEqO_VIbL9eaF5WQgak_KpQIeZv7cAjjPx0cT1E8FEAxuY4CSSw/s1280/DSC_7829.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLI7-JzxnPOsm4wuigLUTAilw0DQtisKAxRtWj634U0yUV4nHBJ7bONxFlT8m59xp0F2_qtHcdKt4ppHUBOcBOjQnztU93GzE2at4dqLKxXPkoeFOe9tzE5Z1fFR7vmiumLo06_jTDEqO_VIbL9eaF5WQgak_KpQIeZv7cAjjPx0cT1E8FEAxuY4CSSw/s320/DSC_7829.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have the girls been having snowball fights?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The hardest part of that kind of lifestyle though was the long evenings in a small space and the difficulties in preparing an evening meal in the dark, cold greenhouse or the cramped caravan. Neither solution was ideal. Other issues of caravan living are bearable to me and compensated by being outdoors more. It forces me out rather than kind of snuggling up in an apartment, which is what I kind of do in winter, at least while I'm in Latvia that is, but I'll get to that. It's a shame the summer house wasn't ready to live in properly but maybe next year!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8MvhfooeloPobCoZTB7rcXlpEse8m9evlFbOv_USmtrNX8Wi31n7jjrBV4yMFkNAF8QA3PIGsTUjOWEPHewed2GNU9DVC18hyXXyRo6MemThME990h0owqelrkTgP76Dn8gbS1wRmjatogc60dTBECpMXJ7NRbagsEmVCuUm6z7eV86ocwTzflpInA/s1280/DSC_7759.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8MvhfooeloPobCoZTB7rcXlpEse8m9evlFbOv_USmtrNX8Wi31n7jjrBV4yMFkNAF8QA3PIGsTUjOWEPHewed2GNU9DVC18hyXXyRo6MemThME990h0owqelrkTgP76Dn8gbS1wRmjatogc60dTBECpMXJ7NRbagsEmVCuUm6z7eV86ocwTzflpInA/s320/DSC_7759.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early on, 23rd November</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4X1NiijVNIWTwZjT4uYd5k5C4yjibjZpDaryifJxEMZIVdS9dwCAAUJM5fK4a8kcYePPMsRVANpknu0L1-n9Fbj4j0riePtY9jS9c7UcCK0Hm9nHH6bIIwbQbvUy6yhRHq3PJvKAeUwrM1VPAdgnW-PE3OZyEg2x9qk137sH1cPkdnL4dfPzrOF-Zw/s1280/DSC_7804.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN4X1NiijVNIWTwZjT4uYd5k5C4yjibjZpDaryifJxEMZIVdS9dwCAAUJM5fK4a8kcYePPMsRVANpknu0L1-n9Fbj4j0riePtY9jS9c7UcCK0Hm9nHH6bIIwbQbvUy6yhRHq3PJvKAeUwrM1VPAdgnW-PE3OZyEg2x9qk137sH1cPkdnL4dfPzrOF-Zw/s320/DSC_7804.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">8th December the first of the heavy snow <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzt0jbWxeqyzjy0z2O5SX5ij3MLtDrAu_VPm3gjkGysPk-MxJc3IXsOTc5AtJmA29cRrqOW4jMvLdhzfVtiP2eeJ9Ut795WAOAKhI0a61z-vLAYNP8MR9zQPneZkBQLs5tVWKIb0xJ_vIx6N8FwCdAuW0K9P_mgdk8WRstUY-EoVRBzxzQhLfBWVJjYQ/s1280/DSC_7810.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzt0jbWxeqyzjy0z2O5SX5ij3MLtDrAu_VPm3gjkGysPk-MxJc3IXsOTc5AtJmA29cRrqOW4jMvLdhzfVtiP2eeJ9Ut795WAOAKhI0a61z-vLAYNP8MR9zQPneZkBQLs5tVWKIb0xJ_vIx6N8FwCdAuW0K9P_mgdk8WRstUY-EoVRBzxzQhLfBWVJjYQ/s320/DSC_7810.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day after </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPY5JVgR81B4r0SVtOHRbIS9rNrBQ-VIVbl_i1bnLKsK0nFDr0MY0u-rHlxRAKezrwfERy_5EweKmIZXuEMNdwBGY5mUqc0CDUBWqZyKzmDi1nLp9oCRtn2R_mIOkXkXywNsVLVlpjv9bRytHxQZzx9sIcly8FItBleyEQtnmK-RJiWeGGVJUrz0IjSA/s1280/DSC_8129.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPY5JVgR81B4r0SVtOHRbIS9rNrBQ-VIVbl_i1bnLKsK0nFDr0MY0u-rHlxRAKezrwfERy_5EweKmIZXuEMNdwBGY5mUqc0CDUBWqZyKzmDi1nLp9oCRtn2R_mIOkXkXywNsVLVlpjv9bRytHxQZzx9sIcly8FItBleyEQtnmK-RJiWeGGVJUrz0IjSA/s320/DSC_8129.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the room that Ian uses. Insulation is the next <br />job, at least that room anyway.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH3pPtQ-jOg_e0yo6TYB3VTLtey9zmPP_M_lHNoT70n1r_IrU0Dc5jf_oq38VUDp8Xxu33MaVq0IHyHf8WgTfchqD7WtmDCZcX-Lu53y18GlW0UwojfoLVHKRh68DWq49ssH_h50xm4iUFzsAnBf4uSW_tkML_etlvxD70sf9L1QaP8WaAGRmxWyrsQ/s1280/DSC_7841.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH3pPtQ-jOg_e0yo6TYB3VTLtey9zmPP_M_lHNoT70n1r_IrU0Dc5jf_oq38VUDp8Xxu33MaVq0IHyHf8WgTfchqD7WtmDCZcX-Lu53y18GlW0UwojfoLVHKRh68DWq49ssH_h50xm4iUFzsAnBf4uSW_tkML_etlvxD70sf9L1QaP8WaAGRmxWyrsQ/s320/DSC_7841.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So what is this white stuff? Is it safe?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So the routines are all different now. Ian leaves to go out to the land to see to the animals and I stay in bed to read a little longer unless I have a Latvian lesson, in which case I have to be up and sensible by 8am. So, no chickens to feed for me until spring. First thing in the morning I sometimes heat up the small office room with a heater and sometimes I just use a blanket to stay warm enough until mid-afternoon when I light the fire for our central heating. I will also often prepare the evening meal at that point and compensate my time of work by working a little later into the evening. It's a more comfortable routine than in the caravan. It feels kind of strange to turn on a tap and, shock, hot water! A luxury that we often take for granted these days.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqdReMfLVkpNeWeB6D8U82nCycQ2nqQxVqq6ucE6zb17jzzzlLeVo3g8P-kjmGlwTkJeYr6RJoqfUR_kpCtwd1urf-Y8JgsDPmGaqGkd3LtaOmuJq0ppRdR69StpZCwpuyu_ASYyXyfSFOMo5_KI-8Hx2tdjhg2VBoJ1UPzi0qvj-e75wwM36cPeJCA/s1280/DSC_7983.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqdReMfLVkpNeWeB6D8U82nCycQ2nqQxVqq6ucE6zb17jzzzlLeVo3g8P-kjmGlwTkJeYr6RJoqfUR_kpCtwd1urf-Y8JgsDPmGaqGkd3LtaOmuJq0ppRdR69StpZCwpuyu_ASYyXyfSFOMo5_KI-8Hx2tdjhg2VBoJ1UPzi0qvj-e75wwM36cPeJCA/s320/DSC_7983.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the muted tones in this one on a cold frosty morning<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-riAP96hyeyyVCN8z_Key87XAG20DBgCE1I_Wqnyk6GAJDMbgRZ3jC_IWpV5xinvyxsAmP-4pboWWlA4PPpy1nwEiW1xgNMt5kEwCZ8aepAwhwMtLSyldnnsF2U-2UgiokhzZb63OhlynKsomj6dhrv7QXlSmy0IZw35ZcOxCthuTV_lIg8t9hR3x6w/s1280/DSC_7823.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-riAP96hyeyyVCN8z_Key87XAG20DBgCE1I_Wqnyk6GAJDMbgRZ3jC_IWpV5xinvyxsAmP-4pboWWlA4PPpy1nwEiW1xgNMt5kEwCZ8aepAwhwMtLSyldnnsF2U-2UgiokhzZb63OhlynKsomj6dhrv7QXlSmy0IZw35ZcOxCthuTV_lIg8t9hR3x6w/s320/DSC_7823.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian's car can be a bit temperamental these days, <br />but it is nearly 15 years old and handled the<br />Latvian dirt roads well in that time.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've been up to Estonia twice since I last blogged. It's a very different routine with my new work responsibilities and I'm very grateful to my friend for letting me stay at her place while I'm there. So much easier and one less thing to worry about. While I'm up in Estonia, I make sure I'm available for staff to talk and just try to find out what is going on to help me plan proposed changes to our programmes for next year. It can be quite emotional as we learn to relate to each other after the isolating times of COVID. On the subject of COVID I've managed to dodge that fortunately and students seem pretty good at staying away if they are not well. But then again, they don't have to miss out these days, we just use conference software and they can join in too. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlvf95D3oShqHpXcLkD6ajC7pxOCBOgKSD7tCeiLot8aWfeUYH_gFJCNfyVlwlguOvfNm4hrxOg6HM5jRV-AC4tJ4Hg1SIFCnu_mq-Cg9W7lbHfENLFpMCHxfu-a9RuhotOzGh4iVtM2iMf613gdtaHNVTL4dMEuuFCBXuvYLER0t1Px-B4np1RPddQ/s1280/IMG_20221213_084908.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlvf95D3oShqHpXcLkD6ajC7pxOCBOgKSD7tCeiLot8aWfeUYH_gFJCNfyVlwlguOvfNm4hrxOg6HM5jRV-AC4tJ4Hg1SIFCnu_mq-Cg9W7lbHfENLFpMCHxfu-a9RuhotOzGh4iVtM2iMf613gdtaHNVTL4dMEuuFCBXuvYLER0t1Px-B4np1RPddQ/s320/IMG_20221213_084908.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good job I got in before the snow then. <br />I parked up at the university in the<br />staff car park and then walked to my<br />friend's house. It's a pleasant 20 minute<br />walk - well usually. Not looking forward<br />to it if it is icy next time.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtCi5Vi4t9TKX_sLod4hG4pHS0Za0dK8yWz_AKBC4pMZ2cGA3LBNoTRxnw7MLiSdpHFKOPO_Nbj0BdkyG83G85BIM78vRUInO1z45YLiuGQgbcwxWe_niXMrnIXoO5FZN-oHQcmLaJxkyfZbxnBgrz92i96wNx-leiE9MvdN1Ul-cVnWuDKpelGpJpg/s1280/DSC_7860.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtCi5Vi4t9TKX_sLod4hG4pHS0Za0dK8yWz_AKBC4pMZ2cGA3LBNoTRxnw7MLiSdpHFKOPO_Nbj0BdkyG83G85BIM78vRUInO1z45YLiuGQgbcwxWe_niXMrnIXoO5FZN-oHQcmLaJxkyfZbxnBgrz92i96wNx-leiE9MvdN1Ul-cVnWuDKpelGpJpg/s320/DSC_7860.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two wheel tractor sees a lot of use. Cuts grass<br />in summer and as a snow plough in winter.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The last time I went up to Estonia I had to time it due to an expected heavy dumping of snow with high winds. In the end it wasn't as bad as forecast but it could have been nasty. Ian stayed out on the land because sometimes his car doesn't start in bad weather and even if I had been around my car wouldn't['t make it out in a large dumping of snow. My car is to get me to Estonia and back not trek out to the land and back all the time. I do have new winter tyres on though. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbADPsuicUM_7CGUy0a8meAWk5T_pAV4UvFL-8CVA784besDjTS6CxJw3ocrXZndGtx5g0QJ2EG8HePLsXxExyPAueOdqGtyzrpWUdPotE--ism5sULb6Bbl8p4g4KGxEqp71BvmQbxiTEm1DwKACfiNpANHOMLo4-bSsO3dN36inEfGMSbswGmBsk3A/s1280/DSC_7831.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbADPsuicUM_7CGUy0a8meAWk5T_pAV4UvFL-8CVA784besDjTS6CxJw3ocrXZndGtx5g0QJ2EG8HePLsXxExyPAueOdqGtyzrpWUdPotE--ism5sULb6Bbl8p4g4KGxEqp71BvmQbxiTEm1DwKACfiNpANHOMLo4-bSsO3dN36inEfGMSbswGmBsk3A/s320/DSC_7831.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some days it's best just to stay in<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiD21nE6VRHjsLRaBKOJwqmZqdjA7CTZ-q1Lne0YSQmwfMx9iQ2ea6pk_yXCu5ciDxMMpLxWPUX9xwaVkjgIUhwLRW3mxNM0OxbmjX0ieBDme-bulYXEKTJFnp4q18Ue7Wh2KYS-G71K5QflQm3RDUq7bFyhyFue6ralyTuuJUGEYxAp4_K5IB1auaiQ/s1280/DSC_7974.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiD21nE6VRHjsLRaBKOJwqmZqdjA7CTZ-q1Lne0YSQmwfMx9iQ2ea6pk_yXCu5ciDxMMpLxWPUX9xwaVkjgIUhwLRW3mxNM0OxbmjX0ieBDme-bulYXEKTJFnp4q18Ue7Wh2KYS-G71K5QflQm3RDUq7bFyhyFue6ralyTuuJUGEYxAp4_K5IB1auaiQ/s320/DSC_7974.jpeg" width="320" /></a><div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;">But then again!</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgdRucwFnRa2-PUxYgg6KvROGsnIUcDMO59Sfs_zOxST8wAc06AS-liJ3xvo1-vnbAh0VTCwFwrekP5S_mGSDHWKGZqFqZ8xDKKGrl8hvWsMnF7iCsVsmgsrNt7VERwVdNt8R059haDstxixj7L7J7U2K6Uq_czrP0P5t6ZMO7P5jYBWADUGNCUX57A/s1280/DSC_8001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgdRucwFnRa2-PUxYgg6KvROGsnIUcDMO59Sfs_zOxST8wAc06AS-liJ3xvo1-vnbAh0VTCwFwrekP5S_mGSDHWKGZqFqZ8xDKKGrl8hvWsMnF7iCsVsmgsrNt7VERwVdNt8R059haDstxixj7L7J7U2K6Uq_czrP0P5t6ZMO7P5jYBWADUGNCUX57A/s320/DSC_8001.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkOn1oQV6oJj5cXaV8ObVD_JT8Ut8TYrRakNAPOPgzi4AfEx1z-Iq8RFC8qFo21Izr0juQC-0w8VFzuqZMsgTbaB9qBc2To7DcsZX2pdrX9jevaQjquT2VubZ_EbI6lZTN4VyrYdEhctFgFQ2atCvTYED5KB34ENg0BFS5TZOeC38S8ek2w3h7Y_7IA/s1280/DSC_8190.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkOn1oQV6oJj5cXaV8ObVD_JT8Ut8TYrRakNAPOPgzi4AfEx1z-Iq8RFC8qFo21Izr0juQC-0w8VFzuqZMsgTbaB9qBc2To7DcsZX2pdrX9jevaQjquT2VubZ_EbI6lZTN4VyrYdEhctFgFQ2atCvTYED5KB34ENg0BFS5TZOeC38S8ek2w3h7Y_7IA/s320/DSC_8190.jpeg" width="320" /></a><br /><div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsm1cUh46ACBo2mhGgW5ihRLultu8WMve4vHNCH6ddrTVFW5kyunLYoqsV_KdJXZmR4PWl6L-C0jv8flH_2o7en5PSH0MgKuECo3NbA4hW2bXrd7V1EF4PE_DRVcQ3Dh_1xBTbJhza5TivMQBLYSIEyiUNGCkIO6nTRCNKBsRWFDeiioSWloxe5cy-Ew/s1280/DSC_7879.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsm1cUh46ACBo2mhGgW5ihRLultu8WMve4vHNCH6ddrTVFW5kyunLYoqsV_KdJXZmR4PWl6L-C0jv8flH_2o7en5PSH0MgKuECo3NbA4hW2bXrd7V1EF4PE_DRVcQ3Dh_1xBTbJhza5TivMQBLYSIEyiUNGCkIO6nTRCNKBsRWFDeiioSWloxe5cy-Ew/s320/DSC_7879.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An unexpected visitor</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The university environment has of course changed a lot over the last few years. The recent pandemic has opened up new possibilities of hybrid working that not everyone is comfortable with but know how to use. Students have changed, the economy has changed, staff have changed, new staff have joined, others gone on maternity leave. So much upheaval in such a short space of time. Navigating through all of that and yet ensuring a good quality of education is going to be a challenge, but then again, I get bored without a challenge and I'm comfortable with change. At the moment though I feel like I'm clearing a path through the rubble to try and see a way forward. The early January period will be a time when I get the chance to reflect more on what I've gleaned over the last few months. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxJxDr16g-LpoeZ_0va9xxoA1F1ZfJ-Wj-4Kw6rgpoHQZO4y7SSAy9C0N4TQgpf-_QpKJiPFLbPLX1DpUnS68u2UCmVIs4ash1U3MwPzIE5CSrjfdTXJJM4nAgtNRiYY-P4fg0QK-glEGIeOW7UcoJgZFDvNnZye7GyCw2ciZb-uO0SXqNndHgmoSrA/s1280/DSC_8004.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxJxDr16g-LpoeZ_0va9xxoA1F1ZfJ-Wj-4Kw6rgpoHQZO4y7SSAy9C0N4TQgpf-_QpKJiPFLbPLX1DpUnS68u2UCmVIs4ash1U3MwPzIE5CSrjfdTXJJM4nAgtNRiYY-P4fg0QK-glEGIeOW7UcoJgZFDvNnZye7GyCw2ciZb-uO0SXqNndHgmoSrA/s320/DSC_8004.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See Norman, the snow's not that bad<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOl7fMBlXdZwNx6GQw7ZbqJZJQn37vR1SI_egB-mqE84D5yIQpzTluUKR5_PJZwnjc7JVWyHbBBUNYkJQeFvtmjAhFDWgtvGjwTODyXpCT42Shf_5Z90Oenh-3uSk5KCfR5czGg8qAds9F_EuNyq_7tx0tf_nqtJw6Pb14shv9YhrR-sk0BGeWBJT7NQ/s1280/DSC_8204.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOl7fMBlXdZwNx6GQw7ZbqJZJQn37vR1SI_egB-mqE84D5yIQpzTluUKR5_PJZwnjc7JVWyHbBBUNYkJQeFvtmjAhFDWgtvGjwTODyXpCT42Shf_5Z90Oenh-3uSk5KCfR5czGg8qAds9F_EuNyq_7tx0tf_nqtJw6Pb14shv9YhrR-sk0BGeWBJT7NQ/s320/DSC_8204.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman's dad, George</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1no-n-4xznjBj0J5tPG4Ums82MQDT-tkyiBWsU61J-cpgKtltyZCAEeuLYSBfq0mUb1yBpso0ntkrEI4Y-jgKgazXoE9HpH_eSRBFxkr-FtbGqb1X2X70Pu5reKEcKa9q8s-0L2Ets9OByNbH2JeKKEVBApEGquFcsCShvLDKHPuSHgol4_WKNOteg/s1280/DSC_8202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1no-n-4xznjBj0J5tPG4Ums82MQDT-tkyiBWsU61J-cpgKtltyZCAEeuLYSBfq0mUb1yBpso0ntkrEI4Y-jgKgazXoE9HpH_eSRBFxkr-FtbGqb1X2X70Pu5reKEcKa9q8s-0L2Ets9OByNbH2JeKKEVBApEGquFcsCShvLDKHPuSHgol4_WKNOteg/s320/DSC_8202.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie, is back to his sweet self now. Sadly he had<br />to be castrated to calm him down, but at least it<br />worked.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEYhVQ92WZS1cKnfhyPyutB30IDzHFQwr405LQzkvhV4y_06BGk7IIDkh6cUjvtZ28AmmSInG7SRAK6_na-8tX1Y6mvuXTIC3--RILreq-daTpinwI0ZflDOWYKJv3qf7MA3nMsdyfIy9kwDemvcM7KyvRohsWkpgpbZsUIJnB7XQvQObsEDKq3Pjkw/s1280/DSC_7976.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEYhVQ92WZS1cKnfhyPyutB30IDzHFQwr405LQzkvhV4y_06BGk7IIDkh6cUjvtZ28AmmSInG7SRAK6_na-8tX1Y6mvuXTIC3--RILreq-daTpinwI0ZflDOWYKJv3qf7MA3nMsdyfIy9kwDemvcM7KyvRohsWkpgpbZsUIJnB7XQvQObsEDKq3Pjkw/s320/DSC_7976.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin has been causing us some concern. He<br />was feeling the cold and seemed to be losing <br />energy. We are now beginning to suspect he<br />didn't get the point of hay. As the grass died off<br />he relied more on his mother's milk and wasn't<br />eating the hay. He does now and has been put<br />on extra feeds of lucerne to build him up. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'm looking forward to a little more thinking space this next semester. One of the projects I was working on is nearly finished finally with the publication of a draft report, this is out for people to comment on. There will be a final tweaking of the text for the finished product - or at least that's what we hope for, but then that will truly be the end of that. I was also teaching a brand new course to bachelor students last semester. Previously I was just teaching master students and that was mainly using material already written by a colleague. The new course has been a learning curve, but I think it went okay from what I understand. Coming across as a motherly/granny type has its advantages sometimes. If there is one thing I've learnt over the years is to give good feedback. I prefer that approach anyway to presenting myself as the font of all knowledge. I might know a little about a lot due to my research interests but I most certainly do not know everything and would rather students find out for themselves with some guidance. It seems to work anyway. I've been very pleased with the work that I've got back from the students so far.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5p_s7V940_rNylDthWyVwrgbavP-N3b11amHTvEllZot3S09RPRsAIH_chSYi0Z9kEnM6X75i290bp4Ws-uINrCbLKN43doWoKsayRzJQQJMyOIMwW-8cHj2eNFHSSA0g3dU3orQAJNGKT1T1EhOXbpP0VL3RaTuhgQo7BgSonguRs1ms_xEapu4uw/s1280/DSC_7999.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5p_s7V940_rNylDthWyVwrgbavP-N3b11amHTvEllZot3S09RPRsAIH_chSYi0Z9kEnM6X75i290bp4Ws-uINrCbLKN43doWoKsayRzJQQJMyOIMwW-8cHj2eNFHSSA0g3dU3orQAJNGKT1T1EhOXbpP0VL3RaTuhgQo7BgSonguRs1ms_xEapu4uw/s320/DSC_7999.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin and his mum, Amanda<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu1jv1Wb4xPrpD8fbSNOJ-3tVzam5wxWNPYOExoCYjHQ1NUjPuv9rZ3diQhsf8csLEDQs3Vh0TapAJZ2fLpxngSgUwTqvSkKz1Kx5IkVli3MmG6IR2fwJLr7HOO6Fi39_Pth-IKn9dvGmhw4OlYyDlYTixPSZtnjhd1isZzZCGDsQQdZPiPqRY0RxFA/s1280/DSC_8216.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu1jv1Wb4xPrpD8fbSNOJ-3tVzam5wxWNPYOExoCYjHQ1NUjPuv9rZ3diQhsf8csLEDQs3Vh0TapAJZ2fLpxngSgUwTqvSkKz1Kx5IkVli3MmG6IR2fwJLr7HOO6Fi39_Pth-IKn9dvGmhw4OlYyDlYTixPSZtnjhd1isZzZCGDsQQdZPiPqRY0RxFA/s320/DSC_8216.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enough energy now for a roll around, he's also<br />got a taste for Christmas trees<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zTPIJrID9Mn8-HTqc1f_8VhcN42rFDxan31sYOjNxed_6d4qRF-tJ2OBPCGbtuvTQUE1OT3u8fqR5zpIuKcwndtlvAUX6CrwN-d61NY1_vdIS34Ax4tqk3NDXjHVHXRcuxITWBc5ol1ms32rDhUX7Obmt2UKfDyBW3t1HT0CLp1x0P_O7MvvuJoOzQ/s1280/DSC_8193.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zTPIJrID9Mn8-HTqc1f_8VhcN42rFDxan31sYOjNxed_6d4qRF-tJ2OBPCGbtuvTQUE1OT3u8fqR5zpIuKcwndtlvAUX6CrwN-d61NY1_vdIS34Ax4tqk3NDXjHVHXRcuxITWBc5ol1ms32rDhUX7Obmt2UKfDyBW3t1HT0CLp1x0P_O7MvvuJoOzQ/s320/DSC_8193.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman and his mum, Ilvija</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod9gNm3t4qh4f2MJf_Oz_JCRyRXhVrf3X-ZbQkJJ3VvA8ajKAAESki0bYzA-ppEOKI2Kgf8guzV7K5V2U8cCboKS9SiQ0pQbXYqaI5m_lhi9ARdbojKCb5S8e0Zce8WEY6UKaIzBrKx3vbvkEXjqwZ26VWmAVZd8KNf9a5mijSOR10LHXAp3RDJtCxQ/s1280/DSC_7991.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiod9gNm3t4qh4f2MJf_Oz_JCRyRXhVrf3X-ZbQkJJ3VvA8ajKAAESki0bYzA-ppEOKI2Kgf8guzV7K5V2U8cCboKS9SiQ0pQbXYqaI5m_lhi9ARdbojKCb5S8e0Zce8WEY6UKaIzBrKx3vbvkEXjqwZ26VWmAVZd8KNf9a5mijSOR10LHXAp3RDJtCxQ/s320/DSC_7991.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josefs</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We don't plan on going anywhere at Christmas because of our animals, which does limit us to some extent, which is a good job because I needed to renew my passport and it took five weeks to get to the passport office in the UK. I was shocked though to find that they then processed my passport within two days of telling me they had my old passport. It is a good job I have residency in two countries that are side by side and so I can still travel to work and back. It would have been difficult if I hadn't. Now I have to wait for the passport to be couriered to me - whenever that will be! Let's hope it's not another five weeks. What tales could my passports tell me, if they could speak?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Who says that winter lacks colour?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBg0mG9JTOnCzYyTF-oOGcTmF5mYhEdj5jDD4vYlnOkI1h5c7mJ37ASoV5xQxfgrYsofHlOjL4Asal3INtQbiKdetO1iCQ7TUevYQBsN0C3gVDP0pqsedXRhZ7TMzNxMYG-eIJ28nmdV7giitKBRJyTwU-agVX0zdPHBTT7iy84L6jkoFVHQAZFzkT5Q/s1280/DSC_7969.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBg0mG9JTOnCzYyTF-oOGcTmF5mYhEdj5jDD4vYlnOkI1h5c7mJ37ASoV5xQxfgrYsofHlOjL4Asal3INtQbiKdetO1iCQ7TUevYQBsN0C3gVDP0pqsedXRhZ7TMzNxMYG-eIJ28nmdV7giitKBRJyTwU-agVX0zdPHBTT7iy84L6jkoFVHQAZFzkT5Q/s320/DSC_7969.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqrxrYcAMoX7BuO6aez72cO4d34n3gPhOwukPzdwjpg2-QKl_1ns8LxbTZ8Rk79nfosAnJAluLK4VUb2MMRqv_ZadX89bJ9GW9obGYwLN2V25I_7Wu5o0ITJL4NM1kKA1hzQjxMZL-uqAIgKnWotBSyIz51oWb-ojiSmku3u7T6iH9bBZsOs1kkP1Aw/s1280/DSC_7998.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqrxrYcAMoX7BuO6aez72cO4d34n3gPhOwukPzdwjpg2-QKl_1ns8LxbTZ8Rk79nfosAnJAluLK4VUb2MMRqv_ZadX89bJ9GW9obGYwLN2V25I_7Wu5o0ITJL4NM1kKA1hzQjxMZL-uqAIgKnWotBSyIz51oWb-ojiSmku3u7T6iH9bBZsOs1kkP1Aw/s320/DSC_7998.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kcb4BtGHA_CT-lUAQocN3A1kSohrl_dSHJCqD5wQ_s7faxmAX-0A3Z4nDTCHcSzDVf094CIogtOQSummNk8PSX-4-r6VLL5UzCajzQEI71_gYhr971sgY6cC6E8tlf40ggWtpWO0E9WfbCs6t-YdJ4wSdvO31CFg3f_P32rs3jkkFORgAmRX17_6NQ/s1280/DSC_7770.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kcb4BtGHA_CT-lUAQocN3A1kSohrl_dSHJCqD5wQ_s7faxmAX-0A3Z4nDTCHcSzDVf094CIogtOQSummNk8PSX-4-r6VLL5UzCajzQEI71_gYhr971sgY6cC6E8tlf40ggWtpWO0E9WfbCs6t-YdJ4wSdvO31CFg3f_P32rs3jkkFORgAmRX17_6NQ/s320/DSC_7770.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So here we are on Christmas Eve, snug in our apartment. Ian is processing Lolly's fleece (first year fleeces are not great for mill processing and so it will be done by Ian). The Christmas tree is up - only just though -because that is what we normally do and Ian only cut the tree from our land this morning and I'm finally writing this blog. So on that note, I just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may the next year be more peaceful than the last. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbVC4yrr_mT7kwsVVFMBOzfnufbTC01-qAjXkvnLM1c8Kv043J6Puh6yc3_G1G1f9zrLM58cyUH1XXQAjQOaASx3qxIfc1A3-aKne1GDRkf1i7iYce6GVcnjiFJQafvUaeVstq1_szu9yuknKMv9rUBc0-ai5xj1BZz4Bi7mDmK0eA05aYg4lvva1Iw/s1280/DSC_8302.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbVC4yrr_mT7kwsVVFMBOzfnufbTC01-qAjXkvnLM1c8Kv043J6Puh6yc3_G1G1f9zrLM58cyUH1XXQAjQOaASx3qxIfc1A3-aKne1GDRkf1i7iYce6GVcnjiFJQafvUaeVstq1_szu9yuknKMv9rUBc0-ai5xj1BZz4Bi7mDmK0eA05aYg4lvva1Iw/s320/DSC_8302.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys, Jakobs and Freddie enjoying their early<br />Christmas treat.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimA4eqkcxQbCG9aSk6tgRF8h1hXAZIkogB751BK6XCPzbRlQxXuG3VJLrO1cFx1Q8Q0Cu0iorxczLNhlMpLcudgEMV08A-6V-DsP1vqR8DrfQ7fV1xVhy8MbMvdAx1vYUBmx4y2uriZNakop6H4XKE1_ka3Z_hUU_Rx2RsIpw2Vd9pi2OvedUNcrFNMQ/s1280/DSC_7907.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimA4eqkcxQbCG9aSk6tgRF8h1hXAZIkogB751BK6XCPzbRlQxXuG3VJLrO1cFx1Q8Q0Cu0iorxczLNhlMpLcudgEMV08A-6V-DsP1vqR8DrfQ7fV1xVhy8MbMvdAx1vYUBmx4y2uriZNakop6H4XKE1_ka3Z_hUU_Rx2RsIpw2Vd9pi2OvedUNcrFNMQ/s320/DSC_7907.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly does like to sit outside, even in winter. <br />Sometimes its because others don't let her in <br />and sometimes because she wants to</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ngiQFyLtCzeUI9AQAyrKd0w2rI0qbv4e8AGPASypreEmWgtE7IomeICvzzZD1rwNGL0ChiuZGLSDpPbnLtB2DLj8Hq-gNGTq7H8dfOypYxUObflWFTRqbAWrb675c34Jlfl9s6LRl15wxrauq0FDq2oC9wroCq5pBFlqn8w4G3BtWOi0zwSTrnFFEA/s1280/DSC_7781.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ngiQFyLtCzeUI9AQAyrKd0w2rI0qbv4e8AGPASypreEmWgtE7IomeICvzzZD1rwNGL0ChiuZGLSDpPbnLtB2DLj8Hq-gNGTq7H8dfOypYxUObflWFTRqbAWrb675c34Jlfl9s6LRl15wxrauq0FDq2oC9wroCq5pBFlqn8w4G3BtWOi0zwSTrnFFEA/s320/DSC_7781.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pathways on the land</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5x7fE90XZQ55l2jChHOgEG4WBqeBUz1zHigpxXvKN5E95rBerqgmkiYPP2cgmDWjyYgcmD54byrXXst2lajNxeMsWhXO1AuM8VAwdSDPt_JYD93IaiwBwZvLghklMpCPQHYF_elfE8CFpzckXofazTrG4z6vQhbqFOWxWWhxiSATp23BrMgywOGSSjA/s1280/DSC_7803.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5x7fE90XZQ55l2jChHOgEG4WBqeBUz1zHigpxXvKN5E95rBerqgmkiYPP2cgmDWjyYgcmD54byrXXst2lajNxeMsWhXO1AuM8VAwdSDPt_JYD93IaiwBwZvLghklMpCPQHYF_elfE8CFpzckXofazTrG4z6vQhbqFOWxWWhxiSATp23BrMgywOGSSjA/s320/DSC_7803.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkn-_8A_eglfbnhaLLJIaXG6zT8nNim8FSrzJPqgl2QmySvTLPr39VBte_ALRWWCTZ4xMXcK508U4B_zsXlkdR4AtqzUbqIaHJufEq73rnN0OiCQbHgzbJwSUV1lGHhcu5_6JDygJzCEAjYuqI0RnjPmveMUe2S0T1gL_tfGH2B5BymaKKWIf27MAmA/s1280/DSC_7906.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkn-_8A_eglfbnhaLLJIaXG6zT8nNim8FSrzJPqgl2QmySvTLPr39VBte_ALRWWCTZ4xMXcK508U4B_zsXlkdR4AtqzUbqIaHJufEq73rnN0OiCQbHgzbJwSUV1lGHhcu5_6JDygJzCEAjYuqI0RnjPmveMUe2S0T1gL_tfGH2B5BymaKKWIf27MAmA/s320/DSC_7906.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_Y12g1bkgBzlM7E0kOV7jjnt-0QdPuDChIoWdkYG7vqp3KLTT7ymfTYeHAoXidKkNro0KjSB4A_iTw0ApNbAEHcXM3LhluBVmUz855EYVOhZZFcjN-LsOOqmHcgwCatn53SXGf2U_gTDMexcfvjKzwYg5THPXKb0TDQk7RpserKfnxaqCnJAdRejdw/s1280/DSC_7816.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_Y12g1bkgBzlM7E0kOV7jjnt-0QdPuDChIoWdkYG7vqp3KLTT7ymfTYeHAoXidKkNro0KjSB4A_iTw0ApNbAEHcXM3LhluBVmUz855EYVOhZZFcjN-LsOOqmHcgwCatn53SXGf2U_gTDMexcfvjKzwYg5THPXKb0TDQk7RpserKfnxaqCnJAdRejdw/s320/DSC_7816.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcwlp5vGKPQJXblis-fdmOfskV73vi11n_7Y8IHLBl-a1jI-1tmvc_Q1ibZ1QpRWEWnWZoNRdG5rgr0VCmAkX36hT5XoYyBJku31W3CJP8n8v1udR4IK_TOtgFXg3I6ahfY_DzkGF9DPUc2EQVR-me2r2_wAiYAEqnplXbJAVcArNIEWHMb-ikEIJrA/s1280/DSC_7826.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcwlp5vGKPQJXblis-fdmOfskV73vi11n_7Y8IHLBl-a1jI-1tmvc_Q1ibZ1QpRWEWnWZoNRdG5rgr0VCmAkX36hT5XoYyBJku31W3CJP8n8v1udR4IK_TOtgFXg3I6ahfY_DzkGF9DPUc2EQVR-me2r2_wAiYAEqnplXbJAVcArNIEWHMb-ikEIJrA/s320/DSC_7826.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mysterious, frosted trees</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMYhu8LqcvkI2i_tpdV2swslekLvzhNMDAQ8_yNx4ZcmPpJZ-y9j4JKvuUkMpK8m_ojUTl_7EqabhVEpmJMLplq5M80HAWRNTdBOIZsgeIOj7uYyDOrbHpfNA71xd-oOmTf_0yxZx7DJt8RobPpYHfchh00y45nIHx5PGRUBaTkZWl8PelDwPvStJBA/s1280/DSC_7883.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMYhu8LqcvkI2i_tpdV2swslekLvzhNMDAQ8_yNx4ZcmPpJZ-y9j4JKvuUkMpK8m_ojUTl_7EqabhVEpmJMLplq5M80HAWRNTdBOIZsgeIOj7uYyDOrbHpfNA71xd-oOmTf_0yxZx7DJt8RobPpYHfchh00y45nIHx5PGRUBaTkZWl8PelDwPvStJBA/s320/DSC_7883.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8rH_-j__OKfl6Q2M2Xt1hXpd8jAn-jZ3Escv6g2xPScqDV7hQmTGu_LpHuOT7Cj-a86a8427uWT7IQq-SYqvBc3aN_P-NXR-05Bv9NVkaKx_rGUGw8dCc7akLAAv1G88WxM6xA9g2hwbOHQ5Yzc5KzrqXcFhqQWx-8kefwK59TE-GTRrsfIIWAAXWQ/s1280/DSC_7910.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8rH_-j__OKfl6Q2M2Xt1hXpd8jAn-jZ3Escv6g2xPScqDV7hQmTGu_LpHuOT7Cj-a86a8427uWT7IQq-SYqvBc3aN_P-NXR-05Bv9NVkaKx_rGUGw8dCc7akLAAv1G88WxM6xA9g2hwbOHQ5Yzc5KzrqXcFhqQWx-8kefwK59TE-GTRrsfIIWAAXWQ/s320/DSC_7910.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3aJjzmYALjsvtk_YwZHp_tCE0CJsiy8sicy6X8hVmFhLJh2DBywLjr5RR-xVoxcufAEihpXdvb0jVkwhBXsz06z8bXVgfD9USC8TXD-8A9zc2yWw35abEPekkt4BYP9I59N0-UJ_IhaFSrMsI4ngR_C_9YKlJeFsSllKanpkniVmCXpapsP9aFBJb4w/s1280/DSC_7917.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3aJjzmYALjsvtk_YwZHp_tCE0CJsiy8sicy6X8hVmFhLJh2DBywLjr5RR-xVoxcufAEihpXdvb0jVkwhBXsz06z8bXVgfD9USC8TXD-8A9zc2yWw35abEPekkt4BYP9I59N0-UJ_IhaFSrMsI4ngR_C_9YKlJeFsSllKanpkniVmCXpapsP9aFBJb4w/s320/DSC_7917.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85abXYpYjr5BhBlvtzhe0lRcJsLWPhyRatFG_-XIywjHvVLijjRq1B_0-clmnkYY-RJjgZscLgHljoQuYn9IToiFRpJKiTXLYbyeiN-4rx30fo_qWlejCp5pYMQLbH4Cyrc8ek8dUOz6MkrgDyhQtBM7KR6X4CIoeUNUprWoDfVcYpAGdnqbq_uyarg/s1280/DSC_8075.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85abXYpYjr5BhBlvtzhe0lRcJsLWPhyRatFG_-XIywjHvVLijjRq1B_0-clmnkYY-RJjgZscLgHljoQuYn9IToiFRpJKiTXLYbyeiN-4rx30fo_qWlejCp5pYMQLbH4Cyrc8ek8dUOz6MkrgDyhQtBM7KR6X4CIoeUNUprWoDfVcYpAGdnqbq_uyarg/s320/DSC_8075.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Colours return as the snow melts. Still a long way to go before we are certain winter is over though</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu-_d_uieC6JadC13ylnhlXmv9cz3amomysV80UHNuYN_ave07_4hbZnSK3bV-hjo6qWNC1v6QufGaG3waPKZUNGXP1_iGHHXjGZiHZiXsaelF4QapYmJ1PWBSaUND54aKFTwR32k7_FgHNI9ccs_W7RIFLofN55kc9GO1FWc38xXBUsxp8hmov56-w/s1280/DSC_8149.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu-_d_uieC6JadC13ylnhlXmv9cz3amomysV80UHNuYN_ave07_4hbZnSK3bV-hjo6qWNC1v6QufGaG3waPKZUNGXP1_iGHHXjGZiHZiXsaelF4QapYmJ1PWBSaUND54aKFTwR32k7_FgHNI9ccs_W7RIFLofN55kc9GO1FWc38xXBUsxp8hmov56-w/s320/DSC_8149.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwpzOAQ4EoLrOSrs4Z2T2Libmlyu1u-cG8sG50eVBEdLQ_XpDQGygDHZHD7sA5xOlNTXIjFROd_fh1KoYx9RC7owPmrIGM72W3T3DPyGqMlHHMF6xqwr1x-0r0J2vLyIrkOTSSnImnqQhobo6nDuDSvm-h_vReOyZsmEhV0VAEqXwM5Jjt00Rypo9hJw/s1280/DSC_8158.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwpzOAQ4EoLrOSrs4Z2T2Libmlyu1u-cG8sG50eVBEdLQ_XpDQGygDHZHD7sA5xOlNTXIjFROd_fh1KoYx9RC7owPmrIGM72W3T3DPyGqMlHHMF6xqwr1x-0r0J2vLyIrkOTSSnImnqQhobo6nDuDSvm-h_vReOyZsmEhV0VAEqXwM5Jjt00Rypo9hJw/s320/DSC_8158.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8Y3LLZ05KAAp81sdoBQhnmTZY_kP8FEZns6MqYHKoI2IzrE4lwJ6yXcT7uJeSeipbLRDpshyVpw7OlLrtsS5yufaI-Iz619EC-yVH2OYAywSez2C3q2kZ6_XEgXjrac_jpSL3FQsVECFUA_wrWVvJ47x7ECeIEW4D50muUlLH1TGLDrw_hzWscPX4A/s1280/DSC_8173.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8Y3LLZ05KAAp81sdoBQhnmTZY_kP8FEZns6MqYHKoI2IzrE4lwJ6yXcT7uJeSeipbLRDpshyVpw7OlLrtsS5yufaI-Iz619EC-yVH2OYAywSez2C3q2kZ6_XEgXjrac_jpSL3FQsVECFUA_wrWVvJ47x7ECeIEW4D50muUlLH1TGLDrw_hzWscPX4A/s320/DSC_8173.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocket Ron on his travels with Ian to pick a <br />Christmas Tree<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eTrGaG3e5NNI_kLvdS9q9wCMjY2mv5pNmBFmtcxdq-nxJ9VQl0jUdYjamY0cq_ZtGtNzuw7PGFFqYPf8Menp2pe882Cwnv_tjfSUYM0D7gZy22u_oVfC-X3tltRR10_wqCKOTyZWhy2ef5pjd0CYsj_2RVmBe4A_nq21PYs7QiF6EECF8ecEuBFexw/s1280/DSC_8189.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eTrGaG3e5NNI_kLvdS9q9wCMjY2mv5pNmBFmtcxdq-nxJ9VQl0jUdYjamY0cq_ZtGtNzuw7PGFFqYPf8Menp2pe882Cwnv_tjfSUYM0D7gZy22u_oVfC-X3tltRR10_wqCKOTyZWhy2ef5pjd0CYsj_2RVmBe4A_nq21PYs7QiF6EECF8ecEuBFexw/s320/DSC_8189.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think the snow was kind of cold</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVNFy8Tkhn059-sGSB1Gje-L0WmMAXXIDlH6shiZcFaJqnZCO60webjSMJObt2V1pGZ-NjpwIg8v1AZPzLKPo-9j1WztZopXBCp6foWwBOgbpiaxCUTRcsoKlajPxLCKSBJD10F4i3kdojDzepKrIDkrHh4aedsGr6rRaxw9whVYiHwm7B1FV-5_Reg/s1280/DSC_8182.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVNFy8Tkhn059-sGSB1Gje-L0WmMAXXIDlH6shiZcFaJqnZCO60webjSMJObt2V1pGZ-NjpwIg8v1AZPzLKPo-9j1WztZopXBCp6foWwBOgbpiaxCUTRcsoKlajPxLCKSBJD10F4i3kdojDzepKrIDkrHh4aedsGr6rRaxw9whVYiHwm7B1FV-5_Reg/s320/DSC_8182.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our ski hill, not that we do any skiing on it and the<br />lights have nearly all fallen down now. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WOF0-a-sE9KLtDfGMQKtvy8WcvjCJr7yAczzdBqor1lfpiTv-yr1FoQv1pD4YPc6Vw1kBh3IgPMd5ThBZqNm55QmexhpmC0idnv_wUxra6ElJqgyLr4kDiqggbwgpS0Nu1kyT5ZHi3wrFIzetTc_M_mrnT4MtkZc0kCuYqhrjgrVf3dbQUbTCCc-QQ/s1280/DSC_8208.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WOF0-a-sE9KLtDfGMQKtvy8WcvjCJr7yAczzdBqor1lfpiTv-yr1FoQv1pD4YPc6Vw1kBh3IgPMd5ThBZqNm55QmexhpmC0idnv_wUxra6ElJqgyLr4kDiqggbwgpS0Nu1kyT5ZHi3wrFIzetTc_M_mrnT4MtkZc0kCuYqhrjgrVf3dbQUbTCCc-QQ/s320/DSC_8208.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Father and son, Tellus at the back and Brencis<br />at the front</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpyoN7RLzoR0rxI-Sn1U2qJ6pnbBEUU-e4zXFDEAITYSRWaNRRoUhKSBScvQNNHNa61HCNh1urkc2wPLtSF40538RkUPT7sDx7fPf6iOr1Cflk_pZZPJKFON13PRXPbCt__jE6hsE89N7jshKyWBnkXytSoa6V6kLhq-BDsvMGQwZQvxcbg1VJKHMUA/s1280/DSC_8282.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpyoN7RLzoR0rxI-Sn1U2qJ6pnbBEUU-e4zXFDEAITYSRWaNRRoUhKSBScvQNNHNa61HCNh1urkc2wPLtSF40538RkUPT7sDx7fPf6iOr1Cflk_pZZPJKFON13PRXPbCt__jE6hsE89N7jshKyWBnkXytSoa6V6kLhq-BDsvMGQwZQvxcbg1VJKHMUA/s320/DSC_8282.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aggie's eye is looking better again but it does seem<br />that steroid drops are the answer.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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The nice thing about writing once a week is that I could remember what I had done. I also used to write everything down on an excel sheet for work, now my calendar is my memory because I have had so many meetings just lately that there hasn't been much time to sit down and read or tick off jobs to do. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LlJRWLmkZwjgDyBVPHNIqO30jwMWo-WeRpdOvpS-J2XXK6mGEgUdm3BxCY8WfCBxRvfzq1NxVqxgHvzIA0yxJ4ygsgbL9j1xkikCBUPK_8ATp8-mfD9UIMChpirR1KYJjXJ3b9lGXx_VxgzbWxRj7FQspNi-3z_wi_NBcKcM7CqmhY3WnagC_A2ogA/s1280/DSC_7624.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LlJRWLmkZwjgDyBVPHNIqO30jwMWo-WeRpdOvpS-J2XXK6mGEgUdm3BxCY8WfCBxRvfzq1NxVqxgHvzIA0yxJ4ygsgbL9j1xkikCBUPK_8ATp8-mfD9UIMChpirR1KYJjXJ3b9lGXx_VxgzbWxRj7FQspNi-3z_wi_NBcKcM7CqmhY3WnagC_A2ogA/s320/DSC_7624.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanessa looks more and more like her mother.<br />This was a typical, "We are not amused!" look<br />that her mother had.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruq8xB0mUfy86_FEqOelV7UXJs_KAndVfGJzRAdC4bpbzQBE9nJvve-iOz93CIVt9xyaj7S8JBHH5OmxOoJWU-2AFBVvxkD8JGo7dmd0MA1Uj_JTObt0IZ-5GyzmBfaY7HqtF1js8dQJZB31tH7t0RiNOEIfhWkHnD1QL2UabEobnx3HT_kwVN0uP4Q/s1280/DSC_7585.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjruq8xB0mUfy86_FEqOelV7UXJs_KAndVfGJzRAdC4bpbzQBE9nJvve-iOz93CIVt9xyaj7S8JBHH5OmxOoJWU-2AFBVvxkD8JGo7dmd0MA1Uj_JTObt0IZ-5GyzmBfaY7HqtF1js8dQJZB31tH7t0RiNOEIfhWkHnD1QL2UabEobnx3HT_kwVN0uP4Q/s320/DSC_7585.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There have been lots of wet miserable days but <br />some days are glorious. A fog bow</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I have been so busy that there are times I'm feeling rather scatty. It feels like a maelstrom of ideas whirling around my head most of the time at the moment and it feels a bit frantic trying to fit everything in, but it's a process. It doesn't help that a project is still running on from last year, another one started in October and I'm teaching on a new course, which has had to be built from scratch. Keeps me out of trouble - well that's the theory. I also got elected to a new role at work, a role I actually started in September, so it was good to get the confirmation that I could carry on in that role.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOt2_jDGWqV-03Nl0w1x6Bl3Fyei_uQJj1-XiNmiDQ7UA6TL5P0UQEo2eWcX45jU_Ey2H8R6RwFf5oCnWV2JyuH0asWibcvm5HBH76ZFbiCZeJ8vYymXVMJoq8VW3uiYn5EkMn7JFdF0YdOjP1S8d5LPtTFb28WG9HPqyLX_ywkDEIzxQ7NsICDNo8qA/s1280/DSC_7561.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOt2_jDGWqV-03Nl0w1x6Bl3Fyei_uQJj1-XiNmiDQ7UA6TL5P0UQEo2eWcX45jU_Ey2H8R6RwFf5oCnWV2JyuH0asWibcvm5HBH76ZFbiCZeJ8vYymXVMJoq8VW3uiYn5EkMn7JFdF0YdOjP1S8d5LPtTFb28WG9HPqyLX_ywkDEIzxQ7NsICDNo8qA/s320/DSC_7561.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian has been doing lots of fettling just lately!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxKxNHZqSD0Ge9PGYf75G7iqEpFiJXm-z0XqKgjDCOkYSXHFoF99jjXRnUGvAkrYrjlFgUGW26LcIShJwpOEia5e-QitjgQrEyjeJml5g5Ohex5Ldk52mETjF9MlWCLmD-XIXvQ_h2Tj2vdLe4r9HLxgKvOjqsIfFmlNcI_0oNVw2xX57K96OgyTvVg/s1280/DSC_7599.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxKxNHZqSD0Ge9PGYf75G7iqEpFiJXm-z0XqKgjDCOkYSXHFoF99jjXRnUGvAkrYrjlFgUGW26LcIShJwpOEia5e-QitjgQrEyjeJml5g5Ohex5Ldk52mETjF9MlWCLmD-XIXvQ_h2Tj2vdLe4r9HLxgKvOjqsIfFmlNcI_0oNVw2xX57K96OgyTvVg/s320/DSC_7599.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls. Won't be long before they are confined<br />to the paddock for winter.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In my scattiness I managed to leave my hiking shoes in a hotel in Poland, even though I thought I had packed them. It cost me €40 to have them couriered to me, which was nearly the price of the shoes. I also managed to lose my car in the car park, something I have never done before. I do remember looking back and trying to estimate where it was parked but had to hurry to the airport due to the time. It was also only just getting light when I parked up. When I returned the car park was still jam packed with cars due to the work being done on the RailBaltica terminal. I went up and down the rows many times and gave up. I talked to the guys at the carpark and bless them they were good. Apparently it beats having to sit around doing nothing. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEeE_4rm6z4iCIHK6nhBlnEl-MFCtF_hwfMRIxM31VfrEzDKalVcLKVb84F8-LrnK7LH_A2ktGc8GDZWViZoJNfttBHfN0rJDyCN1Af2kKBL7Dd-PDvC9Z4FQCWv4J2mrs-obrP6t1JuGJ6AS7yfopQwnSfx6ie5eEehh_c6Dtr5L1d8Xb9vMOprQig/s1280/DSC_7557.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEeE_4rm6z4iCIHK6nhBlnEl-MFCtF_hwfMRIxM31VfrEzDKalVcLKVb84F8-LrnK7LH_A2ktGc8GDZWViZoJNfttBHfN0rJDyCN1Af2kKBL7Dd-PDvC9Z4FQCWv4J2mrs-obrP6t1JuGJ6AS7yfopQwnSfx6ie5eEehh_c6Dtr5L1d8Xb9vMOprQig/s320/DSC_7557.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Betty is not quite so bossy now and they are all<br />getting along fine. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TG546ITWcxipqdu6FnUb8KlCY8ab65uMRW8w9WzhiP1kfhkmwYlErlyZ1IEDrefrVFPjqn-arX8iouM1CMDz0p75aMUyj5a9JanXBLUybNnJOMsWXjRw5aGZ6t5JnU7VFltuEJ9Pq8rXKS26-a5-703rCe1PaRoFTZR2niikTry3yeDtYPvFfeds9Q/s1280/DSC_7559.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TG546ITWcxipqdu6FnUb8KlCY8ab65uMRW8w9WzhiP1kfhkmwYlErlyZ1IEDrefrVFPjqn-arX8iouM1CMDz0p75aMUyj5a9JanXBLUybNnJOMsWXjRw5aGZ6t5JnU7VFltuEJ9Pq8rXKS26-a5-703rCe1PaRoFTZR2niikTry3yeDtYPvFfeds9Q/s320/DSC_7559.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queueing up for the evening feed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2CvAVaKq6vXPoKtiZk3oXQnsWTDT3jOhP8BVzA_4CMyu-iQzdVMoLI85N_Ya6BYeZfCiGJJncQ_Pwh4m_e6HIHY-WJd696MC4Ms_Z4ygnDm9KDgtH5fkfjjLpIaRUgh5L6XV-TE_GX3aQV1U0_FwCqy0x5BGbfb0d2JG_jB7DeimkWA-N_fVkcrtpw/s1280/IMG_20221016_145806.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2CvAVaKq6vXPoKtiZk3oXQnsWTDT3jOhP8BVzA_4CMyu-iQzdVMoLI85N_Ya6BYeZfCiGJJncQ_Pwh4m_e6HIHY-WJd696MC4Ms_Z4ygnDm9KDgtH5fkfjjLpIaRUgh5L6XV-TE_GX3aQV1U0_FwCqy0x5BGbfb0d2JG_jB7DeimkWA-N_fVkcrtpw/s320/IMG_20221016_145806.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All snuggled up on the fleece together<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk69AZjG8uP29EIfYYuKtY7QEF4o5DbW4YdpmWn2BA0MMhOxCZ3DWICTispo3_xYk8i61wvYYsAiFPEjbry2tNKNVZWfharN7asa-zjaa1HANRkw0x7pcRjXsRZLG_UYh7y7Lb2DayXWC2UtQUMzS5q5t0VqBdagtcTovpwOw18GvF4kdIzGfC1m40nw/s1280/DSC_7606.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk69AZjG8uP29EIfYYuKtY7QEF4o5DbW4YdpmWn2BA0MMhOxCZ3DWICTispo3_xYk8i61wvYYsAiFPEjbry2tNKNVZWfharN7asa-zjaa1HANRkw0x7pcRjXsRZLG_UYh7y7Lb2DayXWC2UtQUMzS5q5t0VqBdagtcTovpwOw18GvF4kdIzGfC1m40nw/s320/DSC_7606.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wonder what Norman will make of his first<br />glimpse of snow? Or will there even be <br />snow this year?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One of the guys took me in the courtesy pick up van to cruise up and down the car park. After a few minutes of doing that a lady came up as they were stuck and told the guy they couldn't get their car started. The car park attendant dropped me off at the entrance again to see if his colleague could find the car on the cameras and he also gave the lady my car number for her to look while he and her husband got their car started. She found the car and it was not quite where I was expecting it. Sigh! Not really like me at all. I used to be able to gauge where I had left a car quite easily, but I think I used to pay more attention to my surroundings, as well as having a good sense of location. I could worry about it being a sign of old age, which I guess it could be, but I think it is more a sign of me just being very busy.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIh6q7LvzTi8NYhwFOII8I8cnZe-ebdASsy5duV2O4zO6yqM2fIX68QMr0hrwiTbHXZ4LyY4s7MqF3gl-j9vBjH958DgiFc_kpoOEWiqutRdwH6c3MWYs0hVtBkgV2y8k-qocay7YR1zEVlcoaAE4_20JGHSsJ7fhbKdjKOe8Rp-TaoHiR8k3E6hUECQ/s1280/DSC_7575.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIh6q7LvzTi8NYhwFOII8I8cnZe-ebdASsy5duV2O4zO6yqM2fIX68QMr0hrwiTbHXZ4LyY4s7MqF3gl-j9vBjH958DgiFc_kpoOEWiqutRdwH6c3MWYs0hVtBkgV2y8k-qocay7YR1zEVlcoaAE4_20JGHSsJ7fhbKdjKOe8Rp-TaoHiR8k3E6hUECQ/s320/DSC_7575.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our conference room all summer. It has served us<br />well.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvZhiex4SiWZy-9H9rQ0KSu0qOvrKbQzfP_skvdTciOnXlFS1zkG7Rxu1NWDIEmBZhg3_YEMrk0M3Jxw5N9DUJMESFl42FV8E1qX1CLKLDZjZUv7Rr7jelR0J1WiDgjFdwhfND3gKvIBdaEuP2CODZPxgq1wXpeC_Av9BBFkY0N6acGHctUpg2u1M6A/s1280/DSC_7581.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvZhiex4SiWZy-9H9rQ0KSu0qOvrKbQzfP_skvdTciOnXlFS1zkG7Rxu1NWDIEmBZhg3_YEMrk0M3Jxw5N9DUJMESFl42FV8E1qX1CLKLDZjZUv7Rr7jelR0J1WiDgjFdwhfND3gKvIBdaEuP2CODZPxgq1wXpeC_Av9BBFkY0N6acGHctUpg2u1M6A/s320/DSC_7581.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But, packing up time had to happen</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSUMnYl45yTTPap-MS-NRPqmd0VbZCyGhSjABOBFe0CNfg0ZPvKOngPoYUl0gBg7GGzHf6BNLUgG0t0Yz_kQPW5hLigKgnPBRhVyTfVLK6_HFp7jrSeP5wUoPhYDX67LcWEyF109qlBJ4mMUTU1ENBRWV0cvngEvqB1f4nkgiqSe9Wak36KpizOGqKQ/s1280/IMG_20221008_155838.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSUMnYl45yTTPap-MS-NRPqmd0VbZCyGhSjABOBFe0CNfg0ZPvKOngPoYUl0gBg7GGzHf6BNLUgG0t0Yz_kQPW5hLigKgnPBRhVyTfVLK6_HFp7jrSeP5wUoPhYDX67LcWEyF109qlBJ4mMUTU1ENBRWV0cvngEvqB1f4nkgiqSe9Wak36KpizOGqKQ/s320/IMG_20221008_155838.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly all done!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DgJ5E_-5T7GKScxgXnz3T95D7WO7ZasQa6Ktxp05JJB5b_vGPAcCEaYu6-crJSmLpqHF8kcIWFz1pcYRHd1GDCQceI2zhP9In7sTaIEuOWU8XpPMAnh7fUrVaw5Arx8oEPZpUSN0MokA_GdwRsDXCGjCWdY-zNHQSqoMy71bm9YiGmDPYCv4a_aXoA/s1280/DSC_7584.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DgJ5E_-5T7GKScxgXnz3T95D7WO7ZasQa6Ktxp05JJB5b_vGPAcCEaYu6-crJSmLpqHF8kcIWFz1pcYRHd1GDCQceI2zhP9In7sTaIEuOWU8XpPMAnh7fUrVaw5Arx8oEPZpUSN0MokA_GdwRsDXCGjCWdY-zNHQSqoMy71bm9YiGmDPYCv4a_aXoA/s320/DSC_7584.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks so bare! All ready for winter now...maybe</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxVjlWHImAwwNuSOPeCxxhnU5e1-RWra1ZQtDm9ef5Bwjt6H3o9AfZXLxA5y_dIC05JIoj3BAV9Mx48309NfhknZw_By1PoFQBM-mNTKSgtf9mQjC416JKwYy_NCYUp3CtFuVwBUHBt4kG83meWkzfObYORWTRoCWtQ1qk4QGDok58mHWNIlJocahyg/s1280/DSC_7618.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxVjlWHImAwwNuSOPeCxxhnU5e1-RWra1ZQtDm9ef5Bwjt6H3o9AfZXLxA5y_dIC05JIoj3BAV9Mx48309NfhknZw_By1PoFQBM-mNTKSgtf9mQjC416JKwYy_NCYUp3CtFuVwBUHBt4kG83meWkzfObYORWTRoCWtQ1qk4QGDok58mHWNIlJocahyg/s320/DSC_7618.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla looking bemused about something</td></tr></tbody></table><p>On the plane on the way back from Spain, I caused a stir amongst the staff. I ordered a chicken and cheese panini. I opened up the package and tore a piece off the top. It was a bit hot, so I thought I would open up the sandwich to let it cool a bit. I was little shocked to find that my sandwich had no filling whatsoever, it was just hot bread. I called the attendant over and showed her, whereupon she exclaimed, "Oh my God!", which I thought was a little over the top, but I guess she was surprised. Pictures were taken for the record and I ended up having to pay another €1 to get a lasagne instead. I was a bit disgruntled at that and thought a small offering by way of apology would have been nice. I think the staff were new and so maybe not sure about the methods of keeping customers happy. I had no problem with the staff per se, they were attentive anyway and it was amusing. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcUXP1nMNg0tTmytIkcx3tQQGQ0WMcoCaFjnjMlto0RmDBLTBRx1e_jfGLjxHXcc7VZ_AK2W6qfNDC0jhawNf-F5AY2NDYpR0jl8JULEsQRBt59-QjNRa0l-O7CCyCPUzRQxb1irDiwFzHe8p33hgvUOACCfieTvS0ekDTM1VNzIP8acglpwWbYX6wQ/s1280/DSC_7589.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcUXP1nMNg0tTmytIkcx3tQQGQ0WMcoCaFjnjMlto0RmDBLTBRx1e_jfGLjxHXcc7VZ_AK2W6qfNDC0jhawNf-F5AY2NDYpR0jl8JULEsQRBt59-QjNRa0l-O7CCyCPUzRQxb1irDiwFzHe8p33hgvUOACCfieTvS0ekDTM1VNzIP8acglpwWbYX6wQ/s320/DSC_7589.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love those mornings where the spider webs are<br />wet from the dew and capture the sunlight in a <br />dazzling, sparkling display.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fub1gw1vA-DfHB2EqYvMVVLu1damulryt5qUyjs-1-z2CTROWPEvk423tPb1xLyoM_046lzZ54WEsK5Ir6xr1zltam9fsRCF20UasDFpvFkxUzELMdpzXGtFWZUp6oBEuCTb-PwgQcXlwFddeR7vRokEvOqM7597xObieFQ6I_xCkEzvwo9r1CDcTw/s1280/DSC_7590.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2fub1gw1vA-DfHB2EqYvMVVLu1damulryt5qUyjs-1-z2CTROWPEvk423tPb1xLyoM_046lzZ54WEsK5Ir6xr1zltam9fsRCF20UasDFpvFkxUzELMdpzXGtFWZUp6oBEuCTb-PwgQcXlwFddeR7vRokEvOqM7597xObieFQ6I_xCkEzvwo9r1CDcTw/s320/DSC_7590.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I especially like it when the whole field sparkles..</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWjQvadyGR9dtsDGUjgsG9Q3AbXP-Au9peX432_g6UZFvSYVC3DHnSlpNjdzcQYd5ENCIdiE3ajPJ_c2Iu_2qSjv7bNpw5sA-yfLRbzPSf0IbbCwaNRs56AA3TRyuYQh76UGlIUok5mosg5TfYDHF-ABn6W_wfzPwxyrDKiCzLef_GaL_UlybgYOyyw/s1280/DSC_7591.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWjQvadyGR9dtsDGUjgsG9Q3AbXP-Au9peX432_g6UZFvSYVC3DHnSlpNjdzcQYd5ENCIdiE3ajPJ_c2Iu_2qSjv7bNpw5sA-yfLRbzPSf0IbbCwaNRs56AA3TRyuYQh76UGlIUok5mosg5TfYDHF-ABn6W_wfzPwxyrDKiCzLef_GaL_UlybgYOyyw/s320/DSC_7591.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... where the dew drops look like a million crystals</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXtJbDPfus2hQ9JXMl_T2DPJDW30NzZMEZjNQp5q4aAqyxzWhYcdtWVJ9maBstQXYVw0Ee4tjZwdyxzCtW0lbrs9ILmsUqEYGGlsfNvhwGD4miftBSCegSPbrAlYqRzS8wTUC_hcOdX6wTGP5yW4UIYMKtVzHpJ8zgixOswL6MBj7j_Zy-VIT0428qg/s1280/DSC_7596.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXtJbDPfus2hQ9JXMl_T2DPJDW30NzZMEZjNQp5q4aAqyxzWhYcdtWVJ9maBstQXYVw0Ee4tjZwdyxzCtW0lbrs9ILmsUqEYGGlsfNvhwGD4miftBSCegSPbrAlYqRzS8wTUC_hcOdX6wTGP5yW4UIYMKtVzHpJ8zgixOswL6MBj7j_Zy-VIT0428qg/s320/DSC_7596.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One trip up to Estonia was a magical journey, <br />where the sun burst through the mists making<br />the autumnal trees glow. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>As I mentioned I've been busy with meetings, more meetings, conferences, meetings, teaching and meetings, and so the autumn passed with barely a leaf on the trees now. The wind was blowing cold today too and it felt like a whisper of winter, although to be honest, up until today it has been incredibly mild. At least I managed to get my potatoes all dug up this last month. It took two weekends to get the job done, but at least that is finished. The tomatoes and the cucumbers were all picked and stored in our apartment and the chickens were put in the greenhouse for winter. They should be in the arks in the greenhouse, but I was greeted by two of them at the door this evening. They had managed to dig their way out under the side. I must sort that out tomorrow morning before letting them out of the hutch part when I feed them in the morning. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgxtI1r0IWa8BSdCOd378CQ1TEu7Zb_81_vuI9gbPPIhLT45bkmYZ8FCM2QhVnRe30tpJ1Vv57nh8XUDOniWQ0jJS3LVidb2-BPaHibROengDCbShk2CcNS-5z4yUBj9MeVf1vM0jTncQ4SyA1AkehLz6mMite_1w7NTE5I6NgQs5feKu_Dpi7-ugKA/s1280/DSC_7623.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgxtI1r0IWa8BSdCOd378CQ1TEu7Zb_81_vuI9gbPPIhLT45bkmYZ8FCM2QhVnRe30tpJ1Vv57nh8XUDOniWQ0jJS3LVidb2-BPaHibROengDCbShk2CcNS-5z4yUBj9MeVf1vM0jTncQ4SyA1AkehLz6mMite_1w7NTE5I6NgQs5feKu_Dpi7-ugKA/s320/DSC_7623.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mari looking quite mucky as usual. Her fleece though<br />along with Jakobs her son spun up into a lovely <br />speckled light-brown. I made some more hanks up<br />today to take to a shop.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBBwlza1MEuTxZIcF5I8J7wv2knkK55qv4tYYvB__DmRNkmpHyneeO00u4EagiAhcwT1zjW9-TmCEfVHsBUzmWp0GpeJDVgSTyPVM-UNnCqq2c8jl3FaojfmTA3rMM7IH2-ZuvgCy7L3E7Z5bkaHuvugAO79gFVT4D3khE-eV-M-Ma_ZhgojfUjYQIA/s1280/DSC_7635.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBBwlza1MEuTxZIcF5I8J7wv2knkK55qv4tYYvB__DmRNkmpHyneeO00u4EagiAhcwT1zjW9-TmCEfVHsBUzmWp0GpeJDVgSTyPVM-UNnCqq2c8jl3FaojfmTA3rMM7IH2-ZuvgCy7L3E7Z5bkaHuvugAO79gFVT4D3khE-eV-M-Ma_ZhgojfUjYQIA/s320/DSC_7635.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The nights are arriving so early now. It is dark<br />now by 5ish but this was taken at 7:18pm on<br />the 24th October. It is amazing how quickly<br />the days get shorter at this time of year.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It did feel like I was processing grapes for ever though. We seem to have a lot and it takes time to cut them down and then steam them for juice. We talked about possibly getting them processed next year by a company that processes fruit into sealed bags and pasteurising them. It would save a lot of work but we would need 60kg of fruit, we might have half that in grapes if they are ready at the same time so we would also need to find apples and plums probably to add to that. It's a thought anyway. Either that or I need a bigger steamer or a fruit press. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n3HKmaRX0h0WJ7ywVedx4njRxb5Bbyxf7fzDqY7eENFy3udcxKC5fbHDZPwbJVbBB2kHerwBVc2RS3UUhlXD9AVGoPnGcmBHSBMIg5wZnLLTFbcJ-Fr8kHhntQ7VPF1fTvXjlbJM3vwSfGw1uSC20JNJSV029tD3HOElbPuf1NhksQbEolExx2FDCg/s1280/IMG_20221008_155817.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n3HKmaRX0h0WJ7ywVedx4njRxb5Bbyxf7fzDqY7eENFy3udcxKC5fbHDZPwbJVbBB2kHerwBVc2RS3UUhlXD9AVGoPnGcmBHSBMIg5wZnLLTFbcJ-Fr8kHhntQ7VPF1fTvXjlbJM3vwSfGw1uSC20JNJSV029tD3HOElbPuf1NhksQbEolExx2FDCg/s320/IMG_20221008_155817.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the grapes in this picture have now<br />been processed. I'm sad to say quite a<br />few of the other types went to waste <br />this year as there was just not enough <br />hours in the day.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuS4edFQzbr907Vf30m8rhBp-mVonfWANwYbm9isYokh3BkgroHUuLA8h4asLkD8KFX8NL9_c8nXYH-PvP8q8zARoNQy7isEIcfHTyq7rJdXpUm2VUexmABchKjGjDO09dgL7icLrVpWOFvV21lUQWBnt8Vg7p1BwrEcsxFNybrRg9owCnqCz4QS7ZQ/s1280/DSC_7646.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuS4edFQzbr907Vf30m8rhBp-mVonfWANwYbm9isYokh3BkgroHUuLA8h4asLkD8KFX8NL9_c8nXYH-PvP8q8zARoNQy7isEIcfHTyq7rJdXpUm2VUexmABchKjGjDO09dgL7icLrVpWOFvV21lUQWBnt8Vg7p1BwrEcsxFNybrRg9owCnqCz4QS7ZQ/s320/DSC_7646.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, the autumn didn't last but it was a<br />colourful one.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1y4uvH4pXgvK7Z8p_p6csfGot0kvC9wkmBt1bHeDjEj3DgI0ltnH5_vjJ7l8dPJr31cQ6oE26ddrnQqntMxsAuwJsdZ6xQMV8_a0D7u4BVUjLUvyFJ6yxqqMtru30giOyYiafd1rWCaBxjT5Dvkk-zrDCTJCUsdTBtKkvs4hwScShKjFl4MY2G_-iw/s1280/DSC_7650.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1y4uvH4pXgvK7Z8p_p6csfGot0kvC9wkmBt1bHeDjEj3DgI0ltnH5_vjJ7l8dPJr31cQ6oE26ddrnQqntMxsAuwJsdZ6xQMV8_a0D7u4BVUjLUvyFJ6yxqqMtru30giOyYiafd1rWCaBxjT5Dvkk-zrDCTJCUsdTBtKkvs4hwScShKjFl4MY2G_-iw/s320/DSC_7650.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin and Norman just chilling on a frosty<br />morning. For some reason Marvin seems to be<br />feeling the cold in this damp, soggy November</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've been up to Tartu twice this last month, firstly to attend two small conference and meet with staff and then the second one to prioritise talking with students to see how they have been finding the courses at the mid-way point. The idea is to catch any issues early before they escalate if necessary. There will be a final review at the end of the semester too. It was good listening to the students and their opinions. It was a mix of good and some bad but it was encouraging to hear, that despite any issues we might have, one of the students is thinking of staying an extra semester rather than going back to his home university because he feels it's better in Estonia. The issues we do have are the reason for creating my new role as we need coordinators for the programmes we run. It is not to say we have major issues necessarily, just things can drift after a while and now there is a need for a re-evaluation - not surprising after two years of COVID restrictions. COVID of course has presented us with shifting challenges for education and workplaces in general. It will be interesting to see what universities all over the world will look like after a period of time to reflect on how much has changed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmsvk5MOZ5o_rAIIqNENKUKfke79kf1utm3rS-nDefk3cDcGIbmDz0sw1bd_v8eCPt2NW5MQSOCmNUJLi52-fiy9Geg9ULDtt5KIkbri0J-ylAkyjJXxMvDNhfgCx4u9rzTk91aIwk5cOhBL9AEWnxtRQ7TuIO-52DClGoEwzWjG1AYX3aIvK1T-LMbA/s1280/DSC_7679.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmsvk5MOZ5o_rAIIqNENKUKfke79kf1utm3rS-nDefk3cDcGIbmDz0sw1bd_v8eCPt2NW5MQSOCmNUJLi52-fiy9Geg9ULDtt5KIkbri0J-ylAkyjJXxMvDNhfgCx4u9rzTk91aIwk5cOhBL9AEWnxtRQ7TuIO-52DClGoEwzWjG1AYX3aIvK1T-LMbA/s320/DSC_7679.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie with his mouthful. So pleased he's been <br />castrated as he has calmed right down now and<br />doesn't start fights. He tends to stay out of them too<br />which is a relief. Not to say he never gets involved<br />but he doesn't generally start them and he doesn't <br />really continue them.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRorefErDQkrNo5kFcGLJKM5nBDbVNBt4DECrMjN8H04ofmW2Ao8E8HOrsSXQG9ltEwu5NgNCt_52fhiue1bbVhQFrtr81yDxo0NC8GhXHtEQwQhWbQFIcOzYajzzqvglfbKRYysVVx3Tja15E7oIdXpaxqPAuYRHkOBWXr479rLv5auv2ZOFnzZb_Rg/s1280/DSC_7731.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRorefErDQkrNo5kFcGLJKM5nBDbVNBt4DECrMjN8H04ofmW2Ao8E8HOrsSXQG9ltEwu5NgNCt_52fhiue1bbVhQFrtr81yDxo0NC8GhXHtEQwQhWbQFIcOzYajzzqvglfbKRYysVVx3Tja15E7oIdXpaxqPAuYRHkOBWXr479rLv5auv2ZOFnzZb_Rg/s320/DSC_7731.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josefs on the other hand, tends to be the one<br />who starts and carries on the fights now. He might<br />be the next for castration but we have to see<br />what kind of babies he produces first I guess.<br />It was easy to make the decision with Freddie<br />as his fleece is not so good, but Josefs is <br />rather nice.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I usually stay at a friend of mine's place while up in Tartu and it is lovely to return home after a day at the office to some hot food ready prepared - it kind of spoils me. The last time though my friend took advantage of me being around more for some cat sitting while she went on holiday. The cat and I got along okay and she would come and sit on my lap for a little while and let me stroke her. Every night I would kneel on the floor by the bed and bend my head forward towards the ground, this was not in prayer but to say goodnight and have a little chat with the cat who by this time was under the bed where I was sleeping. I wasn't so enthralled therefore at some very loud middle of the night, meow's on two of the four nights.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYr6jBQmZqIxAXxcxRTmlYXtghqpgi9YGclqcFUwYxKLVz22JLMw4L-rlpp9V_SNkzECHFVD5_uFl1CMjeGkfByKjJ0HdJeSpCrEFWTFup1CIM13M4VkjDdGGYjcpU3o7MUJFb26AXTIHGhHyic7OsG6tigIm4JIxz1WbmEk_H06elFJfDBxhVLfouGg/s1280/DSC_7690.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYr6jBQmZqIxAXxcxRTmlYXtghqpgi9YGclqcFUwYxKLVz22JLMw4L-rlpp9V_SNkzECHFVD5_uFl1CMjeGkfByKjJ0HdJeSpCrEFWTFup1CIM13M4VkjDdGGYjcpU3o7MUJFb26AXTIHGhHyic7OsG6tigIm4JIxz1WbmEk_H06elFJfDBxhVLfouGg/s320/DSC_7690.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Despite his age, Tellus can alls start fights, <br />usually with his son Brencis. Fortunately they<br />don't happen that often as generally they are both<br />fairly chilled alpacas.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxB-MudBFyufJ0K7q7Abbei4jx4na__h3CBHG8RQMJXKZ9mpXSPL_It3y3ZhbY9gz6YAw-INRleb8OyfmEVjvLVYh-kmiaW-oeLjxDlyn5691bSkNkaUEBi8u7wVa_gRKSChAGXEdczoz-mN5MYbzLO6KqCNkC-9SwKUxnEADTWD3hj81g4gXfnm1mw/s1280/DSC_7691.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxB-MudBFyufJ0K7q7Abbei4jx4na__h3CBHG8RQMJXKZ9mpXSPL_It3y3ZhbY9gz6YAw-INRleb8OyfmEVjvLVYh-kmiaW-oeLjxDlyn5691bSkNkaUEBi8u7wVa_gRKSChAGXEdczoz-mN5MYbzLO6KqCNkC-9SwKUxnEADTWD3hj81g4gXfnm1mw/s320/DSC_7691.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys in their field</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've been on more field trips this last week and got to see more of Estonia. The first trip was to the very north near the capital Tallinn. It was just three of us, myself, my PhD student and her co-supervisor who has been working with her for much longer than I have. I'm just helping in the latter stages to help her finish up. We were looking at the characteristics of the landscapes in that area. I had never seen juniper as the main shrub to first take over a neglected field. It was quite fascinating. We also found a bog in an area that was private, but the owner let us in anyway. There were some fabulous cranberries that we snacked on while looking around. I also got to see the coastline and drystone limestone walls - something I'm familiar with from when I lived in Derbyshire. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn78sjR8uBow-nac_UK5ZPtUWrqluEn-od9K068Tho5lcG0b3RkFXoOIF3n0SWG8unwwp7U0c3cdt44icz03AsT0Qm21VtpAPZLf7emXA8f18NOx2YX_pvHQoMTlbuL0DgJqy8h2XXeVXc5z0dnJTMbR6hEsttWMr0rYR9NJA86arozJTv6ysGdvrY7w/s1280/IMG_20221031_133016.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn78sjR8uBow-nac_UK5ZPtUWrqluEn-od9K068Tho5lcG0b3RkFXoOIF3n0SWG8unwwp7U0c3cdt44icz03AsT0Qm21VtpAPZLf7emXA8f18NOx2YX_pvHQoMTlbuL0DgJqy8h2XXeVXc5z0dnJTMbR6hEsttWMr0rYR9NJA86arozJTv6ysGdvrY7w/s320/IMG_20221031_133016.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe not so clear on this photo but the roots<br />of this tree were so interesting, Kassinurme, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnfaPBnvU3RKSISfDtjDx57DSrOteTAMnAFb81HKp3H1YfnJ5aWOFZE2ejwDrlaOZWFG5IhqeDQ8Osa_7xRtUws1K0Y5LkhaLJm9111LCoTg6pdKea3VYIMdC83JvQTJDpcP7Pc1VzPO4ur4_iNgWiexEFsTewAbCYwd6n41pVni8xKDuiQlV8cpcaw/s1280/IMG_20221101_095529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnfaPBnvU3RKSISfDtjDx57DSrOteTAMnAFb81HKp3H1YfnJ5aWOFZE2ejwDrlaOZWFG5IhqeDQ8Osa_7xRtUws1K0Y5LkhaLJm9111LCoTg6pdKea3VYIMdC83JvQTJDpcP7Pc1VzPO4ur4_iNgWiexEFsTewAbCYwd6n41pVni8xKDuiQlV8cpcaw/s320/IMG_20221101_095529.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not such a nice idea. It might look pretty when <br />these ribbons are tied to the tree but not so<br />nice later on in the year once they have faded and<br />worse some of them seemed to be made from<br />plastic so will not rot away. My colleague<br />was explaining that it is part of a neo-pagan <br />ritual where people say they are reconnecting<br />with the pre-Christian past but often they are<br />imported rituals. Kassinurme, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrUbTKFSxJivvaQhSunFuonqvBf-u9k1Sejqk1cKTGuO-Lun4GWLmG-FtjraKVPDGExbTB87cKy0_RU0JU7vlIzmtmZRq8HAZ4kwSl3ArexYJvJeIDUAlH29zjd8lf5yeFiPPQUg3qG-A9lRnWRklBG--TAG-JGMTPISgIQkZ_6zv_ALM7yJuFU8uLg/s1280/IMG_20221101_095657.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrUbTKFSxJivvaQhSunFuonqvBf-u9k1Sejqk1cKTGuO-Lun4GWLmG-FtjraKVPDGExbTB87cKy0_RU0JU7vlIzmtmZRq8HAZ4kwSl3ArexYJvJeIDUAlH29zjd8lf5yeFiPPQUg3qG-A9lRnWRklBG--TAG-JGMTPISgIQkZ_6zv_ALM7yJuFU8uLg/s320/IMG_20221101_095657.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking very mysterious in the mist, <br />Kassinurme, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvhl88889FKlyy3tcToiR4WnIbk3jd9Pe3IgnTeGLWAp0686sBFxsDtuzBiiF6s8keHSF41zDUCCHF3RFv23fD3SBg_gRx9LYYA824405cKJ_pDAyZ8nWeo6Ih-cu-cTzCNVl4CQa2lv-TPRyJQfA76r2q4kSEL00cY_xsq5__U2Ra1uLKnhF1wKnRw/s1280/IMG_20221101_095955.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvhl88889FKlyy3tcToiR4WnIbk3jd9Pe3IgnTeGLWAp0686sBFxsDtuzBiiF6s8keHSF41zDUCCHF3RFv23fD3SBg_gRx9LYYA824405cKJ_pDAyZ8nWeo6Ih-cu-cTzCNVl4CQa2lv-TPRyJQfA76r2q4kSEL00cY_xsq5__U2Ra1uLKnhF1wKnRw/s320/IMG_20221101_095955.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who is this fellow rising out of the <br />mist? One of the many carved<br />statues on a Viking site, Kassinurme, <br />Estonia.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The other field trip was closer to Tartu and quite different to the northern area I visited the day before. The weather was glorious on the trip up north, but damp and foggy the next day. The students all laughed when the organiser explained that on the right is - whatever he was talking about (it was in Estonian, so I didn't get what he said at the time) and all the students could see was a bank of fog. The fog lifted by mid-day though, so it wasn't too bad. It actually was quite appropriate for our first visit which was to a Viking settlement with the carved wooden statues rising out of the mist and an eerie Viking style wooden fort. The wooden steps were treacherous though and the handrails wobbly. I went down them, very, very slowly. We also saw typical villages, a restored windmill, some good views over the valleys from the drumlin and of course, since it is Estonia, another bog.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90Xgz6E3q8T5qO9CdRJaJF_kTSUBDxx5ddW1BVGNCLoUQQljIjqFrvJ5ZznSlfBEnTOKDOwO6wOwCnya-JNwUE7ly074JmRsBPlDK5PvbHteEQ92ZlpF2_GCIDWHaPDY2k7cfH6B-hhGa1Mf2NunmoD4Th-t4_Z5pOmpmLdlmwRnIV927Z3Wp-Cj4oA/s1280/IMG_20221101_100255.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90Xgz6E3q8T5qO9CdRJaJF_kTSUBDxx5ddW1BVGNCLoUQQljIjqFrvJ5ZznSlfBEnTOKDOwO6wOwCnya-JNwUE7ly074JmRsBPlDK5PvbHteEQ92ZlpF2_GCIDWHaPDY2k7cfH6B-hhGa1Mf2NunmoD4Th-t4_Z5pOmpmLdlmwRnIV927Z3Wp-Cj4oA/s320/IMG_20221101_100255.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast anyone?Kassinurme, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe9fjlfuDWmeLKirAsXJhm5l0etDy4cCUKHhX502nLsY_Zj2OF7DF_ytTNo-dA_TYwC_cXZCT03Bn4HwPi8edUJiP63D9ylMqI8wODyHic2giyy_oD12EBw7gKiY3citBc6GWiebHZpYr0sR1_jdEybVbYDFYLEK4bkd6rctrWqaG47-3R3OdtzEHWw/s1280/IMG_20221101_101518.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe9fjlfuDWmeLKirAsXJhm5l0etDy4cCUKHhX502nLsY_Zj2OF7DF_ytTNo-dA_TYwC_cXZCT03Bn4HwPi8edUJiP63D9ylMqI8wODyHic2giyy_oD12EBw7gKiY3citBc6GWiebHZpYr0sR1_jdEybVbYDFYLEK4bkd6rctrWqaG47-3R3OdtzEHWw/s320/IMG_20221101_101518.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A model of a Viking fort, Kassinurme, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRM-MoAtPsK27nE2kK1YEhK3lTXAjPRvlyWykcK9mEhEf7uvruULbkhjLAh15Li1evB_gX2rIrRWrKVvHOYWrzyWKPltAUv6Z2kafzpWube-3KlAiyGWkuxEPur0Rn7lLl0_J9O5HiAaHSS8Ee7D87ThLp6FfPoXkvI3os2Py4QrYzBmw83_7kAJtqlA/s1280/IMG_20221101_102457.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRM-MoAtPsK27nE2kK1YEhK3lTXAjPRvlyWykcK9mEhEf7uvruULbkhjLAh15Li1evB_gX2rIrRWrKVvHOYWrzyWKPltAUv6Z2kafzpWube-3KlAiyGWkuxEPur0Rn7lLl0_J9O5HiAaHSS8Ee7D87ThLp6FfPoXkvI3os2Py4QrYzBmw83_7kAJtqlA/s320/IMG_20221101_102457.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camping anyone? Kassinurme, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><p>This last month has been a month of reconnections. The first one was from a PhD student who I had met a while ago at my university when I was still doing my PhD. He was studying bears in Latvia. He came with his family to see our alpacas on his wife's name day. I had forgotten what he looked like, but I did remember his topic. They had a good time and seemed interested in what we were doing. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9CUQiBEqt4pasRJPGWhmM0_DR8KQW-mHDs7X_IYMG3un3VsbTpDAX43zcAP7NKLBvLSobFrm94VBkzqLAgbAgRPk3BVDvJvy7tNF7-KTPZZWyUK6zFCKPf4PXYBnZh8S_d0koAU1ZwZlU3imm0cyjPFdSocqVVCfhxTA3fZf9lAhe_22TJJUIYgpkw/s1280/IMG_20221101_102939.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9CUQiBEqt4pasRJPGWhmM0_DR8KQW-mHDs7X_IYMG3un3VsbTpDAX43zcAP7NKLBvLSobFrm94VBkzqLAgbAgRPk3BVDvJvy7tNF7-KTPZZWyUK6zFCKPf4PXYBnZh8S_d0koAU1ZwZlU3imm0cyjPFdSocqVVCfhxTA3fZf9lAhe_22TJJUIYgpkw/s320/IMG_20221101_102939.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the use of non-straight timber for these<br />covered areas, Kassinurme, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOUDVT2YCAvdvEo9s8RWAr5yxYw-P4uVG1Xyui7rseDvBkB-2Y_3zR0oZx1Q5lWf6tmYZWHU-UUbCIqSxVZxKq0M7XQiDsyajtqG3GZm21ezeBS9wVM6C94eFmT2dRxB6PHWPgVa6N3FqZA8MWbQS0UYkGl0nNXeIfKPY9naKkpdpoTL72_HW6Pw3qw/s1280/IMG_20221101_105207.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOUDVT2YCAvdvEo9s8RWAr5yxYw-P4uVG1Xyui7rseDvBkB-2Y_3zR0oZx1Q5lWf6tmYZWHU-UUbCIqSxVZxKq0M7XQiDsyajtqG3GZm21ezeBS9wVM6C94eFmT2dRxB6PHWPgVa6N3FqZA8MWbQS0UYkGl0nNXeIfKPY9naKkpdpoTL72_HW6Pw3qw/s320/IMG_20221101_105207.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A map on a wooden board, Kassinurme, Estonia. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>The other reconnection is with a pastor of the church we went to in the US. We last talked to each other nearly 15 years ago. Not that we fell out or anything, it was just we hadn't really connected in all that time. I sent an email with a concern I had and he suggested we talk. It was really refreshing to hear how he still has a heart to give people space to talk and connect, so important in this era of division. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2x3YVUmZ6_zO_T1FunANEv5Dd-nGNFdutWVijGWQxszCNvxLTy_3wIDdDxFi7Zx_6d8Ks2_1A6oYiSVz_aSltntNwhUES1qkAqi29GfuG3P7h6xYl-IAdq1jFS2IO01H_Y8wddz-CQNGxL1_MKQE58L5JI-_u0oIrqW4V6z0yyX3jeoczY4OjMlgDw/s1280/IMG_20221101_130930.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2x3YVUmZ6_zO_T1FunANEv5Dd-nGNFdutWVijGWQxszCNvxLTy_3wIDdDxFi7Zx_6d8Ks2_1A6oYiSVz_aSltntNwhUES1qkAqi29GfuG3P7h6xYl-IAdq1jFS2IO01H_Y8wddz-CQNGxL1_MKQE58L5JI-_u0oIrqW4V6z0yyX3jeoczY4OjMlgDw/s320/IMG_20221101_130930.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to a cemetery in Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmTz_RUbL_ffd5N971m3vMjWw4M1E-KLQZPvi-Z4mHwz-vRz5Jz6jEoqtoLsPQE4art71AF0bNfm1Hl8ZYiEofG-91JNP3wcvcdkD2bw1dV6bbQ4v0pDOv1qd1R4YVgM4F3TS0n-RNLK2s3XVP5TjWgOTjPQeRGMwIGn3p1Rkas-M8cXX2VTs8r0Tug/s1280/IMG_20221101_134709.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmTz_RUbL_ffd5N971m3vMjWw4M1E-KLQZPvi-Z4mHwz-vRz5Jz6jEoqtoLsPQE4art71AF0bNfm1Hl8ZYiEofG-91JNP3wcvcdkD2bw1dV6bbQ4v0pDOv1qd1R4YVgM4F3TS0n-RNLK2s3XVP5TjWgOTjPQeRGMwIGn3p1Rkas-M8cXX2VTs8r0Tug/s320/IMG_20221101_134709.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restored windmill, Kuremaa, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Our other reconnection was with some friends we have seen a little more recently but not much more. They were a couple who came out to Latvia the year before we first did and they came back to our church to tell everyone about what they had done. We enjoyed it so much that we decided we would go out the following year and the rest, as they say is history. It was the start of our journey towards living here. Something we didn't really think about in that first year, even though we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was hard work and Latvia was not as developed as it is now, but it did sow a seed in our heart and 8 years later we made the country our home. </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgZAeYjpy-6xyfRhJZycpotxUOHK3-1z_8OpMG3fROOGTxfN1Lz-22qK_JIVxmTFDaFTQdk7FIzfG7OP89TjIVvYkLMp4cyE7pIcftw1kjg1jgJjwc1Z0RHiGvlares3QUhVsW3ax41belTkG1BlHa3LcJOwj3N5zxpfrlqLMGz7W3vawU3q8EFUAOw/s1280/IMG_20221101_135519.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgZAeYjpy-6xyfRhJZycpotxUOHK3-1z_8OpMG3fROOGTxfN1Lz-22qK_JIVxmTFDaFTQdk7FIzfG7OP89TjIVvYkLMp4cyE7pIcftw1kjg1jgJjwc1Z0RHiGvlares3QUhVsW3ax41belTkG1BlHa3LcJOwj3N5zxpfrlqLMGz7W3vawU3q8EFUAOw/s320/IMG_20221101_135519.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walls of a manor house, Kuremaa, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN15hYxN142XnjyKIhXJbXAqOhXTn3Xk94MQPwtDw4YG5KGgyZZ0erHhBUA91wiPBHGNITcCR6m_6bIOBB7nBo6QbZpMBv1-G1M2c5S_vdJ0cJrwUpllRbmBG5LWDF_dpcN2pOWY0kG5FhE2J33aUHZsE6k1suYe82yXMqyDXUaJeMmDD6-6UCSY1_nQ/s1280/IMG_20221101_135556.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN15hYxN142XnjyKIhXJbXAqOhXTn3Xk94MQPwtDw4YG5KGgyZZ0erHhBUA91wiPBHGNITcCR6m_6bIOBB7nBo6QbZpMBv1-G1M2c5S_vdJ0cJrwUpllRbmBG5LWDF_dpcN2pOWY0kG5FhE2J33aUHZsE6k1suYe82yXMqyDXUaJeMmDD6-6UCSY1_nQ/s320/IMG_20221101_135556.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manor house, Kuremaa, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh5XAWSWhtYVEsI21_htvsYRofFumljyb8tqXaDLIXunCm28Zvqc_Iu74hDadGW1Pmg-QIikrCWbfGIdshYVtzQpF3cLTuV_Wjj4UgLEmx7scmRHm7cvD0aWjO9ti4XOdjXRCVMvPesZBBPhd5dr_6Hv7wD7OMe2bYnsNAA-wzdtkKb_VgcCLCRDhFg/s1280/IMG_20221101_140551.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh5XAWSWhtYVEsI21_htvsYRofFumljyb8tqXaDLIXunCm28Zvqc_Iu74hDadGW1Pmg-QIikrCWbfGIdshYVtzQpF3cLTuV_Wjj4UgLEmx7scmRHm7cvD0aWjO9ti4XOdjXRCVMvPesZBBPhd5dr_6Hv7wD7OMe2bYnsNAA-wzdtkKb_VgcCLCRDhFg/s320/IMG_20221101_140551.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kuremaa Lake, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoUIu7XnC3bHuFmHEhCzw-SrpIklAeI9alwyg9iKF0Xjwyeclfbm4KZf7uckBLK6IsCjg0Fczu0rG1YtSPJxxHI1AOQKUhRKbl4hRiAJFJW055PfcgBjoXZhXiXf2C390WvKOBl2eW60tdyX_TrYcO42PftJewy-8P1QzF6nTGZbryAE9sgQmpjSZdQ/s1280/IMG_20221101_143610.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoUIu7XnC3bHuFmHEhCzw-SrpIklAeI9alwyg9iKF0Xjwyeclfbm4KZf7uckBLK6IsCjg0Fczu0rG1YtSPJxxHI1AOQKUhRKbl4hRiAJFJW055PfcgBjoXZhXiXf2C390WvKOBl2eW60tdyX_TrYcO42PftJewy-8P1QzF6nTGZbryAE9sgQmpjSZdQ/s320/IMG_20221101_143610.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laiuse, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllPDfdzXN4WsUzunaX_DGokXqHb8xD5dGBsORgWgiSZ1bp05xvZybcTSdyjxtQC8Zg9wF5T6FPd8vq9DY8TdXa6OhaeLkncIhNh54bVJWoLIhc-yqYcOajlmtFulHeM1BFpwdFE9Qx3CI4BZNJGe8i4h6VyJ0VKpQqhkohteCuWWfhs43baFrI6kCWA/s1280/IMG_20221101_150136.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllPDfdzXN4WsUzunaX_DGokXqHb8xD5dGBsORgWgiSZ1bp05xvZybcTSdyjxtQC8Zg9wF5T6FPd8vq9DY8TdXa6OhaeLkncIhNh54bVJWoLIhc-yqYcOajlmtFulHeM1BFpwdFE9Qx3CI4BZNJGe8i4h6VyJ0VKpQqhkohteCuWWfhs43baFrI6kCWA/s320/IMG_20221101_150136.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laiuse, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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That means rain.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I started to write this late August and then events and work overtook me. So well over a month later and an era is over with the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II making the title I chose back then seem even more relevant than ever. I'm not much of a monarchist and if anything rather ambivalent to the whole pomp and ceremony aspect. I didn't even watch the funeral as I had work to do. I didn't have a bank holiday since I work for an Estonian University and funnily enough it wasn't high on their agenda. There is still a sadness though, as I did admire her Majesty's dedication to duty and I expect at times that it was a very onerous job, but she also had the perks of a rich heritage and plenty of money to compensate. When I see the millions that go into electing a President in the US, I do wonder if a monarchy is cheaper but I think the election of a head of state by a Parliament as they do in Latvia, is perhaps the best option, although with the current crew in charge in the UK, I'm not sure about that either. What I do not like to see is gross inequality that is highlighted with an old fashioned monarchy. I guess we will see how it works out for the next generation. I do hope that some of those resources will now go towards serving the ordinary people better. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ruk4ph9dlzw8OiFiNDwh9x6VgWlytL2zkeFgRNwPRVwGgOUmTxmR-58LXKkVHEA9zjcifjTkmFQxRzjkQw0ksRk8AgJg22VZDWaOMlYJY47hLFwMFCvOl99sqVD8pp-ukFrOIUui1uJ6stJjm01MSvVW1JWEPhaujfdEGzzUb9RBYmmhEtQ84VGGsg/s1280/DSC_7468.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ruk4ph9dlzw8OiFiNDwh9x6VgWlytL2zkeFgRNwPRVwGgOUmTxmR-58LXKkVHEA9zjcifjTkmFQxRzjkQw0ksRk8AgJg22VZDWaOMlYJY47hLFwMFCvOl99sqVD8pp-ukFrOIUui1uJ6stJjm01MSvVW1JWEPhaujfdEGzzUb9RBYmmhEtQ84VGGsg/s320/DSC_7468.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's over! They're heading south!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKLAJfLcbKv-zScWumjffc73V1viJM6ZZkl-tKd1g4ULmy1crXpQ-KQmpYSFIlp5NAWEvFirvyUNFdgRYlyNGt4mz8oJmTL5vjzN2-q-XaHtm86XySckX3btb7EEzI0okF258KiTxHsC1d9LiTAzgYDfzPb3FG2KMAiCbphNEMCMpP70UzTaBsPsmwQ/s1280/DSC_7078.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKLAJfLcbKv-zScWumjffc73V1viJM6ZZkl-tKd1g4ULmy1crXpQ-KQmpYSFIlp5NAWEvFirvyUNFdgRYlyNGt4mz8oJmTL5vjzN2-q-XaHtm86XySckX3btb7EEzI0okF258KiTxHsC1d9LiTAzgYDfzPb3FG2KMAiCbphNEMCMpP70UzTaBsPsmwQ/s320/DSC_7078.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think we all miss our lovely intern, who was such<br />a fabulous help over the summer. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvD-Mw2lIRzfPz9uFcHYSYB1WlBt1_kUnLli8cFOqYeqzMGTmpqVXsRENmxVx_2tFtZCV1pv8ehhkLRtK0ZUp1bmDnbojK1DTbDlRNx8CmpqerbR96Cj4R9hpcmTZG-PkJN-p68xBSZe7VOIsj8_9do80QwM86_WZq0LArDGHrhEUC-lILWpU41Lc1g/s1280/DSC_7136.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvD-Mw2lIRzfPz9uFcHYSYB1WlBt1_kUnLli8cFOqYeqzMGTmpqVXsRENmxVx_2tFtZCV1pv8ehhkLRtK0ZUp1bmDnbojK1DTbDlRNx8CmpqerbR96Cj4R9hpcmTZG-PkJN-p68xBSZe7VOIsj8_9do80QwM86_WZq0LArDGHrhEUC-lILWpU41Lc1g/s320/DSC_7136.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh no! Summer over?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So back to my original start of the blog, summer is done! I'm back to work; the hay is cut, stacked and under cover.; the leaves are starting to turn and the nights are getting longer. The summer heat continued for a while longer after the last blog and we were still suffering a drought but the cooler and longer nights meant more dew on the ground in the morning to keep things ticking over. We'd barely had enough rain to wet the ground in quite a while and so the plants were not exactly accelerating away, apart from some of the squash plants that excel at sitting there for months and then suddenly exploding in size over night. But the rain put an end to that and then the early frosts arrived As I headed up north to Estonia for the start of the academic year, I dressed for summer but packed for winter (well slight exaggeration, autumn).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vgj1ZMFwNvm-FWLruIbriTH4JNG11--IoIRH1ZLAI6JBCLDy0aJJk6_56neNmZ2nOSk4ZiXfPurkXSErssLbcPyFDnJ6xBTIGkd5oXcTS1nLj5wtEZsKwxzWjS5NqCtxvpyxrx4iFEWAcazh8J5MTnnfFLR9JVYF3K1vXFoS4ixr4OmifV3osYmBNQ/s1280/DSC_7192.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vgj1ZMFwNvm-FWLruIbriTH4JNG11--IoIRH1ZLAI6JBCLDy0aJJk6_56neNmZ2nOSk4ZiXfPurkXSErssLbcPyFDnJ6xBTIGkd5oXcTS1nLj5wtEZsKwxzWjS5NqCtxvpyxrx4iFEWAcazh8J5MTnnfFLR9JVYF3K1vXFoS4ixr4OmifV3osYmBNQ/s320/DSC_7192.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now a race to the finish. I think Marvin's ahead<br />by a nose.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLcTtr0VPNY3o2hbTHgSThZjRAI3WhQHyZuo21uJbLAYRpBetFxWnoDVQ-JSlxYrUCLvWdKy3J4jQXZwoSxCRwShifSuUG1hwb1Fs6-4Lyegzvs8D5TaBiZJPzCboJIFByeQLMBaU982X2XnYSa8-uOVsKJD-nlL0-70xbes5TsZJPJsV9j_IMYN5Ag/s1280/DSC_7441.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLcTtr0VPNY3o2hbTHgSThZjRAI3WhQHyZuo21uJbLAYRpBetFxWnoDVQ-JSlxYrUCLvWdKy3J4jQXZwoSxCRwShifSuUG1hwb1Fs6-4Lyegzvs8D5TaBiZJPzCboJIFByeQLMBaU982X2XnYSa8-uOVsKJD-nlL0-70xbes5TsZJPJsV9j_IMYN5Ag/s320/DSC_7441.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just lazing around</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In all the years I've been with the Estonian University, both as a student and then member of staff, this was the first time I've been there for the start of term. I was there to introduce myself as the head of the masters programme, so they would know who I was. I then went on a field trip with them the next day to see parts of Estonia I haven't seen much of before, which I really enjoyed. I took the precaution of wearing a mask on the bus, glad I did! I was the only one though. The following week on another trip several staff members became sick with COVID. Not sure if the mask would have been effective on that trip but decided that in small confined areas or rooms, I would wear a mask now that I'm starting to mingle again more. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfIoKLGuOZ1K_i94rRwJ3ZZjgP0QGRKDAxtSTPrSzO_hmVQLmykCKNyx5h6Rb2ePC-UG_z2l7BZI4bkHvt5ryJbbmpgRPLsIngNZez6iIubMyEffKW3bQMwjWqhzWoUkJ-TKEUkRo8juBWfOFA242KfMpTS7TsJeumxw2kWYPiW7uhpoOC1eUYsEsXA/s1280/DSC_7270.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfIoKLGuOZ1K_i94rRwJ3ZZjgP0QGRKDAxtSTPrSzO_hmVQLmykCKNyx5h6Rb2ePC-UG_z2l7BZI4bkHvt5ryJbbmpgRPLsIngNZez6iIubMyEffKW3bQMwjWqhzWoUkJ-TKEUkRo8juBWfOFA242KfMpTS7TsJeumxw2kWYPiW7uhpoOC1eUYsEsXA/s320/DSC_7270.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two falls and a submission<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5sJuzB2xc4QAJnTU5E564XH2Nw7vU4cKGIMcfATn6xJjOcjMewUSyqdJrdvlf4lj4ws6aoJSDuOUKgfcnWen_FgiQ7K0QOmAX2ds2bEocPV_qZQxWjPnQnN9F09AF550AnkxkPh0MfjaJqYApsZ3FcTMtiHQ_0K7MRTeOcRN64QyIGIPVIMpYCY2mg/s1280/IMG_20220902_114418.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5sJuzB2xc4QAJnTU5E564XH2Nw7vU4cKGIMcfATn6xJjOcjMewUSyqdJrdvlf4lj4ws6aoJSDuOUKgfcnWen_FgiQ7K0QOmAX2ds2bEocPV_qZQxWjPnQnN9F09AF550AnkxkPh0MfjaJqYApsZ3FcTMtiHQ_0K7MRTeOcRN64QyIGIPVIMpYCY2mg/s320/IMG_20220902_114418.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Peipsi, Estonia</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxIZrlEnYjU_QzxyO8PhWf_zvJQDh7I3ZjQ4tHVF8pJova9rIK1u5aPxbS-5Olu-7Tvxt2BxRXAVFOk99AaRVlMOElLqsMk6_n17dlHWszAlA90IvlUgxmEvdX2qKlQ-4OLtTKps75d15mxSP8tmC3tRLLLUWwR1VgXy0Ns3aklRCOfNxbJeNeBfvCg/s1280/IMG_20220902_124855.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxIZrlEnYjU_QzxyO8PhWf_zvJQDh7I3ZjQ4tHVF8pJova9rIK1u5aPxbS-5Olu-7Tvxt2BxRXAVFOk99AaRVlMOElLqsMk6_n17dlHWszAlA90IvlUgxmEvdX2qKlQ-4OLtTKps75d15mxSP8tmC3tRLLLUWwR1VgXy0Ns3aklRCOfNxbJeNeBfvCg/s320/IMG_20220902_124855.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of a lake in Estonia. Forgotten which<br />one now - guess I'll be in trouble!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sGA_dYbaMSdChnkvnF33DW63a-N-cZHmY4ugn2mTZRjPh3MBKoosLzcDheE0RRZ4rkKH4p-PKzgVBu3RlgPmmutG7qlVOtb5zuU_d8IALm-L3p_1uJp4OfuGEOpBpom6Gudw6raSKolnDNuPMMqYtdrtQ15Byfp3bF3G3E-4ApoZ1yvE-eSKg7xRHA/s1280/IMG_20220902_103852.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7sGA_dYbaMSdChnkvnF33DW63a-N-cZHmY4ugn2mTZRjPh3MBKoosLzcDheE0RRZ4rkKH4p-PKzgVBu3RlgPmmutG7qlVOtb5zuU_d8IALm-L3p_1uJp4OfuGEOpBpom6Gudw6raSKolnDNuPMMqYtdrtQ15Byfp3bF3G3E-4ApoZ1yvE-eSKg7xRHA/s320/IMG_20220902_103852.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A textile exhibition in a manor house</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg908htJszfHKfZRvVOQOpFpZl6IYM5cfTWKachDFIyd7-o4SWzhnUKpAOl9U8NP4qdcnfZodVX9JOUfPxa8pDd_QbH0iUJCJc8qXKlsWL7Wv0Tx6lD5hd9P3jcTVyZJX18qhHBD6zB-oJ08vcMZWIEU_TsibMjnEaXcvuj6yh1K7OQcda9blLKDoEjBA/s1280/DSC_7508.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg908htJszfHKfZRvVOQOpFpZl6IYM5cfTWKachDFIyd7-o4SWzhnUKpAOl9U8NP4qdcnfZodVX9JOUfPxa8pDd_QbH0iUJCJc8qXKlsWL7Wv0Tx6lD5hd9P3jcTVyZJX18qhHBD6zB-oJ08vcMZWIEU_TsibMjnEaXcvuj6yh1K7OQcda9blLKDoEjBA/s320/DSC_7508.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just starting to turn colour</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Back on the farm it's not been a great year for the garden. First the spring nights were cold that meant everything got off to a late start, just in time for the period of neglect when other jobs take priority. So generally the paths are barely visible and some beds look like a jungle. Fat hen the prolific but tasty "weed" was a staple in our diet for quite a bit of the summer, along with herbs which seem to be doing okay and the volunteer potatoes that taste awesome (volunteer as they sprout up in places where they were not deliberately planted). Our lawnmowers in the orchard have been the chickens this year as we've moved the arks around there rather than cut the lawn around the trees. Consequently we have suckers coming up from the plum trees in various areas. We will have to decide whether to cut them back or keep them I guess. Now the chickens are starting on their slow trek to the small greenhouse for the winter.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8mWSlNgGe4MfKJvAUPS1z7Dk7-bIMH-RQ-P7ubeeBbasMfJHPcR3MDhpnSfrkrKZuA8bpIAiDTHr_VsUUiGBISrsFpkZ-wkZYCGh2kDu9oAG2BPsLS8uFJlhlSo64AaOEOnggYNO5DNyNWvr1HbmZjz0aRvDZ5arFj8su6um8ZhOgtrN-r-yEyjMXQ/s1280/DSC_7512.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8mWSlNgGe4MfKJvAUPS1z7Dk7-bIMH-RQ-P7ubeeBbasMfJHPcR3MDhpnSfrkrKZuA8bpIAiDTHr_VsUUiGBISrsFpkZ-wkZYCGh2kDu9oAG2BPsLS8uFJlhlSo64AaOEOnggYNO5DNyNWvr1HbmZjz0aRvDZ5arFj8su6um8ZhOgtrN-r-yEyjMXQ/s320/DSC_7512.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What are you two arguing over? Tis the season of<br />arguments amongst the animals.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb7KY3HsaHHlE9VBHvdQLydEqfoRd1cg3NlAUuud-SEr0NC8WAVZE1vkni6LC3PRKJzeanIVuvMDqlFFUW0qx4SsOralRgthO8veXQdwoM43W7VODK0LbFzRsHEj7BuuwWpKuyNN3QTuWAOiXMNWGszxmtyYw7YYEPd1TKpRYYZMcjOl5jonGeDqJaA/s1280/DSC_7525.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTb7KY3HsaHHlE9VBHvdQLydEqfoRd1cg3NlAUuud-SEr0NC8WAVZE1vkni6LC3PRKJzeanIVuvMDqlFFUW0qx4SsOralRgthO8veXQdwoM43W7VODK0LbFzRsHEj7BuuwWpKuyNN3QTuWAOiXMNWGszxmtyYw7YYEPd1TKpRYYZMcjOl5jonGeDqJaA/s320/DSC_7525.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then the next minute, all is calm and they are <br />sitting down ruminating.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIUpCxicxWifqJp-agKqUWlDOudYaFrOzsTCe8io54shL2g98nsNp0md4C3lzP2jE3v0hfSbYeCBf4V_rjTRbpJRt3_wH5pnjzsPOfcSqqag_PCJH1tMML25zNQBDRh-JDPUp3d5EkbvuduZ9KOPXxPNHRpbpTrX4SwtU2ODeiWRyF4kNEgeGBUsCEQ/s1280/DSC_7162.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIUpCxicxWifqJp-agKqUWlDOudYaFrOzsTCe8io54shL2g98nsNp0md4C3lzP2jE3v0hfSbYeCBf4V_rjTRbpJRt3_wH5pnjzsPOfcSqqag_PCJH1tMML25zNQBDRh-JDPUp3d5EkbvuduZ9KOPXxPNHRpbpTrX4SwtU2ODeiWRyF4kNEgeGBUsCEQ/s320/DSC_7162.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frosts? What are those? You are about to find out<br />little chap.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I do wonder how much we will get before the heavy frosts set in and just as everything is starting to produce. The tomatoes had only just started turning and before I set off for the start of term in Estonia we'd only had the grand total of two up till then but with lots to come. The beans were and are still flowering away and there are signs of some small beans but they haven't amounted to much over the last month, we had a handful one meal time. Some squashes were romping away but others are sitting there rather demurely. Oh the joys of a neglected garden. I planted some more seeds for some autumn veg and was hoping with some watering and the extra week of heat, they would get going but they have been slow too. I'm always loathe to water the garden as I prefer a rain-fed one and mulching - less effort and more sustainable. At least we are not using municipal treated water, just the water we collect from the run off from the barn roof or pond water. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3wNKFekKyxYuUNyFAGpsCbPFb5hUI1Zzr7AB_UelP-15vJlC2cxTcIc0InB_q7MyyCail6RzGFdVngsKqrqeNnMBefJCLyjMFailh5dZA_nGIAV95mOyQ5BaORncKZ3pMtXqYiabDHBbOF5SrbyTJhtthQtDKxzFQg2pf_f3y_umDSguJEMZ1_tISA/s1280/DSC_7464.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3wNKFekKyxYuUNyFAGpsCbPFb5hUI1Zzr7AB_UelP-15vJlC2cxTcIc0InB_q7MyyCail6RzGFdVngsKqrqeNnMBefJCLyjMFailh5dZA_nGIAV95mOyQ5BaORncKZ3pMtXqYiabDHBbOF5SrbyTJhtthQtDKxzFQg2pf_f3y_umDSguJEMZ1_tISA/s320/DSC_7464.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian's birthday mug</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3r61NLZ6mARlLT-QLYQwBkQnMuQoVolM7RzWjNPeeBSG0vqg9-I_DIPZDbAKMGA1LIQ2qv1AEVFCsoAJ_vW4_mgVWrTwx5R7n9uj6Y3Fs_Cy-QDwNyLDaEuIg3Uw2VHV9yGhwH9uqrHVDoO5-pvpJYM1qcac69pt7i6gxPM5Jj55NyehKDYYbgYf1A/s1280/IMG_20220919_085130.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3r61NLZ6mARlLT-QLYQwBkQnMuQoVolM7RzWjNPeeBSG0vqg9-I_DIPZDbAKMGA1LIQ2qv1AEVFCsoAJ_vW4_mgVWrTwx5R7n9uj6Y3Fs_Cy-QDwNyLDaEuIg3Uw2VHV9yGhwH9uqrHVDoO5-pvpJYM1qcac69pt7i6gxPM5Jj55NyehKDYYbgYf1A/s320/IMG_20220919_085130.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rather vibrant fungi</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Talking of sustainable water collection, I read an article recently where they used plastic mesh to collect the moisture in the air to irrigate new trees to repopulate an area damaged by fire. Maybe that would work in my garden to ensure the moist air is trapped. It might also mean that the wee beasties are kept off the plants and might provide a bit of protection from low overnight temperatures. I will have to experiment I think, but I think that might be an experiment for next year now.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYOZyAxyvieN8ZHstxrfqU06WZLOu0Mc4A2KALzz74_aWOarIyKz0-MlOFNRLjEUpVsooJvyoHvazYwTp71YdvRpjI3gCBVzlTVdF_zMUJ7TbztAc5akk-KL0PIBIs1oFRmG1R7gH_NT6MlfwktVzrcOZcHboMqvbZJaMuDg_F12ENW9tViKL0VDGpg/s1280/IMG_20220919_141531(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYOZyAxyvieN8ZHstxrfqU06WZLOu0Mc4A2KALzz74_aWOarIyKz0-MlOFNRLjEUpVsooJvyoHvazYwTp71YdvRpjI3gCBVzlTVdF_zMUJ7TbztAc5akk-KL0PIBIs1oFRmG1R7gH_NT6MlfwktVzrcOZcHboMqvbZJaMuDg_F12ENW9tViKL0VDGpg/s320/IMG_20220919_141531(1).jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Socks completed by our friend for a<br />customer</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLMC77OwdzyNbR5hfBhaKgGjXJsczSr7F0qPyyh2Ps2trWObReTBpkgCCBX92CSADHt3i_d3b9h7uQX6-ziLsYmtGZbXhyrcGLMOiE4zjMRqK0Xi7PJRHSb1qiDAZnqK4g__TXnqssVWe3SMPe4p0--9dv0GqEfBlz5a0XTxvDeN8av0fxyi27RjRXg/s1280/DSC_7175.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLMC77OwdzyNbR5hfBhaKgGjXJsczSr7F0qPyyh2Ps2trWObReTBpkgCCBX92CSADHt3i_d3b9h7uQX6-ziLsYmtGZbXhyrcGLMOiE4zjMRqK0Xi7PJRHSb1qiDAZnqK4g__TXnqssVWe3SMPe4p0--9dv0GqEfBlz5a0XTxvDeN8av0fxyi27RjRXg/s320/DSC_7175.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Betty. We keep her in the cage at night, as<br />we wouldn't want her to become a little snack. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I mentioned in the last blog that we seem to have lost GT. He still hasn't returned and so we fear the worse. However, we now have a new kitten. Ian phoned me from the place where he had gone to do some late shearing and said they had a kitten they needed to re-home, did we want it. I said yes, and so we welcomed Betty to our farm. She's quite a sweetie, very affectionate. Not wild like the previous two were as kittens. She can be a bit feisty too though. She is not afraid of Rocket Ron and poor Rocket Ron didn't quite know what to think of her at first. She sometimes chased him off, but he started to fight back a little eventually. Nothing serious, just a paw to say, "Keep off!" or "Enough!" It was hilarious to watch this tiny little kitten chasing a cat three times her size. Generally they just sniff each other though, so that's a relief and now they seem to be fine together.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKSIyZ5YW5VZzQhW6WEQd9If1GhLaX7pManIGbsH1msRz71wYRhKVTIWDualfwPwdsFSOTJgk9HfxndTQL30Pyl36cbyLtfUbrspExNrk1SSTdk4BnEOjzc6ewQ1kwpEXYWf7I0OtXeebN4McE3DloZjEWmPDmtLSP7aj8-gVMJ0ubLie7KDORK9iIQ/s1280/DSC_7391.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKSIyZ5YW5VZzQhW6WEQd9If1GhLaX7pManIGbsH1msRz71wYRhKVTIWDualfwPwdsFSOTJgk9HfxndTQL30Pyl36cbyLtfUbrspExNrk1SSTdk4BnEOjzc6ewQ1kwpEXYWf7I0OtXeebN4McE3DloZjEWmPDmtLSP7aj8-gVMJ0ubLie7KDORK9iIQ/s320/DSC_7391.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is that scary little thing? </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfohWE9O19syr3Skxz5-BSjzlh3JScBoWqOBpNJ1A0XY8iwv7uWHEPrt7Ipww2bKxIGrqtIwU40hGsC3fxuRZI4_mxErmyfqAf2hmIqgaOB0ZxriEGf1OT_nx9xhl7kHZ2yKIoyPnrfI2i9IkZWJVD82L5BojBQ9Ume8_tH1Yzx8C0-2DFDEOF-p0Cbg/s1280/DSC_7401.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfohWE9O19syr3Skxz5-BSjzlh3JScBoWqOBpNJ1A0XY8iwv7uWHEPrt7Ipww2bKxIGrqtIwU40hGsC3fxuRZI4_mxErmyfqAf2hmIqgaOB0ZxriEGf1OT_nx9xhl7kHZ2yKIoyPnrfI2i9IkZWJVD82L5BojBQ9Ume8_tH1Yzx8C0-2DFDEOF-p0Cbg/s320/DSC_7401.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel, our temperamental, stressy, spitty alpaca<br />but she's sweet really.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Chanel is still causing us some issues. It has been too hot sometimes to wash her as she would boil as she dried out. Then there's been the times when we are cutting the hay and there are just not enough hours in the day to sort her out too. If she was an even-tempered, easy-going alpaca like her son, then we could have done more with her, but because she is so temperamental and difficult to handle then we cannot work on her as much as we would like. Unfortunately the last washing she had meant the skin was soft enough for the flies to start working on her again and she got some nasty sore spots. Blue antibiotic spray followed by turmeric and garlic powder worked well. The patches at least now look dry. She was too sore tto carry on the washing programme and now it's perhaps too cold. Sigh!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaz17P1f7Y4AzuLifsk83Ti-fIuCl1l3mQTuj3qK-C3P2SbQ-SIQLXHfzB9A3DS--K4TCgqBHEs-h6UXuFzbX5cbJhLEclN2V8PP30Ypt-gh6TyzyHRRtLSGiaxbpUC9ptf5lGIlY6sgpF-eX0voaN5IsNToxpMzId511s1CBU0XJTmWUZRSzjMPjXA/s1280/DSC_7497.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaz17P1f7Y4AzuLifsk83Ti-fIuCl1l3mQTuj3qK-C3P2SbQ-SIQLXHfzB9A3DS--K4TCgqBHEs-h6UXuFzbX5cbJhLEclN2V8PP30Ypt-gh6TyzyHRRtLSGiaxbpUC9ptf5lGIlY6sgpF-eX0voaN5IsNToxpMzId511s1CBU0XJTmWUZRSzjMPjXA/s320/DSC_7497.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over? Really?</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXLHOgOGHt41nlcCV0YlzyB-AYoQM5Wuyh3HQGzG8lZ22hIAMlh34AbXT-p2mTXxq17DPWSdSB3bmdU6tjL-K7RA5206r7V1DjFG5rbJ0WrAbmpeV-zBtoVXo2GC0WaIOp0bzeOvxMPni-RT3ocfLq5Op1ShL-vGYlkodyqD_ev90EQkI-YSLXb6RcQ/s1280/DSC_7507.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXLHOgOGHt41nlcCV0YlzyB-AYoQM5Wuyh3HQGzG8lZ22hIAMlh34AbXT-p2mTXxq17DPWSdSB3bmdU6tjL-K7RA5206r7V1DjFG5rbJ0WrAbmpeV-zBtoVXo2GC0WaIOp0bzeOvxMPni-RT3ocfLq5Op1ShL-vGYlkodyqD_ev90EQkI-YSLXb6RcQ/s320/DSC_7507.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well never mind, there's always hay!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Our summer house progressed slowly but now the main structure is finished and we even have an electric supply to it. The roof boards and shingles were put on before the rain started thank goodness. There was some frustration as there were days of rain forecast that didn't actually materialise or there was so little that it hardly dampened anything. Frustrating when dry weather is needed to get a job done, even if the water was needed for the garden. So this is the worst of both worlds. Now the damp days with bits of drizzle is holding up the work to get the outside preservative on. Most of it is done now though, so it isn't so stark and dominant. We chose a dark colour to help it blend in. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PGdzjFVE_Idb0as-UNq1f1mziOgsnAulDn3pUvAjpqoX5Fe3j0JxlBdb6SPqgk8-jymQUUI8tEWv6Kn_ZmmvD1EMhr-CRjaxi2ohXpNjUr6FfnejhM9TiSLarXihn66j0Rrl-B6pz7Xgpxw_4a_mtE4a7CDVlK9jq86m2Edn_1bQKnRMd8D35-zzBw/s1280/IMG_20220920_190919.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PGdzjFVE_Idb0as-UNq1f1mziOgsnAulDn3pUvAjpqoX5Fe3j0JxlBdb6SPqgk8-jymQUUI8tEWv6Kn_ZmmvD1EMhr-CRjaxi2ohXpNjUr6FfnejhM9TiSLarXihn66j0Rrl-B6pz7Xgpxw_4a_mtE4a7CDVlK9jq86m2Edn_1bQKnRMd8D35-zzBw/s320/IMG_20220920_190919.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More flying south<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifA-TEaDyUa5KvdhAIIc71Ib6spbs1rnAd56R38QQeFIIiGZgjOidKvzbCh4o5WXjrts2ef9dkCAs89U4CBFMIua21iRFYLN9vvNKye9OlWoVKaGyqni8HW8hbJ3njSZEk0wi8i_1bVIVy5hOB8vFYNexSDdhig8ppHXaFCiz17bYFFne0Ce0YIVEBjg/s1280/DSC_7216.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifA-TEaDyUa5KvdhAIIc71Ib6spbs1rnAd56R38QQeFIIiGZgjOidKvzbCh4o5WXjrts2ef9dkCAs89U4CBFMIua21iRFYLN9vvNKye9OlWoVKaGyqni8HW8hbJ3njSZEk0wi8i_1bVIVy5hOB8vFYNexSDdhig8ppHXaFCiz17bYFFne0Ce0YIVEBjg/s320/DSC_7216.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got Ian to take some photos of<br />me for work, but thought that<br />I looked rather like my <br />grandmother. I think it's the <br />colour of the jacket. Quite scary<br />really!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The week I went up to Estonia some of our family arrived for another visit. It was lovely to see them again when I got back from work and Ian enjoyed the company of our grandson every morning as he got up early to help with poo clearing again. We were really grateful to our son for helping Ian with the flooring but we didn't think he needed to test the strength of the membrane and netting that we put to stop mice nibbling through. I hope his leg is okay now, he did get a bit of a bruise from it. It seemed like everyone had a good time though and the kids got plenty of opportunity to play outside in a sandy patch and play with the kitten (I'm sure she misses them).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDav_Bj-smkBq_moA8AcsLcxw1AA07sf9xBBmPXvOEBUrYa0vMoxcPqNZdpIbHMshESgIwLiCRuF6Djyy256tO0-bp8pgN-7GGETKSWq_ZzURCfeXdP52mX1CK-A8kctWfEnf1S1-3eWHAygAsFAxXz4-5wm0JC1cZAFYQxOEH-s2EbvqHl-MYBeYGVA/s1280/DSC_7223.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDav_Bj-smkBq_moA8AcsLcxw1AA07sf9xBBmPXvOEBUrYa0vMoxcPqNZdpIbHMshESgIwLiCRuF6Djyy256tO0-bp8pgN-7GGETKSWq_ZzURCfeXdP52mX1CK-A8kctWfEnf1S1-3eWHAygAsFAxXz4-5wm0JC1cZAFYQxOEH-s2EbvqHl-MYBeYGVA/s320/DSC_7223.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well the colours are better I guess!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITyUSPyXZGMFDfYsvCjoU8YmPYWqG2SNG4gkZSFNQXeuvCC8brilWedRXBaLD_qlI6Ae-kfP3UQ1n8WDdBM1BPMQY-tPol3XbrruUH0rZ85GSIZZXEUCzda_bXi9KgJbQTbDzVU1K_yqvrm9I5KroU-2mn7cPjC4oD6z8sHNfmYtLwIqosqatilqNCg/s1280/IMG_5009.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITyUSPyXZGMFDfYsvCjoU8YmPYWqG2SNG4gkZSFNQXeuvCC8brilWedRXBaLD_qlI6Ae-kfP3UQ1n8WDdBM1BPMQY-tPol3XbrruUH0rZ85GSIZZXEUCzda_bXi9KgJbQTbDzVU1K_yqvrm9I5KroU-2mn7cPjC4oD6z8sHNfmYtLwIqosqatilqNCg/s320/IMG_5009.jpeg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One haircut, my favourite colour purple<br />and a black wall at work. Well that's <br />better!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHE0Rh8XWKilOUKpSR5EJXk3uUyVNJkrs83xVcOavn6dbv6-1N7s0PVcq1iz7MEOBxH1FB4c2E0EubATpDB1P9_4rVtl2bQuKAU_uOHW8nVNHc7zrwCnYTpOlgDZMBdeo2HyT-Xyi0KGBl4PAoZMT_DIWxLxAU4gfiOsLjgUR96YvnJ9XKALlvbOMow/s1280/DSC_7427.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHE0Rh8XWKilOUKpSR5EJXk3uUyVNJkrs83xVcOavn6dbv6-1N7s0PVcq1iz7MEOBxH1FB4c2E0EubATpDB1P9_4rVtl2bQuKAU_uOHW8nVNHc7zrwCnYTpOlgDZMBdeo2HyT-Xyi0KGBl4PAoZMT_DIWxLxAU4gfiOsLjgUR96YvnJ9XKALlvbOMow/s320/DSC_7427.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the fun of playing in the sand with an auger!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>All too soon it was time for them to go home and and me to head to Poland. I decided to drive down to Kielce. It was quite a journey and so opted to stay in a hotel in the north of Poland before heading for the event the following day. I think I've said this before, as we drove to the UK for our son's wedding years ago, but Poland is big. It also has some very pretty places and a lot of new roads. I can understand them building the new roads, there was so much traffic, but it is sad to see them carving them through forests and green belt land. Nice to drive on but not good for the environment. I would have taken the bus down but I just could not face an overnight journey to Warsaw, I long for the Rail Baltica project to be completed and for Europe to get their act together with overnight trains. During my time in Poland it was also time for our Ukrainian guests to leave for the UK. We will miss their borscht, smiling faces and our spotless apartment. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIFwq04dy1RH5SafCDcRvoK4vFjheMrppY1z3tfq-lvebguQR4BNaZlJ_XsHPTsCgrK63vhmH95MNzYyykQcb2udKkgPX83DfUkKa7RovDjq4_h7Eo4tuMn7VqAjX2aQJkTPbYiVoSGVgcZjwN4fIhn_uzgNp0ls1Vgof09aB-cERzFOMHSRk2sdkeA/s1280/IMG_20220913_134221.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIFwq04dy1RH5SafCDcRvoK4vFjheMrppY1z3tfq-lvebguQR4BNaZlJ_XsHPTsCgrK63vhmH95MNzYyykQcb2udKkgPX83DfUkKa7RovDjq4_h7Eo4tuMn7VqAjX2aQJkTPbYiVoSGVgcZjwN4fIhn_uzgNp0ls1Vgof09aB-cERzFOMHSRk2sdkeA/s320/IMG_20220913_134221.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weaving linen in Poland<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRCNvXUmBpxxbNoCvinfy0wCxcPjI04HkI_oKAX6MXVuBVYBA-s1Vp6vqBn4mzNRHZFQ00kaeX_QCA-5a_L3NffiYzmxiHIkCd72EqlxaNfC24tQQYN_gXz2to1rJlbgnuyLVlafx0f8hkqlSAdBn9AJY92ciFHNQVpx1gLPagJ3BDysgircjQkfHYw/s1280/IMG_20220914_084414.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFRCNvXUmBpxxbNoCvinfy0wCxcPjI04HkI_oKAX6MXVuBVYBA-s1Vp6vqBn4mzNRHZFQ00kaeX_QCA-5a_L3NffiYzmxiHIkCd72EqlxaNfC24tQQYN_gXz2to1rJlbgnuyLVlafx0f8hkqlSAdBn9AJY92ciFHNQVpx1gLPagJ3BDysgircjQkfHYw/s320/IMG_20220914_084414.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The workshop room for the workshop<br />I was hosting</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-jXpNQTuNKiSvNO09BlYCB7ji63OszrxGaFWQ5unO7A6jPgjRA9FZfcXHq3FmivS2wfGEvNZFfhtPO0ZVOCJOjeAPAjtl1TdBYqNqi_GQnbjZVXef14u8AwFRg2RxVwItgd4f0J_Y1b2X1naiAhuZmzdNm-ttBmrYG9lZ8H4Nl1Gv_LgAmr4RGjMCA/s1280/IMG_20220914_132824.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-jXpNQTuNKiSvNO09BlYCB7ji63OszrxGaFWQ5unO7A6jPgjRA9FZfcXHq3FmivS2wfGEvNZFfhtPO0ZVOCJOjeAPAjtl1TdBYqNqi_GQnbjZVXef14u8AwFRg2RxVwItgd4f0J_Y1b2X1naiAhuZmzdNm-ttBmrYG9lZ8H4Nl1Gv_LgAmr4RGjMCA/s320/IMG_20220914_132824.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from the tower of the workshop room. I got <br />stuck in there as the lift stopped working. Had to <br />find the service lift, but thankful that the guy who was<br />also stuck up there was Polish and could contact the <br />service crew.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gVGP3Wz6NvfRRFxd8AIv8ccy3LTmc8pGNQrzYwZvyAe-1yniHs_0ursjJPzXxc_YV3Sq-3onDpw_bCX70UsO5AYxyRy3oO3xW6LH4TWnQZ8JdhaeX9pllGmUxUBdACEDGvWoHM8W4lh4o_YzUMPQqY4hsQp65dzMMJyJZ0Pr1MYhenybOdtIcWpjmw/s1280/IMG_20220914_132901.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gVGP3Wz6NvfRRFxd8AIv8ccy3LTmc8pGNQrzYwZvyAe-1yniHs_0ursjJPzXxc_YV3Sq-3onDpw_bCX70UsO5AYxyRy3oO3xW6LH4TWnQZ8JdhaeX9pllGmUxUBdACEDGvWoHM8W4lh4o_YzUMPQqY4hsQp65dzMMJyJZ0Pr1MYhenybOdtIcWpjmw/s320/IMG_20220914_132901.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Already for the workshop</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0j6cNX1k0Sv9UTH_2M8JSPKOTWmnDFMo-KzNmDwWYbhDtWdAPqGGDqGQUYwdPFeu4Llocm_u-0p5bcCyzqczUuqnX_24g36nTsfByVUNhSgJ2oVsYhNO6ziVg22v0zj5MCxw9u-Jdp51mR7UrsWzkYexEuvxTpaVDgBAJ1o74HHTfaiJzGyzEx7CRUw/s1280/IMG_20220915_144030.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0j6cNX1k0Sv9UTH_2M8JSPKOTWmnDFMo-KzNmDwWYbhDtWdAPqGGDqGQUYwdPFeu4Llocm_u-0p5bcCyzqczUuqnX_24g36nTsfByVUNhSgJ2oVsYhNO6ziVg22v0zj5MCxw9u-Jdp51mR7UrsWzkYexEuvxTpaVDgBAJ1o74HHTfaiJzGyzEx7CRUw/s320/IMG_20220915_144030.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The not so beautiful view of the grain silos <br />situated next to the hotel I was staying in. The<br />hotel was quite posh and had lovely breakfasts, <br />so all was good.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJEHATVlTvoZi78coA4ZNkl1BKzATRBI3vqOdLb4dwaR7d9oJNDnelxQ4TGRLxSxtofQEr_yJCIMVy0zocXlLvKCTSiy6d_558EqFt-hZDfKYsM9D1P-vo7MoZqbA_sBEOCuuj9lmCe2w8PdUGyd_dWAytHsME7VzZ1BpUSvIs12TugX-HlfsD7Yo_g/s1280/IMG_20220915_201705.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJEHATVlTvoZi78coA4ZNkl1BKzATRBI3vqOdLb4dwaR7d9oJNDnelxQ4TGRLxSxtofQEr_yJCIMVy0zocXlLvKCTSiy6d_558EqFt-hZDfKYsM9D1P-vo7MoZqbA_sBEOCuuj9lmCe2w8PdUGyd_dWAytHsME7VzZ1BpUSvIs12TugX-HlfsD7Yo_g/s320/IMG_20220915_201705.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rather grand bed on my way back from Poland</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKshH670q_OZ2waZhatNnZid9OShZVxchcwVVcrVgc4tlBIse5JvlaL1wi2V3TCAcmuljhoOBRtqqkt193M5CUn_DlLKT0ARJqJasyrGA6A7F7QX6vv9pPPvqvX6VuVCGGQxEAofYRX6CrydWY7N0AV8LKZKXHluYevldlSrcWHyD-DJ4Zj2uF2mIjuA/s1280/DSC_7263.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKshH670q_OZ2waZhatNnZid9OShZVxchcwVVcrVgc4tlBIse5JvlaL1wi2V3TCAcmuljhoOBRtqqkt193M5CUn_DlLKT0ARJqJasyrGA6A7F7QX6vv9pPPvqvX6VuVCGGQxEAofYRX6CrydWY7N0AV8LKZKXHluYevldlSrcWHyD-DJ4Zj2uF2mIjuA/s320/DSC_7263.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The t-shirts were a gift from our intern. Spit <br />happens is a common phrase amongst alpaca<br />owners but it genuinely never occurred to me<br />that it might resemble another phrase that I <br />would not really use! Sigh! How naive I can <br />be at times!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I did appreciate being able to see many familiar faces and make some new acquaintances at the conference I went to (The European Rural Parliament), although I still feel uneasy about the consumption of resources to cover such events. Out of the new networks I've made I've been asked to speak to an online lunchtime seminar in the UK about my research and one lady said she would love me to go to Iceland - not holding my breath on that one though and the uneasiness over travel by plane concerns me for its impacts on the environment - so difficult when I do actually still like travel. I was slightly alarmed on this trip though that I developed a cough but in the end decided it was all the chemicals they use in the air-conditioning systems and the cleaning fluids and it was setting off an asthmatic cough. Once I was outside my coughing subsided. Anyway, in preparation for a flight to Spain I got my COVID booster. That's enough flights for one year anyway. Planting a hedge to screen the alpaca boys from seeing the girls seems like a good idea and would offset those airmiles - and yes I did add extra for offsets to the air tickets, which is a concept I hate. So many dilemmas to face.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Progress on the summer house</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0hmW1lFoY5DlaOaRwAEUPy0hz0zKUdN5NRSwEWz6lmWAw6gxtE2KwuktbEdSAFvqpKzE-bx3dbHUvweWAVuRv91BLIf9omAGEukuBt1rHd5yFWrOnv6WAD1vGMYdglUwR5plNW7Jp4hrWrPZxAskXCTVxmJuGRBLC3rrr-X9zTmMJuULjhny11-A7w/s1280/DSC_7211.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0hmW1lFoY5DlaOaRwAEUPy0hz0zKUdN5NRSwEWz6lmWAw6gxtE2KwuktbEdSAFvqpKzE-bx3dbHUvweWAVuRv91BLIf9omAGEukuBt1rHd5yFWrOnv6WAD1vGMYdglUwR5plNW7Jp4hrWrPZxAskXCTVxmJuGRBLC3rrr-X9zTmMJuULjhny11-A7w/s320/DSC_7211.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BaVOSvdNFWFolC1B8ntoFuc4v2vUvaPF6ot99T56sOsnzJXTsHrWUIxfS5z_87JxbDBZvdwltgdwJf28kMxeVxcluDq30kQgVNRVOcmzXFJ2zb-Gd0gx_9vjQSDyX0fhn20NyZFO3BTB6Z-wshGK3eWHEyT5grKtIeZp19t-P_4-h6XG4hswL19_7Q/s1280/DSC_7267.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BaVOSvdNFWFolC1B8ntoFuc4v2vUvaPF6ot99T56sOsnzJXTsHrWUIxfS5z_87JxbDBZvdwltgdwJf28kMxeVxcluDq30kQgVNRVOcmzXFJ2zb-Gd0gx_9vjQSDyX0fhn20NyZFO3BTB6Z-wshGK3eWHEyT5grKtIeZp19t-P_4-h6XG4hswL19_7Q/s320/DSC_7267.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VWFsOfWx2QDlhrDanzdgiOPhBJChrW1VykLP3EtrksRGWqhH534LVjmzL3G_2UeF7zgO7k3SI0PqWKkhW-4JArqEFV9NkZoeO7JbRaQS8Ex-cBiw2GjA6-NxCeQK0Tjiuz8ZczR3hFjTwnTT72JNPVa57FgmoSL-7s4tGIYxWgBqNb5Ggzv_IpuIiw/s1280/DSC_7449.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VWFsOfWx2QDlhrDanzdgiOPhBJChrW1VykLP3EtrksRGWqhH534LVjmzL3G_2UeF7zgO7k3SI0PqWKkhW-4JArqEFV9NkZoeO7JbRaQS8Ex-cBiw2GjA6-NxCeQK0Tjiuz8ZczR3hFjTwnTT72JNPVa57FgmoSL-7s4tGIYxWgBqNb5Ggzv_IpuIiw/s320/DSC_7449.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNWxSPIQDvieDhGBY14D7GRUP7Ct1D_XAgmaOXXl7SUELAhCNUP9vs6uJlYJqp0xa2qg1HpUjtr5wp0weuEq1oiX4NkIv8vttA-S_ZzV_2lcmZZMPDlBXFGs5EkbuFM0RQcY_AL09UDmVwNXrPeibWaV_lmIPQAZ42Rw7JHOLPDNNWuwB91y40TaWhw/s1280/DSC_7454.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNWxSPIQDvieDhGBY14D7GRUP7Ct1D_XAgmaOXXl7SUELAhCNUP9vs6uJlYJqp0xa2qg1HpUjtr5wp0weuEq1oiX4NkIv8vttA-S_ZzV_2lcmZZMPDlBXFGs5EkbuFM0RQcY_AL09UDmVwNXrPeibWaV_lmIPQAZ42Rw7JHOLPDNNWuwB91y40TaWhw/s320/DSC_7454.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-NwWLxpS0vZDIOnb7FLKPq1Hju026s0TV_48HFLyQF11Wahcw1yfuVOIB8hZ8cc6_HfhfE7zeIIQu7ZNo_rNROtf5Ylse_Stk2HQnieVIwk1AnXA4jSnNw5rGM7p_-NqAF6DhbjostBRFgcdd8Ix2zftyJOzAKdqJSP0rtTLROGotI4qy7r4CDzD6A/s1280/DSC_7539.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-NwWLxpS0vZDIOnb7FLKPq1Hju026s0TV_48HFLyQF11Wahcw1yfuVOIB8hZ8cc6_HfhfE7zeIIQu7ZNo_rNROtf5Ylse_Stk2HQnieVIwk1AnXA4jSnNw5rGM7p_-NqAF6DhbjostBRFgcdd8Ix2zftyJOzAKdqJSP0rtTLROGotI4qy7r4CDzD6A/s320/DSC_7539.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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No not really, as you may have guessed, if you follow the blog. It is just over two months since I last blogged. I only wrote this blog because it was raining and had been since the early hours of the night. It was also forecast to rain for much of the day as a slow moving depression passed over. An ideal time to sit and write some reflections over the last couple of months. Unfortunately it wasn't enough time to add pictures due to our terribly slow internet and so a week later I am adding photos.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarwIQ2HddExPPh0rzeKFE02vclmsKvqMeuav9yT8384k3e8EsjbhCij1y4UnEk04jjgxvDoSGGcfY9XfZ3L4gl4lCTuRA_2jw81Kmhj04Cb2CrchI6f07m3mbSBQ5_ObYU0d5fkOdMdXkaII1zQukHTc0TwkC_Yi4nEFrOK2Q1iJedwlvLtzIZKqyFw/s1280/DSC_6614.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarwIQ2HddExPPh0rzeKFE02vclmsKvqMeuav9yT8384k3e8EsjbhCij1y4UnEk04jjgxvDoSGGcfY9XfZ3L4gl4lCTuRA_2jw81Kmhj04Cb2CrchI6f07m3mbSBQ5_ObYU0d5fkOdMdXkaII1zQukHTc0TwkC_Yi4nEFrOK2Q1iJedwlvLtzIZKqyFw/s320/DSC_6614.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to believe the alpacas were still fluffy less <br />than two months ago. Shearing seems such a long<br />time ago now. Josefs has been on mating duty with<br />Mari and Vanessa. Vanessa maybe pregnant. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTNWEVKcSk8VhXcCDM1gT4mRYCJ9o2f3lhP1NzJ7B7qkW16YfZKhvype2dEjudZ6jvfVVerp3Jay9VbSevCaXPcuNKpVwiFlVgXDaazI9iNBxZ_-Hy5x2Dn82YAMIeqD5UHoNDhL0fc5XXz8VSa5lKB0qlEGStUYEDxe4QHwciTWH5e18zIyBZrQV1g/s1280/DSC_6789.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTNWEVKcSk8VhXcCDM1gT4mRYCJ9o2f3lhP1NzJ7B7qkW16YfZKhvype2dEjudZ6jvfVVerp3Jay9VbSevCaXPcuNKpVwiFlVgXDaazI9iNBxZ_-Hy5x2Dn82YAMIeqD5UHoNDhL0fc5XXz8VSa5lKB0qlEGStUYEDxe4QHwciTWH5e18zIyBZrQV1g/s320/DSC_6789.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cloudy summery sky. Sometimes we need rain<br />and sometimes we don't. At the moment we don't<br />no matter how gentle it is. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>In early July we went to collect a Ukrainian family from the nearest train station. There were lots of young people waiting to board and it seemed unbelievable to us that they were mainly in shorts. It was far too chilly for that, but that was before a heatwave. Unfortunately for our Ukrainian guests they thought the same about the weather on their arrival as they had travelled from southern Ukraine, where temperatures were already much, much higher. They came from a desert region (no I didn't know there were deserts in Ukraine either) so humidity was also lower there. They were feeling distinctly chilly. They are still with us while they wait for UK visas and so they've had much sorting out of documentation, but apart from that, they've been resting from their arduous journey. The parents now have their visas but they are still waiting for their son's, which seems to happen on an all too regular basis, i.e., some family members get their's quickly and then they have to wait for others. They have also been occasionally helping us with some of the farm work, from helping to move the winter wood into the cellar, stacking hay, building a construction for an outdoor vine and picking our berries. They've also fed us with Ukrainian borscht, plovs, perogies and pastries.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUaSG8LRZ0hPWBMBf95_kyu2yoreuiY1cZsAD1KJeYpJs3oI8FKiUGtxpLisu9JJC13L-WaOmgRdlqi8CH26yZKFpJTWKW9HmpjWN4wc7mpVSZETY8xFm8Q4pqTD2QrA6B6Hv8cMIX2q89G-Cz5TsxBCorVAckY4gwungM2MoRhCQlv-mZhSG3StbMSw/s1280/DSC_6627.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUaSG8LRZ0hPWBMBf95_kyu2yoreuiY1cZsAD1KJeYpJs3oI8FKiUGtxpLisu9JJC13L-WaOmgRdlqi8CH26yZKFpJTWKW9HmpjWN4wc7mpVSZETY8xFm8Q4pqTD2QrA6B6Hv8cMIX2q89G-Cz5TsxBCorVAckY4gwungM2MoRhCQlv-mZhSG3StbMSw/s320/DSC_6627.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We spend our late evenings after putting the animals<br />away in our old caravan and sleep in our new one.<br />How decadent is that? At least we don't have to<br />put the bed away each day and Ian can get up <br />early and get his breakfast. I get to lie in!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO_v7SOXQZd29Tvwi-UWRLwjAgoyt878jaD23PZpCn9ViYrf_K7YLv_OkkQN0wYGXXIUoV4lvV6GH2RrHXiG0dYjiJikE_lAXdPGXFjhyp5qFazLJOiU256DmRYfyI0eAesLWGGpTP_hvhouSUXYVbtOnqqr9wfLUZ-UCXGywm8GglVGFeon_vndnrw/s1280/DSC_6564.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO_v7SOXQZd29Tvwi-UWRLwjAgoyt878jaD23PZpCn9ViYrf_K7YLv_OkkQN0wYGXXIUoV4lvV6GH2RrHXiG0dYjiJikE_lAXdPGXFjhyp5qFazLJOiU256DmRYfyI0eAesLWGGpTP_hvhouSUXYVbtOnqqr9wfLUZ-UCXGywm8GglVGFeon_vndnrw/s320/DSC_6564.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chicks were doing well in the cage and got<br />transferred to the bigger ark. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Whatever troubles we face pale into comparison to the journey of the Ukrainian family. They went via Crimea, through Russia, to St. Petersburg, then through Estonia and into Latvia. A journey of around 3000km. A journey filled with uncertainty and aided by volunteers along the way - brave people helping, and risking much. The family carrying their life in a single bag each. What do you take? What do you leave? They are just a regular family, like many here in Latvia. An apartment, a summer home in the countryside (nothing grand, just somewhere to relax, built by a parent), working more than one job to make ends meet in the unstable economy of Ukraine since the first invasions, but doing the best they can. Warm, thoughtful people. Not Nazis, not political, not anything really out of the ordinary, but now with their lives in tatters, dependent and grateful for the help they've been given along the way. Whatever they had worked for, taken away on the whim of what and by whom?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7a1Cez3d0LjE_AIYHo_rGFtU_9YkY7lPyRWxBfznXPDI43GNFJjewFmbuApSzVf_gcJF-ML0ehG6B-wi5GDhQStxzaNf-LpiEUS5o_MM-QLfzjJw437ToWxUMhZneOWrkDFYzovqOojeM8lp8QnnM7toEriYzWIPj13ZHlFT57bZVK2uiGJmcak7MWw/s1280/IMG_20220722_142740.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7a1Cez3d0LjE_AIYHo_rGFtU_9YkY7lPyRWxBfznXPDI43GNFJjewFmbuApSzVf_gcJF-ML0ehG6B-wi5GDhQStxzaNf-LpiEUS5o_MM-QLfzjJw437ToWxUMhZneOWrkDFYzovqOojeM8lp8QnnM7toEriYzWIPj13ZHlFT57bZVK2uiGJmcak7MWw/s320/IMG_20220722_142740.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are all the older hens. We put <br />them together and the bigger grey hens<br />proceeded to attack the black ones and <br />the white one. It was pitiful. Since<br />they black ones and the white one were so<br />small comparatively and timid I thought<br />they would be fine with the little ones,<br />so we put the little ones in and moved the<br />big grey ones out. Bad move! The bigger<br />ones picked off one chick - the one that<br />Ian helped out and had thrived. I thought it <br />might have been got by an animal after<br />putting its head through the netting. The <br />next day I found the older hens in the process<br />of eating another one. Not a pleasant experience.<br />The older ones are now back together <br />and they are beginning to settle down<br />- a bit. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIe81kB_6_0L1FKf4T4_o4NHbkfyaXLmhThqOibAgiqMhV60fD52PMbgyHyajbWpasuwJX4Y4VteefKWpCKFXxyuX0qfkwIUVyUpsPB3SNGGhGkh-FvbBWeQMOtvpXE2Ox3IKnvef8hxIIb2V2YArrKK9k9DawJoMsOl1sQzzWggdr6zryuZl6JmvYKA/s1280/IMG_20220722_142710-chicks.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIe81kB_6_0L1FKf4T4_o4NHbkfyaXLmhThqOibAgiqMhV60fD52PMbgyHyajbWpasuwJX4Y4VteefKWpCKFXxyuX0qfkwIUVyUpsPB3SNGGhGkh-FvbBWeQMOtvpXE2Ox3IKnvef8hxIIb2V2YArrKK9k9DawJoMsOl1sQzzWggdr6zryuZl6JmvYKA/s320/IMG_20220722_142710-chicks.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least the chicks are safer on their own now. <br />Although, one of them was picking on another.<br />Sigh!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigy5Sego3mngE6rsPwq-zgE3JfxLAjQktWvKD1i_pAPvaN3uW1QywY-RdLLdjdn1MfyohHpRnPqq5zVMBRIIbeqCYr2vH8dF46byZ3o9SEoTWhcLdbvw7NqXFsbuSJp7sLwQ408Ok_YETC_XiADlWF2RKBXm56ICaixEP8YG0W_ZpvMiGzbrg7Yu7Siw/s1280/DSC_6906.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigy5Sego3mngE6rsPwq-zgE3JfxLAjQktWvKD1i_pAPvaN3uW1QywY-RdLLdjdn1MfyohHpRnPqq5zVMBRIIbeqCYr2vH8dF46byZ3o9SEoTWhcLdbvw7NqXFsbuSJp7sLwQ408Ok_YETC_XiADlWF2RKBXm56ICaixEP8YG0W_ZpvMiGzbrg7Yu7Siw/s320/DSC_6906.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla in the foreground is growing. She is the<br />spitting image of her dad Brencis at the same<br />age, although he was much taller.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Encountering such problems sometimes makes writing about everyday life on our farm seem irrelevant and yet the continuity of life has to go on, albeit in a different way maybe. Like the farmers in the Ukraine who still go out and plough their fields and tend to their animals for as long as they are able. I sometimes wonder if people think they can do without farmers and are happy for everything to grow in a resource intensive lab. Okay that might replace some of the resource intensive agriculture that is not good for the environment but replacing it with something else that might not be good for the environment or our bodies. Not all agriculture is like that though and many farmers are looking for ways to farm more in keeping with environmental practices if they can. Agricultural practices though go on and the seasons follow a regular pattern the same as every year, except they are also changing. Our seasons are more unpredictable, we have a longer growing season here in the north of Europe - sort of! If the rain and dark don't cause everything to rot later on in the year that is. Sometimes life just feels very complicated!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1hH33SFlIVo_2aWpOBEoKNxmkL2yyffWW3eQ0prGKJqFs51MKZc5IQzBgVdRnGbbVMU1kya5hikxKP0SISDPRldUFbgFlsqLwitRLpzsVIgWX7Ys1V6j538mUtbwXfMHYvzkBUsZq60PoRo3K8k_Vp5_4CmLd2PGEcCTR2L0VbFKMif_DqlsFXuQaA/s1280/IMG_20220722_141851.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1hH33SFlIVo_2aWpOBEoKNxmkL2yyffWW3eQ0prGKJqFs51MKZc5IQzBgVdRnGbbVMU1kya5hikxKP0SISDPRldUFbgFlsqLwitRLpzsVIgWX7Ys1V6j538mUtbwXfMHYvzkBUsZq60PoRo3K8k_Vp5_4CmLd2PGEcCTR2L0VbFKMif_DqlsFXuQaA/s320/IMG_20220722_141851.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First time I had seen such a strange<br />colouration on a frog. Apparently<br />normal though for a common frog.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMeb88E53MAaF65MHkP38Y-E3SPU5xJBpVGGH4y_vqQXZNja7-C5W2lYC9l4iiAsPBooF3I461STF4bVAhjwsIvqNGAgNGVFq3fZwoi_gkZien3dDH6SXNu3BApSLJn1NSFLm4ubQ6rJPYLZhiPvjqsqw7cV7N3LnAuMYGX8XoHypNqVRSaN1DHhJKQ/s1280/DSC_6552.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMeb88E53MAaF65MHkP38Y-E3SPU5xJBpVGGH4y_vqQXZNja7-C5W2lYC9l4iiAsPBooF3I461STF4bVAhjwsIvqNGAgNGVFq3fZwoi_gkZien3dDH6SXNu3BApSLJn1NSFLm4ubQ6rJPYLZhiPvjqsqw7cV7N3LnAuMYGX8XoHypNqVRSaN1DHhJKQ/s320/DSC_6552.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More glorious sunsets. Now it is dark when we<br />go between the two caravans.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I sometimes feel paralysed by the list of choices to make to face a future of change. I'm sure I'm not the only one and sometimes it is easier to bury our heads in the sand and pretend it is not happening. I'm supposed to go to Spain for a conference in September - do I fly? Trains across Europe are still not connected but at least they are thinking about that - however that is too late for a conference in September. For now I think I will focus on the remaining time I have on holiday from the university. Focus on getting on with farm and garden chores and think about travel later. At least I would do but I have an email from the conference organisers sitting in my inbox waiting to know if I need a connection from a larger town to the smaller one where the conference is located. Heh ho!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-e3Wuk-6k-8a8VD7xM3ZGqBA_84l45VZwInk-UQe5wGvVLkZHN5v33Nu4R5R7GW75rYBjLSMPPqp5MI6_JzfxksgROfXNvvHnuVdyEaIL3CGbI46pirGXAiFgYOpQhMhHj5bQscGpW7cYueAoa73Pexm8bWwNg2Tz7uRgx03MKao8HmtYIqJbXWfXbQ/s1280/DSC_7073.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-e3Wuk-6k-8a8VD7xM3ZGqBA_84l45VZwInk-UQe5wGvVLkZHN5v33Nu4R5R7GW75rYBjLSMPPqp5MI6_JzfxksgROfXNvvHnuVdyEaIL3CGbI46pirGXAiFgYOpQhMhHj5bQscGpW7cYueAoa73Pexm8bWwNg2Tz7uRgx03MKao8HmtYIqJbXWfXbQ/s320/DSC_7073.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intriguing cloud formations</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So what's new and what's the same?</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfawLC8xpoMjrr5Gdbb9C_mNawzsoKWU760Gq-l_AgDFFXr6qn_5Gen_9VHp9EoRhHUPIfnVYeqtmZLkkPlI1iYJhIJHe_ZTyOLlEjTR8mTjy_tIBusZMaAg27LZLLpvySfNgGGSUk3q0xFanHy-UULBbmUbP6ILuOGZ7KFfVybuHA-vwW4Sz87oopw/s1280/IMG_20220722_131836.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfawLC8xpoMjrr5Gdbb9C_mNawzsoKWU760Gq-l_AgDFFXr6qn_5Gen_9VHp9EoRhHUPIfnVYeqtmZLkkPlI1iYJhIJHe_ZTyOLlEjTR8mTjy_tIBusZMaAg27LZLLpvySfNgGGSUk3q0xFanHy-UULBbmUbP6ILuOGZ7KFfVybuHA-vwW4Sz87oopw/s320/IMG_20220722_131836.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So strong!! Our intern helping direct<br />the delivery of our summer house<br />to the right spot.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>New: We have a tourism intern who is an absolute godsend. She can speak three languages, Latvian (of course), Russian and English, even a little Ukrainian. She is used to farm chores and is interested in rural tourism, so she mucks in with the various farm jobs that are not so pleasant, as well as the interesting ones. As she says, the alpacas are cleaner than cows and so mucking out isn't such a problem to her. She has also rapidly adjusted to our British style sense of humour and usually gets it. We've had many discussions on Slow Tourism and what that might look like, as well as some felting of a scarf and some alpacas - a talented lady.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjQZH3c5EVGrrDh_cJz6Q1Lnl8KoK4t4psag1uSlGGXBdPrVFYDqbzhJyQZbdtNFJrUj4jTRsb7RKBDncFBKTBOowLoIFXEunwOBSGi8-jOFrZZWXdDCIs6kNllmetWksdWV74NkhocP6P0fHfKS6f4B0JYg0RfxlmXzH2XqgCIO2D_gCg9BFQHFQSw/s1569/House%201%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="1569" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjQZH3c5EVGrrDh_cJz6Q1Lnl8KoK4t4psag1uSlGGXBdPrVFYDqbzhJyQZbdtNFJrUj4jTRsb7RKBDncFBKTBOowLoIFXEunwOBSGi8-jOFrZZWXdDCIs6kNllmetWksdWV74NkhocP6P0fHfKS6f4B0JYg0RfxlmXzH2XqgCIO2D_gCg9BFQHFQSw/w640-h172/House%201%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base and foundations for our summer house. The last picture shows our attempt at trying to <br />organise the planks in the right places to make assembly quicker. It worked to a point.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg381uucYOw1UNWn09uQoVWigHR-6uSZqaIs2jD28QKOkYpA2pijmSz-gX0CQVzfc8fsgQjytL4GcE2XTRJF5MrjEXKSRqqTu3srsv_wqrT8jqCkyQbAcFNIek3mIC2jXG1rowy_40C-1c2R8DaGyr2G_OpfJ66h3xZSkyTOxFvG1HrHuHPJ9WPdj1q9Q/s1280/IMG_20220722_131825.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg381uucYOw1UNWn09uQoVWigHR-6uSZqaIs2jD28QKOkYpA2pijmSz-gX0CQVzfc8fsgQjytL4GcE2XTRJF5MrjEXKSRqqTu3srsv_wqrT8jqCkyQbAcFNIek3mIC2jXG1rowy_40C-1c2R8DaGyr2G_OpfJ66h3xZSkyTOxFvG1HrHuHPJ9WPdj1q9Q/s320/IMG_20220722_131825.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian on the other end of the package</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Our new summerhouse was delivered and built up to gable height. It has mainly been quite good fun, rather like a giant lego set. It has gone up quite rapidly after Ian dug out and flattened an area for it and then guys from the company laid the foundation. Ian, our intern and I have spent most of one week on the rest of it, in between our regular jobs of course. The first rows were simple but later there was one point Ian had to get the tractor out to give a gentle push to the side so a long piece would slot in. On another occasion ratchet straps were used to pull another section a bit closer together due to being a couple of centimetres out for a roof beam. Sometimes more than a gentle tap was needed but nothing major and nothing we (or rather Ian) couldn't deal with. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRk6L0nY3I934NT4IA533S-EffPLiYxFoTAtHQqUJ-3AE-yPzzaRu-qYXrK86FMvbtZJA3xmuu8_DlhaHVOLpc5tfaVE8R3AAhHsKaw4wGI_rsdRTnMQSad9VCMfNifjN3XG1xMwerV1bwZ-xNdesAW4re6HFAiujwUcEM9qztq28XtHXdG5yXPP9rSQ/s1476/House%202%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="1476" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRk6L0nY3I934NT4IA533S-EffPLiYxFoTAtHQqUJ-3AE-yPzzaRu-qYXrK86FMvbtZJA3xmuu8_DlhaHVOLpc5tfaVE8R3AAhHsKaw4wGI_rsdRTnMQSad9VCMfNifjN3XG1xMwerV1bwZ-xNdesAW4re6HFAiujwUcEM9qztq28XtHXdG5yXPP9rSQ/w640-h140/House%202%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What every tourism intern should learn! How to build a summer house. The first few rows were<br />easy but then it started to get more difficult. The tarp is to cover the house during rainy days.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2j7_Hiq2LhnFIPBYwH5PwC_Nb8C62DGb36DyBwAsa-XkTtkzsh08nzXgUsEtkRBYBQtB5QIU2y9hgU_yUURNjhFKbj2UDlVuBvuh7Aox5LO_80umQWj6-WOGlvRmdvVvi-q0MjxgPWiLK72NCqO4YdfcRp3Y3N44CFycju2CazN2APIaeSjIg4zISUQ/s1280/IMG_20220721_182831.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2j7_Hiq2LhnFIPBYwH5PwC_Nb8C62DGb36DyBwAsa-XkTtkzsh08nzXgUsEtkRBYBQtB5QIU2y9hgU_yUURNjhFKbj2UDlVuBvuh7Aox5LO_80umQWj6-WOGlvRmdvVvi-q0MjxgPWiLK72NCqO4YdfcRp3Y3N44CFycju2CazN2APIaeSjIg4zISUQ/s320/IMG_20220721_182831.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful mutant campanula</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Rain stopped play of course and one evening was spent covering the roof as best we could with a tarp for the main part and bits of plastic for where it wouldn't reach in preparation for the expected deluge. The bits of plastic have blown loose a few times and had to be reattached as the winds picked up a little, but fortunately it has just been mainly rainy rather than gusty weather. The tarp was covering a trailer load of hay, as we didn't have plastic large enough to cover the roof, so the trailer ended up being parked in the barn along with the tractor. However, the tractor would only go in with the front loader raised so it would fit in, which is not ideal. The bales have now been stacked under cover and the trailer out of the barn, ready for the next baling session - just as soon as everything dries out again.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlRvWpsEynziScJCI4Sk58jcbTiHO9d8XDCMcAhCLat5BuzESEovFa8_DIPuBPtJ2aHS0RIl9Dl843IIEf4be9AoWRDCu-EnSbor4Mmd7lW5o9s_Sy0tNWs77oZfATBKkMjQG_MFgr-U9XOQvt6u__JLjHfwyJYajyFkUdekfcKGw58-88vwpF41Nvg/s1280/DSC_6877.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlRvWpsEynziScJCI4Sk58jcbTiHO9d8XDCMcAhCLat5BuzESEovFa8_DIPuBPtJ2aHS0RIl9Dl843IIEf4be9AoWRDCu-EnSbor4Mmd7lW5o9s_Sy0tNWs77oZfATBKkMjQG_MFgr-U9XOQvt6u__JLjHfwyJYajyFkUdekfcKGw58-88vwpF41Nvg/s320/DSC_6877.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly will you get off the roof of the alpaca house!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6nY7_9w3qXrHRPKEJkeQtdHaiyBTGpQTHtYJ18kq1t6OWcX9WLPOKfpJk2y-Cm5WUReAE9gWNmDqoq1AMmBID4bhBySPxz6VElzrZ_0FxonnbiLyupgoDmxAQHtOM-eLD7lj6GUqxn6XFY1Zi9FCY74FsMPcfdToH4LnLHnpjAQfaDYJADow4aoNWA/s1280/DSC_7020.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6nY7_9w3qXrHRPKEJkeQtdHaiyBTGpQTHtYJ18kq1t6OWcX9WLPOKfpJk2y-Cm5WUReAE9gWNmDqoq1AMmBID4bhBySPxz6VElzrZ_0FxonnbiLyupgoDmxAQHtOM-eLD7lj6GUqxn6XFY1Zi9FCY74FsMPcfdToH4LnLHnpjAQfaDYJADow4aoNWA/s320/DSC_7020.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpacas down! Or sunbathing?</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiOfP9OrlE8OUlaHheMpaGk7Vfp4Q2wHd2lH1izRfZrvxrqIJoJ4eKqExm6YlerJFh32SwB03M6PjEdLnLXBPDGaJpdaJX1M6dXl3h8R4fTkfDE0ZmllbDw-ijFCmP1ZM-CZ7AJU3Azdq5RCHkdrdpiiYM8WxsvtZ_MhK0nlA9yQhnIphQaHUNfA7ow/s1280/DSC_6885.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiOfP9OrlE8OUlaHheMpaGk7Vfp4Q2wHd2lH1izRfZrvxrqIJoJ4eKqExm6YlerJFh32SwB03M6PjEdLnLXBPDGaJpdaJX1M6dXl3h8R4fTkfDE0ZmllbDw-ijFCmP1ZM-CZ7AJU3Azdq5RCHkdrdpiiYM8WxsvtZ_MhK0nlA9yQhnIphQaHUNfA7ow/s320/DSC_6885.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>We also have two new cria (baby alpacas), Marvin and Norman. Marvin's birth was super fast but later on we realised he had a crick in his neck - not sure if that was due to the birth or due to him staggering around in the alpaca house finding his feet after the birth and crashing into a wall. Our neighbour came and looked at him and she put a neck brace on him. After a couple of days, we took it off when he seemed to be struggling a bit with feeding and making some weird noises in the process. The neck seemed to have righted itself though, so we decided it wasn't needed. He needed the attention of the vet later on too as he got constipated. This might have been due to the issues with feeding on a hot day and possibly getting a bit dehydrated. Anyway, that was sorted. I'll not go into too many details, but oil, a squeezy bulb thingy and some calcium and phosphorous fluid was also involved. After that problematic start, he's been fine since and running around and putting on weight.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoUrBkg5hmCF2rApwvSwPfeqAWb5uUpt2Mp57uwUibMuxA15OLNnjZrelGBIwZgcURNOnmQI2cnpJtthx5NIwvzI8qLNuprEl_cAjHIAYPy609N2oT_I1ryDWUR9VFDL9VeGucTHrDKnP6IALqQkyLUZoUCa3n6KoBP9el3iQykQ9hWl-b_JWN55Sfg/s1641/Marvin%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="1641" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoUrBkg5hmCF2rApwvSwPfeqAWb5uUpt2Mp57uwUibMuxA15OLNnjZrelGBIwZgcURNOnmQI2cnpJtthx5NIwvzI8qLNuprEl_cAjHIAYPy609N2oT_I1ryDWUR9VFDL9VeGucTHrDKnP6IALqQkyLUZoUCa3n6KoBP9el3iQykQ9hWl-b_JWN55Sfg/w640-h163/Marvin%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marvin just after birth and then with his neck brace and coated up against the cold. Marvin has put<br />on plenty of weight and is getting pretty strong.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqUDD-tryWGE6PF5715tjHTgAhnTRnjxuVT31CI1GufmAto_rsIVV52Ibz6QfxpPc9ZECsMBJcPe9hvFyYeNpwI5EYLPEvzjy4QW9HBUMcgHV03iZYkWlVdA7eJJBuk1HKyMOAsjjivV_ROHXW9Be-RZuJP584wsFrLnTvXdRwj3lLbslixJsCU1Rgw/s1280/DSC_6893.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqUDD-tryWGE6PF5715tjHTgAhnTRnjxuVT31CI1GufmAto_rsIVV52Ibz6QfxpPc9ZECsMBJcPe9hvFyYeNpwI5EYLPEvzjy4QW9HBUMcgHV03iZYkWlVdA7eJJBuk1HKyMOAsjjivV_ROHXW9Be-RZuJP584wsFrLnTvXdRwj3lLbslixJsCU1Rgw/s320/DSC_6893.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman looks a lot like his dad, George <br />at the same age.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Norman's birth wasn't so straightforward. It was Ilvija's first and she has an overprotective mother (even though Ilvija is now three years old). At first everything was going fine and then Ilvija started to panic at this strange thing emerging from her behind, at this point pandemonium ensued. Ilvija was dashing around the alpaca house and there was a serious danger of her banging the head of the baby on the wall, so Ian got hold of the baby and followed her around. Meanwhile Chanel, her mother, decided that she needed to step in to protect her baby (Ilvija) and started spitting and trying to stand between her and the perceived danger.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTjuy0DEv6Md5K97XB2q098POeTpNKwJqxZnJu0c8CIZXxSsbDRY-6mLUAFLkUytapNQBXMHDjle2qsb2Z5rdgXYkfceFpG_y66q0oS0ybtqDKN2RCzRFclrNZqgm1lv1sgaq7466M3J0MyDo4K48tXmsJYAMzs33X8N8OTCB7TPVrHsjAwEQzKp5xg/s1280/DSC_6557.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTjuy0DEv6Md5K97XB2q098POeTpNKwJqxZnJu0c8CIZXxSsbDRY-6mLUAFLkUytapNQBXMHDjle2qsb2Z5rdgXYkfceFpG_y66q0oS0ybtqDKN2RCzRFclrNZqgm1lv1sgaq7466M3J0MyDo4K48tXmsJYAMzs33X8N8OTCB7TPVrHsjAwEQzKp5xg/s320/DSC_6557.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a very large block of chocolate. Ian left<br />a bulk bag of chocolate in the car. He had to slice<br />some off to eat it.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZFXEaRKm8r5wlODt88fzxp4BW2rokZVOYkITFYzO-vm20haO4XVgFmzbl08EGIlogD_7C8cu5_NAAzwGV1727jcBNLGTXiHTmHo0EjQ5KZU6k1d6n-fH6RTFjeb6fpqRxq0MueEz-dESxYD_2cXg98Vv-jtgpxOc_6HYajdOBotTXU2cqrdOBEbU2Q/s1280/DSC_6912.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZFXEaRKm8r5wlODt88fzxp4BW2rokZVOYkITFYzO-vm20haO4XVgFmzbl08EGIlogD_7C8cu5_NAAzwGV1727jcBNLGTXiHTmHo0EjQ5KZU6k1d6n-fH6RTFjeb6fpqRxq0MueEz-dESxYD_2cXg98Vv-jtgpxOc_6HYajdOBotTXU2cqrdOBEbU2Q/s320/DSC_6912.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a sweet face, but such a pain to deal with<br />at times.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>At this point it was decided that Chanel had to go outside but she sat down in the doorway. So our intern was trying to hold onto Ilvija, Ian was hanging onto the baby and I was pinning Chanel down so she couldn't get in the way. We then realised that the birth was not progressing properly and the baby seemed to be stuck at the hips. The intern and I managed to slide Chanel out of the door and I then went to get our neighbour, again! Fortunately she was able to help and the baby was born. Mother and baby bonded well and now the poor little soul has got two over-protective adults in his life. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R1inFxV8cJ8vUdo4Swmuq7_yrs9rwbahyOTelOHB2eKxykjneKljjDAmHqyJHc0Z4RwxGnyL4TpxR4Dtkw1Qgfh6NX6uVnuCeDkhc9pD1TN6b-HHz1LqUBorKoqopZiCTMZ_fEfYFVdWM24IKUiY0kgu1F8DVJqUMD6iSas4mcItRRGG7k0kig40yg/s1280/DSC_6613.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R1inFxV8cJ8vUdo4Swmuq7_yrs9rwbahyOTelOHB2eKxykjneKljjDAmHqyJHc0Z4RwxGnyL4TpxR4Dtkw1Qgfh6NX6uVnuCeDkhc9pD1TN6b-HHz1LqUBorKoqopZiCTMZ_fEfYFVdWM24IKUiY0kgu1F8DVJqUMD6iSas4mcItRRGG7k0kig40yg/s320/DSC_6613.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie, although sweet in character, will not<br />be joining the mating programme since he was<br />castrated earlier this year. Too many skin,<br />joint and fibre issues. His sweet character has <br />returned and he's not in the midst of the fights so<br />often - just occasionally he joins in or is caught<br />up in a fight.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlirj-ZFnXaTQhjR47WgDvt4C0-k7SsJn_J0qid0A-GeUiKHnkNHTCwcO6Sa3y-M9Je49LmPdFeCWtUHz_h4aglzvlXkRZx-qFxhqgoFnB3sxqd8Uu7y--sF8h_Ju6kGEgqepwYcVEo9QdTHEwj7s49hsaQr5kDJI3LCKpcTXS3PqYw_Hwe1h5l2W-g/s1280/DSC_6873.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlirj-ZFnXaTQhjR47WgDvt4C0-k7SsJn_J0qid0A-GeUiKHnkNHTCwcO6Sa3y-M9Je49LmPdFeCWtUHz_h4aglzvlXkRZx-qFxhqgoFnB3sxqd8Uu7y--sF8h_Ju6kGEgqepwYcVEo9QdTHEwj7s49hsaQr5kDJI3LCKpcTXS3PqYw_Hwe1h5l2W-g/s320/DSC_6873.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have you been spitting Brencis?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Unfortunately Norman seemed to have problems with one of his legs and he was limping. The limping got worse and so we took him to the vets. There were several startled customers before we actually got to see the vet. Nothing seemed to be broken though and after three lots of daily painkiller injections he's started using his foot more and his tendons seemed to be tightening. Although he can run pretty quick on three legs it is good to see him starting to use his fourth leg more. Not sure if he gets tired more quickly or not, as we are still not sure if his leg is better or not. We have so much work to do with haymaking and the like there isn't time to stand and watch for long. Sometimes he seems fine and then other times he seems to be limping.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCLkl6PIrP5SZ4qYjMNvKD2m7FEFVd7MoSbb2uOSFhQmaR9fZmyYCbJofp1RmmqgR4Mj37_qF9d7cSdvQXQNet_clLfZrJRXYpbkDtqngqBPqNGms3IIBqRxC08w0m2id7OAx8PyL8Vy4r4BriVFjeDE7qw4bBzODY0TFrtfun1YSpOXF_2BRpyKmHQ/s695/Norman%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="695" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCLkl6PIrP5SZ4qYjMNvKD2m7FEFVd7MoSbb2uOSFhQmaR9fZmyYCbJofp1RmmqgR4Mj37_qF9d7cSdvQXQNet_clLfZrJRXYpbkDtqngqBPqNGms3IIBqRxC08w0m2id7OAx8PyL8Vy4r4BriVFjeDE7qw4bBzODY0TFrtfun1YSpOXF_2BRpyKmHQ/w640-h184/Norman%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman after his birth and in the first few hours. Pleased to say his back leg is starting to get<br />stronger now and he can run well anyway.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEnCfCLpiPrrVP2bXIRM5JJhYGpPfEfVfe9jAFHR0X84at7VKUFLfqDfGQgQV5iIDSBvA_A_cmg0GMMh3ETgugRx-WFFgIy_bfsQ7tV0ZkZMyS2T98b-UtB9U_MU3YSGNrZ-haDPMhR12f0vLn684wPo_sb2KSy07RXOctkIosVFfpu1MNHw3t_UCaQ/s1280/DSC_6891.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEnCfCLpiPrrVP2bXIRM5JJhYGpPfEfVfe9jAFHR0X84at7VKUFLfqDfGQgQV5iIDSBvA_A_cmg0GMMh3ETgugRx-WFFgIy_bfsQ7tV0ZkZMyS2T98b-UtB9U_MU3YSGNrZ-haDPMhR12f0vLn684wPo_sb2KSy07RXOctkIosVFfpu1MNHw3t_UCaQ/s320/DSC_6891.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanessa looks more and more like her mother<br />and might be pregnant - we hope so anyway.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The shearing season is finished with Ian doing lots of travelling without me and the mating season is drawing to a close soon too. The younger boys are now being used and we found out that Jakobs has a very distinctive orgling sound whilst mating. It's hilarious but at least seems to have had a very positive effect on the matriarch of the herd. Instead of spitting at him through the wire fence as he mated with another female, she sat down - a sign she is receptive. Two of the other older females have been given hormone injections to see if they will let a male mate with them. It seems to have worked - so first stage over - now they just need to get pregnant. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuF37HLPRm8Biu0gjjT90K7JIusSWtNhMRblFYwfhCcPhIoO_W8w1-MmUMO1d7nF8HCEkVfkMj-aYrRVS0XFpRLPkub4HW2WnDHLEL3PEYAL5rM4kXIIExL_NveT6MRoFWgaAR0S_X0Sfoj7GLiB4cIejEkG7cl9EicK_Kv-j7q6XwtZTQxN5qxrSQg/s1280/DSC_6629.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuF37HLPRm8Biu0gjjT90K7JIusSWtNhMRblFYwfhCcPhIoO_W8w1-MmUMO1d7nF8HCEkVfkMj-aYrRVS0XFpRLPkub4HW2WnDHLEL3PEYAL5rM4kXIIExL_NveT6MRoFWgaAR0S_X0Sfoj7GLiB4cIejEkG7cl9EicK_Kv-j7q6XwtZTQxN5qxrSQg/s320/DSC_6629.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jakobs - our orgling wonder boy!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LbLDgYBqgru-ID8xWkqLsc0_V1WFGcdvTfe5xQK4HTPu_M4d8hTX4d895h2bVlNWU3mrUp4WVM-z2OXFO5o_wNMNCgy6YT0YnTzrhpmV7_caI2bA3zZBPmpfIUGE0FTCdk1UqJm1CzL57BeYZ6kykudSFzJ0gGBSRCbCfb91mj58sxkj3XKqNhjK_Q/s1280/DSC_6950.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LbLDgYBqgru-ID8xWkqLsc0_V1WFGcdvTfe5xQK4HTPu_M4d8hTX4d895h2bVlNWU3mrUp4WVM-z2OXFO5o_wNMNCgy6YT0YnTzrhpmV7_caI2bA3zZBPmpfIUGE0FTCdk1UqJm1CzL57BeYZ6kykudSFzJ0gGBSRCbCfb91mj58sxkj3XKqNhjK_Q/s320/DSC_6950.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the hay is in we will start back on the <br />washing programme for Chanel to deal with<br />this skin before winter.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Chanel our over protective alpaca has bad skin issues and so this year we have tried washing her to get rid of the crusty skin. It was working quite well but then with haymaking, birthing and building work we haven't been able to do so much. We will resume later before applying cream. It would be a much simpler job though if she wouldn't insist on sitting down where some of the worst bits are.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-xrSUvVsyqqsaJ_RwAQQ1kCHVNef8Jg0cs2ddOs8Z7D33IboaHg9_R6Zq-2W_u860D284MB6DnQ18eeAF5TK1xfI1OgVlpKyovggUu-NLhCchzdFyG5Oo8SlKyD4axnksxuNdBwp5v_F_c6BgJ5bsjbu7D_5W3n5MLjmcFpokpQyCPc8I-GTHHQW6A/s320/IMG_20220624_165902.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian hard at work! Well the guy does<br />need a rest from time to time</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: left;">As usual Ian has to do quite a bit of fixing. He's managed to fix the compressor and the two wheel-tractor - well at least they seem to be working properly now. Unfortunately he wasn't able to fix Robbie, aka the halogen oven. Ian thought it was the bulbs at first and so he got some more, only it turned out that parts had gone rusty. I think a new solution is needed, but that will have to wait until we get the summer house completed and we set up a kitchen in there</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXGP3ltHU2OW884pn0bUd3-9Qtg1XaX6Klums5z4uve2bAjoUel9XCicOD9JYa4XtvsEXo2HKw-P6XTtEU4oeDeu8OR5cwS8yINNR-kYFQsGy1i_5D2kaIps6CPjpgxV4nuLUuEnaP4sP5jckAUeSotA_Blx2-QJWtwYKrt-Qw_0fppr9kneeCuv9ng/s1456/Ian%20man%20of%20action%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="1456" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXGP3ltHU2OW884pn0bUd3-9Qtg1XaX6Klums5z4uve2bAjoUel9XCicOD9JYa4XtvsEXo2HKw-P6XTtEU4oeDeu8OR5cwS8yINNR-kYFQsGy1i_5D2kaIps6CPjpgxV4nuLUuEnaP4sP5jckAUeSotA_Blx2-QJWtwYKrt-Qw_0fppr9kneeCuv9ng/w640-h238/Ian%20man%20of%20action%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman and Ian in the car on the way to the vets. Ian building the summer house. Ian making sure<br />that Marvin is feeding, despite his neck brace.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfb9hS3hChvUX2JdbSQzyBpIx1HKPnNrI_K1lR9brBKjYVB_m01qczJQ18yiyQGxP2q0_OBctitTJQEZU8DL18LCF5zk-yvqHyqeoSCNyzp-mWb7ykkbPP1N-pknGL483_xDlIBcDp6QTPSaQp-NCF5xrJZN56aWzy2KQX_d_OKzXVfDznM-viDRVVw/s1280/DSC_6872.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfb9hS3hChvUX2JdbSQzyBpIx1HKPnNrI_K1lR9brBKjYVB_m01qczJQ18yiyQGxP2q0_OBctitTJQEZU8DL18LCF5zk-yvqHyqeoSCNyzp-mWb7ykkbPP1N-pknGL483_xDlIBcDp6QTPSaQp-NCF5xrJZN56aWzy2KQX_d_OKzXVfDznM-viDRVVw/s320/DSC_6872.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swallows are finally nesting in one of the<br />alpaca houses. We hope to see the chicks soon.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So what's the same? There has been less student work and more gardening, although my garden is a mess again. There's not been enough time for Ian to mow the paths and me to keep the weeds under control. However, fat hen - a prolific weed in my garden is tasty and so declared a vegetable - maybe it isn't such a mess then? Looks it though. I finally got some beans planted out and spent part of a day finally constructing something for them to climb up. I've also planted up the cabbages about a month ago, along with the squashes, at least they didn't cook rather than grow in the short heatwave we had. We had gone from cool northerly breezes to hot southerly ones and the temperatures climbed quickly. No longer sweatshirt weather, or even coat weather, but t-shirt weather and even then I was absolutely dripping like a tap. However, it didn't last long and we've been swinging between some hot sticky days and some cooler sweatshirt days to coat-weather kind of days.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-wg-aTBQLXiZmyUj06ZiIyTuBRvkmmM1SmQN2zryYf-WIIViDPftQjOCQV_rcOQQ2zQX1rSaa1Z7MRgmXYt2Z5OPlNNiTcI5qQ1daQcHZmkoBGZlx4hXI9SOZ2uVWu5XJWgrqEb_Dq0cb0JJ_m-a0G69Tl4I_TR6eApbtIE6tiEdJhnyBZa42E30WA/s1280/DSC_6947.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-wg-aTBQLXiZmyUj06ZiIyTuBRvkmmM1SmQN2zryYf-WIIViDPftQjOCQV_rcOQQ2zQX1rSaa1Z7MRgmXYt2Z5OPlNNiTcI5qQ1daQcHZmkoBGZlx4hXI9SOZ2uVWu5XJWgrqEb_Dq0cb0JJ_m-a0G69Tl4I_TR6eApbtIE6tiEdJhnyBZa42E30WA/s320/DSC_6947.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fortunately, Ilvija doesn't seem quite so possessive<br />as Chanel now and hopefully we won't have such<br />strong separation anxiety when we have to separate them<br />in several months time. Some people think it is cruel<br />to separate, but if we don't then it is possible he would<br />try and mate with his mum and that is not a good idea.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFq9pXzXRwKAYiJ1uKrFtZAupR3A8paUBXUmWNUpRk4L0HQq_YJZQ7cmwC1_4ilMjls6P-HtZHW1hpt5bZVfy19_z4XCFXTAVLp3yranRZg_xZjtaAkaOPde1XClVO6CYg6AFt3EHJLN0CAWkPHhiTRdhsPTtBgmkjOqG4ViYIDFFNX0zJ3GLXAenZA/s1280/IMG_20220724_151622.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFq9pXzXRwKAYiJ1uKrFtZAupR3A8paUBXUmWNUpRk4L0HQq_YJZQ7cmwC1_4ilMjls6P-HtZHW1hpt5bZVfy19_z4XCFXTAVLp3yranRZg_xZjtaAkaOPde1XClVO6CYg6AFt3EHJLN0CAWkPHhiTRdhsPTtBgmkjOqG4ViYIDFFNX0zJ3GLXAenZA/s320/IMG_20220724_151622.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have yellow day lillies and so no <br />idea where this bright, reddy-orange<br />one came from</td></tr></tbody></table><p>At least my cabbages are finally growing but they are so slow this year and the cabbage whites found them. I've removed loads of eggs. However, it has been too cold, too hot, sometimes just about right. Squashes are finally beginning to take off and I hope they produce in time before the cold weather sets in, at least we might get some squash flowers to eat. I had to take up the peas as the grubs had started eating them. I will try another batch as they might provide pea flavoured greens if nothing else. Cooler weather also suits them. Potatoes are coming up all over the place and becoming a bit of a nuisance really, but at least they provide tasty new potatoes when I weed them out. I have managed to keep on top of the Colorado beetle who are intent on demolishing my potatoes although there have been times when I wondered if I would. Now I see that blight is beginning to set in and so that will mean I will need to remove all the potato leafy bits this next week while we wait for the main crop potatoes to swell. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbt3PB8Ke57kEEhI5fXOdkBCHYqvVwqOnVLAnzwQ0qdRrk3IJ6F4MleUpiAsmzM7g-ZjT8iDXtRuwMx3BaAuo1vY9o15a97wksXVvaaKD8evZeP2ZRriMKvIs8eL4h1a24FBrvjkPWwta_TM94hnuBqqnTVMZu_Aed41q9hiU9WYamViBac8LxNqLiMQ/s1272/Me%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="1272" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbt3PB8Ke57kEEhI5fXOdkBCHYqvVwqOnVLAnzwQ0qdRrk3IJ6F4MleUpiAsmzM7g-ZjT8iDXtRuwMx3BaAuo1vY9o15a97wksXVvaaKD8evZeP2ZRriMKvIs8eL4h1a24FBrvjkPWwta_TM94hnuBqqnTVMZu_Aed41q9hiU9WYamViBac8LxNqLiMQ/w640-h214/Me%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning Latvian lesson and morning coffee.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiho9lGtBqvHH1uG0FBnHz9kFXKJiIXDgymdWYl_QcOayeCEgSh1dD3YExoWUTmzQygbdnh9yNvdacnqpNaGGSUI1MBULAvRj_UEWAay0JSY3r6FaDZcTHbBHScsyaiu2q_2BuICaiRKxCGy3qKZkhWwimXdioWbt6lOmQuGZmloc3zAPDTGo76oVdsGA/s1280/DSC_7075.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiho9lGtBqvHH1uG0FBnHz9kFXKJiIXDgymdWYl_QcOayeCEgSh1dD3YExoWUTmzQygbdnh9yNvdacnqpNaGGSUI1MBULAvRj_UEWAay0JSY3r6FaDZcTHbBHScsyaiu2q_2BuICaiRKxCGy3qKZkhWwimXdioWbt6lOmQuGZmloc3zAPDTGo76oVdsGA/s320/DSC_7075.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turned hay</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We now have half the hay bales we need in and we hope this week to get the rest done. So there is still a lot of weather watching to do before we get the hay in and the roof on our summerhouse done. This is one of the most stressful parts of the year, especially when there is a chance of rain but not a certainty. As mentioned the Ukrainian family helped in collecting and stacking the hay but so did my pregnant work colleague who was staying overnight. She was warned that we might be haymaking when she arranged the visit but said she was still welcome. It had been going fine and we would have finished in time but Norman's appearance that morning meant we got a late start to collecting the hay. Mind you she and her boyfriend also got to do some alpaca babysitting as we needed someone to watch the baby when we let him out for the first time while we finished the collecting and stacking.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd558qTWxpckjEn_cph83QR0xBaaqrIXyxCrsR53tYXyei8wBGwSdVtGkWRSdE0AIO2h63Pwia94aU82nNuGp4J8npWZianjExZfolNtZbcNzaPHiILycA_lriQvUXphoB4RR-4VB_yFUcgwj-f619kEHG-Yx8VvqAB0liL0k_Z9uB_EF-BO2WAq8zw/s1280/IMG_20220722_193847.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd558qTWxpckjEn_cph83QR0xBaaqrIXyxCrsR53tYXyei8wBGwSdVtGkWRSdE0AIO2h63Pwia94aU82nNuGp4J8npWZianjExZfolNtZbcNzaPHiILycA_lriQvUXphoB4RR-4VB_yFUcgwj-f619kEHG-Yx8VvqAB0liL0k_Z9uB_EF-BO2WAq8zw/s320/IMG_20220722_193847.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baling</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmPQPoDpD8SA0BSKJY4bKa2aEfgI8tkT5sajSv5zjHjaAor0j4EuO32dxEAT6U-OaurvsxA651i3FAbiYMdp_9FWpuN4FvqQ7qQWTXmu8pmDFN3s8UPE1m7S4KJJCTMEyaphAhLCgLNns9eZJDrC4qJXqzEQkxq7Ofe636Ick56wUM3hSDXQ2rTy60w/s1280/DSC_6402.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmPQPoDpD8SA0BSKJY4bKa2aEfgI8tkT5sajSv5zjHjaAor0j4EuO32dxEAT6U-OaurvsxA651i3FAbiYMdp_9FWpuN4FvqQ7qQWTXmu8pmDFN3s8UPE1m7S4KJJCTMEyaphAhLCgLNns9eZJDrC4qJXqzEQkxq7Ofe636Ick56wUM3hSDXQ2rTy60w/s320/DSC_6402.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor GT! Such a sweetie.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So apart from dipping into a project that is still ongoing and doing what is needed there and some proofreading for a media organisation, selling hay bales for decoration, showing visitors around, culling the cockerels, that about sums up the last couple of months, apart from some sad news. Ginger Tom has disappeared. We haven't seen him for a few weeks now. He was quite nervous just before he disappeared. We weren't sure if something had frightened him, like a large tabby that has been seen around here, or whether he had picked up a virus or a bug - possibly from tic bites, or something else. Maybe he's found somewhere else, but unlikely as he was quite a timid cat, or he was sick, frightened off or worse, since there are plenty of wild animals around here of course. Rather sad as he was a lovely cat. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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Some of our grandkids visited<br />us in Latvia. This is our youngest on <br />our trip to Riga, with the travel bear.<br />a Latvian flag that she wanted to buy<br />and Riga in the background.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Oh my goodness, time flies. Life has just got so busy and then our son and his family came to stay too. It was wonderful having the youngsters around and showing them different things on the land and a bit of Latvia. They learnt about new life, death and foraging and of course about alpacas. I've been pretty busy after the family left too, trying to sort out a report and mark students' work but I can see a hazy light at the end of the tunnel, as students finish off for the academic year.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzqI290WnQnuAPr35ia7vYW-Ux-nkXv2Nd4C-8JVbgScvkc4WXJRc-xY2E4KsTIuzTmCc4ZuPK6wArMvIOVa2o6ZeOT9givSxXu3UMR3Y-YnFgTPnTkyzhIiSj98ZqkXIgHdYA11V1Jc5oB1yMtvcyiAH3f36uYxLwskqpnEACfuavyHpcw0IVnM7OA/s414/280483262_10160448284203470_4506334841480917006_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzqI290WnQnuAPr35ia7vYW-Ux-nkXv2Nd4C-8JVbgScvkc4WXJRc-xY2E4KsTIuzTmCc4ZuPK6wArMvIOVa2o6ZeOT9givSxXu3UMR3Y-YnFgTPnTkyzhIiSj98ZqkXIgHdYA11V1Jc5oB1yMtvcyiAH3f36uYxLwskqpnEACfuavyHpcw0IVnM7OA/s320/280483262_10160448284203470_4506334841480917006_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching chicks hatch, but also finding the ones<br />that didn't make it. It did give us the opportunity <br />though to find out how a chick fits into an egg. A <br />marvel of packaging. Unfortunately, the hatch rate<br />was not so great but wonder if some of the eggs <br />got a bit too cold when collecting them at a time<br />when they would be ready to hatch when the kids<br />arrived.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidY5Dt4CAnOj8ItfUCBwFn96Y08vjmZT44wTeCHv8SLL9k9DtLbtaBWa_IPK3J6eXecjp3WCFJhDk5WInP6f21B5ds1LYACL-D7X7yyphk2zQZGRNtJo-27fgHKklGuO8TCUe2vinRknf7mBjDh3uynZ555jN32VDNzv6eT3Gn_5oJSOLpnzAAtLmp1g/s320/280803884_10160460502373470_2942584308302960629_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This caravan has an awning which is useful as a<br />conference room and a bit brighter than the <br />80s orange background of the curtains <br />in our original caravan.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidY5Dt4CAnOj8ItfUCBwFn96Y08vjmZT44wTeCHv8SLL9k9DtLbtaBWa_IPK3J6eXecjp3WCFJhDk5WInP6f21B5ds1LYACL-D7X7yyphk2zQZGRNtJo-27fgHKklGuO8TCUe2vinRknf7mBjDh3uynZ555jN32VDNzv6eT3Gn_5oJSOLpnzAAtLmp1g/s2048/280803884_10160460502373470_2942584308302960629_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"> </a>I forgot to mention in the last blog that the caravan had come out of the greenhouse, where we store it over winter. However, now we have two caravans as our son drove their caravan over on an epic journey with his family so we can use it. It was really exciting watching the journey as they ticked off countries, France Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Poland and Lithuania - if I remember correctly. No "Lost in France without a telephone" these days and I was even able to talk with the grandkids while they were on the move from time to time. Anyway, we now have one caravan as our office and living space and one to sleep in. It saves having to set the bed up every night and Ian can get up as early as he likes (or not like). I get to sleep in or procrastinate until about 7am or maybe a bit later. Eventually they will be used for visitors or one for an office and the other for visitors - we have to decide yet and I'm sure it will be a process as we get the cabin built.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6Hc88QqQyAj8W4Wt2-xAxT79VQw9ubwpaq7GkhHCMHCTnvHsT8emrvU2nBzTt4dUxuw53o6jpXkScpJf47JW8wvA4RvQOn3HzxneECbzEfG6bCAW5O4gwq0IzaJ2lr4Zk0KlsjcMkrf2ewb5wxiktDTQOoH6kDwSWsMjPRINhXkp0K6pWLHiftb9HQ/s960/282125543_10160457179288470_4866100031937736344_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6Hc88QqQyAj8W4Wt2-xAxT79VQw9ubwpaq7GkhHCMHCTnvHsT8emrvU2nBzTt4dUxuw53o6jpXkScpJf47JW8wvA4RvQOn3HzxneECbzEfG6bCAW5O4gwq0IzaJ2lr4Zk0KlsjcMkrf2ewb5wxiktDTQOoH6kDwSWsMjPRINhXkp0K6pWLHiftb9HQ/s320/282125543_10160457179288470_4866100031937736344_n.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So the demised chicks had to be named <br />and properly buried of course!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAXsO36Ig4s8HPuHwqHjJpD0sUW8W4hHlv5ce1_qdj8kXdHbcaxpxDiqCZnPBfZrxXhe3a8czj0heYFDd2n7RKJgNCbq7MyOAy6sFPyv-Gc3H6nVVVQ7J96L5w8IXwOucsNmw97db6B0cizEoYLmer_ka-ZpqAThngIC9y66pXtbcfhlT4lw5YY8ayQ/s1280/DSC_6304.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAXsO36Ig4s8HPuHwqHjJpD0sUW8W4hHlv5ce1_qdj8kXdHbcaxpxDiqCZnPBfZrxXhe3a8czj0heYFDd2n7RKJgNCbq7MyOAy6sFPyv-Gc3H6nVVVQ7J96L5w8IXwOucsNmw97db6B0cizEoYLmer_ka-ZpqAThngIC9y66pXtbcfhlT4lw5YY8ayQ/s320/DSC_6304.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla one of our younger alpacas will not back<br />down. A feisty madame methinks</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We are behind on so many tasks as the weather has been so cold, It is like spring couldn't seem to quite get going properly. We were still having frosts (just) and the geese were still flying over until fairly recently. Everything just feels really weird at the moment and the weather seems to be taking its cue from world events. At least the swallows have returned now, as well as the cuckoo and the golden biscuit errrr I mean the golden oriole. So all migrants back and checked in, albeit rather late. Now we are just waiting to see if the swallows are actually going to take up residence in any of the alpaca houses, although they seem more interested in the barn at the moment.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcK40JWELR-wlIfprBwccaDpgFCan-XXd71ix1-_A__yjtMaCks9-Lp15hbNQ9UuKlkq89Kv3A5nPU5WMtZtwmYCh1fG0Ghq_Vl4uorNMo53UXc6gVtnL8qTmOFauv8XBNlklKyQDq_wdihm-xSQADYz-WiQyfaV2IAxlO3YjVQumrxFzOGQCLfTB9g/s414/280364020_10160445594108470_7253295519089429382_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcK40JWELR-wlIfprBwccaDpgFCan-XXd71ix1-_A__yjtMaCks9-Lp15hbNQ9UuKlkq89Kv3A5nPU5WMtZtwmYCh1fG0Ghq_Vl4uorNMo53UXc6gVtnL8qTmOFauv8XBNlklKyQDq_wdihm-xSQADYz-WiQyfaV2IAxlO3YjVQumrxFzOGQCLfTB9g/s320/280364020_10160445594108470_7253295519089429382_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What more do you need to play with than a few<br />bits of wood and some space?</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilw5NTeQEeX6X0aGLWrwB06wcrMOPZxLpJbltdKh4MAd7-LU8emqkHIxwdwazOuX_aujDArwzjUiT5l8Tzc0xcQiEKCJXJtVX7DI3XFy6QY1_DYMiREx8_8FXxqudblT06axOXy89EPVj3OApLYLX3LH-un6GrxgFmQvB6uoKDaCTvP3g_7MAf5D6Dbw/s1280/DSC_6386.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilw5NTeQEeX6X0aGLWrwB06wcrMOPZxLpJbltdKh4MAd7-LU8emqkHIxwdwazOuX_aujDArwzjUiT5l8Tzc0xcQiEKCJXJtVX7DI3XFy6QY1_DYMiREx8_8FXxqudblT06axOXy89EPVj3OApLYLX3LH-un6GrxgFmQvB6uoKDaCTvP3g_7MAf5D6Dbw/s320/DSC_6386.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grapes are late getting going this year too</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The cold weather has been playing havoc with the shearing schedule. Ian has to do the shearing by himself these days with help from the alpaca owners. I generally don't have time to help him out, unless they are more local and even so someone needs to be at home to look after the alpacas anyway. If we had help, either they could go with Ian or stay here and I would work in the car. I used to enjoy helping Ian out, but I can't be everywhere at once amazingly. There is a chance we might get someone to help over the summer, so watch this space.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIA8SRclrhMuDhFR9sGNGgwS0kCWf-faq_y9RGKQpGD2QX519-XyDMAHna0_H-zLwtJuzQZMLnfLhSYWyaJGoL0beHfsMim5vPuoVdKZgOwFpW4ATVp5k_Z2EnUEPVQdXvvzGUK-Dcta_vZWGau2xrWiL8uvFe3u_h31dZvQdONSk_2_BuHPk1LEkm4A/s960/280472041_10160451700243470_7228429890910765831_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIA8SRclrhMuDhFR9sGNGgwS0kCWf-faq_y9RGKQpGD2QX519-XyDMAHna0_H-zLwtJuzQZMLnfLhSYWyaJGoL0beHfsMim5vPuoVdKZgOwFpW4ATVp5k_Z2EnUEPVQdXvvzGUK-Dcta_vZWGau2xrWiL8uvFe3u_h31dZvQdONSk_2_BuHPk1LEkm4A/s320/280472041_10160451700243470_7228429890910765831_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course there was a walk with the alpacas</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHcom8HnrxBVNKpYTykuIyuzEw7rUY46n9TyFooZwmwHmm7GBHh_izG38DA2lKdg5p3pEGAIWxvpWAIe0toUUpicCZfCpw4la_oHeNWk8K5IKE84WaIC5ZxZ3QUOHMWEwXEMiJhzMyb89vPDivB2m9ihO_7_4Nkx8OxetaVwE4FBVgY4Qlo5G5V8LVQ/s1280/DSC_6273.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHcom8HnrxBVNKpYTykuIyuzEw7rUY46n9TyFooZwmwHmm7GBHh_izG38DA2lKdg5p3pEGAIWxvpWAIe0toUUpicCZfCpw4la_oHeNWk8K5IKE84WaIC5ZxZ3QUOHMWEwXEMiJhzMyb89vPDivB2m9ihO_7_4Nkx8OxetaVwE4FBVgY4Qlo5G5V8LVQ/s320/DSC_6273.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sun halo</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We haven't had many requests for visits and to be honest that suits us at the moment. It's hard enough trying to fit in the shearing schedule and my visits to Estonia for work.... never mind the garden jobs and taking care of the animals. We did have a large group though from the regional tourist office and Ian was even on regional telly and in the regional papers. We had two groups this Saturday, one group Ian gave a free tour as they had Ukrainian guests. It's a little bit we can do. Once we get sorted with the cabin and such, then maybe we can think about doing more advertising, but for now we will just keep a bit of a low profile. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcjKBSupYbU0Guqz2YRS9nFClsS8E7RluRYR9joJDbyAzb6w0hyI7VU_bjm-46Y34jTGwZhQyxFRoV4YKRmvgv6Vr9H3XiQRRC0RCPwNGAVOtAFABK4S5rM7PnPEQUB2QO8p5Tm3Wgc1niUC82myjP1E4uBgM5OIMm6BlmbWTs749OnRXAbDlt2r_rA/s960/281984125_10160457180023470_1014979674802319236_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcjKBSupYbU0Guqz2YRS9nFClsS8E7RluRYR9joJDbyAzb6w0hyI7VU_bjm-46Y34jTGwZhQyxFRoV4YKRmvgv6Vr9H3XiQRRC0RCPwNGAVOtAFABK4S5rM7PnPEQUB2QO8p5Tm3Wgc1niUC82myjP1E4uBgM5OIMm6BlmbWTs749OnRXAbDlt2r_rA/s320/281984125_10160457180023470_1014979674802319236_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our road maintenance crew on the job.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdubRKzvXBkJxCRY80yxGEV1kqkvPpi-K1KMB_DdYe1ox6ufeblGgp4tvFC3y1825KU3V8wbFLgwWFqPFvfYetRwIzG6YHLOmbsLLPz_pxj69wfSlrAQ8eBPUM0xautTmHMAVHmBfM4yK3z_AwUQwFwETiXg1AqGn88tblnNoTsvVmG22oa4qZFG_Pw/s1280/DSC_6320.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihdubRKzvXBkJxCRY80yxGEV1kqkvPpi-K1KMB_DdYe1ox6ufeblGgp4tvFC3y1825KU3V8wbFLgwWFqPFvfYetRwIzG6YHLOmbsLLPz_pxj69wfSlrAQ8eBPUM0xautTmHMAVHmBfM4yK3z_AwUQwFwETiXg1AqGn88tblnNoTsvVmG22oa4qZFG_Pw/s320/DSC_6320.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys have been fighting again</td></tr></tbody></table><p>At least we got started on our shearing schedule and we got the two pregnant ones sheared and Chanel, our spitty, awkward, highly protective mother of an alpaca. She's sweet really but we have always to be prepared. She doesn't like being separated from her daughter, so shearing is a bit of nightmare and she can spit over the gate at us while we shear. We got around this by constructing a small enclosure just outside the door. At least we could shear Ilvija in peace. Poor Chanel is a complete mess and we have now started the process of dealing with her skin issues. In the temperatures we get over winter, it is not possible to wash the dry, crusty skin or put cream on. It would freeze. So now she's sheared it was a good opportunity to start by using some medicated shampoo on her. It will be a process (photos probably next time of the sheared ones).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iy8UdVTHkifxLmmUsP5pIa34h_w59mAIUd2p2LDWjo3q1SepaQPWGID7aCbCGavXSzo3iWaK4rGBjTrOraslFDL2KRywT60XMxhxK9bQktJ0fa8F6ybpxlmcN-kUlkP8CplNSTA9Rcqq-KIGy8P9-u_GnLvPtf9ZiGmxXAzUX_mq738qaiHom902aQ/s2048/280960511_10160462276313470_6683658615175710909_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iy8UdVTHkifxLmmUsP5pIa34h_w59mAIUd2p2LDWjo3q1SepaQPWGID7aCbCGavXSzo3iWaK4rGBjTrOraslFDL2KRywT60XMxhxK9bQktJ0fa8F6ybpxlmcN-kUlkP8CplNSTA9Rcqq-KIGy8P9-u_GnLvPtf9ZiGmxXAzUX_mq738qaiHom902aQ/s320/280960511_10160462276313470_6683658615175710909_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A visit to our friend's goat farm, in the rain but <br />the cheese tasting was a hit. The kids do like their <br />cheese </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNiCzLMljHQ9vSutN8NANYO2VoSNu4XMF41xdG1nRcPIshoqCT5ZIw4C45177_Eb2yumaptFZez4_4NzOdsczEO9GHbN5OqNBLM-1sdyj5crDsaSKJxzSDL6SuosxOQBujkGxtamAZV0HkYsSqeRl05CwgvHLdxxj8DiaeVeEbYgFobIKsU-4vISVzA/s1280/DSC_6336.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNiCzLMljHQ9vSutN8NANYO2VoSNu4XMF41xdG1nRcPIshoqCT5ZIw4C45177_Eb2yumaptFZez4_4NzOdsczEO9GHbN5OqNBLM-1sdyj5crDsaSKJxzSDL6SuosxOQBujkGxtamAZV0HkYsSqeRl05CwgvHLdxxj8DiaeVeEbYgFobIKsU-4vISVzA/s320/DSC_6336.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocket Ron on the prowl. Mind you, it took him<br />a week to not run off every time the youngsters<br />appeared. Rocket Ron was an appropriate name<br />under the circumstances</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Out here in rural Latvia we don't see much disturbance from the war in Ukraine, but we do notice it in odd ways such as the lack of planes that fly over, it is only Chinese ones now that fly East/West, whereas before we were on a major flight path. There are still those flying North/South of course and we also see a lot more military aircraft on exercise. On my way up to the university in Estonia in my car recently, I passed quite a few military trucks and even saw a tank on my way back. We've seen whole exercises before but not so often.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDw3vcE3RbIJUE4x9wFs0Tm4Q0SupNFm0zBSFoTxau9yHZB3RbKecuytXLU872POZSwQGO9f57a1Z5iqcjtnwzlwmEluTmtU54GatwrBRhiewQ7Vouwk9RLZitBjsRvVrSiA6DijX_C2HH_Y8SYkZ8WWBbyVQHMNY4Llw3IwNrUq8E5_DAUojpxmJ0Q/s1280/DSC_6407.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDw3vcE3RbIJUE4x9wFs0Tm4Q0SupNFm0zBSFoTxau9yHZB3RbKecuytXLU872POZSwQGO9f57a1Z5iqcjtnwzlwmEluTmtU54GatwrBRhiewQ7Vouwk9RLZitBjsRvVrSiA6DijX_C2HH_Y8SYkZ8WWBbyVQHMNY4Llw3IwNrUq8E5_DAUojpxmJ0Q/s320/DSC_6407.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least we did have some sunshine! Just helping!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzmzKf1u4mKz8jCA0jBs7u7fkDmev58GAhW6TjyUIKah97y_HgFtRs6fT9EsMz_7CvF2wXroWP13V9oHs1eSGTE_hjOVh6TGjR9pngz7GwvXOKq3pq-Gt4eOhrVWNVFTeKD6Nkrn7OwIjaXugysVwdLAADyPzx1gny3To65r5Q0-PgSUpgArSwiUiiA/s1280/DSC_6344.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzmzKf1u4mKz8jCA0jBs7u7fkDmev58GAhW6TjyUIKah97y_HgFtRs6fT9EsMz_7CvF2wXroWP13V9oHs1eSGTE_hjOVh6TGjR9pngz7GwvXOKq3pq-Gt4eOhrVWNVFTeKD6Nkrn7OwIjaXugysVwdLAADyPzx1gny3To65r5Q0-PgSUpgArSwiUiiA/s320/DSC_6344.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just chilling! And it has been. There wasn't much<br />rain, until the kids arrived but oh those winds were<br />lazy! Straight through not around you.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another odd things is there is a lack of radar on the weather maps, as they no longer access the Russian and Belarus ones. We can see rain arriving from all directions except the East. Fortunately there are also the satellite cloud maps and most rain comes from the West anyway, so not too bad - just weird. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tsWcYwyYk-OyRTnHPUYREL5gAuErJzjFyaSijTK3UWBaowOi5JFgW4pte4QlVgDC-OaYZFZslzZ9aOhw9ToeBEo4_RCJ3BpczLeVqXrwjtQNm1XjNuMQQPYzLrIaubRtNJK3gdT-DScJ8dxOSlA1rsCgfoG8KYwV7_9-RC_-UhKzzQXszP63cFX-aQ/s414/281990968_10160457177638470_885476080806267160_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1tsWcYwyYk-OyRTnHPUYREL5gAuErJzjFyaSijTK3UWBaowOi5JFgW4pte4QlVgDC-OaYZFZslzZ9aOhw9ToeBEo4_RCJ3BpczLeVqXrwjtQNm1XjNuMQQPYzLrIaubRtNJK3gdT-DScJ8dxOSlA1rsCgfoG8KYwV7_9-RC_-UhKzzQXszP63cFX-aQ/s320/281990968_10160457177638470_885476080806267160_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ride in the tractor.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9HIgNyn1XAbmb0m4BT4R7JTM3i-gbJ4DhNfQE_x9W1ZBVdk8jJyhkgwxzMudIE1vL0BItO2lVoYNrXZh2Fk8YEnqLooMIrHb-m1E-d7Mwsvu1ZlETlrNm-_nV3ug9P2fqYeZteGS7LR7_FouwfCBwFDNxNzHfkBuw8SrZkWdl2ItAZK-st073-TGZQ/s1280/DSC_6347.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9HIgNyn1XAbmb0m4BT4R7JTM3i-gbJ4DhNfQE_x9W1ZBVdk8jJyhkgwxzMudIE1vL0BItO2lVoYNrXZh2Fk8YEnqLooMIrHb-m1E-d7Mwsvu1ZlETlrNm-_nV3ug9P2fqYeZteGS7LR7_FouwfCBwFDNxNzHfkBuw8SrZkWdl2ItAZK-st073-TGZQ/s320/DSC_6347.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least the grass is now starting to grow faster<br />and we are not so worried about the alpacas <br />overgrazing it. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I think the weirdness of the current situation in Ukraine and being busy with work are a couple of the reasons I don't blog so often. It's hard to write about ordinary life when you know that some are having their lives destroyed in situations that don't seem so far away, where housing looks vaguely familiar. It is also hard because the actions of the Russian army is so reminiscent of aggressive acts during the Soviet era. How on earth they ever thought that the Ukraine people would welcome them with flowers I will never know. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGd7HyWJrYEyz_f0Dg7v5hirorNO-OHLwBCGsoG2-sI2gyFjAjKOmb8UJ_uHPISKHtrYeyZeKrtC50a7J3a9W8NRJKZtGziWGW6g9y6QPfFXGhQvl27p9HMDXlenwMfVD_GRkFXKdSKE5D1p8kLBl9ii7102I1BkCrbCfCnB1yypmi1f8k4HUr-K3uGQ/s414/280331893_10160445596193470_1744269628173558410_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGd7HyWJrYEyz_f0Dg7v5hirorNO-OHLwBCGsoG2-sI2gyFjAjKOmb8UJ_uHPISKHtrYeyZeKrtC50a7J3a9W8NRJKZtGziWGW6g9y6QPfFXGhQvl27p9HMDXlenwMfVD_GRkFXKdSKE5D1p8kLBl9ii7102I1BkCrbCfCnB1yypmi1f8k4HUr-K3uGQ/s320/280331893_10160445596193470_1744269628173558410_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pops (Grandad) with one of his 4 boxes of broken<br />biscuits. A box of surprises and a loooot of biscuits<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfkf4ZoJDGduosyd-Si1RMIJywdUPYWrL3d8b-lzC5YS6t_tmcPLaLCkB7mnmBBtkaGYnN76V4Yog1DgxL8tL1NgZxj9S-KvOvkYp7GaaMC3PbMu1cEOVLnzXZitGrXb1fiPSpftJgAFFP4Umw2ITlFK1t38nUCJssGG5qJOWu7HFEKpVSxofh4kXZQ/s1280/DSC_6361.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfkf4ZoJDGduosyd-Si1RMIJywdUPYWrL3d8b-lzC5YS6t_tmcPLaLCkB7mnmBBtkaGYnN76V4Yog1DgxL8tL1NgZxj9S-KvOvkYp7GaaMC3PbMu1cEOVLnzXZitGrXb1fiPSpftJgAFFP4Umw2ITlFK1t38nUCJssGG5qJOWu7HFEKpVSxofh4kXZQ/s320/DSC_6361.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly has got very fluffy</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Russia, like too many imperialist nations (including the UK worryingly), seem to have an amnesia about the hardships they have already inflicted on countries they once occupied and that includes the hardships on the Ukraine people within living memory. It is shocking to hear of people dying in old people's homes who have survived the holocaust or holdomor (the starvation of the Ukrainian people during the collectivisation era under Stalin). It is also shocking to hear of the filtration camps that are so reminiscent of the deportations to Siberia during the 1940s. The reason there are so many of Russian origins in such countries like Ukraine and Latvia where I live is the Russification during the Soviet era, people brought in sometimes to replace deported families. History is complicated and there are no straight lines but much of this I had thought would stay in history, not be revisited.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2st-N1p9tCXbZN352_A7dv9DDdQYnL_P9vIcUHhJw0bMmTNB3CpmtslrugPaJ5q9Uov3DwpMLCNEU5RkEzttiy-uHCfSgO4VI6WYQEdnsdOshUFLMwYFXajtm6kucTsY73aPGOoNwyRg0hiKxAh1ighlSaO3hNtHu9fuwUL6hCkOU_oIGF0bfw5xzg/s2048/281055769_10160463793163470_1655297755797789897_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2st-N1p9tCXbZN352_A7dv9DDdQYnL_P9vIcUHhJw0bMmTNB3CpmtslrugPaJ5q9Uov3DwpMLCNEU5RkEzttiy-uHCfSgO4VI6WYQEdnsdOshUFLMwYFXajtm6kucTsY73aPGOoNwyRg0hiKxAh1ighlSaO3hNtHu9fuwUL6hCkOU_oIGF0bfw5xzg/s320/281055769_10160463793163470_1655297755797789897_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too soon it was time to set off. We arranged to meet<br />someone who wanted to thank our grandson for his<br />super fundraising initiative for Ukrainian refugees at<br />a cafe for breakfast. After this our world, once more <br />returned to quiet, without the cheery chatter of little <br />ones, or the knock on the door in the early morning <br />as our grandson came in for breakfast before going <br />to help Pops with clearing out the alpacas.<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ev-eV2LywjQpzlAYKKfkMAoUZ99z8Zig3G0m61SVKy-pSigE9tvd97UTPrXZz7UMj_phtGxJZXnFaEsV-3DpjL3_-tIAb17bn77bOFglC0TGCpuqVFc0_XNhzJ1Ol7jXlhH-V4ZfX_rv7eQ7pyPBnj3EMc6Q05dKdDLzMFwvxEMvV0TXJRePW_u9cw/s1280/DSC_6438.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ev-eV2LywjQpzlAYKKfkMAoUZ99z8Zig3G0m61SVKy-pSigE9tvd97UTPrXZz7UMj_phtGxJZXnFaEsV-3DpjL3_-tIAb17bn77bOFglC0TGCpuqVFc0_XNhzJ1Ol7jXlhH-V4ZfX_rv7eQ7pyPBnj3EMc6Q05dKdDLzMFwvxEMvV0TXJRePW_u9cw/s320/DSC_6438.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well these guys are staying in for a change.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I know early on we were asked if we would stay or go if Russia got more expansionist ideas in our direction. Although there have been murmurings, they seem pretty tied up in Ukraine right now and it is why the Baltic States are so keen to support the Ukraines. They do know if they do fall then they could be next in line. It is hard but for now we feel as safe as anywhere, so not the uppermost in our minds. Instead we kind of carry on in our own little bubble, much as we did during Covid times, much as many probably did in times before the internet and such hyper-connectivity. </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftdFbAlJT-RzJPhm9tC0eDDE2a9D-NwQyDcbynE82JKFwrdmK6D3TEqAR7_axA2UZAtvRfjxBeUcYSklf_tTeI3P-kVRQBP-_cloWaWj2yQpwt55fbXqJUdmJ9oJhJVbA_uM-En-FFxFVGJHu5hE3MM7bvrYorM5wsWVPXxcOAZl5HVYskteS6zyfwQ/s1280/DSC_6378.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftdFbAlJT-RzJPhm9tC0eDDE2a9D-NwQyDcbynE82JKFwrdmK6D3TEqAR7_axA2UZAtvRfjxBeUcYSklf_tTeI3P-kVRQBP-_cloWaWj2yQpwt55fbXqJUdmJ9oJhJVbA_uM-En-FFxFVGJHu5hE3MM7bvrYorM5wsWVPXxcOAZl5HVYskteS6zyfwQ/s320/DSC_6378.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally spring is here, should be summer by now,<br />but better than more winter.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytvMy-vRm1fkGXZGd83dj5oxb8R7Hf5cqMBu1XhCKtMCJHW_cvYUOrigswAWjVys_twu1jQfNN8hNxpgt7Fp8r6v80VIuZqYROdoouTfvG3aVf_CoxY9jBjZhpi-1ehlau0sZkoJlO_ZiF7cfvhnQqeMFEIURmWyBPF7p3YQY8FTenLK1K1qcDylLGg/s1280/DSC_6389.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhytvMy-vRm1fkGXZGd83dj5oxb8R7Hf5cqMBu1XhCKtMCJHW_cvYUOrigswAWjVys_twu1jQfNN8hNxpgt7Fp8r6v80VIuZqYROdoouTfvG3aVf_CoxY9jBjZhpi-1ehlau0sZkoJlO_ZiF7cfvhnQqeMFEIURmWyBPF7p3YQY8FTenLK1K1qcDylLGg/s320/DSC_6389.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My peonies took a while to appear and now almost <br />ready for flowering. I'm sure there will be an update<br />on that</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIu3QbtadGp3R-DAohRTIM0jx74cBAP22QHzHfGw8Ftx9P2-rBPWJExy3N3PZ1uWDCNgjymMjWMz1DRGLVpjW6Xx-eyDxC9L8ZLqWC4UO4vKuIPkxD2kHwJIedrZqfmcmTXp2UycMW4WvQGPevS3flXbrZBDFiF_KCBMTXBE5MX4uZ51BueScOKmS0IQ/s1280/DSC_6391.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIu3QbtadGp3R-DAohRTIM0jx74cBAP22QHzHfGw8Ftx9P2-rBPWJExy3N3PZ1uWDCNgjymMjWMz1DRGLVpjW6Xx-eyDxC9L8ZLqWC4UO4vKuIPkxD2kHwJIedrZqfmcmTXp2UycMW4WvQGPevS3flXbrZBDFiF_KCBMTXBE5MX4uZ51BueScOKmS0IQ/s320/DSC_6391.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These took their time to appear too but the first <br />rhubarb meal we had was in a savoury meal. I now <br />need to get some frozen or jarred up for later in <br />the year.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtRXwJ-JV5ZrNWOOKV-qIYThfVoVXF9IDBuV7oSkhas_7i6Q9-W3PGr_3melFwd9y7noDk09qVATHO3gjExLXfgPPnh9UZRpAuJEkgYNJdXkMkijUh6jGqg4iSs_1_5fXoXeuPCMvrdr_EiHKrjPsZ3Zm2zz1k5PrRIcXElhEXbkR9VyblgndT0NTWA/s1280/DSC_6399.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtRXwJ-JV5ZrNWOOKV-qIYThfVoVXF9IDBuV7oSkhas_7i6Q9-W3PGr_3melFwd9y7noDk09qVATHO3gjExLXfgPPnh9UZRpAuJEkgYNJdXkMkijUh6jGqg4iSs_1_5fXoXeuPCMvrdr_EiHKrjPsZ3Zm2zz1k5PrRIcXElhEXbkR9VyblgndT0NTWA/s320/DSC_6399.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A water container set up ready for watering<br />the greenhouse, but my tomatoes are still so<br />small they are not planted in the ground of <br />the greenhouse yet and the chickens have only<br />just been moved out of there.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacjWDlwUnIOD1PgIoAHzJTcGtsvJHDY9f2RzLB01-mfOL8Qm3VpF4H5xYOYVbWMWmnowSv5ZmhGc_D-X9GERgdvpQx5Kx7MzImEzuXPdkO8Fp30a1qqGNjBoFIV8sttSF3p5uiK5q4HVew3md8QeGdMS7o6z8NGwAKK1RV3t_sKNe7QOo-xMxUUXrUA/s1280/DSC_6402.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacjWDlwUnIOD1PgIoAHzJTcGtsvJHDY9f2RzLB01-mfOL8Qm3VpF4H5xYOYVbWMWmnowSv5ZmhGc_D-X9GERgdvpQx5Kx7MzImEzuXPdkO8Fp30a1qqGNjBoFIV8sttSF3p5uiK5q4HVew3md8QeGdMS7o6z8NGwAKK1RV3t_sKNe7QOo-xMxUUXrUA/s320/DSC_6402.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GT was much happier to be around the grandkids,<br />than Rocket Ron, which is surprising as he's often shy.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80FbYZwTeaq1SKCm11vDiUGsArgB84GO2oqzKzFBxjLpztrDqSQA6rCMuy2aU0bvWjtFsIPhPkaEdriMMCuwC51dv9ic43McnhYTuyczczpjuPz_TTDLH3z9Vkg6AtaQfcAsRm9XEUjFpE16kVv9lIVRk2V0HSdRhv30rDQzjLMwedYnH35f00QgLvQ/s1280/DSC_6452.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80FbYZwTeaq1SKCm11vDiUGsArgB84GO2oqzKzFBxjLpztrDqSQA6rCMuy2aU0bvWjtFsIPhPkaEdriMMCuwC51dv9ic43McnhYTuyczczpjuPz_TTDLH3z9Vkg6AtaQfcAsRm9XEUjFpE16kVv9lIVRk2V0HSdRhv30rDQzjLMwedYnH35f00QgLvQ/s320/DSC_6452.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silla looking silly in the wet and very dirty</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIH_tU22mOVp290avzX1pfCV2qDvOnYZ9t_kegowbBtOgnMvC0GuJja9PqhKr5Fl9ZJphBtK5PaJY8gROjvRAMJGt256HZiH5KHk_PLAQcc6STpHmgF-LTa-LwLc6G0_YR9SH3Kksv7hheB-hMaFnRGPonXXL3eL4qksxD6p9nGgj-mX-GTQJnRUuPnw/s1280/DSC_6480.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIH_tU22mOVp290avzX1pfCV2qDvOnYZ9t_kegowbBtOgnMvC0GuJja9PqhKr5Fl9ZJphBtK5PaJY8gROjvRAMJGt256HZiH5KHk_PLAQcc6STpHmgF-LTa-LwLc6G0_YR9SH3Kksv7hheB-hMaFnRGPonXXL3eL4qksxD6p9nGgj-mX-GTQJnRUuPnw/s320/DSC_6480.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marie and Karla also looking rather damp</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmY-fKNGqDHEGrG37gyr0cHu7ZdE3apyxvqGtoOPhsuE5Eu_3f5VAi8O7sMnpgLSrwJtRvyFZS718VrO8Oaj3Z3tzVZZKtYDTN4-ed1PKeoxkcTbTrNY6cE7a_8ivqluSMvDT_BmG-4ETb1pK5zl2S5we-DI6lCXmaqT6MLcOk52ft61gtcW-PEvA7KQ/s1280/DSC_6483.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmY-fKNGqDHEGrG37gyr0cHu7ZdE3apyxvqGtoOPhsuE5Eu_3f5VAi8O7sMnpgLSrwJtRvyFZS718VrO8Oaj3Z3tzVZZKtYDTN4-ed1PKeoxkcTbTrNY6cE7a_8ivqluSMvDT_BmG-4ETb1pK5zl2S5we-DI6lCXmaqT6MLcOk52ft61gtcW-PEvA7KQ/s320/DSC_6483.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such hippy style their Josefs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFL8K4ooqT50BhxdvbMCxFby-NJuYaEf6wPLM4q7cIkCFJ9IX_wPMPYVNbgqHODJbk4oC_G8hUDkxwcL8iJk2aYIWE2iznLVHi0hj6yh2CL5LVBsy63yJ2O-tAYPWlYkwZBppj_UxQqVpLAeXd4bDY7zlF38MqdeTD6e3d2FruEHfXzdMsa3qtmMlpww/s1280/DSC_6525.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFL8K4ooqT50BhxdvbMCxFby-NJuYaEf6wPLM4q7cIkCFJ9IX_wPMPYVNbgqHODJbk4oC_G8hUDkxwcL8iJk2aYIWE2iznLVHi0hj6yh2CL5LVBsy63yJ2O-tAYPWlYkwZBppj_UxQqVpLAeXd4bDY7zlF38MqdeTD6e3d2FruEHfXzdMsa3qtmMlpww/s320/DSC_6525.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla looking fluffy again</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbpFXY1lyV2TlsCB6NFSzZBHny6NBckCMDz8RSkhBC6uI4udEeRziEXen7Pcpb5dSq6lkkLztjpL8BV8u2MGPNtvrFdZVYmXOBkuAwSSb3B36EpP-Mv6kVTS1A1F2ZIVjm_WKERvGhtj0XZKOknWsoOXvhpat0e3jc146qGxKw6Hn-q8vP2Du3AGyQQ/s1280/DSC_6537.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbpFXY1lyV2TlsCB6NFSzZBHny6NBckCMDz8RSkhBC6uI4udEeRziEXen7Pcpb5dSq6lkkLztjpL8BV8u2MGPNtvrFdZVYmXOBkuAwSSb3B36EpP-Mv6kVTS1A1F2ZIVjm_WKERvGhtj0XZKOknWsoOXvhpat0e3jc146qGxKw6Hn-q8vP2Du3AGyQQ/s320/DSC_6537.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bee on a dandelion. We have a lot of dandelions<br />but not so many bees - where have they all gone?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlGPibuE9FApWuvSSPwBHFHfBX9ECNeGJW2cqqGL5dRBH-IcjIJ0idfKhZoCqfNZqBWW-0CjhCiIusGM1bXjzGNWGk79ipPokoeAYrzdZpaI2g2kxpOVG7hLiB76NSV6UA-n2oXI1tdB4EYV6LvKpqjBncTPuXT29waCA62S_Di6lqY0dITWQRptkYA/s1280/DSC_6541.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlGPibuE9FApWuvSSPwBHFHfBX9ECNeGJW2cqqGL5dRBH-IcjIJ0idfKhZoCqfNZqBWW-0CjhCiIusGM1bXjzGNWGk79ipPokoeAYrzdZpaI2g2kxpOVG7hLiB76NSV6UA-n2oXI1tdB4EYV6LvKpqjBncTPuXT29waCA62S_Di6lqY0dITWQRptkYA/s320/DSC_6541.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I said we had a lot of dandelions. Fortunately the<br />alpacas like this nutritious spring-time feast</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rxJRl1ajc66PxhoiHtF8S-p9pR9HDoBy7avuRtsp7Uz8XzeZH4CHgpamBTTBPEhdRY_ICnHpXQbR74-Q7HS8eP4IE-c2ES0AnQUcwiamj5yMAJt1DIao5bQmIkOpJM6PRUkXCNoh8U6YKC5RtO9exTbya6XOtyyn3p9KtdMPgezZyb2GTYmcDvmAxQ/s1280/DSC_6549.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rxJRl1ajc66PxhoiHtF8S-p9pR9HDoBy7avuRtsp7Uz8XzeZH4CHgpamBTTBPEhdRY_ICnHpXQbR74-Q7HS8eP4IE-c2ES0AnQUcwiamj5yMAJt1DIao5bQmIkOpJM6PRUkXCNoh8U6YKC5RtO9exTbya6XOtyyn3p9KtdMPgezZyb2GTYmcDvmAxQ/s320/DSC_6549.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackbird nest</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcsFNnsl6o8YewbpalfFjSPPinlNmHPA9A6MCceQ_VGuxEhIbLKs6-xCGIlxbTr01pt2FQFNJiEpRJDKMmFG0C33-2YVylGJMBo-rSYs4affxIjrjS3nZcmL4bUaUNRQExT-n1jaO8A_SK6BwdskRJ1Il0ICgpNqSIFyknlI0HsAd2tK0gEJn4TOpkQ/s1280/IMG_20220524_083835_9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcsFNnsl6o8YewbpalfFjSPPinlNmHPA9A6MCceQ_VGuxEhIbLKs6-xCGIlxbTr01pt2FQFNJiEpRJDKMmFG0C33-2YVylGJMBo-rSYs4affxIjrjS3nZcmL4bUaUNRQExT-n1jaO8A_SK6BwdskRJ1Il0ICgpNqSIFyknlI0HsAd2tK0gEJn4TOpkQ/s320/IMG_20220524_083835_9.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Platystomos albinus - apparently!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTc8XrgtVBe0Ud9T_Sp6ZBea2aYzsYTbi_V6M73a3jQm9GPdqRAHkpz7COCNJb_JQr-7dTTfs0LBNs_cwQn34A-0ZZQo2pUx12B5_i3KxcOz-AfhsCSF0j3hMO93XUdHIz_H0tl5UFi8bYEcS3ddpqPKP2oNghMMVt4a1VZqyghtyts2gUd6I1DVubEQ/s1280/IMG_20220528_095113_3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTc8XrgtVBe0Ud9T_Sp6ZBea2aYzsYTbi_V6M73a3jQm9GPdqRAHkpz7COCNJb_JQr-7dTTfs0LBNs_cwQn34A-0ZZQo2pUx12B5_i3KxcOz-AfhsCSF0j3hMO93XUdHIz_H0tl5UFi8bYEcS3ddpqPKP2oNghMMVt4a1VZqyghtyts2gUd6I1DVubEQ/s320/IMG_20220528_095113_3.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clouded border moth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmZRmW7ql2bjqvTh0uClj52MjrzIyObsSjuoI-94psRg6ORnSIuw8KWwFFfjxs1vOZy1qdpr_acSBJSLIMR799QtsY1aZjX94BHfPL7N4UDS57JKZbJ7lP9tvfDguq4cL9G7fR4CrXR_kxXgk0MAhqGyJkGTmDKTRh1r9gJkDqgO9k8FVktDA61b02w/s1280/IMG_20220530_150640.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmZRmW7ql2bjqvTh0uClj52MjrzIyObsSjuoI-94psRg6ORnSIuw8KWwFFfjxs1vOZy1qdpr_acSBJSLIMR799QtsY1aZjX94BHfPL7N4UDS57JKZbJ7lP9tvfDguq4cL9G7fR4CrXR_kxXgk0MAhqGyJkGTmDKTRh1r9gJkDqgO9k8FVktDA61b02w/s320/IMG_20220530_150640.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common or dwarf milkwort, not sure<br />which.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYUFkvSZHm4lQTv-nqa422HUaSUFAE_1ok3QjhjStg9rajtzwoZ45AgTvJWRM0CTZZv3xJSq8xcMYv3Z2fH1ItG7tKbMKB7odp0piP24gyh69Uau1Y3Vge6_xNW1zpEbU3eV8RnaPMmWWUk_6JGwDsGCQ4hfMTbkWk0x8aeqFNaxZttN9wDXXbraa9g/s1280/IMG_20220530_150830.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYUFkvSZHm4lQTv-nqa422HUaSUFAE_1ok3QjhjStg9rajtzwoZ45AgTvJWRM0CTZZv3xJSq8xcMYv3Z2fH1ItG7tKbMKB7odp0piP24gyh69Uau1Y3Vge6_xNW1zpEbU3eV8RnaPMmWWUk_6JGwDsGCQ4hfMTbkWk0x8aeqFNaxZttN9wDXXbraa9g/s320/IMG_20220530_150830.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild strawberries</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqF9zum8k2GUzhi-mmkne4oqQX4cLKslUU-2xf_eJxlb4nK9PPUr7jTeAjvj42XHBoklm3kypJ265NSm74jzeoWTCVo40_IeICYL7NVlWI73CkOpUsEup1Bi8YVOPz89g3BUT2kjnJh77bHQQJlKeg8aVt6DXgXSwcCgIMUChhjTyc_mOTAjaebIxbw/s1280/IMG_20220602_091130_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqF9zum8k2GUzhi-mmkne4oqQX4cLKslUU-2xf_eJxlb4nK9PPUr7jTeAjvj42XHBoklm3kypJ265NSm74jzeoWTCVo40_IeICYL7NVlWI73CkOpUsEup1Bi8YVOPz89g3BUT2kjnJh77bHQQJlKeg8aVt6DXgXSwcCgIMUChhjTyc_mOTAjaebIxbw/s320/IMG_20220602_091130_2.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very large Roman snail, aka escargot</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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At last!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaA9lvlGSsIBdLB3nkY0a1cr-fAyO2V5CKLmH_rpZTPpN36OobZq1bmkqp5JqPR4fJ2k70u90Pscs1qsT9T-T7ce1j77zo0RA2ujzhx-xCqrzXAM786nas2dK26SMObRDnxUH8tib06nv1sMGmqoL_1fkMuMzp3SfuQnL5pEhG68NLe1NV-23JmkGGg/s1280/DSC_6240.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaA9lvlGSsIBdLB3nkY0a1cr-fAyO2V5CKLmH_rpZTPpN36OobZq1bmkqp5JqPR4fJ2k70u90Pscs1qsT9T-T7ce1j77zo0RA2ujzhx-xCqrzXAM786nas2dK26SMObRDnxUH8tib06nv1sMGmqoL_1fkMuMzp3SfuQnL5pEhG68NLe1NV-23JmkGGg/s320/DSC_6240.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They may have got a little damp in the rain.<br />They look like they are on a mission though.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There are somethings I wish could be said had gone at last, but I can't and I'm sure you will guess to what I'm referring - namely a horrendous situation in another former Soviet country. What I can say though is that the snow has finally gone. There was still a bit in the forest and bits in the fields that face north until a few days ago, but now it has melted in the rain for sure. It feels really weird seeing the land re-emerge from under its white blanket after so long. Even after so many years of watching the snow come in the winter and leave in spring it still feels like rediscovering old friends... and foes! The land has many areas covered with molehills and vole and mouse runs who have obviously been having riotous parties under the snow cover during the winter. The voles and the mice have been making their runs between the snow and the soil and so there are many tracks running across the fields, along my herb beds, along the paths of my vegetable garden and probably along the vegetable beds. </p><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D1c7TdPtdxqImb2fixsQ2WODnTWkBXNA19LC5JU4tv7YoCVMI1Bl0VFiE_tuMTOzxqx-CGP3-yEBBcDrgi8MCYlvQLo6yz2nzE1dA6jw92FWnmYVAt91IbJAsqZvMEkUlx0BboK0QaZkzLgjmuI_FnU_OZSFXP5Tc7mT5gBsWUhVnwFQYY6etjg5lg/s1280/DSC_6230.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D1c7TdPtdxqImb2fixsQ2WODnTWkBXNA19LC5JU4tv7YoCVMI1Bl0VFiE_tuMTOzxqx-CGP3-yEBBcDrgi8MCYlvQLo6yz2nzE1dA6jw92FWnmYVAt91IbJAsqZvMEkUlx0BboK0QaZkzLgjmuI_FnU_OZSFXP5Tc7mT5gBsWUhVnwFQYY6etjg5lg/s320/DSC_6230.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">15th April</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFOle4UTCoGmbUi17fEdkDp3FKL4SWpk_VB0oGjZKUjjLQUWtm9gGVA1Zxa5rptqibQ88yguv2pJTdmmeNXlPZiCLC47VRrnFmkPZwsimhkYC8hMD5YuR_lXAUJc-xtTU3_KMF5U18ZoIwm21kMQrUiszlKPqBCIf78fMp_fopCcuvWWxkKcl6XaC5w/s1280/IMG_20220417_084143.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFOle4UTCoGmbUi17fEdkDp3FKL4SWpk_VB0oGjZKUjjLQUWtm9gGVA1Zxa5rptqibQ88yguv2pJTdmmeNXlPZiCLC47VRrnFmkPZwsimhkYC8hMD5YuR_lXAUJc-xtTU3_KMF5U18ZoIwm21kMQrUiszlKPqBCIf78fMp_fopCcuvWWxkKcl6XaC5w/s320/IMG_20220417_084143.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17th April. So close! Nearly gone!</td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGs_jz9EuPBGeE35IFCIPymdm_A8pZ7HZwN_tY0K2y6ZLFiMQdDo-xAXag6Qzuj2Xwqu4dj5wUg-MiR5FJD9KM5hOK6hPZPHR82e_JdJWxb5h69O-WT8MqG5a5c5lUVpxYY8RAgiftTUfTonPciuw0JysrC1_W_8k2cRLM6VIolqSR58h5EDjIBAYVZg/s1280/IMG_20220425_083903.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGs_jz9EuPBGeE35IFCIPymdm_A8pZ7HZwN_tY0K2y6ZLFiMQdDo-xAXag6Qzuj2Xwqu4dj5wUg-MiR5FJD9KM5hOK6hPZPHR82e_JdJWxb5h69O-WT8MqG5a5c5lUVpxYY8RAgiftTUfTonPciuw0JysrC1_W_8k2cRLM6VIolqSR58h5EDjIBAYVZg/s320/IMG_20220425_083903.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">25th April. Gone! And now it's wet.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9T3BLMtisOME-MDK6zHP8sswIlkXBbD1uHStqU7_pQ9nAX1dhUPGR8M21HhB2c74iclWlt4CG-UxdSa-EzQd3M3rnPiyWPOqsrNhSLWP2r5wvTwjvxh9ck0uJR8z2WbLFMy-JT5q5Dl_lR8Of6MtoAjQ7-ubZbViQWU42rEBCDrN9UuLWDC0KNsRj6w/s1280/DSC_6225.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9T3BLMtisOME-MDK6zHP8sswIlkXBbD1uHStqU7_pQ9nAX1dhUPGR8M21HhB2c74iclWlt4CG-UxdSa-EzQd3M3rnPiyWPOqsrNhSLWP2r5wvTwjvxh9ck0uJR8z2WbLFMy-JT5q5Dl_lR8Of6MtoAjQ7-ubZbViQWU42rEBCDrN9UuLWDC0KNsRj6w/s320/DSC_6225.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weird lighting effects from the setting sun</td></tr></tbody></table><p>With all the open runs it is no wonder that Ginger Tom has been out and about and getting rather rounded in the process. Obviously he's well fed on mice. Rocket Ron, however, is all skin and bone. Ian took him to the vets last week as he just seemed to keep losing weight. Not sure yet what the problem was, but with another round of different worming treatment, probiotics and vitamins, he seems to be turning around and filling out. Perhaps it was all the Jerusalem Artichokes he was eating! He kept helping himself to the bag that was meant for the chickens through the winter. Or maybe just too lazy to go and get mice in the snow. He seems to have rectified that though now and also been tucking in. He very proudly showed a mouse off to me last week. Not quite the vegetarian cat we were beginning to think he was.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlqTYpQRLeUMhCmHlMqdhb8XrJR4fx4I_pI-zmM1ZBhnkE1hmVwUDspHBYVfGuvk3M5ecNVP4K9ljpDUELVvie5oa7rb_kYlpSqk-rRXm-5h0nAb2tipR1XcqXveLCf3vbK_W0GfyET_TA4Dit4PCm85nZNff_5Vk4ID4J2VlSQdjWFUdgo3pA26cKg/s1280/DSC_6228.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlqTYpQRLeUMhCmHlMqdhb8XrJR4fx4I_pI-zmM1ZBhnkE1hmVwUDspHBYVfGuvk3M5ecNVP4K9ljpDUELVvie5oa7rb_kYlpSqk-rRXm-5h0nAb2tipR1XcqXveLCf3vbK_W0GfyET_TA4Dit4PCm85nZNff_5Vk4ID4J2VlSQdjWFUdgo3pA26cKg/s320/DSC_6228.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More weird effects. They look like ghostly trees<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNB-7-7trhnK8D9PjMzqT36G-vX6ufa0-8YkY2xOcHiayLcRSzhZjKfekmhXxYA2baBsm75cmIuBqF0GFp5hqbC5OiI97f2oeiv6AiDMfQocOp01TUigw9ACp7DurgXidf5fg1lWHJumZfS5aT5NtPNwBsfMr5wsJXuEkqG88-udYtAZkUh6TpLDPAOA/s1280/DSC_6231.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNB-7-7trhnK8D9PjMzqT36G-vX6ufa0-8YkY2xOcHiayLcRSzhZjKfekmhXxYA2baBsm75cmIuBqF0GFp5hqbC5OiI97f2oeiv6AiDMfQocOp01TUigw9ACp7DurgXidf5fg1lWHJumZfS5aT5NtPNwBsfMr5wsJXuEkqG88-udYtAZkUh6TpLDPAOA/s320/DSC_6231.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is the handicraft output from a potter<br />wasp. Aptly named if it is. Pity the pots are so<br />small.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The other aspect about spring that is a bit annoying is that the animals all go daft, especially the boys. In the last couple of weeks we've had to separate the young cockerels after they were harassing the females too much (and some people think that they could all live together as one happy family!!!!) and the most dominant cockerel started knocking seven skittles out of the other two, going for their combs and jumping on the back of one as if to mate with it but more aggressively than with the females. The two less dominant ones are now in a bachelor pad waiting for an appointment with the freezer and the atmosphere in the arks is more peaceful. The alpaca boys are not so easy to deal with, the young ones have started fighting again. Freddie is the worst offender, the gentle, timid one! Unfortunately for him, his fleece isn't so good and so he's got an appointment with the vet this week. Hopefully the small operation will calm his hormones down and we will have the sweet Freddie back.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7252Sv83RGYR39wOB9P_pCJKkQwugQ2VSBASHVjQbX4R7JhYVgq2ScmhP3Cp0-3jW8n_kaITkVqQCiIPubCfIFab5Lp0AulzFGW8ScoY003emVmSfii0wl_B7J7JMPCzg5pLJz3PIKhDd6SMp4eBJUYZ_NOgo31qxGtbglJxlmsdM0NCQ9W99j3HFQ/s1280/DSC_6245.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7252Sv83RGYR39wOB9P_pCJKkQwugQ2VSBASHVjQbX4R7JhYVgq2ScmhP3Cp0-3jW8n_kaITkVqQCiIPubCfIFab5Lp0AulzFGW8ScoY003emVmSfii0wl_B7J7JMPCzg5pLJz3PIKhDd6SMp4eBJUYZ_NOgo31qxGtbglJxlmsdM0NCQ9W99j3HFQ/s320/DSC_6245.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet little Freddie. His squealing isn't so sweet<br />though</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL9ZnE_DG_1TUt9xfDsmZraQEKc0yrVHsEkhfQfiNnneeHjM0rBYmznkqkx742RFjmR564b_Ra9eVOHHTuDoSRH0hNmCYLWjh7x8mf4HVO63lXGVcTDhwL6srh7i1G-m2EWVGymc5-HWrVb-EE5AtFReRI_JWZJEgpKaZZHA-D18H1gRBVhj6QxkscQ/s1280/DSC_6237.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL9ZnE_DG_1TUt9xfDsmZraQEKc0yrVHsEkhfQfiNnneeHjM0rBYmznkqkx742RFjmR564b_Ra9eVOHHTuDoSRH0hNmCYLWjh7x8mf4HVO63lXGVcTDhwL6srh7i1G-m2EWVGymc5-HWrVb-EE5AtFReRI_JWZJEgpKaZZHA-D18H1gRBVhj6QxkscQ/s320/DSC_6237.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The storks haven't been to our fields much but<br />we've had our annual visit from a pair of ducks.<br />They never stop long as the pond is too small to <br />support a nesting pair - they would be easy <br />prey for a fox.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQmvc9jEFFKT8NZDHpE9UI28tCGliHysjhVtcyNJ0_IZqP-MbiGdcSyTHiBrOGrAnS1ou9jAP47EeFgIeXSjZMOOQMRJBwN33P41Rgijm7t60_de6XclGeA236--hEHKwzcNY3V74VZ1AOcveok9qyaR1VjScaPVWcuOs2xpOHpl6sT5w198qPAecaw/s1280/DSC_6239.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQmvc9jEFFKT8NZDHpE9UI28tCGliHysjhVtcyNJ0_IZqP-MbiGdcSyTHiBrOGrAnS1ou9jAP47EeFgIeXSjZMOOQMRJBwN33P41Rgijm7t60_de6XclGeA236--hEHKwzcNY3V74VZ1AOcveok9qyaR1VjScaPVWcuOs2xpOHpl6sT5w198qPAecaw/s320/DSC_6239.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fence posts</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We've had rain, for much of Sunday, but that's okay as after the snow went, the ground started to get quite hard and the usual worries started about a drought. It is often dry at about this time of the year and makes putting in seeds a nightmare. I try not to water, but sometimes needs must. I prefer it if nature does the job for me. The ground was at least just about hard enough for Ian to get a delivery of fence posts in preparation for creating a fence for the girls. We hope that will stop the boys from getting in and having a repeat of last years escapades. We also want to extend where the girls can graze. We daren't let them out over the hill where we can't see them unless it is fenced in. It desperately needs grazing over there to keep the diversity of the plants. Sometimes we don't get the chance to cut that side and so to have them graze it instead will help. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisLkJjBSXbEqxxK6kcfJFhFoZwW6v7bSMUkimh_011q2fwMPExl6q0YOKE2Xr8d1HjhJXQ7a5IIaGOEuGofrTP1_b6QVX0SXFzIrhBJB89dtEQc6ZThLmJcSxLTwYK_BvoqxeIDqscDW8kTKsSfsg-ebmtXPqhO8unh6FT-qRcTD6LVm4GWOAO7UKuA/s1280/DSC_6222.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisLkJjBSXbEqxxK6kcfJFhFoZwW6v7bSMUkimh_011q2fwMPExl6q0YOKE2Xr8d1HjhJXQ7a5IIaGOEuGofrTP1_b6QVX0SXFzIrhBJB89dtEQc6ZThLmJcSxLTwYK_BvoqxeIDqscDW8kTKsSfsg-ebmtXPqhO8unh6FT-qRcTD6LVm4GWOAO7UKuA/s320/DSC_6222.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last year's wasps' nest. Ian took it<br />off the side of the barn so that we<br />don't have any more wasps nesting<br />in it.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQbNJLDPngy1bxjGCKQfGY4lnhkDhV7L3iGqntpK0_kMSdQX0NQflHcT20mXTxlkj_8WrwafyJ-gutw7WdffSGZ0XBM83cRs1srVwYsAJmEbR_gaWJH3D4KB5bkJPkVdkxwdZ81PAVrPrnXmOWTnqzbhIjd9K3Xml5R5aFy9nRSIw9cgue21tT90qkw/s1280/IMG_20220422_182239.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQbNJLDPngy1bxjGCKQfGY4lnhkDhV7L3iGqntpK0_kMSdQX0NQflHcT20mXTxlkj_8WrwafyJ-gutw7WdffSGZ0XBM83cRs1srVwYsAJmEbR_gaWJH3D4KB5bkJPkVdkxwdZ81PAVrPrnXmOWTnqzbhIjd9K3Xml5R5aFy9nRSIw9cgue21tT90qkw/s320/IMG_20220422_182239.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My birthday cake</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Ian also got a welder and has been teaching himself to weld using YouTube videos. In fact he got more presents than I did on my birthday. I did get a cake though, that my daughter ordered. It's great that she can order at our local bakery even if she is half way around the world and very nice it is too. We are still wading our way through it. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG79nL-wCL2k-4v_VjOPGEmb9ZHOo3tTlwEtBjOnSahY3RMzSNyMRYepqV9btytb5ELmSl2p_JV4lx2sAmlyttA-_9QYdGsdG4FMChHGYGOk3dTy-6W-yin7-aMAym1grcG890GTWhZPa3t5MSQe_m18R-MuqoESPbcCcVYpicMRbAziwUTArZUYdJA/s1280/DSC_6238.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG79nL-wCL2k-4v_VjOPGEmb9ZHOo3tTlwEtBjOnSahY3RMzSNyMRYepqV9btytb5ELmSl2p_JV4lx2sAmlyttA-_9QYdGsdG4FMChHGYGOk3dTy-6W-yin7-aMAym1grcG890GTWhZPa3t5MSQe_m18R-MuqoESPbcCcVYpicMRbAziwUTArZUYdJA/s320/DSC_6238.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our summer cabin will be where the sticks are. <br />Those sticks had snow about 3/4 of the way up them.<br />That was a lot of snow.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7guYxXPtg2WP6Yfq9tRoWqI5UTZoQQKyU5yQ9NaYJ8xCCnTxiRwA1pAGMhhkCCMLxXfe4Bt_KYA7ed2SvFrbVizKVjkhC9Qp8eFdgfTvJQ9EDVLUCFmlOfJE3ZKyUQl07uE5eXlj2kw0mWQNSlaGaCpHvN0DRYGf8q5i6vOQ3Qrzj3kZ5giPVTNSzQ/s1280/DSC_6242.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7guYxXPtg2WP6Yfq9tRoWqI5UTZoQQKyU5yQ9NaYJ8xCCnTxiRwA1pAGMhhkCCMLxXfe4Bt_KYA7ed2SvFrbVizKVjkhC9Qp8eFdgfTvJQ9EDVLUCFmlOfJE3ZKyUQl07uE5eXlj2kw0mWQNSlaGaCpHvN0DRYGf8q5i6vOQ3Qrzj3kZ5giPVTNSzQ/s320/DSC_6242.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scruffy kid!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Unusually my birthday was a very sunny day and so I took the opportunity of flexible working to take the day off and plant potatoes. It was nice to be outside and the work isn't too hard with the manured raised beds that Ian creates over winter. Saturday was nice too until it started to cloud over in the evening and so I also cleared out one of the chicken arks, threw some parsnips, beetroot and marigold seeds in and started the process of clearing the winter debris off my flower and herb beds. I wasn't confident any of the seeds are viable so just decided to mix them in and rake the ground over before giving it a thin covering of hay to keep the moisture in and stop the seedlings when they germinate from getting bashed about. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCrFNBVygAe1Jqt8DGCvL4EvUKVYSktBRcLX9NJ4lJPSA17oAS2Ev-ujoTub3eMuTrGuPLJS9yk-uDHdc8tdPpQiohw0nNkZUwwMVaOvjwehwRH89Z68gP8Nx-ZgDvzHPq55rrxF7Wdye_COZctBMq45g29WZ0ceXU6V_71J5DwaZAlM3zIIeG2ZxEw/s1280/DSC_6243.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCrFNBVygAe1Jqt8DGCvL4EvUKVYSktBRcLX9NJ4lJPSA17oAS2Ev-ujoTub3eMuTrGuPLJS9yk-uDHdc8tdPpQiohw0nNkZUwwMVaOvjwehwRH89Z68gP8Nx-ZgDvzHPq55rrxF7Wdye_COZctBMq45g29WZ0ceXU6V_71J5DwaZAlM3zIIeG2ZxEw/s320/DSC_6243.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obviously a trend</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMQHTay7uWf-JalgxGunajo0DMqMqZtIpO1Momr60CPU9o_UkLWJjM3L3siIfPawdixW0aFAdRVbeLgHV6GefkyfCNP68SXo2t-wu_ew9v01GUMUkNsaMZIXasngDi6iqSNa5YDdk2IVQ-NrpGY4yraquFVdgwcDv2ovaDeLgWrQYuTeiXU9Wt2bitQ/s1280/IMG_20220417_084206.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMQHTay7uWf-JalgxGunajo0DMqMqZtIpO1Momr60CPU9o_UkLWJjM3L3siIfPawdixW0aFAdRVbeLgHV6GefkyfCNP68SXo2t-wu_ew9v01GUMUkNsaMZIXasngDi6iqSNa5YDdk2IVQ-NrpGY4yraquFVdgwcDv2ovaDeLgWrQYuTeiXU9Wt2bitQ/s320/IMG_20220417_084206.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17th April and still some snow in the forest.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One of the nice things about gardening is having time to think and I've been mulling over the responses of the European heads of government to the war in Ukraine. I don't envy them on the one hand, but I know there are some of them who have got to swallow their fear of economic impacts and ditch the oil and gas. It will harm the economy but so will the continued addiction to oil and gas. Globally we have waited too long and now we need a rapid change away from oil and gas for the sake of Ukraine, for the sake of our children and the planet on which we live. Will that harm the economy? Probably! But how it is done affects the long-term effects. We can pull together, we can cooperate and support each other, we can grow food wherever we can - if we can do it in a war, we can do it in peacetime (whatever that is). In many ways it is part of a war effort, a war against greed, a war against authoritarian governments and a war against the harm to our children's future. So let's get digging for victory - victory of peace.</p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrfGAF5hw9KM9owd9NL6txR2hc1xowNFEw0nU58b4xOnsloBDsBsYzf2_W7uLlUAhnykH_eLS9kZ3JLJkM1Lhftt_gYBr8BbjObQg31n27j3aIXNNuljiRPns0i7s7aItfNIQT8Uq_dxpoLqI1K-bgJ02eLwn65sRf7kl7LHMIo9Eu3UhtrtB51S_LA/s1280/IMG_20220417_223352.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1280" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrfGAF5hw9KM9owd9NL6txR2hc1xowNFEw0nU58b4xOnsloBDsBsYzf2_W7uLlUAhnykH_eLS9kZ3JLJkM1Lhftt_gYBr8BbjObQg31n27j3aIXNNuljiRPns0i7s7aItfNIQT8Uq_dxpoLqI1K-bgJ02eLwn65sRf7kl7LHMIo9Eu3UhtrtB51S_LA/s320/IMG_20220417_223352.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian gets his second hand t-shirts from his son, not<br />quite sure what the World's Strongest 'Oys are but<br />it makes us giggle. I have cropped the picture as<br />Ian shut his eyes when the flash went off and he <br />looked rather dopey in the process. Nothing personal<br />really!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rqef7pPJUdWzDW6V44WVu75rROIeiF9iqUJ6xjPqa8zux3SAVeKHV4DPMLO_bMTP-vHUIKgVmsiSZ_CX-2xeDjBTuGuOvMbRbA6TiHTGFCjIneQ7u9vcY3pt2JFgO3kAqonbOcTJj-vknTYC3sqct2UQE4vyRauFpDOKM2n4vRWN9-IYgLxPUyCKeA/s1280/IMG_20220422_182242.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="1280" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rqef7pPJUdWzDW6V44WVu75rROIeiF9iqUJ6xjPqa8zux3SAVeKHV4DPMLO_bMTP-vHUIKgVmsiSZ_CX-2xeDjBTuGuOvMbRbA6TiHTGFCjIneQ7u9vcY3pt2JFgO3kAqonbOcTJj-vknTYC3sqct2UQE4vyRauFpDOKM2n4vRWN9-IYgLxPUyCKeA/s320/IMG_20220422_182242.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup! Ian's boots. This was an accident with my<br />phone camera but I thought it was funny how the<br />cats were sat there looking out as if they couldn't<br />quite believe the snow had gone too. They've been<br />going daft as well and running around fighting.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg207No2VudWZsm2FenYMF4V-vYaZdwQ57uscwlrXhur7haA86MIMpioVFbdO0Rp_oNvK24vNir0BhkVlhS57Dxz_mLY0K9acdQw0uiUSSdDTiXaEaBSvrF5k-3-Fdz33xNAyJr6kRlEpbKuhHU2TWlDpL2tYfiRmeNWBOMcQoUsyiziQgkdGdtSbiZnA/s720/Slide1.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg207No2VudWZsm2FenYMF4V-vYaZdwQ57uscwlrXhur7haA86MIMpioVFbdO0Rp_oNvK24vNir0BhkVlhS57Dxz_mLY0K9acdQw0uiUSSdDTiXaEaBSvrF5k-3-Fdz33xNAyJr6kRlEpbKuhHU2TWlDpL2tYfiRmeNWBOMcQoUsyiziQgkdGdtSbiZnA/s320/Slide1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A doctored image of me holding a mushroom. We <br />used it on a promotional picture as a background<br />for a seminar. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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} catch(err) {}</script></div>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-35606504219104328762022-04-14T22:12:00.002+03:002022-04-14T22:23:31.811+03:00It's a process<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYQ-rbiDVWUTWvCz_mvwctZApuDobIAGIRh0lOcXbsjl4Gx4TrDC_dHiBxht_YFJcGytsjynr9OScgE4Vfg5-1I2f16u_JJ3cLKsvS8ZPeh3cnTADFkcOQVjfD40ZvjafbvPZcQEBJE3_L4MlQib12BDVE3gTTrpbFBAwCY9ybXdAEhcQjVAyDtYRBw/s1280/DSC_6130.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYQ-rbiDVWUTWvCz_mvwctZApuDobIAGIRh0lOcXbsjl4Gx4TrDC_dHiBxht_YFJcGytsjynr9OScgE4Vfg5-1I2f16u_JJ3cLKsvS8ZPeh3cnTADFkcOQVjfD40ZvjafbvPZcQEBJE3_L4MlQib12BDVE3gTTrpbFBAwCY9ybXdAEhcQjVAyDtYRBw/s320/DSC_6130.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello! Lolly is fully weaned now and she seems<br />to have accepted this graciously. She doesn't<br />bother Ian for milk in the morning. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Well not quite a monthly blog, but getting that way again. There have been more changes since last month, but it is all part of our regularly yearly cycle. The timing changes, to some extent, but they still happen. We are back out in the caravan as the animals are going way at night so late that it is difficult to find a sensible time to eat together. Fortunately, although the nights are cool, they are not that cool that they are unbearable and so we made the switch. Okay, -6C overnight was a tad cool but snuggled up under a quilt and blankets it works, plus the radiator is only an arm's length away and soon warms up the small space of a caravan.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqdYJMrGU8Q7IyrCm5BihOeSOsgZVKSv01zX20aP9kdjGcx1DVbrGV8KQf3N7JEEC-bVtvzvCzeZJWdBRG1X5jo7EMAsDguRs5TJJTJ3pTU_U01YmN7dQQ1OBZVtgPcFU2PbQO5iy6_BnjA5m5iJ9QjD8EH-xOESHp7Er8lPMZie04cv61Cl4gWHGOQ/s1280/IMG_20220409_180128.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="959" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqdYJMrGU8Q7IyrCm5BihOeSOsgZVKSv01zX20aP9kdjGcx1DVbrGV8KQf3N7JEEC-bVtvzvCzeZJWdBRG1X5jo7EMAsDguRs5TJJTJ3pTU_U01YmN7dQQ1OBZVtgPcFU2PbQO5iy6_BnjA5m5iJ9QjD8EH-xOESHp7Er8lPMZie04cv61Cl4gWHGOQ/s320/IMG_20220409_180128.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing our presents from one of our <br />Australian grandsons. Not quite sure<br />how long it took to first get them to us,<br />via the UK and then for us to finally get<br />around to taking a photo, but we did it <br />in the end. Oh and please ignore the hat<br />hair - bit of a problem at this time of the <br />year.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1YeaC2xLGHYk__GL-pCMoTQctw_AbEeXcaZI3omlheVTn50PXjr2awzpRjLJn4LsFZpCzzI_HI_tf1fRL2SR8vKvSOpV-erD1kIiggk_OXG4J_oIlmuWuQMWwHeEDlgKoNi9cftymO8idwLd9vJAUQVlMqEvnHzEJXR30tc_hCtRrivv-g0BI7kOFw/s1280/DSC_6098.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1YeaC2xLGHYk__GL-pCMoTQctw_AbEeXcaZI3omlheVTn50PXjr2awzpRjLJn4LsFZpCzzI_HI_tf1fRL2SR8vKvSOpV-erD1kIiggk_OXG4J_oIlmuWuQMWwHeEDlgKoNi9cftymO8idwLd9vJAUQVlMqEvnHzEJXR30tc_hCtRrivv-g0BI7kOFw/s320/DSC_6098.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuesday 5th April</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Finally the snow is beginning to clear properly here. I drove up to Estonia recently for work and it was amazing to see stretches of land with no snow and then I got back to our land and there was still 20-30cm in places with hardly any grass showing. Gradually, gradually though it began to reduce in height and larger stretches of grass.... errr... I mean moss began appearing. As the snow got thinner larger areas of green appeared quite suddenly. It is startling to see green where earlier in the day it was white. We still have the occasional snow or hail shower but nothing that lasts and it finally feels like winter is drawing its last breath and fading away. I know, I know... it can still turn white, it is still early April and we are far north. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KMWyrst6w9hFjZfloWdlYFezCQldvmvweTmnR8aTY6X6U-a48UOf1EoN9FGhtNy6Ut-Ny5SwtyWrP3QLhmJ7jSCu6EWhx1JclCAbvXEAMnrzdhUUAhfAdncm0aj_V9dXEqHiyRSabN5DAROxR5JwYbEa_Ftjslf4V-hMEslzt9Qv37EWhmIQYQMJAQ/s1280/IMG_20220409_082616%20copy.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9KMWyrst6w9hFjZfloWdlYFezCQldvmvweTmnR8aTY6X6U-a48UOf1EoN9FGhtNy6Ut-Ny5SwtyWrP3QLhmJ7jSCu6EWhx1JclCAbvXEAMnrzdhUUAhfAdncm0aj_V9dXEqHiyRSabN5DAROxR5JwYbEa_Ftjslf4V-hMEslzt9Qv37EWhmIQYQMJAQ/s320/IMG_20220409_082616%20copy.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saturday 9th, yes a dusting of yet more snow and <br />not much difference to four days before.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfV2A_macf0UcEfEqI7YdAOV6I4TDvsX9RakXmwhSaEXWxqXl9NEGzShMw0vVTb3GrP7Wm-r6Bai2CdTV0UCvIkHywalclPYaTVy1lr_2E_ycmvnytIT1q619ldDFUC2qU2OHJWM3pJQCh0tCY5epSZsJ2vDGqVG7r2FMbjoDiA_WZ8ad8tfxqyfzskg/s1280/IMG_20220412_084915.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfV2A_macf0UcEfEqI7YdAOV6I4TDvsX9RakXmwhSaEXWxqXl9NEGzShMw0vVTb3GrP7Wm-r6Bai2CdTV0UCvIkHywalclPYaTVy1lr_2E_ycmvnytIT1q619ldDFUC2qU2OHJWM3pJQCh0tCY5epSZsJ2vDGqVG7r2FMbjoDiA_WZ8ad8tfxqyfzskg/s320/IMG_20220412_084915.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And three days later, Tuesday 12th. I<br />do believe it is finally going.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHth5klnrreysgQ-h8zss97Gyd9mkPRIS3YIghnPYvS28pDMZpSRljpWYBzvQaZbrjvhMyCQyG-CvxOZPvLRmZbWmUvInYtINFAZj-01FKiy1AIphOOA5yQ71YRM9uq_WnNC7MjfKrm89G5kNml3XSH9a2scP8GUIs6_YcjJ01RlsX3NjuUQPFw1u2pA/s1280/DSC_6082.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHth5klnrreysgQ-h8zss97Gyd9mkPRIS3YIghnPYvS28pDMZpSRljpWYBzvQaZbrjvhMyCQyG-CvxOZPvLRmZbWmUvInYtINFAZj-01FKiy1AIphOOA5yQ71YRM9uq_WnNC7MjfKrm89G5kNml3XSH9a2scP8GUIs6_YcjJ01RlsX3NjuUQPFw1u2pA/s320/DSC_6082.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well are you going to feed us<br />or not?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The normality feels deceptive whilst reading the news. The horror of the situation in Ukraine is awful, especially as I have read the history of post-Soviet countries. I can't even begin to imagine the sheer awfulness of the butchery that has been meted out on civilians, but a shudder went through me when I heard of people being bussed to locations in Russia, which sounds so innocuous but isn't. I've read about the forced deportations from Latvia to Siberia during the Soviet era and it is frightening to think deportations are happening again. This is not a benign action to take people to safety, this is a systematic attempt at terrorising a nation. A nation that knows its neighbour has been guilty of deliberate mass starvation (Holdomor) and forced deportations in the past. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNOBAg5edBNMJ7OSCxbehMNKVrE7T3kuIXUcS9tUOf0VtfmI4k-H2njF9PL7z_FsebQ956AUPlFvrsQrQZ4OJMt06v58aHlhuWrJ51g1aPdJlZkmAnLYd-i3FITSnSeWq3bBRGEZ3x6uT_8JD7iYmWO4fmgOBXvduv_r4SsXS-iNF4eMNqjQ7OSEicw/s1280/DSC_6090.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNOBAg5edBNMJ7OSCxbehMNKVrE7T3kuIXUcS9tUOf0VtfmI4k-H2njF9PL7z_FsebQ956AUPlFvrsQrQZ4OJMt06v58aHlhuWrJ51g1aPdJlZkmAnLYd-i3FITSnSeWq3bBRGEZ3x6uT_8JD7iYmWO4fmgOBXvduv_r4SsXS-iNF4eMNqjQ7OSEicw/s320/DSC_6090.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crinkled effect of melting snow</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKI8sasf8SMqmR16yqLOiZu3Dk43a9oll31oSYKyJ58nOOjrLQMqEsdXQSVYG6ylAXIl9w5uOPcwMMQ9e4rm4xoeyn-TVR2_QbZkWuw4VED_Kn_oFV3sf0i93EbZruVgscuhqYkexMzmvnyYcSs1Wv9UtPygZkUeQtSxdiMParVOkfKDzBLuyhz0D-w/s1280/DSC_6095.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKI8sasf8SMqmR16yqLOiZu3Dk43a9oll31oSYKyJ58nOOjrLQMqEsdXQSVYG6ylAXIl9w5uOPcwMMQ9e4rm4xoeyn-TVR2_QbZkWuw4VED_Kn_oFV3sf0i93EbZruVgscuhqYkexMzmvnyYcSs1Wv9UtPygZkUeQtSxdiMParVOkfKDzBLuyhz0D-w/s320/DSC_6095.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gas oven all cleaned up<br />and ready to go in the <br />greenhouse! As you do!<br />Mind you, not sure how <br />much use we will get out of<br />it this year, if there is a gas <br />shortage. Good job we are<br />not dependent on it, we have<br />other options.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another aspect that horrifies me is the slow response of governments to change for the sake of peace. Oil and gas is the currency that keeps this war going. On the one hand governments are supplying arms to support Ukraine and on the other the nations are paying out for the gas and oil that fuels such butchery. The reason given is that it would decimate the economy. War decimates an economy. War in Ukraine will have serious impacts on economies. When people die due to bowing down to the economy, then the model is wrong. One thing I have learnt over the years is that things like famine are not a failure of harvests, it is a failure in society. Famines happen when society lets it, after a failure of a harvest. There is no reason for sections of society to suffer unnecessary hardship due to a severe shock to the economy if the rest of society pulls together and works together then everyone can weather the storm. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCojZSyh3jXXuVK549zqQPFccQueXsJ2RGjG-Mn-2d7Gr7LEvngJGvd6ykoDcX4waUxGY-8yVNBUBwZeVZzueyfJMnFz6EDGCN-e9klvAbSgjYZOFZY41n9LcXeWKElS_LUEhZ7P-Ack9vYsPCyy-FHjW3PZVohTVAalUyV8IRGdhi2R9z4s6MPOEdBQ/s1280/DSC_6100.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCojZSyh3jXXuVK549zqQPFccQueXsJ2RGjG-Mn-2d7Gr7LEvngJGvd6ykoDcX4waUxGY-8yVNBUBwZeVZzueyfJMnFz6EDGCN-e9klvAbSgjYZOFZY41n9LcXeWKElS_LUEhZ7P-Ack9vYsPCyy-FHjW3PZVohTVAalUyV8IRGdhi2R9z4s6MPOEdBQ/s320/DSC_6100.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes the storks are back. Really! Look hard!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLNXMn7zIYE1P067vL9Fr-qaO31-S8QUK41nisqNIL4rdqrqnK1_d8BQXdM-f5jCUK--nd0kaQFAZ459cUOGaVRpzz6enKnuCZzortjj5473WTWf7LXadinVfIWKSlv5AFzOucr7yWxdjqbhk3rt1gHu-KiKmbqn1qukKapHyWjUBpWp94M-6qv2wOw/s1280/DSC_6103.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLNXMn7zIYE1P067vL9Fr-qaO31-S8QUK41nisqNIL4rdqrqnK1_d8BQXdM-f5jCUK--nd0kaQFAZ459cUOGaVRpzz6enKnuCZzortjj5473WTWf7LXadinVfIWKSlv5AFzOucr7yWxdjqbhk3rt1gHu-KiKmbqn1qukKapHyWjUBpWp94M-6qv2wOw/s320/DSC_6103.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess the frogspawn will be appearing soon<br />then.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We only have to look at how Ukrainian refugees are being absorbed into societies close by to see how societies can pull together. It is possible to take care of and support others going through a bad period. This, of course, will not be a short-term event. Even if the war ended tomorrow, not all will be able to go back. Some will need to heal, some will make a new life in a new land because they do not feel able to go back, some will have to wait until there is some restoration of their homeland. We are in this together until we are through it, which we can, if we want to. I know I don't want to live in a society that puts the economy first and people second. The economy should serve the people and not the other way around. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIucVmwBcep6n0jr4IVmmRpZ717RL82Xm5r8A1DPfUBlcKwcYNjv7pUTABf_UOqziAoiJqGeqNulBQcpHt0u4jlNsZY-eCTVEHcIOVWbbMzN84f7JFmiRPWcaNpVXRUqBsYIKesS1123gzO42Ha4IFc3pP4ucy5NTLG-npZfVyOP6VBZFXZHUyuaM-tQ/s1280/DSC_6108.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIucVmwBcep6n0jr4IVmmRpZ717RL82Xm5r8A1DPfUBlcKwcYNjv7pUTABf_UOqziAoiJqGeqNulBQcpHt0u4jlNsZY-eCTVEHcIOVWbbMzN84f7JFmiRPWcaNpVXRUqBsYIKesS1123gzO42Ha4IFc3pP4ucy5NTLG-npZfVyOP6VBZFXZHUyuaM-tQ/s320/DSC_6108.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oooh! Sunshine! I'm not one for sunbathing like<br />Silla, but I know how she feels to see that <br />sunshine again.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY6p-TujmQqPH7TD7tL2QhQ0pNUXIhrEanWVz4tpcHBGEvaTHLsSzXhbBdYVlb4H_m9p0eucC6deJWCE66eYA4ViaWPBLXEtSygPzq2DVS51soLN2D06C9NnzBxP-qpVy55RRi2E4CjX4ccpGk2XIBS35gBxNcK2C-2mpMmjjGtd5WnzYQmtZD5X95Q/s1280/DSC_6118.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY6p-TujmQqPH7TD7tL2QhQ0pNUXIhrEanWVz4tpcHBGEvaTHLsSzXhbBdYVlb4H_m9p0eucC6deJWCE66eYA4ViaWPBLXEtSygPzq2DVS51soLN2D06C9NnzBxP-qpVy55RRi2E4CjX4ccpGk2XIBS35gBxNcK2C-2mpMmjjGtd5WnzYQmtZD5X95Q/s320/DSC_6118.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The paddocks have been pretty wet as the snow<br />has melted. Mind you, it is surprising where the<br />water appears at this time of the year. How is<br />it so wet on the top of hills? </td></tr></tbody></table><p>So what do we do now? Grow as much as you can. Hoard or not to hoard? Maybe hoard what you will consume, like societies used to do before the advent of ever open supermarkets - in other words, store your excess from the summer for the winter. Share what is needed. I had thought I would take a year off from growing veg, but I've put that idea on the backburner. I'll throw in what seeds I can and hope for the best. Maybe help will turn up? Who knows. Our cabin is on order and as soon as this snow goes and the ground dries enough to stand on we (or Ian) is out there preparing the ground for foundations. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBL0lxbJ5KR6oCRnHlHfE4VbzmhhrSWd0b_AZ34mZRyrYHZsS658WzbQRdN_LBjw_pJ61sYp1hmo8WEDsSVORj7xQ8naa5FgnlTJ5RYtyEZaWZ88Ed9IL380EnXy5Gu5IbRyzp_vMw9z65kLm0jQwO6Cu1aIw7bBTUDgeKOx86aE0Zi90Mg7HoczFHHQ/s1280/DSC_6119.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBL0lxbJ5KR6oCRnHlHfE4VbzmhhrSWd0b_AZ34mZRyrYHZsS658WzbQRdN_LBjw_pJ61sYp1hmo8WEDsSVORj7xQ8naa5FgnlTJ5RYtyEZaWZ88Ed9IL380EnXy5Gu5IbRyzp_vMw9z65kLm0jQwO6Cu1aIw7bBTUDgeKOx86aE0Zi90Mg7HoczFHHQ/s320/DSC_6119.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasty!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH-PskRwHmUdeFBKWYwhy5w1my1sJGwyXtwRfeVmGqPHDHH_LOp-lGKYd5gesPbXPiQ-Vd7F16wLfl2UJC-73OndTEUDyoPr8NXc0ALdSRz4gK7wrPElOXBFViAG8ySzcfQh_2-Y_M2NPXg8jzGWV3b6ele5g1zjCuKWPDKYkxYXlld3o_fUGWjn_Sg/s1280/DSC_6123.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH-PskRwHmUdeFBKWYwhy5w1my1sJGwyXtwRfeVmGqPHDHH_LOp-lGKYd5gesPbXPiQ-Vd7F16wLfl2UJC-73OndTEUDyoPr8NXc0ALdSRz4gK7wrPElOXBFViAG8ySzcfQh_2-Y_M2NPXg8jzGWV3b6ele5g1zjCuKWPDKYkxYXlld3o_fUGWjn_Sg/s320/DSC_6123.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone needs a haircut!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So is it crazy to be planning veg beds and cabins with Russia rattling its sabre? Who knows! They seem to be pretty occupied at the moment and we are in a NATO country, unlike the poor Ukrainians. So we carry on and wonder what we would do. We have the kind of animals you cannot just shove in the car and drive off, so that complicates matters. How do you even process these kinds of thoughts? I guess we don't. We watch, we wait and we pray, or stick our head in the sand, whichever is the most appropriate at the time. We have food, we know how to grow food, we know how to store food for the winter without using electricity, we know how to forage. We've already had our first meal with wild greens of the year - admittedly they were growing in the greenhouse. Does this prepare us? No not really, but it helps.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWtQp19uUJh-BO1xiomKK1hYK8f8kco2mAN_9Kx-aXKwbnVwllOUQOvtfeue5i0T72ZxUDmvpp0hQeKRXlr8AV1wcPX7szVYI0bu6eYPNeoKgzTMq5jPY65gajdQUyxGNDSZtkODmaZp7gifrwxsXxi71FtLk9sj0T225VAxx7gtihtVZTIdqZfDpXg/s1280/DSC_6125.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWtQp19uUJh-BO1xiomKK1hYK8f8kco2mAN_9Kx-aXKwbnVwllOUQOvtfeue5i0T72ZxUDmvpp0hQeKRXlr8AV1wcPX7szVYI0bu6eYPNeoKgzTMq5jPY65gajdQUyxGNDSZtkODmaZp7gifrwxsXxi71FtLk9sj0T225VAxx7gtihtVZTIdqZfDpXg/s320/DSC_6125.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrrh! That's better I can see now</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw9lByOdULfE3c4uw44WG12Ypt9rl7qx1GYD6qcqB7_kG8x_uQGpqr2rdDN_tVyMGr2mtKV2KISnLg3P_V_Q90pROAxMt9bzslVPwcm0rLaYT8PSp3m3SGg4q5Hhc8MuZyZgyLW_0PIQyHWX6qq_sFT0_AWF33Vh-Ls7rK9fULGFDTahXBUahc21fPQ/s1280/DSC_6134.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw9lByOdULfE3c4uw44WG12Ypt9rl7qx1GYD6qcqB7_kG8x_uQGpqr2rdDN_tVyMGr2mtKV2KISnLg3P_V_Q90pROAxMt9bzslVPwcm0rLaYT8PSp3m3SGg4q5Hhc8MuZyZgyLW_0PIQyHWX6qq_sFT0_AWF33Vh-Ls7rK9fULGFDTahXBUahc21fPQ/s320/DSC_6134.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greeeeeennnnnnn! Well nearly! Kind of <br />green anyway</td></tr></tbody></table><p>At least with today's accessibility to information there seems to be more time to make the kinds of decisions to leave if we had to. I just wish someone would turn off the tap that fuels these kinds of atrocities (no pun intended), wherever they are in the world, not just Ukraine. We need to get serious about renewable energy for a more sustainable future in more ways than one. Let's hang on in there and be kind! Please!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMliB6heOdx9vfDTEl4s9H9tZ_UaM36jy9bvlDVraSA_IWcz2Fj90pxYUT6MNGgyZMaZggl0IYWCnnKiCRFKkBrpP5JPAxLsjorJ1uUHhQ2lmaG-d4RTgHY8FI4-n8sUd1yJDH1Qc0jE_TEUnBYtMYTCnpVez5OvZrHs3OUm-YhzG_0qDZmGwEc186g/s1280/DSC_6148.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMliB6heOdx9vfDTEl4s9H9tZ_UaM36jy9bvlDVraSA_IWcz2Fj90pxYUT6MNGgyZMaZggl0IYWCnnKiCRFKkBrpP5JPAxLsjorJ1uUHhQ2lmaG-d4RTgHY8FI4-n8sUd1yJDH1Qc0jE_TEUnBYtMYTCnpVez5OvZrHs3OUm-YhzG_0qDZmGwEc186g/s320/DSC_6148.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's nothing like a good scratch, but could you<br />do this while being 8 months pregnant.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdO2cdk9_w-kugiGQtSOoolPy3Kyd_fCuwAWCsvp6nfYSg05Tqzl9NmOtwwkgAW2NmrHtCwzlyDXzLWscz5cNpC_tvhb-1kU-QU_pc2IOxmPA6UqMVPeJjOjm3FZRM24815pMgQGLz4e5LSoL10uqFjxMw6Ut6wrucg7exK5YknFytWoByvxtPicnmQ/s1280/DSC_6150.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdO2cdk9_w-kugiGQtSOoolPy3Kyd_fCuwAWCsvp6nfYSg05Tqzl9NmOtwwkgAW2NmrHtCwzlyDXzLWscz5cNpC_tvhb-1kU-QU_pc2IOxmPA6UqMVPeJjOjm3FZRM24815pMgQGLz4e5LSoL10uqFjxMw6Ut6wrucg7exK5YknFytWoByvxtPicnmQ/s320/DSC_6150.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally outside enjoying the sunshine and finding<br />the odd blade of grass.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mJodgbU5zNPduu6Xs1ES5kBG2vmvFPolWk7zRjxULwgt8OtfU6XntFARxMu_76KnFXXcyZcvw2guQDjnS0lB7RAVWw0M3NnQCD-UHvVoHosT5iInso4J-NBHqiMpFwHRYLSrZX235hsMz-QgYElv6z6T6hZnKXbvbIoxPuot5vDqEGt-ZlgsYFE69A/s1280/DSC_6176.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mJodgbU5zNPduu6Xs1ES5kBG2vmvFPolWk7zRjxULwgt8OtfU6XntFARxMu_76KnFXXcyZcvw2guQDjnS0lB7RAVWw0M3NnQCD-UHvVoHosT5iInso4J-NBHqiMpFwHRYLSrZX235hsMz-QgYElv6z6T6hZnKXbvbIoxPuot5vDqEGt-ZlgsYFE69A/s320/DSC_6176.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wagtails are back</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqTZ8tC6FH1mAilETxCD8YB4IJ4dDgH8VsyHcZ3vAUdebyWX8ms8nLE2flWe10Jasl8OZQTP1c8OEA2aVBQbvNmgT4BOgg6l2GXohfxPH2RuzrYbGf_Q3nQTfocFj--isC9C00uWLMw16pXdQUDEcb-qyxbaEHUUxu0wnDcQAOyCFbFy0HKgJEOAyQQ/s1280/DSC_6195.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqTZ8tC6FH1mAilETxCD8YB4IJ4dDgH8VsyHcZ3vAUdebyWX8ms8nLE2flWe10Jasl8OZQTP1c8OEA2aVBQbvNmgT4BOgg6l2GXohfxPH2RuzrYbGf_Q3nQTfocFj--isC9C00uWLMw16pXdQUDEcb-qyxbaEHUUxu0wnDcQAOyCFbFy0HKgJEOAyQQ/s320/DSC_6195.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just chilling! </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UIq7KcjVUZ6H05g9RmPHhbmqW7iYdFDZ2yCqZFGp-f-FsDy70D2w6tNQVYMW3uPCo7DdJgBvkVvw3jUivTMXWL1MSYWIaVshEB17riA3lYBFKJzpFy8leTSspztCUyF0aD938Pwu__ulJsJ4tksPssK2otiV4dAY9vWymDOEHSQcnrjO_PtH2ku1CA/s1280/DSC_6198.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UIq7KcjVUZ6H05g9RmPHhbmqW7iYdFDZ2yCqZFGp-f-FsDy70D2w6tNQVYMW3uPCo7DdJgBvkVvw3jUivTMXWL1MSYWIaVshEB17riA3lYBFKJzpFy8leTSspztCUyF0aD938Pwu__ulJsJ4tksPssK2otiV4dAY9vWymDOEHSQcnrjO_PtH2ku1CA/s320/DSC_6198.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow is getting further and further away</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmz3plZ0hrYur2ZcFN2BmNeBYFF48-Vdc-feDy397sw36I7UUqx9lMW9qnjspxLHH2pcloH7xmIB9P388Gqzwm1QYR9NzSiVl_I1iUrH7YIEbECYSsw6sjYPfp5L9dHNdKPSylq3PQGVPxt3QlkxvLXxPXCMLRRn5XMSu-W0cvXkvAMvKBLNJFKSBcA/s1280/DSC_6199.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmz3plZ0hrYur2ZcFN2BmNeBYFF48-Vdc-feDy397sw36I7UUqx9lMW9qnjspxLHH2pcloH7xmIB9P388Gqzwm1QYR9NzSiVl_I1iUrH7YIEbECYSsw6sjYPfp5L9dHNdKPSylq3PQGVPxt3QlkxvLXxPXCMLRRn5XMSu-W0cvXkvAMvKBLNJFKSBcA/s320/DSC_6199.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Tellus</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPElcA6gg1ay9Mx6tFwGNLLck8bApVAN4B6UFr7RieZw22xIgGddfxu1NqOL3pYqY9izqq5QuiGPXaA5F3KTM9hZDuN10u-xws08PZYbHU64TTv2Xc2m_T2L7nyyAGau6jCulOx6fJ8aCCsT2ou2LJBxuTxlTLElhGcx3MAEdXHQ7rKaddrP1wX-Nh7A/s1280/DSC_6209.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPElcA6gg1ay9Mx6tFwGNLLck8bApVAN4B6UFr7RieZw22xIgGddfxu1NqOL3pYqY9izqq5QuiGPXaA5F3KTM9hZDuN10u-xws08PZYbHU64TTv2Xc2m_T2L7nyyAGau6jCulOx6fJ8aCCsT2ou2LJBxuTxlTLElhGcx3MAEdXHQ7rKaddrP1wX-Nh7A/s320/DSC_6209.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A crane. They've been back longer</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOUaRatzOzMussvA87JcOS1V0gyKakTWvfX6a6eU7SJpilnGyigX0qyxj3R_fGHt6yCrviaAEp_iKtIkfZhnR11L-H9kh23HK3zd3N12S9LssNu_H7ikNUJuhKh6TqjrnX0FMTUR36MDqdi811GarJ5SydgP72i92-H2a2MHQ9anUvyhkK66gjahLfQ/s1280/DSC_6210.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOUaRatzOzMussvA87JcOS1V0gyKakTWvfX6a6eU7SJpilnGyigX0qyxj3R_fGHt6yCrviaAEp_iKtIkfZhnR11L-H9kh23HK3zd3N12S9LssNu_H7ikNUJuhKh6TqjrnX0FMTUR36MDqdi811GarJ5SydgP72i92-H2a2MHQ9anUvyhkK66gjahLfQ/s320/DSC_6210.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not snowdrops - but snowflakes.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qbJuF6rTUx5qCh99MQAnZRblZGzu-8ZokNdLbKs_IChehkgijgID_ZrDXvsAHo7QCG5-RHgpQLYILZVe1LOfUx6xNrKKjBdY8zqwERuOqTNE6Jjnx3ubkpgt6mtjhVnSiCCJSTWH19Box8X1YXg57KnFwl37VbVT2Xt1Jfk1SBcZqo5vDrVUKAqnzQ/s1280/DSC_6213.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qbJuF6rTUx5qCh99MQAnZRblZGzu-8ZokNdLbKs_IChehkgijgID_ZrDXvsAHo7QCG5-RHgpQLYILZVe1LOfUx6xNrKKjBdY8zqwERuOqTNE6Jjnx3ubkpgt6mtjhVnSiCCJSTWH19Box8X1YXg57KnFwl37VbVT2Xt1Jfk1SBcZqo5vDrVUKAqnzQ/s320/DSC_6213.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We don't know how much is snow<br />and how much is manure in these<br />beds yet.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXNluBz-4d8af1QaGbgcYTlBI_tSnN_Ce29rPkfRPKNVaZos3iFaVw2X74E_iz9vjMwgUKLkcNAhx_L2XjAdQf1FgnGFaYkT3z9C7XyDvzWkS_ZsGfE_mQt26rSW0xfZ1CK-Dc9cPn9IiE18O2f-lEgT41esBGdSOJuxqGcFF7g-nPWyPf7UHhA-yDQ/s1280/DSC_6214.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXNluBz-4d8af1QaGbgcYTlBI_tSnN_Ce29rPkfRPKNVaZos3iFaVw2X74E_iz9vjMwgUKLkcNAhx_L2XjAdQf1FgnGFaYkT3z9C7XyDvzWkS_ZsGfE_mQt26rSW0xfZ1CK-Dc9cPn9IiE18O2f-lEgT41esBGdSOJuxqGcFF7g-nPWyPf7UHhA-yDQ/s320/DSC_6214.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow wasn't deep enough to<br />protect this bush that was trying<br />to be an apple tree.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqXmwUrTJBgStnB7W94h-Yw5oSd6tPL4plE4l6SyStBCwp_WiNNqyJ4t6YYiQN0usQWXLdGkt4DNA5DEBe68XTMRVwJ_yobT8oqpcaEgF54NyGPevRIpfLOh61NB__ChI9MfdF1Pbu6kfV80AY5VolmuP691V4Lb1FnkvJsZoYe7m2q2bhMkKyi3cFQ/s1280/DSC_6215.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqXmwUrTJBgStnB7W94h-Yw5oSd6tPL4plE4l6SyStBCwp_WiNNqyJ4t6YYiQN0usQWXLdGkt4DNA5DEBe68XTMRVwJ_yobT8oqpcaEgF54NyGPevRIpfLOh61NB__ChI9MfdF1Pbu6kfV80AY5VolmuP691V4Lb1FnkvJsZoYe7m2q2bhMkKyi3cFQ/s320/DSC_6215.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slowly, slowly melting</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBc_tEiF_FPVoc1DKxQ8z8HQr7TtSP2N_VrCe6nkfA8NrvSRcjIw58aH9LliFq1lKfntj2dU9zDdQY96tBQQ6PLHjDloUS0b0KqCUnipg2NOYR0euah8Y6ZOCCmOf-9burZmZOoDs-1utwBE3KWLgIabl2Z9aS6RbNBy-GQccUHCpbbCFfSLAZujyaQ/s1280/DSC_6218.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGBc_tEiF_FPVoc1DKxQ8z8HQr7TtSP2N_VrCe6nkfA8NrvSRcjIw58aH9LliFq1lKfntj2dU9zDdQY96tBQQ6PLHjDloUS0b0KqCUnipg2NOYR0euah8Y6ZOCCmOf-9burZmZOoDs-1utwBE3KWLgIabl2Z9aS6RbNBy-GQccUHCpbbCFfSLAZujyaQ/s320/DSC_6218.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocket Ron is still an active cat but Ian had to take<br />him to the vet today as he's got ever so thin. We are<br />hoping it's just worms, although he was wormed <br />recently. He has expensive kitten food, several <br />injections and big tablets and he goes back to the<br />vet 26th.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu50dSfJrOQOHiVmbV7SVYB4bMWkUjiwLC2JRcyN-nz7DphJPeRyf-zvqyKA_-T0M13ouu_Fkb5kx0Imsj1nntbAipQayiDPWfSiH4bc0ONvRgYaIxAXxmhC3ukL7QrrNp-VW2JSnZ_8bBc3rmfRCByUHy8bpQYRmgxdlpkXwoV8myOvCW6rKPED_smw/s1280/DSC_6219.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu50dSfJrOQOHiVmbV7SVYB4bMWkUjiwLC2JRcyN-nz7DphJPeRyf-zvqyKA_-T0M13ouu_Fkb5kx0Imsj1nntbAipQayiDPWfSiH4bc0ONvRgYaIxAXxmhC3ukL7QrrNp-VW2JSnZ_8bBc3rmfRCByUHy8bpQYRmgxdlpkXwoV8myOvCW6rKPED_smw/s320/DSC_6219.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The willow is budding</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLWjyIc0YL0JIB4KTAW_lLkzBVqqZ2PLKhzo52QzSJeqGPsUSj-RiX541769Rh5CkLWj8ECm74BvFcCU4H7h93q-JmvLrCdOKcSFAC5PnQEYraRvEH6zoTknTuEb_YpgElPVlq6tAV8BFBsBO4etuOiJUUZ6JPXi4JYxVJrBX0-aX6rD1_PFEWbC5Zw/s1280/DSC_6221.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLWjyIc0YL0JIB4KTAW_lLkzBVqqZ2PLKhzo52QzSJeqGPsUSj-RiX541769Rh5CkLWj8ECm74BvFcCU4H7h93q-JmvLrCdOKcSFAC5PnQEYraRvEH6zoTknTuEb_YpgElPVlq6tAV8BFBsBO4etuOiJUUZ6JPXi4JYxVJrBX0-aX6rD1_PFEWbC5Zw/s320/DSC_6221.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are still a few piles of snow around</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVyyAUk9q8GPiVP8khMnyhJdVy65gMKl0Hmf_HWZ6pL6tIytnaD4gidxnLLZhIozlUXhWalsDgQVbWnzj_ity4Jwiz6t_-xzpVrFV0DmYZSbeLchVmWhly_ehEpwZl03x8vs94Dby02sWJMVpf7RM4j9bo185RtXCeMxeirccRs9LmIr4cO6JR_xIYg/s1280/IMG_20220413_200613.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVyyAUk9q8GPiVP8khMnyhJdVy65gMKl0Hmf_HWZ6pL6tIytnaD4gidxnLLZhIozlUXhWalsDgQVbWnzj_ity4Jwiz6t_-xzpVrFV0DmYZSbeLchVmWhly_ehEpwZl03x8vs94Dby02sWJMVpf7RM4j9bo185RtXCeMxeirccRs9LmIr4cO6JR_xIYg/s320/IMG_20220413_200613.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who needs to dye eggs? Actually I think<br />the light was playing tricks on me. There<br />aren't really purple and pink eggs, more<br />a delicate hue perhaps, but they really are<br />green eggs.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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} catch(err) {}</script></div>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-44658362250820588592022-03-21T22:17:00.001+02:002022-03-21T22:17:35.982+02:00Everything changes<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqRb2RCvXzisxFg8kkpRMApSTkJyqVcR-6Gy6VXwPJrdaqHPMWQKoTKbo9k5C5aTO4p1A7G12ZJ-bAVnUtSX5QRfYSLv2ZSLyp1mMHMO4GRs3hDun15O6F1c2aYKlNZkoTk9fP1qJ2YTNqN_lwyHH1FhX7RsdpiY7yfbkcI8f9ls_3q6z7niQ50_ILIw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqRb2RCvXzisxFg8kkpRMApSTkJyqVcR-6Gy6VXwPJrdaqHPMWQKoTKbo9k5C5aTO4p1A7G12ZJ-bAVnUtSX5QRfYSLv2ZSLyp1mMHMO4GRs3hDun15O6F1c2aYKlNZkoTk9fP1qJ2YTNqN_lwyHH1FhX7RsdpiY7yfbkcI8f9ls_3q6z7niQ50_ILIw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brencis chewing on the idea obviously</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I started this blog on the 18th March but didn't get far. The title was "Everything Changes" even back then, but how little did I realise how much it would change less than a week later. I had had a hectic time, trying to fill in for a sick colleague and also having to help Ian deal with Turbjørn our alpaca that suddenly died and so I ran out of time to write a blog before travelling to the UK to see the kids and grandkids. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyXDYyOCNQNsMlNTOLiQVDbyVVxNV2Ktq3raJ7dUYb-_OTOHh-9P3dAwlJ8KAakuJC-cZk3sBBtzPVoo3dIf3Mlfkz_EVIXemKLL_eH9ISLuOOU7XVyV7lWyymuuidPaZKQ1zYO-v5qFbrFq79q7bHHiE2p8kthpoZGrQhLpWyM83XFG-NYdPjmD9gJg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyXDYyOCNQNsMlNTOLiQVDbyVVxNV2Ktq3raJ7dUYb-_OTOHh-9P3dAwlJ8KAakuJC-cZk3sBBtzPVoo3dIf3Mlfkz_EVIXemKLL_eH9ISLuOOU7XVyV7lWyymuuidPaZKQ1zYO-v5qFbrFq79q7bHHiE2p8kthpoZGrQhLpWyM83XFG-NYdPjmD9gJg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Between him and a few of the girls they were <br />determined to give Ian a hard time while I was <br />away. Ian thinks he was having an argument with <br />one of the others and slipped on the ice. The <br />bandage came off today and he seems fine now.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAASdmhvNbY5vxUlGjW630PmCJZYuwDZSG-LkBpP6dFhY_YQFIva2_dpjw6OF21snAEWYbesjepQMJPYVrGR5IWPwvsb7ax5iUz6FmBSY8b1YwnDbKB7k2kgHljYpkkwD927akC0TyeAOsJHy-4w2KXbhFU0evXUoDFNrjOVVItvdNAHXfIXHsrL_d3w=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAASdmhvNbY5vxUlGjW630PmCJZYuwDZSG-LkBpP6dFhY_YQFIva2_dpjw6OF21snAEWYbesjepQMJPYVrGR5IWPwvsb7ax5iUz6FmBSY8b1YwnDbKB7k2kgHljYpkkwD927akC0TyeAOsJHy-4w2KXbhFU0evXUoDFNrjOVVItvdNAHXfIXHsrL_d3w=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla on look out duty.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I mentioned in my last blog that I was getting a bit anxious about the travel. It just seems so much more of a hassle. I wanted to commit to not travelling by plane but spending hours on a bus to get to trains or ferries just did not look like a wise option. On the Tuesday before I was due to fly on the Friday we both got sore throats. Fortunately a friend of ours had two home Covid tests so we could both do a test. We were negative. I recovered quickly but Ian was ill even after I left. It did mean that Ian didn't get the blood tests the doctor wanted him to have, but at least they were just regular ones and not for any particular purpose - just our age. I had mine done in August last year for work, so not a problem for me.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUMe0o1dnRYTeUJs8f_mcKpBrISCEQPGxF-_gukV9-Eb32eJ99ev_K43ER7D-koamO4B70qPPz1vusyDjWhO3hX24TJp0yfKb_vaYyFU4PE6X6TRqBdxBpRf7DCWgcD-sGX8EEWAKE9rA-21xmjjAC97_kC4bsBJET1JILV2a7FhsmaVifNNHdL0eBTw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUMe0o1dnRYTeUJs8f_mcKpBrISCEQPGxF-_gukV9-Eb32eJ99ev_K43ER7D-koamO4B70qPPz1vusyDjWhO3hX24TJp0yfKb_vaYyFU4PE6X6TRqBdxBpRf7DCWgcD-sGX8EEWAKE9rA-21xmjjAC97_kC4bsBJET1JILV2a7FhsmaVifNNHdL0eBTw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilvija always seems to have straw in her mouth<br />for her pictures just lately.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8zXH2QgqGQMzTpAMgFCzLVMV-cmfm6KMSxqxQ-GrZh1MFUnLN8jFVaAnwpqT0HTrJWs3WqrMmBZFxm2WurW2chffPIaWH68MlQ3CmVRisxHEsI8XumI_7Vhl7I8lZVqqY5mdZr2vR5p1V8sW_lPvg6id3rIQ60tHqtrYLUswhZr3a1JUiF5LmRlGPPw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8zXH2QgqGQMzTpAMgFCzLVMV-cmfm6KMSxqxQ-GrZh1MFUnLN8jFVaAnwpqT0HTrJWs3WqrMmBZFxm2WurW2chffPIaWH68MlQ3CmVRisxHEsI8XumI_7Vhl7I8lZVqqY5mdZr2vR5p1V8sW_lPvg6id3rIQ60tHqtrYLUswhZr3a1JUiF5LmRlGPPw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the girls were struggling with the wet<br />kind of snow we've had just lately and ended<br />up with infections between their toes. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>So to get to the UK I had the plagues to deal with - Covid era regulations and illness - sore throats. Then there were the storms and floods. The floods did not affect the roads we were travelling on, so that was fine, but storms were forecast in the UK. Yippee! I thought (sarcastically of course). The plane from London to Riga set off just before the worst of the winds, but it arrived about half an hour late in Riga. There also seemed to be some delay in getting the plane ready, but that was fine as the flight back was then after the worst of the wind had passed over. It was a bit of a bumpy ride, but I've known worse just flying into Denver when we lived in Colorado. In fact the landing was text book perfect. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUIxZjW5TLNptUUNocaIoMLvUWWrghhXwkzKYEi0FhrBGHLCpwL4UE_gjwgcJuAIoc9STRoNKbq2ChMlLuPRktU8fLL4RYmuoxR_VFeW8al3E6tIBDnbkQOLRzO7isxz8kiJFuTYppEnGsn_y3nT5Th4XHHZexH9vYOwVA05aaxL2BzNQCjwq-AoZBTQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUIxZjW5TLNptUUNocaIoMLvUWWrghhXwkzKYEi0FhrBGHLCpwL4UE_gjwgcJuAIoc9STRoNKbq2ChMlLuPRktU8fLL4RYmuoxR_VFeW8al3E6tIBDnbkQOLRzO7isxz8kiJFuTYppEnGsn_y3nT5Th4XHHZexH9vYOwVA05aaxL2BzNQCjwq-AoZBTQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly has had her last bottle feed yesterday. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG1zNb7Z278QtwFcWQTYeT5MkjYMGv06Dh4X-fOsxIwTaitRV97cOZwx4rspagiGRHCx0N39Jv082GXsq6L8MPq1FWrTuTG-zFTLakQwjVEPMM2RJms-KlRd_ekA2ZfSDjn3lBW7bJGoJeTtH6uevEiRzJxbZV2OZLiSgr_xIEXvi2rPRTy2nUFIwN0g=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjG1zNb7Z278QtwFcWQTYeT5MkjYMGv06Dh4X-fOsxIwTaitRV97cOZwx4rspagiGRHCx0N39Jv082GXsq6L8MPq1FWrTuTG-zFTLakQwjVEPMM2RJms-KlRd_ekA2ZfSDjn3lBW7bJGoJeTtH6uevEiRzJxbZV2OZLiSgr_xIEXvi2rPRTy2nUFIwN0g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much snow, this was the 5th of March.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>My sons had organised between them where I would go and when, so it was my youngest's job to come and pick me up. He had further to travel than my older son would have and so a bit of concern as he would be travelling during the storm. I told him not to set off if it was too bad and to stay safe. I could have waited if necessary and my older son could come and pick me up if the journey was impossible. He did make it down though and the roads were relatively quiet as the lorries were off the road.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIcTekE11dBT-DqNUI5xMisYREOu4Q0UkVZQI4c9_j4IwE63AbXJGIEUOyHavBOwc-EwR7vBbHM8qAc8qymefikoVi9V7Pr09nXS8yiOZxRKLHGS6JG8Fw0zyyn7VUUiXcTCTk9r5SDBzINLwbw1xoc_FY42AC1F_xlvw3s1fQPVbACI5_gEt4Kf7n7w=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIcTekE11dBT-DqNUI5xMisYREOu4Q0UkVZQI4c9_j4IwE63AbXJGIEUOyHavBOwc-EwR7vBbHM8qAc8qymefikoVi9V7Pr09nXS8yiOZxRKLHGS6JG8Fw0zyyn7VUUiXcTCTk9r5SDBzINLwbw1xoc_FY42AC1F_xlvw3s1fQPVbACI5_gEt4Kf7n7w=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this was yesterday. The marks are from <br />Ian dragging a Christmas tree over to the boys<br />so they could have tasty snacks.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga4jhbpBr70Qi0OOkcyI_5GTm_sgzJcOZ1Rr2k9pWhEyrfauXyTgx22IvrNCEBC5oH0Jp8I1ogmeQhNTwqO6VM5-Wy-pGJoiI1y0yPKGHGB4KIWgBpiSFr9RmIy0zdIWhoegFoYyJ4wzlHMxmvt4AYen8khyZQ6yYrhvi8vYk7OmHW1yBHqWJ8GPfGng=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga4jhbpBr70Qi0OOkcyI_5GTm_sgzJcOZ1Rr2k9pWhEyrfauXyTgx22IvrNCEBC5oH0Jp8I1ogmeQhNTwqO6VM5-Wy-pGJoiI1y0yPKGHGB4KIWgBpiSFr9RmIy0zdIWhoegFoYyJ4wzlHMxmvt4AYen8khyZQ6yYrhvi8vYk7OmHW1yBHqWJ8GPfGng=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It never ceases to amaze me to see caterpillars<br />crawling across the snow at this time of year. <br />Usually they are these very furry ones, sometimes<br />brown and sometimes black.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I had aspirations to write a blog while in the UK but forgot to pack my camera (I did remember the charging unit but not the camera itself). My camera on the phone had a cracked screen and was no use and the phone I had ordered as a replacement was not due to arrive until after I got back (although it arrived the day I was flying back and that was almost a story in itself - I'll spare you that one though). So three weeks and no pictures of the UK. Mind you, a lot of the time it was wet and windy - typical for March. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLy9MDWp20kg9NnbiMbekY1DsmAB8J3DafCC5qIRnJMXzF_jOpn021p2VZdKmK2CC6iK5vvyU_PQLeb4KToM9ZE-ThDnXqvmgkajZAw7sR1Nd-Fc6oYVMhPlUGNkR1BI_c67uLBzhj5N9JqBSnSnrmiPx-S6tlKcZBkPj7ICRRkhBorkQC3ho9Ftkd7A=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLy9MDWp20kg9NnbiMbekY1DsmAB8J3DafCC5qIRnJMXzF_jOpn021p2VZdKmK2CC6iK5vvyU_PQLeb4KToM9ZE-ThDnXqvmgkajZAw7sR1Nd-Fc6oYVMhPlUGNkR1BI_c67uLBzhj5N9JqBSnSnrmiPx-S6tlKcZBkPj7ICRRkhBorkQC3ho9Ftkd7A=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brencis enjoying his snack</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtnnz54fY7B01Ht5OzERBWfDZhHnWnqU_xbQCSkp5Jz8cFk8_kX9VyeyQqXoL8eK0SOVLX23ryDD54B_xHDTSyb7EIxtu8sAZS-3PNKyp-HSAChvgt3rYQjOioOe8ZgoecYrGuICD9zRBtBv004eYVsAw1Ma19bTBY2wtwkOLnysl7fE-VS5wobD_-cg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtnnz54fY7B01Ht5OzERBWfDZhHnWnqU_xbQCSkp5Jz8cFk8_kX9VyeyQqXoL8eK0SOVLX23ryDD54B_xHDTSyb7EIxtu8sAZS-3PNKyp-HSAChvgt3rYQjOioOe8ZgoecYrGuICD9zRBtBv004eYVsAw1Ma19bTBY2wtwkOLnysl7fE-VS5wobD_-cg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a scratch - just under the chin</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqqfxfQEOGjYgt1bXxojt-Phg8MK-yjeGSuGIrrXFb9DiakD-An3nqtLKv1boIpAIPqQAkIylUxwW4cMdUjqt9tmFNCxrU08W-L-iwX8xcTlf_sOLLFwwTkUymSWzsl-h3M9UK_JxrwuZBnadILxZzn2f7D3Kx13sgrR_fxVQfdBRugADHwgf3rzTyKA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqqfxfQEOGjYgt1bXxojt-Phg8MK-yjeGSuGIrrXFb9DiakD-An3nqtLKv1boIpAIPqQAkIylUxwW4cMdUjqt9tmFNCxrU08W-L-iwX8xcTlf_sOLLFwwTkUymSWzsl-h3M9UK_JxrwuZBnadILxZzn2f7D3Kx13sgrR_fxVQfdBRugADHwgf3rzTyKA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and a scratch under the neck. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvuWeonvGUYZctQLRljsoHLplRTOu-ZIF1NsYQ2pwXfRJk7cP17RBP7RbuV1_lk_sVFtImui_A0Js3KR8jSX0DRgcGSdqnLdJLklyqNC0VNowHXExmSNdxInCewgaFhJKcF6EVZQORvt-COR7izSPx0BxOrTRCDXVWKXkwtjiSeOpRxq7B3IeYZPXSbQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvuWeonvGUYZctQLRljsoHLplRTOu-ZIF1NsYQ2pwXfRJk7cP17RBP7RbuV1_lk_sVFtImui_A0Js3KR8jSX0DRgcGSdqnLdJLklyqNC0VNowHXExmSNdxInCewgaFhJKcF6EVZQORvt-COR7izSPx0BxOrTRCDXVWKXkwtjiSeOpRxq7B3IeYZPXSbQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a tasty snack, some ice-cream perhaps?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>My first week went well. I had a great time playing softball inside with my young grandson and showing his much older sister how to do embroidery stitches. My grandmothers also taught me to embroider so it was nice to be carrying on the tradition. We watched films that they thought I might like and I did. We walked the dog, who I met for the first time. So all went well until near the end of the week and time to move on. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwb7Jj9pFKcwLYgCEOcQguP4cyU8m_h3CPXUdgRUUgqjJPkaxPGG2dprqX80lYQ-_eTSD9Ox8dSEYqXuztI5_ZcLxAdR5yfm9LH8Go3j_zLJgzK-9BmuO0vnDHkKgSTBODvJElEea9stfh-Hy8zahMurA3h0GW6iNHV7e9QGrD1ozyrBcd2xkfVAzVog=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwb7Jj9pFKcwLYgCEOcQguP4cyU8m_h3CPXUdgRUUgqjJPkaxPGG2dprqX80lYQ-_eTSD9Ox8dSEYqXuztI5_ZcLxAdR5yfm9LH8Go3j_zLJgzK-9BmuO0vnDHkKgSTBODvJElEea9stfh-Hy8zahMurA3h0GW6iNHV7e9QGrD1ozyrBcd2xkfVAzVog=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow sculptures.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC6Qxwg3YJyUbru5HQQXRloUVP_NsY8Q9IhVyf2nuTCGy3ysB3llcVMNie0y1RFlS1QUMo72wqzfZKhIzK_6qc6YdDt5VWAz3SulxIbienqLam4iCQ4swTOlwkeeLLCjmblAwkRbG-DcgEtLP8cbpoOynwNIg9bbwogGfYMYJjKFNNQKBZTo7FvlDaow=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC6Qxwg3YJyUbru5HQQXRloUVP_NsY8Q9IhVyf2nuTCGy3ysB3llcVMNie0y1RFlS1QUMo72wqzfZKhIzK_6qc6YdDt5VWAz3SulxIbienqLam4iCQ4swTOlwkeeLLCjmblAwkRbG-DcgEtLP8cbpoOynwNIg9bbwogGfYMYJjKFNNQKBZTo7FvlDaow=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ginger Tom on the prowl</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I had been keeping an eye on the events in Ukraine but I really didn't think that Putin would order his troops in. I felt he was just bluffing for effect. It was a strange feeling to be in the UK while Ian was in Latvia with all its history and baggage connected to Russian invasions. So it seemed Putin wasn't bluffing and Biden wasn't over stating the case after all. As I've read some of the back stories and thoughts from experts, I wondered how much it was to do with oil and the threat of the world weaning itself off the black stuff. Time is running out to prove something, although proving what is beyond me!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXCVR2eD9JdD5sFDGGf9h3_R81y9A3a4Pkak0p9u619rarqi3-ueTgZDNckBEVV5HJa8T0VRsJ8Y-l5_p4WLqfJlfGhxIjqxZDa0ILJyl0PvfwIf7dDaNlPQ7rc4mLz0OzhK0aZTt_rlv2dt_-XqD95aN3r_Eq4TVkKbOIAc-I_yyUzkG0WOMoQO3vlg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXCVR2eD9JdD5sFDGGf9h3_R81y9A3a4Pkak0p9u619rarqi3-ueTgZDNckBEVV5HJa8T0VRsJ8Y-l5_p4WLqfJlfGhxIjqxZDa0ILJyl0PvfwIf7dDaNlPQ7rc4mLz0OzhK0aZTt_rlv2dt_-XqD95aN3r_Eq4TVkKbOIAc-I_yyUzkG0WOMoQO3vlg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A military helicopter but fortunately not that<br />much activity overhead</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjx4-LleOs2ijQO-ZoINAWCN8hGBQDLoceLbuelgKe2B6Ky9oBJGbJS6rCBZNnaMxcte9yGznOewwZOxfgTLLMsXj-c6A_F7GEY1cpdYlu6BUxzh59f5Hgs0JYWkIRaG8AxOcMMhFB2ODRerdLSIMvbEcnDdWuMOeQlp2_4tH_QVkj4K-ffhyQ_1Mcrmg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjx4-LleOs2ijQO-ZoINAWCN8hGBQDLoceLbuelgKe2B6Ky9oBJGbJS6rCBZNnaMxcte9yGznOewwZOxfgTLLMsXj-c6A_F7GEY1cpdYlu6BUxzh59f5Hgs0JYWkIRaG8AxOcMMhFB2ODRerdLSIMvbEcnDdWuMOeQlp2_4tH_QVkj4K-ffhyQ_1Mcrmg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the kind of flyovers I would rather<br />be seeing at this time of the year, especially<br />if they are heading north. Everything changes<br />but somethings are stay the same in those changes<br />as the seasons turn. </td></tr></tbody></table><p> So that was rumbling on in the the last couple of days at my youngest son's house. On the final day though, I had what I thought was a disagreement with a Chinese meal - not used to it I thought. Unfortunately I managed to pass something on to my oldest son's family during my first week staying there. It was only a 24 hour thing but went progressively through most of the family. Whoops! Well that kind of curtailed some activities but we got through and I also helped my son move his bike workshop to a different location. The work I do on the farm is obviously helpful to build up my muscles so while he carried stuff into the building, I carried it up a spiral staircase and we shifted larger stuff together up a regular staircase. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCucec9tVTDftEIBFY4DgZr8c7aBHkKFAK_bVxyRPjhO2u-g6ZzvST7uGuCIrapOb8jggutaX0MDJF0wMu-Gj5wgooubAmp_BEa896GWbrJqD31J6135niS9S2gBn6sZwDfKBNHY74QUI9W4HVc7aQ4Op1kzBDKXGd1JifXHfZ79ZVSQ3S-kJqi2QA0w=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCucec9tVTDftEIBFY4DgZr8c7aBHkKFAK_bVxyRPjhO2u-g6ZzvST7uGuCIrapOb8jggutaX0MDJF0wMu-Gj5wgooubAmp_BEa896GWbrJqD31J6135niS9S2gBn6sZwDfKBNHY74QUI9W4HVc7aQ4Op1kzBDKXGd1JifXHfZ79ZVSQ3S-kJqi2QA0w=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day before I left for the UK</td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieLWJSiy593C7ENQ9omABwjyxjetP1C7VQdg4iM46lckPSXY5IQ5X6GNF2tTma24s9yzMTCjp4t1Z72MNt3U-QF2vjL-jJn2bYpEiNoBepuvHPO7Rwei09BAda3KqwfPhmTij_-jTknNL2fZf6vgwFHGKF8hdossa7f_J3UE07ZVuDM9eaODU_LPFR6Q=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieLWJSiy593C7ENQ9omABwjyxjetP1C7VQdg4iM46lckPSXY5IQ5X6GNF2tTma24s9yzMTCjp4t1Z72MNt3U-QF2vjL-jJn2bYpEiNoBepuvHPO7Rwei09BAda3KqwfPhmTij_-jTknNL2fZf6vgwFHGKF8hdossa7f_J3UE07ZVuDM9eaODU_LPFR6Q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somethings change but not as much as we'd hope.<br />Over a month later and the snow is still with us.<br />It is going but very slowly.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2KmiKXpvChFtfUN5r-2_Onlh4N9hwfLngXc0DXQ3pV_iZ2nUbGGiDkJG51z5QHizpay02rYd_8U3fMw7dXGtL3Ta4eVD3UfsDdSKmQGLdRQKC_aDzYpWgzTL60JLhm1MO2ukoYL5tPdKiX0FeVcprTYRJU54MLxXVdLvhG0PzNwc6hmzbOq63LAemKA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2KmiKXpvChFtfUN5r-2_Onlh4N9hwfLngXc0DXQ3pV_iZ2nUbGGiDkJG51z5QHizpay02rYd_8U3fMw7dXGtL3Ta4eVD3UfsDdSKmQGLdRQKC_aDzYpWgzTL60JLhm1MO2ukoYL5tPdKiX0FeVcprTYRJU54MLxXVdLvhG0PzNwc6hmzbOq63LAemKA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See there was a wood pile under the snow.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another fly in the ointment, as we say was my mother got Covid and we weren't able to go up to see my parents as we had originally planned. Good job since I was also infectious with something else. Fortunately my Mum recovered quickly and my Father didn't get it and so we were able to see them the following weekend. It just meant more driving. Mind you, I think I did a good job of keeping the kids entertained in the back of the car, sorting out any minor squabbles and teaching them to draw 3D pictures. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPK-TZ6eKiRVO9_f9GAC47qbOfwpRfPocFoibmh1dLaaMaYqhLuD27ZhrfIWPzHRXKATMuVrdlnuio1bBsjn6bH257zZ9T4sftioKznyb4s8zd27J3udsmZcIHmMNUZmGk-3OO6qounKhICUXQQEk2byznZ1I-bscIE9xHoAGYVbeM7G4nasfXNSHYmg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPK-TZ6eKiRVO9_f9GAC47qbOfwpRfPocFoibmh1dLaaMaYqhLuD27ZhrfIWPzHRXKATMuVrdlnuio1bBsjn6bH257zZ9T4sftioKznyb4s8zd27J3udsmZcIHmMNUZmGk-3OO6qounKhICUXQQEk2byznZ1I-bscIE9xHoAGYVbeM7G4nasfXNSHYmg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josefs enjoying the sun.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCSkyYgYZz1ZM69lLZKjxV3bYCS0kzkO6etUz_jK7Ah59g4sAY6ZCYk_KGmvZpz7Xhkqv2hKT3slKnDKm7dtCGDApAwFqwiB6SJhsDZ9nTJRMPLu_ddVBr2xFbmh9pqXtwMgdUXbsbJdKm5Gnd60MobNZz-1lILK6rW0bgBWgwh3Y1zYdSKybmDt6a9w=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCSkyYgYZz1ZM69lLZKjxV3bYCS0kzkO6etUz_jK7Ah59g4sAY6ZCYk_KGmvZpz7Xhkqv2hKT3slKnDKm7dtCGDApAwFqwiB6SJhsDZ9nTJRMPLu_ddVBr2xFbmh9pqXtwMgdUXbsbJdKm5Gnd60MobNZz-1lILK6rW0bgBWgwh3Y1zYdSKybmDt6a9w=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Dora the explorer, aka my new car. She's <br />looking a bit worse for the wear as Ian's car<br />first struggled with a cold snap we had while<br />I was away and then the brakes, so this has been<br />his primary mode of transport. Good job<br />we had a second car after all this year.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The war rumbled on in the background though and there was a sense of frustration of being in the UK while all of this was happening. I was reading of refugees heading to Poland and people I knew were organising aid. What could I do? I knew though that this was not going to be over in a few days and so there was time to get back and make some decisions. My grandson had been wanting to do something to raise money for charity and so with his parents they decided on a run of 2km each day for 8 days and the money would go to refugees through an organisation that I knew of. Normally they raise funds for Syrian refugees but they put their knowledge to use in helping in this closer crisis. His parents suggested he aim to raise £100 but he said he wanted to raise £1000. We thought that might be a bit ambitious for a 9 year old, but he did it and also ran more than 16km, he ran over 20km and finished with a personal best time on the junior park run. So proud of him. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRptw6WUm3JnushjcDKjTigQiv5nrFEudkAx7KFyZLv0kOU2QF7leTeEsdLSQNPk93lfbzRYD5tuTkjEBwUb0MHKvlHxU3j5kd_35mNYeizdLTIZyja3XQp08_Xaun_FDfBaU11U9acy5PizUOH0TqBp8Oi0dMmug37M3imm3GJApc-Djl8QRUzRWDgQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRptw6WUm3JnushjcDKjTigQiv5nrFEudkAx7KFyZLv0kOU2QF7leTeEsdLSQNPk93lfbzRYD5tuTkjEBwUb0MHKvlHxU3j5kd_35mNYeizdLTIZyja3XQp08_Xaun_FDfBaU11U9acy5PizUOH0TqBp8Oi0dMmug37M3imm3GJApc-Djl8QRUzRWDgQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie looking surprised as usual.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4MIOn2jkVCXhao57XZ2ibdcqfPFLsD-iwf00BFdji1S4LXGYlPq757ogSYQMhRQsKiuL2xsUf0cTQcorMEeo7_AsxPwkypC_w3S7DxSGSzMacuFBY0WelMbHdZbuYdyrEnc_V39EMR5muGZ9CnBReX8jVzg0XO8IhWInV8B5YViWU6K8xneUReDUgNQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4MIOn2jkVCXhao57XZ2ibdcqfPFLsD-iwf00BFdji1S4LXGYlPq757ogSYQMhRQsKiuL2xsUf0cTQcorMEeo7_AsxPwkypC_w3S7DxSGSzMacuFBY0WelMbHdZbuYdyrEnc_V39EMR5muGZ9CnBReX8jVzg0XO8IhWInV8B5YViWU6K8xneUReDUgNQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top right-hand corner - that is grass!!!!!! Spring<br />is coming, I think!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So the world is doing some crazy u-turns and in the space of a few short weeks it returns not to normal after the lifting of some Covid restrictions but to a world teetering on the edge of war, fuelled by a oil and a maniacs desire to cling to power and prove he's a world leader. As I headed back to Latvia I was turning this all over in my mind but I spotted a quote on a mural by Jules Verne, “The chance which now seems lost may present itself at the last moment.” I'm sure that for those suffering in Ukraine at the moment that last moment has already gone, as it has for those in Yemen, Afghanistan and Palestine amongst many of the places of conflict, but for the world as a whole as we stand on the side of an abyss we still - just - have time to step back. There's a lot of work to do, but together we can do it. Let's wean ourselves off the oil and consumption that often fuels these conflicts or at least like adding petrol to the fire. Let's work towards a kinder world. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQtCkn7f9y07xPGrSXJv2x3hp9fyilcJJgmIIupuzSW9rf-P4BmbXwSfDvKICC0_f57L1XZz8K_MHGcetqvAX-56Il2FI9HY2QeW5yS_U8Nj-1rJlHJKzL1Cmzw3JWPZe7lpw1u6OdH_eVFHY2xk5GxUyTYNDalW8BC5J2JvadZNy0AkUMb9-IBNRiTQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQtCkn7f9y07xPGrSXJv2x3hp9fyilcJJgmIIupuzSW9rf-P4BmbXwSfDvKICC0_f57L1XZz8K_MHGcetqvAX-56Il2FI9HY2QeW5yS_U8Nj-1rJlHJKzL1Cmzw3JWPZe7lpw1u6OdH_eVFHY2xk5GxUyTYNDalW8BC5J2JvadZNy0AkUMb9-IBNRiTQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our three ponds. They are there somewhere.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhemkfugMfyqY3MszkrXzmtoJ-z3hniNm45nzUoWR8LZ_tBk8WbvMBkReySRg93vOOViJgATJOWsofV88f_PL0oB41hMPjwFhBSiusfFAKz10LgEeBeD0rujN0LNMcBlnIinCsr-iOn6ZzfUNwUicDJG4TOs0J7ml6dY9b8w8JSlL3HPFtnb8s-eAbEzQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhemkfugMfyqY3MszkrXzmtoJ-z3hniNm45nzUoWR8LZ_tBk8WbvMBkReySRg93vOOViJgATJOWsofV88f_PL0oB41hMPjwFhBSiusfFAKz10LgEeBeD0rujN0LNMcBlnIinCsr-iOn6ZzfUNwUicDJG4TOs0J7ml6dY9b8w8JSlL3HPFtnb8s-eAbEzQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silla walking on top of the snow. It is going <br />because she would have been able to just step <br />over the fence about a week ago. Fortunately<br />she didn't try.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirnioVqhRG1qrXUiO4OtGqJPwyIF8eaxPSWilT0dp9FWWMmWodSAlQX_EekxG-Ww1-oFi_ExrGpweBZPlHV1TgbqRhnmeqeq_8YaJ4X9O-S3n2JOoVXLR6PSRWiRMdW9ZzZdTIpSJW2yvTMrIolGRe8iKxeCpmtfkUs2mc5pS7jrwXbJVhqXET4otjYw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirnioVqhRG1qrXUiO4OtGqJPwyIF8eaxPSWilT0dp9FWWMmWodSAlQX_EekxG-Ww1-oFi_ExrGpweBZPlHV1TgbqRhnmeqeq_8YaJ4X9O-S3n2JOoVXLR6PSRWiRMdW9ZzZdTIpSJW2yvTMrIolGRe8iKxeCpmtfkUs2mc5pS7jrwXbJVhqXET4otjYw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasty snacks for the girls too</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6tRkL5l6v_WHRsaCxJC4VbYiStG_MGtRVemU0RFFgDcSFUs_iTo0sV8h8Lx9pBhwpiDwJSDoEEK7er24Un0O6dElDzTIHHo0_5kpzXi-Ra5uAmivibRVyQqx8UHEbjwX_sbJgA_Ev5B-s6arOqroC_n-yFvQqVBOVAa57xYvyI5ekWjYPKMGeauGqDg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6tRkL5l6v_WHRsaCxJC4VbYiStG_MGtRVemU0RFFgDcSFUs_iTo0sV8h8Lx9pBhwpiDwJSDoEEK7er24Un0O6dElDzTIHHo0_5kpzXi-Ra5uAmivibRVyQqx8UHEbjwX_sbJgA_Ev5B-s6arOqroC_n-yFvQqVBOVAa57xYvyI5ekWjYPKMGeauGqDg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least Karla is rolling in the snow and not<br />the mud like it might be in a week's time.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0etMBMsDT6nLFjL4LU8xFfKJPcQlfNjar6Tq203RXc4PEB0VFdFJyMEJq7Ygyvp6roheBJ_JjzSIURp6GrBGOipb88WxK68WAG_1_TB2XKBKOYhPRl2kkbyILGgEqD5RW8m9j7-jFHyl_oaqGfj1h-jqK0qoJQpZVVq9yimQb2kAjkfZoRxuHO9bnlw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0etMBMsDT6nLFjL4LU8xFfKJPcQlfNjar6Tq203RXc4PEB0VFdFJyMEJq7Ygyvp6roheBJ_JjzSIURp6GrBGOipb88WxK68WAG_1_TB2XKBKOYhPRl2kkbyILGgEqD5RW8m9j7-jFHyl_oaqGfj1h-jqK0qoJQpZVVq9yimQb2kAjkfZoRxuHO9bnlw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yumm!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA5PBQCRZrlra2YV6Y1aOqZixcl9j1PLDXJlo_2xkR_vhA8dDE-d1BBT64WaM3OVwuT0VJKGOvv4t321haEoF_zi5lLSX-CSNBTiPWqF9C5M5MDEdhvSbXW-VmCN67cozlUTsZ7RNssCvBzDVAn7iocChjEIeLHntLXZORXr7vdYdzYQ9tHHbLDpxzlA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA5PBQCRZrlra2YV6Y1aOqZixcl9j1PLDXJlo_2xkR_vhA8dDE-d1BBT64WaM3OVwuT0VJKGOvv4t321haEoF_zi5lLSX-CSNBTiPWqF9C5M5MDEdhvSbXW-VmCN67cozlUTsZ7RNssCvBzDVAn7iocChjEIeLHntLXZORXr7vdYdzYQ9tHHbLDpxzlA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The path to the greenhouse. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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But I can<br />see my mother and my<br />grandparents staring<br />back at me in this photo.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As I mentioned, I'm kind of busy but there's also less to write about. Well that was until this weekend when both Mari and Turbjørn were causing us some worries. Ian found Turbjørn on his side one morning early last week. He wasn't sure if he had been knocked over, fallen over, or just got stuck and couldn't get up due to his neck problems. Ian got him up and he seemed okay. He started feeding him more food and coated him up and he seemed to recover somewhat. Over the weekend though he started to struggle again. We couldn't work out what the issue was. We suspected colic, maybe from a small change in his food. We gave him some drops a neighbour had given us before and he seemed to perk up. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLMPdc54FogEspXewWfrjHIeEO6CB46QY6m2ExArOJ-aE8BlQyfz7A1wgTLtsumMw1bE8avgopAO2lPNVEN2FzBRVEEGC16H6iCVeAJFSuJWijdHhmuFqcSbPUHob_WeztY5sGJBNEEQpTA0q3xuLgtOpQkboou9QC6TY9vSoV74NB78mQIIHJeUbPNw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLMPdc54FogEspXewWfrjHIeEO6CB46QY6m2ExArOJ-aE8BlQyfz7A1wgTLtsumMw1bE8avgopAO2lPNVEN2FzBRVEEGC16H6iCVeAJFSuJWijdHhmuFqcSbPUHob_WeztY5sGJBNEEQpTA0q3xuLgtOpQkboou9QC6TY9vSoV74NB78mQIIHJeUbPNw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter has its challenges but also its beauty</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN69GouHKJkH5HuvvjRON8RPyn3z0DBV3oHMBm9WLCpqU_7Mnnjn_CLRUPrUlWKeWCnZ3I1VFbR_K1XdlwQbj-jPn7OZstJZHFpLqpMJzSKeqmZqN19QrRAVTDtN3GZ6a3VO0F3-r8BnfeDqaByBQDNSQ4UEgXxKxd-s8AUjaXN4gRsOLStYNis703Tw" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN69GouHKJkH5HuvvjRON8RPyn3z0DBV3oHMBm9WLCpqU_7Mnnjn_CLRUPrUlWKeWCnZ3I1VFbR_K1XdlwQbj-jPn7OZstJZHFpLqpMJzSKeqmZqN19QrRAVTDtN3GZ6a3VO0F3-r8BnfeDqaByBQDNSQ4UEgXxKxd-s8AUjaXN4gRsOLStYNis703Tw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RIP Mr. Turbjørn. You were a unique alpaca<br />with all your quirks, but we loved you anyway.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Monday morning I got one of those dreaded phone calls. Turbjørn was on the floor, Ian had got him up as he had been doing most mornings recently but he didn't seem well. Ian went on to do his chores and then went back to check on him. He was back on the floor but on his side and unresponsive. Not sure of the exact sequence of events but Ian came back to get me and we both went to see him, we knew the look and realised that he was going, there was nothing we could do. He finally passed away just before lunch.The vet came out that evening and she did an autopsy. He seemed to have had a bleed and Ian has taken some samples to be tested. At least he didn't seem to have worms, liver issues, ulcers or anything that could be treatable, so in that respect a relief. It is always a worry if there is something we've missed that could have been dealt with.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzuDztJ1C-K3f6FeqzthkGwFpgEEJINqdCojdZ0V6Ps28aF79QieG7iHXpJgl6bhxciz-Uth_Uh5B4mBc5CIn_va1zZ3m0XqnD9nhA49ai-rHxT62jvWuCxppVF5XXDWcTD-_fZ2YOWaLmLQ9DEtf4HBMbHT2ahNT62D_D1ER3SPdkzHsWqruBZPXj1Q" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzuDztJ1C-K3f6FeqzthkGwFpgEEJINqdCojdZ0V6Ps28aF79QieG7iHXpJgl6bhxciz-Uth_Uh5B4mBc5CIn_va1zZ3m0XqnD9nhA49ai-rHxT62jvWuCxppVF5XXDWcTD-_fZ2YOWaLmLQ9DEtf4HBMbHT2ahNT62D_D1ER3SPdkzHsWqruBZPXj1Q" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You took your time to trust us, but you did towards<br />the end.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGynuO3DryoylmY5laXkz6nDJsmFCHJB9a0h_Kfgun7DfwIgo3_V413ug9b7Ttg19qltpApKbXi61RobZTCJu4TN7qW2_yZsHXAL6fcq_OEM0Ac6uiO1YpvMlwRtesweMXB8GbxzCzK6Zkn3-kkS_F2EB5iN4C_qx3PREVD7MM821OQ-GmzrLAYQWvBQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGynuO3DryoylmY5laXkz6nDJsmFCHJB9a0h_Kfgun7DfwIgo3_V413ug9b7Ttg19qltpApKbXi61RobZTCJu4TN7qW2_yZsHXAL6fcq_OEM0Ac6uiO1YpvMlwRtesweMXB8GbxzCzK6Zkn3-kkS_F2EB5iN4C_qx3PREVD7MM821OQ-GmzrLAYQWvBQ" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The route back from burying<br />Turbjørn. It was a lot of work<br />with the tractor to dig a path<br />to get him to his final resting<br />place under the elder tree. We<br />had rather a lot of snow over<br />the weekend.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_GkSIvEMMrHLLkEq1-H2WkZAf52VPk63zhw0tizEUghXzDuPOYxgT_GkZnZu041Hj8qkLNoz-gxkqOimQIYFn_IGIFG40rB_9W5n4Wpxj8JcP72wMBycFMQ42SbOEt_eP5Wy5S5AkW4xMVul6gdyq-CyvZuNOnRoTlzC4Bo_ZAFZfedOJkF5MKENHZw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_GkSIvEMMrHLLkEq1-H2WkZAf52VPk63zhw0tizEUghXzDuPOYxgT_GkZnZu041Hj8qkLNoz-gxkqOimQIYFn_IGIFG40rB_9W5n4Wpxj8JcP72wMBycFMQ42SbOEt_eP5Wy5S5AkW4xMVul6gdyq-CyvZuNOnRoTlzC4Bo_ZAFZfedOJkF5MKENHZw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It took Ian two days to dig the path to where<br />Turbjørn was buried. This was the start of the <br />path. We had to slide him down on plastic to <br />the barn as there was no path up from the alpaca <br />house to the barn at the time.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgziDaLBVB2uFfXAlp4faSVmynhcb483PgqmMB9zictdvUVnod1aKZtpq80W2CUIuNskV2NbROz9E6ZB-CNJdJgdH_IdvwQOY7MkZRixKIelZN-Fb6FyaA10xxhM_NU-6sbvzD2d2luMQTIHxtgCmcRr8Erebj3XQvIaJQxsSegfiE70hvVLs7MrjwOxw" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgziDaLBVB2uFfXAlp4faSVmynhcb483PgqmMB9zictdvUVnod1aKZtpq80W2CUIuNskV2NbROz9E6ZB-CNJdJgdH_IdvwQOY7MkZRixKIelZN-Fb6FyaA10xxhM_NU-6sbvzD2d2luMQTIHxtgCmcRr8Erebj3XQvIaJQxsSegfiE70hvVLs7MrjwOxw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A serious looking Mari. At least we think she <br />might just have had a virus. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Fortunately there was a happier ending to Mari's saga. She staggered one morning, not a good sign. Ian came back to the apartment to get some vitamin B1 as a lack can cause similar issues and so I went back out to the land with him. Ian had also arranged to pick up our neighbour who often helps us when an animal is sick. It turned out that Mari's temperature was high and so she was given some peppermint drops and paracetamol. We had to go back late at night to give her another tablet and then see what she was like in the morning. Fortunately by morning her temperature was back down, not quite normal but at least heading in the right direction. She is much perkier now and eating her food again, so we think and hope all is well now.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifiklKb_RWozo4BQfH3u4yitAYLulW3oZ82bWtvqd8VS4Mx8tYP6D4q7-laI8sPTX6qgkWmtxzqXZcuaYT7UnHweW8z5qhqfrcrT6O0sMuMMyHJWRYjnK9aSyA29BvX6kvec8uYCL9YpgVnRrxD8rzqwUslpNa4b0cYXj6wjuh4RWCXT29uRJhXQjfOA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifiklKb_RWozo4BQfH3u4yitAYLulW3oZ82bWtvqd8VS4Mx8tYP6D4q7-laI8sPTX6qgkWmtxzqXZcuaYT7UnHweW8z5qhqfrcrT6O0sMuMMyHJWRYjnK9aSyA29BvX6kvec8uYCL9YpgVnRrxD8rzqwUslpNa4b0cYXj6wjuh4RWCXT29uRJhXQjfOA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the sad news a smiley alpaca picture is <br />needed I think. Thanks George.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaK92SM00ZyCMDxpWUFlIjzWxXGbbgUCAgw1-ma1Ym30HK6OtjShk7g73Yx6DlqUdFYDCQCQMR6Yl9FD30k0Y-wuqwNtSSN8wgGgcWrYdS1OlQBhu_wy2d4-ScofWDBx9NOBaqMTo8ZNvxGC6ylcMJFUL9clsVGtH6Qk1hXezPWQhWvbvZl1AHeUk6Fw" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaK92SM00ZyCMDxpWUFlIjzWxXGbbgUCAgw1-ma1Ym30HK6OtjShk7g73Yx6DlqUdFYDCQCQMR6Yl9FD30k0Y-wuqwNtSSN8wgGgcWrYdS1OlQBhu_wy2d4-ScofWDBx9NOBaqMTo8ZNvxGC6ylcMJFUL9clsVGtH6Qk1hXezPWQhWvbvZl1AHeUk6Fw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring is coming, you can see it in the longer<br />days and the intense colours of the trees</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I was meant to drive up in my new car to Tartu the other week but it didn't happen. Several of my colleagues contracted Covid and many of the others decided that it wasn't appropriate to gather together, so staff training went online. I was actually quite relieved, as the roads were awful, so icy. Global warming! Yes! This winter has been warmer than in previous winters and weird. We had an unusual cold spell in early December and then it seems to have snowed on and off all winter since then. More often here in Latvia the snow comes, stops and the days become crisp and clear. This year the temperatures have hovered around zero and so the snow is generally wet and heavy and now everyone is running out of spaces to put it. Pathways are narrow and have snowbanks, which I guess stops the cars sliding into pedestrians at least. The big industrial scale tractor has been out several times this year to clear the roads right back so the usual snow ploughs can do their job. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXhYNKVOqtF6vxAUWx5iYW53yV5Pa6DK735he9sdXfJ6MvLO1yvLN4jWGYcoPDt9O5jxesNXK4Ut-6OzpYF2w4vnJTpV3SwzR4BYJTKxUk1fX3rNvM7i5xZlK3zYsyWSKJnoeUMZQiWWQ5_ZfCamkqVnTRzVpQumyJ2DQJC9t03jLgB7JKKh-I3IVg_g" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXhYNKVOqtF6vxAUWx5iYW53yV5Pa6DK735he9sdXfJ6MvLO1yvLN4jWGYcoPDt9O5jxesNXK4Ut-6OzpYF2w4vnJTpV3SwzR4BYJTKxUk1fX3rNvM7i5xZlK3zYsyWSKJnoeUMZQiWWQ5_ZfCamkqVnTRzVpQumyJ2DQJC9t03jLgB7JKKh-I3IVg_g" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mind you, there are days it is hard to imagine that<br />spring is just around the corner</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyO6qqoJKEEWJ6cQJ3VFhlxQqYDfNwrqoGjYlXganvHOadMC18f9xhdcQ8jCUl843SQOKIsy8jZE3QBYhHfcUYFzEWM6zhA1Ui4n_3omSwANG4eJdlhPmACOY069avj_0QTK1M3fW6w-DcPxmulKMvPo1wEtSifMwggTU44ZIid7hEu_sHTtDWrPNbSw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyO6qqoJKEEWJ6cQJ3VFhlxQqYDfNwrqoGjYlXganvHOadMC18f9xhdcQ8jCUl843SQOKIsy8jZE3QBYhHfcUYFzEWM6zhA1Ui4n_3omSwANG4eJdlhPmACOY069avj_0QTK1M3fW6w-DcPxmulKMvPo1wEtSifMwggTU44ZIid7hEu_sHTtDWrPNbSw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess we need another smiley alpaca picture.<br />Thank you Vanessa. Someone else who looks<br />like their mother!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'm planning on going to the UK soon to see the kids and grandkids but the situation today makes such plans so much more complicated, especially when I'm working nearly full-time. Gone are the days when you can just book time off and go. I was chatting to a colleague in the UK and she was worried she wasn't going to get to see family in another country due to Covid going round the school and sure enough her kids got it. It has meant I'm kind of nervous of going out, as I don't want to jeopardise getting to the UK to see my family. I'm not worried exactly about getting it, I just don't want it and I sure don't want it to mess with my plans, especially when I've heard of other colleagues having to change plans right before they were due to travel. It just makes life far too complicated to keep chopping and changing when I'm supposed to be teaching too. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKMSPLtSNgNdYFKCnzuM05XYCJlvnGFPARsW2fBmQ28NrfndArAAtaI-cK_ZnBBUe6oDmmbiNZ_MifPnY-YVYEkoDPYF_36IvIx8abY3GBO0ngorMAS5cgUBzq7xaIYhyrz7Nr24EnnaPWfYyvyFX5gTNPhItFlv2Fwbj-JN7caXMdDVWM2D_Yd8DbpA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKMSPLtSNgNdYFKCnzuM05XYCJlvnGFPARsW2fBmQ28NrfndArAAtaI-cK_ZnBBUe6oDmmbiNZ_MifPnY-YVYEkoDPYF_36IvIx8abY3GBO0ngorMAS5cgUBzq7xaIYhyrz7Nr24EnnaPWfYyvyFX5gTNPhItFlv2Fwbj-JN7caXMdDVWM2D_Yd8DbpA=w160-h240" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An interesting visitor to the <br />boys paddock. Lynx tracks<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcV2D0PODfgT0FvWHYwUV665s_83kDB_bn1MlG2je--s1X3aPSfGtz0zgW3ciYmAqVjxBLVfqr_gqxqj1QSpT9P54x0Ckdvrebb6bV64hR3j6DvBtv5ZiFpwmszlFBUKZmzslZiZ_fWPbtKr9dsebzja_qxQjZATfFS5WD8bXbrGdwZKo_QZZLXBArw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcV2D0PODfgT0FvWHYwUV665s_83kDB_bn1MlG2je--s1X3aPSfGtz0zgW3ciYmAqVjxBLVfqr_gqxqj1QSpT9P54x0Ckdvrebb6bV64hR3j6DvBtv5ZiFpwmszlFBUKZmzslZiZ_fWPbtKr9dsebzja_qxQjZATfFS5WD8bXbrGdwZKo_QZZLXBArw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funnily enough though, her daughter doesn't<br />resembler her as much.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In preparation for going to the UK, I had booked in for a flu jab, along with Ian (who will be home-alone to look after the alpacas) but I didn't get one as the doctor and nurses are all in quarantine. The numbers of Covid are incredibly high here but they are hoping it peaks soon. It might not seem a lot to have 11,000 cases a day but the country only has around 1.8m population and they are not sure how many of them are actually in the country. Some say it is actually around 1.3m. Being a hermit can have its advantages sometimes but I know I shouldn't remain a hermit. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuLI87nXYRZax0kHszL9Toe6SHc_1QPtZEtxAB7RKBZHDkK0Z0OSxjqTnQ6KRyDZEwYYTZiynGguvijhE8tbt0HB_JwjM2G0H_XZgzkAK41NBOXs2ADFjZDhpPQnkXUaDPmzeTWTMmHjWfMu6bp8NfmQIJZVV6gKRGXSI7ItZUTL6a9-FbiBxSZ7vZPA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuLI87nXYRZax0kHszL9Toe6SHc_1QPtZEtxAB7RKBZHDkK0Z0OSxjqTnQ6KRyDZEwYYTZiynGguvijhE8tbt0HB_JwjM2G0H_XZgzkAK41NBOXs2ADFjZDhpPQnkXUaDPmzeTWTMmHjWfMu6bp8NfmQIJZVV6gKRGXSI7ItZUTL6a9-FbiBxSZ7vZPA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So this winter has been mainly about clearing snow<br />for Ian. Also for our upstairs neighbour at our apartment, as he has usually cleared the road by the time I get a few spare minutes. He even helped me clear the snow around my car so I could get out, although Ian had to come and drag my car out in the end. The plan had been that he would clear the roadway onto our land and then I drive out to help him bury Turbjørn. Well that was the plan.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhltERpuXJV1Gsc17IuAks9ejmce3yNWPOJTXP4NFcx2DS5zYZ_RpY9C_RwDRj-U6cZcRCpb3eSNutXXzh4U9_yjBIN_t2DxpnmrbpM79PPsaZqXf6ZyAsSdcSwoNwtdWOBVfxMriTr9bKKewEk_uBGgq7-aU1gd0pUHmT7c4TCd3nzya7XtgE8fnxAjA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhltERpuXJV1Gsc17IuAks9ejmce3yNWPOJTXP4NFcx2DS5zYZ_RpY9C_RwDRj-U6cZcRCpb3eSNutXXzh4U9_yjBIN_t2DxpnmrbpM79PPsaZqXf6ZyAsSdcSwoNwtdWOBVfxMriTr9bKKewEk_uBGgq7-aU1gd0pUHmT7c4TCd3nzya7XtgE8fnxAjA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyway, as you can see from the picture above, <br />Ian has been busy clearing the snow from the side<br />of the greenhouse. Good job as it was getting a bit <br />high. Then it snowed again!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho71YZylP-h4Bbc2aJTt6pr3ICldAXA9JX59Y0_bINDB6h_OMdvtmvWGP6ZezBAyEjCn-VfrraO9Mgww6tM7t8LtbuHNzbe6U7TbjLm4YevhX0wZdH-P6nKnBpYlmHfVRdxGUHogderuHIa1zG1hKvYQsFo3kMLBTjT-3RitmnXxRYeDlGF9sjsWHTxQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEho71YZylP-h4Bbc2aJTt6pr3ICldAXA9JX59Y0_bINDB6h_OMdvtmvWGP6ZezBAyEjCn-VfrraO9Mgww6tM7t8LtbuHNzbe6U7TbjLm4YevhX0wZdH-P6nKnBpYlmHfVRdxGUHogderuHIa1zG1hKvYQsFo3kMLBTjT-3RitmnXxRYeDlGF9sjsWHTxQ" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And again! Not quite back to square one, as<br />you can see the pile on the left... well there<br />isn't so much space to throw the new snow now.<br />We are just hoping there isn't any more.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE2DANsvV1cVGMCtTx1dIwnp7RPHI7Aqw1_HudalbCnTDh19j_pb-paj8VZ7XMn-SYqnteNJzj5gQ6ChzqBAzZiz7Y-Mg6A0IQNnq8ZKSyGJVo54HHArwBZjH956AFhmYf9OF39FRyONLdc0URpwU6l8wKVJXe4CIOmRYPCSmSlIRoW4SskUAx4egbTg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE2DANsvV1cVGMCtTx1dIwnp7RPHI7Aqw1_HudalbCnTDh19j_pb-paj8VZ7XMn-SYqnteNJzj5gQ6ChzqBAzZiz7Y-Mg6A0IQNnq8ZKSyGJVo54HHArwBZjH956AFhmYf9OF39FRyONLdc0URpwU6l8wKVJXe4CIOmRYPCSmSlIRoW4SskUAx4egbTg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Think we need another smiley alpaca. Thanks<br />Karla.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Thinking into the future, I wonder how safer communities can be encouraged or even created. It is something that occupies my mind a lot as I teach the students to think strategically and to incorporate people into their plans. What would communities look like that are small enough to be able to provide the level of care needed for all and yet still be open enough to not stifle people, the young folk in particular. How would these kinds of communities operate? There certainly will not be one solution but a myriad of solutions but then how do they fit together? Yes those are the types of questions that buzz around my brain.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3WTon1l0c62j5if6bpBBHMUdvd-4pReY2CV9awARuD3DlINqPL_k5AJlxpmWi3oEBzk0YOXBko7v3BDdZTC5ETY7QbEpFnHnUdS-D7RcbWHIdIFryl2VJeDchT4qY9I6A_jzkMZ0OMlR72wAOk4Y4AawFqea0WlTarouo2AiPZh2-xpBU0CbAdWDxIw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3WTon1l0c62j5if6bpBBHMUdvd-4pReY2CV9awARuD3DlINqPL_k5AJlxpmWi3oEBzk0YOXBko7v3BDdZTC5ETY7QbEpFnHnUdS-D7RcbWHIdIFryl2VJeDchT4qY9I6A_jzkMZ0OMlR72wAOk4Y4AawFqea0WlTarouo2AiPZh2-xpBU0CbAdWDxIw" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla is a bit easier to photograph than Ilvija<br />against the snow. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdKVqXHMTOsmN1jVYB7awHHtjlWZ0We5yQnyuaSzGLp8EzloMt35EdV6DwRmGClzDQnRQHuz5Y87LbyFb32TxbA08mvOXwqCtwACUSlrQtYFh5LvcE5UWFaxkEDXbHDR3WeiMJt2E8XNiQI27dwfT_cCUJd6JtIynOCGoedOVukiS8hwSm5RtPxSfI4A" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdKVqXHMTOsmN1jVYB7awHHtjlWZ0We5yQnyuaSzGLp8EzloMt35EdV6DwRmGClzDQnRQHuz5Y87LbyFb32TxbA08mvOXwqCtwACUSlrQtYFh5LvcE5UWFaxkEDXbHDR3WeiMJt2E8XNiQI27dwfT_cCUJd6JtIynOCGoedOVukiS8hwSm5RtPxSfI4A" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie! Just not appropriate! </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Other news for this week - like buses they all come at once - I got elected to a board of an organisation. It wasn't hard, I just needed to volunteer and since I've been involved so much in their meetings over the last year, it seemed like I should put myself forward. I also found out that a consortium (a group of organisations, usually universities) that I had joined for a potential project has got the funding and so that's me sorted with some work for the next four years. It doesn't pay for a full-time post but it contributes to the overall mix of my employment, so that's good. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEja1EmA-BjwVAUTOgWRsYx5qLh1ollCtmEYifUEnnBlFgk5laEABHMn1-uIr9vPsSJBOuL-BGOGIIkCfSiAZH30ERGP3ka9CbUOmh5lVy0N1n3lZDnTxQwVHZpfA27LBm2wRMb2Ekh8mysncNk820Q46lH9XW4-QJFt9MSI-8_qbLYl7QraPrCYJ5QaXQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEja1EmA-BjwVAUTOgWRsYx5qLh1ollCtmEYifUEnnBlFgk5laEABHMn1-uIr9vPsSJBOuL-BGOGIIkCfSiAZH30ERGP3ka9CbUOmh5lVy0N1n3lZDnTxQwVHZpfA27LBm2wRMb2Ekh8mysncNk820Q46lH9XW4-QJFt9MSI-8_qbLYl7QraPrCYJ5QaXQ" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll pass on the kisses!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbEHH1YfYwvjcXTNwUiJ1d2sr3VGYzc-be-8JN-8nxKXikJwoGKSueSaczdSKNtxyr3l0-cYo4j6JTIV7x6JeA_rNwAxc6MdOfsvtCwK-xPTfykuA6CgtilPMHDpcvu6T-L2rvIngWR3QWlBsLmr4WoKOyOFzqIRLrxZgvELXT-LcJfsMG8gVwRRt5ew" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbEHH1YfYwvjcXTNwUiJ1d2sr3VGYzc-be-8JN-8nxKXikJwoGKSueSaczdSKNtxyr3l0-cYo4j6JTIV7x6JeA_rNwAxc6MdOfsvtCwK-xPTfykuA6CgtilPMHDpcvu6T-L2rvIngWR3QWlBsLmr4WoKOyOFzqIRLrxZgvELXT-LcJfsMG8gVwRRt5ew" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's warm up here</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I guess I get too busy and at times I feel I'm getting too disorganised. Computer alerts are not enough and I needed something to simplify my life. The problem is that this takes time to sort that out. I've spent a few evenings looking at management software. I'm finding it a bit annoying as it is time I could be doing some Latvian, which I also need to progress on. Sigh! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPi4tXvzP5jlWwm-ioM1y-4GoiGXII6SrY1pfl0UvjqWtpw9aXQ9C7Ak6N5LeMJTGSH1bAhFnpn-DpuHTNaYDg0frifgqruB0qhCIUjMQzl6jYRajOQknN_6wTQRW8VDb1aSd_3MSD5k3k8Yi6qp5mVyR2kkZzLVSWsEH5zR0teuVnbgZnn4nhTX_fZQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPi4tXvzP5jlWwm-ioM1y-4GoiGXII6SrY1pfl0UvjqWtpw9aXQ9C7Ak6N5LeMJTGSH1bAhFnpn-DpuHTNaYDg0frifgqruB0qhCIUjMQzl6jYRajOQknN_6wTQRW8VDb1aSd_3MSD5k3k8Yi6qp5mVyR2kkZzLVSWsEH5zR0teuVnbgZnn4nhTX_fZQ" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paths, paths and more paths. Ian is ready for <br />spring. Can't think why!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQ4Je9QO2kgN6eCiFQvdd9M26anAKXt5LCbJ746kqUajg17w_DgXg8m1Wba58h1p3j1Rxj-sLMLag5YfiJH_tmOiaVQap8Gj-UYwDtrebtfp6eL-7pSRXH5BJ8FD_FXNg_l2aBaWVf3XP3WUhAdmsUi-oWBVN1XGF049CCnaCKfld4ec82OWjjou2ecQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQ4Je9QO2kgN6eCiFQvdd9M26anAKXt5LCbJ746kqUajg17w_DgXg8m1Wba58h1p3j1Rxj-sLMLag5YfiJH_tmOiaVQap8Gj-UYwDtrebtfp6eL-7pSRXH5BJ8FD_FXNg_l2aBaWVf3XP3WUhAdmsUi-oWBVN1XGF049CCnaCKfld4ec82OWjjou2ecQ" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The path to the <br />greenhouse where the <br />chickens are</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJgL7XeepPW97hVLOg2Whsa0RnmzFLC0CYqV6DbJXWt_ikljZmlgdEtNZnHdhAyN39-uuaM0IoCVv7-NkHTmC-BlOrCmmWUey2XdBHbHOJY9BAzBPXyFvGPqvE2ydgF-DOSC1wDsPhSqdqbJNjkRhh2HZSdJoVQ6xBWU2Le_2SN6kf9uqzejJxNzPwzA" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJgL7XeepPW97hVLOg2Whsa0RnmzFLC0CYqV6DbJXWt_ikljZmlgdEtNZnHdhAyN39-uuaM0IoCVv7-NkHTmC-BlOrCmmWUey2XdBHbHOJY9BAzBPXyFvGPqvE2ydgF-DOSC1wDsPhSqdqbJNjkRhh2HZSdJoVQ6xBWU2Le_2SN6kf9uqzejJxNzPwzA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have you got my milk or some food!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I found one programme that was recommended the most but it seems to have so many options that it is difficult to know where to start. I need to integrate it with the plethora (lots) of different programmes that we all seem to use these days and the programme suggests that possible, but how? What do I integrate and where? Gmail, outlook, calendars, slack, teams, zoom, you name it and I've probably used it, or so it feels like. I'm sure that's not true as there always seems to be yet another platform, format whatever to get to grips with. It kind of feels exhausting just trying to set it up but I do need to be able to get more organised there will always be a variety of projects, it's the nature of the job and I want to make them work well, so I will get there in the end. I will find a solution as I'm determined to do it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiLGjhh0XYnxNdWD1uBn3CWEusNCJdGG3NUXTSL3YxwYShptzQv-wTxVK2_uJUckkjWPkLFSUfRUrOpxGAtvHL77pdywz8QpEChEz5rfrffCSbvZrr-fOZ7opvZEK4OyuD6wFLuTxqorNA7j2RAIe1aspfftRkxv7hTPaX0LBNNM6S95UBSYxxn8CfNw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiLGjhh0XYnxNdWD1uBn3CWEusNCJdGG3NUXTSL3YxwYShptzQv-wTxVK2_uJUckkjWPkLFSUfRUrOpxGAtvHL77pdywz8QpEChEz5rfrffCSbvZrr-fOZ7opvZEK4OyuD6wFLuTxqorNA7j2RAIe1aspfftRkxv7hTPaX0LBNNM6S95UBSYxxn8CfNw" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food delivered by sledge<br />these days. Rather a trek.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvQsld8n-8z9mCjHzXCcHKHsD-GZX-Jm7kbK-C5BHbEsBbJs-rE4vfvU9JfE-AKZ_3I_GBzawx2NvYdEHtOKK6K6lYVBgFLRTIMCsNZ3z9YmlzUWmXXuzI3kNdqJc-zcI2urNiUNVIoYdSo2vhTB9Eq0y74XBOaWdaolgkU_ZoWH3puj29aF_m_REF7A" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvQsld8n-8z9mCjHzXCcHKHsD-GZX-Jm7kbK-C5BHbEsBbJs-rE4vfvU9JfE-AKZ_3I_GBzawx2NvYdEHtOKK6K6lYVBgFLRTIMCsNZ3z9YmlzUWmXXuzI3kNdqJc-zcI2urNiUNVIoYdSo2vhTB9Eq0y74XBOaWdaolgkU_ZoWH3puj29aF_m_REF7A" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lively and uncooperative Jakobs</td></tr></tbody></table><p>At least having the experience of all these different platforms means that I could show Ian how to use Zoom because he's using it for an alpaca course. I was able to work out how to get him on it, even if it didn't seem to work the way it normally should. I usually find a way. At least the courses he's been on seem to be paying off. We did the toe nail cutting recently and it seemed so much easier. Only little Jakobs was particularly awkward and Brencis tried to bite his ear in the process - we still think Brencis is trying to protect us but we really wish he'd stay out of it. Brencis was sent outside for bad behaviour - no not really, he was sent outside so we could carry on with the job safely. Good job it was only snowing lightly at the time and he has a nice thick winter coat.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEd8ApCxTvV8jiBXIge7wgj0dVpxldI90MdGiL1F2-RO66OzoL87AQKKDngkhgf8xnmk2yzimFd8BiJ6YZ4lehHTyMzpVYGpzIZkHtx4Jx9suoMMOwC4IH2vzoCqMMSy4Ir_chVttumU4_vxNcSDaJ3fd4RuIkx_XoTOFOUYfP_PK_WLHWRrpXpKLypQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEd8ApCxTvV8jiBXIge7wgj0dVpxldI90MdGiL1F2-RO66OzoL87AQKKDngkhgf8xnmk2yzimFd8BiJ6YZ4lehHTyMzpVYGpzIZkHtx4Jx9suoMMOwC4IH2vzoCqMMSy4Ir_chVttumU4_vxNcSDaJ3fd4RuIkx_XoTOFOUYfP_PK_WLHWRrpXpKLypQ" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yum! Christmas tree</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgeWCSeNRV59-SF3nRWOJUVOZrb3zIA-MhR5IUmZ6Nd4JiYjFclKTXX1nnLNkJdNaTzyVgdnZJqBhIe-EA6XbbpUjgBsGuolQ56uPe5CcE-3FpMDFQ8mFJFMX-8gbwDlfa-9FTV30t5Z83H9wxwCTen_L3a4xMJnFzVuE_XHivPtx4nqQb6Y89rubMQQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgeWCSeNRV59-SF3nRWOJUVOZrb3zIA-MhR5IUmZ6Nd4JiYjFclKTXX1nnLNkJdNaTzyVgdnZJqBhIe-EA6XbbpUjgBsGuolQ56uPe5CcE-3FpMDFQ8mFJFMX-8gbwDlfa-9FTV30t5Z83H9wxwCTen_L3a4xMJnFzVuE_XHivPtx4nqQb6Y89rubMQQ" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasty</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7t5UIIOSfkCc_LAo2GZrxxWrUOdsKLjdJtA0MWXuLT6oaGCH-N0XeOkmE7kPozVx-Jfw3A4g8pD-KWTYzby1JtI90ZxxhXL96Z53wk4jQKAeD_i4NCljJDrP8uB_UcIjZQHUFCjutlW1ELquex4lSPsrnv7O8mcduvPX2HNd_2N4B2GyYSzkt41KkKg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7t5UIIOSfkCc_LAo2GZrxxWrUOdsKLjdJtA0MWXuLT6oaGCH-N0XeOkmE7kPozVx-Jfw3A4g8pD-KWTYzby1JtI90ZxxhXL96Z53wk4jQKAeD_i4NCljJDrP8uB_UcIjZQHUFCjutlW1ELquex4lSPsrnv7O8mcduvPX2HNd_2N4B2GyYSzkt41KkKg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hay bales are under that mound. I guess<br />Ian will be digging it out tomorrow as the boys<br />will need more hay.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhreR8SooC3gKpggoIpn4T1qlgjpBteFaHJCweUv_VVDhoBRu_xY8xaihiOUlPnl-AazX04xNPHI3cd_q_FaoMEK26OWUfA3wINQfXcooo3x0-uOk7uD0T6XAau8-8_W6t-yt3OKPjtGodjKa7yEb54riKpe5Q7yhJOFXnzR_Sn43M6z-5UrF7y3G1UOw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhreR8SooC3gKpggoIpn4T1qlgjpBteFaHJCweUv_VVDhoBRu_xY8xaihiOUlPnl-AazX04xNPHI3cd_q_FaoMEK26OWUfA3wINQfXcooo3x0-uOk7uD0T6XAau8-8_W6t-yt3OKPjtGodjKa7yEb54riKpe5Q7yhJOFXnzR_Sn43M6z-5UrF7y3G1UOw" width="160" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remind me again where my<br />herb bed is!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAbBAMIazAWazUQPF1FQVIcSaRRHIWSsnWEOLHYMUX28v2z2DMe26ZWmeZjpNeuyl5sTLuC9SEov0bf_U1DqJTOnR_ZW1ZPBhSWcznmMgbaIdVMdjza1r__4bbSXildJ5r4DG3A0xXqP8c0o80KT_Y_PUFUxJApy7H1TuDHz16kEEKHfQq7H-NEwmUlQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAbBAMIazAWazUQPF1FQVIcSaRRHIWSsnWEOLHYMUX28v2z2DMe26ZWmeZjpNeuyl5sTLuC9SEov0bf_U1DqJTOnR_ZW1ZPBhSWcznmMgbaIdVMdjza1r__4bbSXildJ5r4DG3A0xXqP8c0o80KT_Y_PUFUxJApy7H1TuDHz16kEEKHfQq7H-NEwmUlQ" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to our land</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgscBcU4rVVskfEg4emoNfM7jI6FHCnz3saXmr49T-B8EpUe6vnrjH9v_ds1iOiLcRmkh4kOFRhF8n5PBYRUuqt3_oskhtTeM9jTTJeY8zRGcs5J9YHA4H1mDoSzHdr7DCvVmYuU12D8gKPRWt0HEAFsGiyhej607WsJrXDIluBz4SOFzYJ507d_6FEMQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgscBcU4rVVskfEg4emoNfM7jI6FHCnz3saXmr49T-B8EpUe6vnrjH9v_ds1iOiLcRmkh4kOFRhF8n5PBYRUuqt3_oskhtTeM9jTTJeY8zRGcs5J9YHA4H1mDoSzHdr7DCvVmYuU12D8gKPRWt0HEAFsGiyhej607WsJrXDIluBz4SOFzYJ507d_6FEMQ" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A blanket of snow to keep the alpaca house warm</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjt97UzGPoj5KRy18yWUStw3MvZBw8u4uCcbRGtdCt4WjlNAOsulcmxdPDEWftkapPNtCyIzmJNeeexOcjE6n3WWbSTPiwtvO4NHeYL_BHgqYDVj9eQrCzZE2DNaAZqx-DaMo7hqkQfPa7OquuoXPbTq5HSDBLEknfMf44RWRfPJ5kXQriO4v3GevzVOg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjt97UzGPoj5KRy18yWUStw3MvZBw8u4uCcbRGtdCt4WjlNAOsulcmxdPDEWftkapPNtCyIzmJNeeexOcjE6n3WWbSTPiwtvO4NHeYL_BHgqYDVj9eQrCzZE2DNaAZqx-DaMo7hqkQfPa7OquuoXPbTq5HSDBLEknfMf44RWRfPJ5kXQriO4v3GevzVOg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But how long will it last? </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRPEvnQxu8_sVkOiGSklvsXuX0wIXDKmv0oY1VGeGfvqL6GXEAhw6ODPCRvMRrVbCyXqh1IVQHqSxIP5lwThREgIYMVZBqdG13-8fYZD8mYs9-IOsrkPaTXEwFxHDRqz_SK7pQbuQS9pmmC7H-_mfo9hI1umyt_Ko21ZcOjg13NdYImF9ZDlRSbjbemA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRPEvnQxu8_sVkOiGSklvsXuX0wIXDKmv0oY1VGeGfvqL6GXEAhw6ODPCRvMRrVbCyXqh1IVQHqSxIP5lwThREgIYMVZBqdG13-8fYZD8mYs9-IOsrkPaTXEwFxHDRqz_SK7pQbuQS9pmmC7H-_mfo9hI1umyt_Ko21ZcOjg13NdYImF9ZDlRSbjbemA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How much more snow will our poor greenhouse take?</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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It's winter, which may or may not provide lots of nice pictures depending on whether it's blowing a blizzard, in which case not, or a brilliantly white landscape set against an impossibly blue sky that looks rather surreal and also staggeringly beautiful, so perfect for pictures but maybe a bit samey. It is funny being very busy and not really having much to write about. Working online means lots of contact with people from many different countries, many of whom are not living in the countries of their nationality. It's fascinating and their stories brighten up my day, but not really appropriate to share. One contact though did have an unexpected connection, as his aunt has an alpaca farm and part of a rural development network - that could be a promising networking opportunity. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDWUOO2IVea7TXjglmpP-ji8ybIBmk4e90YUGNDQ5GhPY-x0nWP-dFZVzfQ8Z8Ktr8lqOxEiTqhSZz_gHwdQVsOvDbHKgXqAEk7wPpPDvmUoB5IRqJcNf2myLDpfxKgLsFSJ6ddfJc3WNSISW8vqBuPAtVsgvkHu9hohfhVU6lrLE7_YtaAFtJb5rPtA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDWUOO2IVea7TXjglmpP-ji8ybIBmk4e90YUGNDQ5GhPY-x0nWP-dFZVzfQ8Z8Ktr8lqOxEiTqhSZz_gHwdQVsOvDbHKgXqAEk7wPpPDvmUoB5IRqJcNf2myLDpfxKgLsFSJ6ddfJc3WNSISW8vqBuPAtVsgvkHu9hohfhVU6lrLE7_YtaAFtJb5rPtA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilvija looking like a bat with white nose disease<br />(yes it's a real disease, but not for alpacas)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvOc99tvBdvH3n43zJFqu4IJL1a5JA-C62YHc3YfSYpST2A33Hgf2RxuyDqZ6FiNj7totfoWvVIHLCH3aeuJVASZzNem5zc816DsKIuZYPovxXjMsFUdv1znjViPJVHuXAjkkMMR4RwWYicE0x3GU5nBBgVtToRZ-8EUmh6ODilCZ3XHDbynu3vO2Dow=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvOc99tvBdvH3n43zJFqu4IJL1a5JA-C62YHc3YfSYpST2A33Hgf2RxuyDqZ6FiNj7totfoWvVIHLCH3aeuJVASZzNem5zc816DsKIuZYPovxXjMsFUdv1znjViPJVHuXAjkkMMR4RwWYicE0x3GU5nBBgVtToRZ-8EUmh6ODilCZ3XHDbynu3vO2Dow=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little bonding time? No! Not likely! More like,<br />"you're not coming in here".</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOE2d1U4VQiA8UWXHeEqm9WxjxkXMgXe4T3JzZC_MEILlY1ij7NupTC9c2HbJykppZzRnbSajsnl1fmtQhxDCQCiBOtYxMaPiXkK07iPfarX3BGHDO8rkkrgEfjrPYJxQjZOzXzW9hpXXpqFA-yzQY-JiXEWO4SCvJhnlLDC5i9m1434p_SPy4PXDCuw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOE2d1U4VQiA8UWXHeEqm9WxjxkXMgXe4T3JzZC_MEILlY1ij7NupTC9c2HbJykppZzRnbSajsnl1fmtQhxDCQCiBOtYxMaPiXkK07iPfarX3BGHDO8rkkrgEfjrPYJxQjZOzXzW9hpXXpqFA-yzQY-JiXEWO4SCvJhnlLDC5i9m1434p_SPy4PXDCuw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this Brencis singing of the joy of winter?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So what do I do all day? Well slum around in my dressing gown, or so it may seem, but my nice thick dressing gown saves me putting on any heating until well into the afternoon, so that works out well. Just a bit embarrassing when the postie rings the doorbell and opens the door to hand me the post. I wish she would wait then I could quickly discard my dressing gown for a few minutes. I also wish she wouldn't open the door, it feels kind of rude, but I guess it's just I'm not used to it. It wouldn't happen in the UK for sure, unless you lived in one of those out of the way places where the postie is probably one of your relatives. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjh8mVxB4r-J3ACVxRZDGd89l0mi48ojJ7heO1KvE9WMIxZUPCVoYWKdkkyuWBXM4O-Slmz6UNu7fgYfSkmGDOVSdNpDOTLW1fD4LHXf_gaRSK8kUOjlqAZruPqaEiTWnBT61zm_hC9_lVdFLc3p6_fEDxZMwkBKvpU0VEQ3qzESUwKvy66b9e43v_YUQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjh8mVxB4r-J3ACVxRZDGd89l0mi48ojJ7heO1KvE9WMIxZUPCVoYWKdkkyuWBXM4O-Slmz6UNu7fgYfSkmGDOVSdNpDOTLW1fD4LHXf_gaRSK8kUOjlqAZruPqaEiTWnBT61zm_hC9_lVdFLc3p6_fEDxZMwkBKvpU0VEQ3qzESUwKvy66b9e43v_YUQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is that son of mine doing? <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkdTOTPHqAhyobO0Wa3RMl3YZ4s2OTouiohxzM85pr5b8d_2RtDC5XuCfS8SKz4wKQMWj2NJRMDESU-0HSKSkEwM550tPYIhT92DmHu9Pn5c-t8rvsZSzGeW9fcfO63OetRU0st_wu2YT1D3e-XVB0fam8duZeFe54y3HfE4xiDZOs7vn820CsvwGX-g=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkdTOTPHqAhyobO0Wa3RMl3YZ4s2OTouiohxzM85pr5b8d_2RtDC5XuCfS8SKz4wKQMWj2NJRMDESU-0HSKSkEwM550tPYIhT92DmHu9Pn5c-t8rvsZSzGeW9fcfO63OetRU0st_wu2YT1D3e-XVB0fam8duZeFe54y3HfE4xiDZOs7vn820CsvwGX-g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And now here's Tellus' daughter playing peek-a-boo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRrwWky3l_znD8vB-6bNzmvCawFlbLtWjkwmPp4YSM3SRw7Y32Poc3fYjcfeCNuqg7F-jOJb0UlxFA6GBE304fqkMuaXtupdBlXCon1CujxWdlpbHDg6aR6Cp_GsmOrpRngi0get53ILKn-ThZFoIj3Hm3WsNuV17dAKmiXvDg_LebOvkGauDQdYpPTg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRrwWky3l_znD8vB-6bNzmvCawFlbLtWjkwmPp4YSM3SRw7Y32Poc3fYjcfeCNuqg7F-jOJb0UlxFA6GBE304fqkMuaXtupdBlXCon1CujxWdlpbHDg6aR6Cp_GsmOrpRngi0get53ILKn-ThZFoIj3Hm3WsNuV17dAKmiXvDg_LebOvkGauDQdYpPTg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meanwhile, Ian is out taking pictures in our forest!<br />I still can't quite get used to saying, "Our forest!"</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I spend a lot of time on the computer, trying to learn Latvian, keeping in touch with friends and getting work done - currently I'm working on three projects as well as preparing for teaching two courses, one in spring and one in autumn of this year. One project is looking at whether citizen science can influence how the environment is managed or policies made or does it just take the learned experts to get things changed? One is looking at lessons that can be learnt from plans to avoid harming biodiversity and feeding that information to some policymakers. Lastly another project is just trying to finish off a database that is taking longer than it should. Added in a bit of proofreading and working on developing the courses keeps me out of mischief anyway. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUnBMDu868ezqiIZQhr5ikcHRwbGY66oUra-yql7Fuhxvx39CIgG_MEyDczfB6uLXZCFHNI3pvqjvWNskzaj1spUw-IpL6cADmWdBnwmUg0fBfdKicdZ2w0kBS8n0Jpst6CHIS8kJbuwCnGv6rSWiJgfJswjEAx0xK9ywHRWlbGTxKSyHdX5_rW81Jjg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUnBMDu868ezqiIZQhr5ikcHRwbGY66oUra-yql7Fuhxvx39CIgG_MEyDczfB6uLXZCFHNI3pvqjvWNskzaj1spUw-IpL6cADmWdBnwmUg0fBfdKicdZ2w0kBS8n0Jpst6CHIS8kJbuwCnGv6rSWiJgfJswjEAx0xK9ywHRWlbGTxKSyHdX5_rW81Jjg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not such a frosty day, but beautiful in its own way.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFw8ZUEbFkbwQJ3f3VnTTVbE2JLsStR0n-XXpi0aI7PfUJcEN1bmrdZvubadDBcNhX8TiJy_m0P7XV5W_eYA3-r64VTxpVCMH6mGo4wojx1oazKIMdKwCVZBUVYnQOTJ45O7E1Jb606WW8hATHy3UZqIK4tt2VgguZBOjNfsgHgjCG65H5CYdaM8Jo9w=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFw8ZUEbFkbwQJ3f3VnTTVbE2JLsStR0n-XXpi0aI7PfUJcEN1bmrdZvubadDBcNhX8TiJy_m0P7XV5W_eYA3-r64VTxpVCMH6mGo4wojx1oazKIMdKwCVZBUVYnQOTJ45O7E1Jb606WW8hATHy3UZqIK4tt2VgguZBOjNfsgHgjCG65H5CYdaM8Jo9w=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to soak up some sun.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCeJ4G47GY5f4_76RBMbvunNQ-CAIM6NdaXpmTCN21xUovjDt11LcPg8DOgdBcxZiCPlrA4X-SLJVL0f8rv8wALKm3FRQd8qp4P8Eo2GwGm8hWX5hXBqJmHxa8DuL9bWHbGSykfcY6n9fe1dkfvN7bXereP5EFlc68i83rbD7BsqQeIglvd2DQfuMs9Q=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCeJ4G47GY5f4_76RBMbvunNQ-CAIM6NdaXpmTCN21xUovjDt11LcPg8DOgdBcxZiCPlrA4X-SLJVL0f8rv8wALKm3FRQd8qp4P8Eo2GwGm8hWX5hXBqJmHxa8DuL9bWHbGSykfcY6n9fe1dkfvN7bXereP5EFlc68i83rbD7BsqQeIglvd2DQfuMs9Q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More white nose disease. Mari also soaking up<br />some sun.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Over the course of a few Saturdays though I managed to cut up old t-shirts that are in my rather large stash of fabrics and old materials waiting for projects to use them up. Ian was complaining of having to stand on a cold floor in the mornings and so I decided to make him a modern version of a proggy mat - well that's what he would call it, I would call it a rag rug, or hooked mat. This was the quicker version of an old method of using up fabric that was not fit for much else. I cut the t-shirts up into lots of scraps 3cmx8cm (or thereabouts) and then sewed them down the middle onto a large piece of old thick interfacing. I then folded them to one side and sewed on another row. Eventually I filled up the interfacing and it certainly looked like an old rag rug by the time I'd finished - so no more complaints of cold feet. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglR716CxfqDGPQgTMEnCOVGaAu-ldSnnUH4y-g9CzCooDIm6BrHA5WPj6Tn6_4DgUgj-Zy01ZjcNoIaSFrE-oXWNqr9k4NIjrgmq0xw31XC7WUab9ofZC376YDDZ1xzsMvb3c-DfLUxJPyls_jMeBYp46GelbDWyJz7ULB1GIpnYYiUcgKNMCDPf5duw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglR716CxfqDGPQgTMEnCOVGaAu-ldSnnUH4y-g9CzCooDIm6BrHA5WPj6Tn6_4DgUgj-Zy01ZjcNoIaSFrE-oXWNqr9k4NIjrgmq0xw31XC7WUab9ofZC376YDDZ1xzsMvb3c-DfLUxJPyls_jMeBYp46GelbDWyJz7ULB1GIpnYYiUcgKNMCDPf5duw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now Mari is sharing a bit of gossip with Aggie.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqVrekIhPVs3V3DjpdAcu1wumhlsxM9tWa-YFn0_c_ipmdfSGf9Oo0ySYWcBscGtuBU27x9EbNNcqNnSXiwCiqpgJFARaBClSkOYivfVKjapR4uRNR6jCZy9bFtBEIJOEziAidSDZrQDxRA5GxENoVzjRtctuBS4WaNsmCQ2RoUskb5HmJISncSdHPPw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqVrekIhPVs3V3DjpdAcu1wumhlsxM9tWa-YFn0_c_ipmdfSGf9Oo0ySYWcBscGtuBU27x9EbNNcqNnSXiwCiqpgJFARaBClSkOYivfVKjapR4uRNR6jCZy9bFtBEIJOEziAidSDZrQDxRA5GxENoVzjRtctuBS4WaNsmCQ2RoUskb5HmJISncSdHPPw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A different angle to our land for a change. Looking<br />through the trees at the wintry sun.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihqnmxn3nQeZ9-tVnPKgVoXb-piAhmOQLozgDRLgljzptSIWH3hVsDJ0qUvOxGM6-a3lRQwFot4AeDCd7JXyER5ZZr6xvzeMlyO0tMJg2HDIwqu9zbb8qtu8SPZXuz7caIXiWpNeONnDoxiraChQgPmawvP8DS1mrMWuWqQsECp80dZI9Wzm6rMNlESw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihqnmxn3nQeZ9-tVnPKgVoXb-piAhmOQLozgDRLgljzptSIWH3hVsDJ0qUvOxGM6-a3lRQwFot4AeDCd7JXyER5ZZr6xvzeMlyO0tMJg2HDIwqu9zbb8qtu8SPZXuz7caIXiWpNeONnDoxiraChQgPmawvP8DS1mrMWuWqQsECp80dZI9Wzm6rMNlESw=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tracks in the snow. A hare? </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I know there are quite a few half-finished projects in my dump room and there are so many potential projects that I get overwhelmed with what to do next. At least I did manage to make a pair of baggy trousers from some self-dyed fabric, which I'm wearing and they are surprisingly warm. I have cut out some fabric to make some more, but I want to see how these one work before sewing up the other pair. I think the pattern needs a little adjustment. I also confess to starting some felted scarves this last weekend and now they are added to my half-finished pile as I didn't have time to finish them. It did use up some of the fleece we had lying around the place though, so that is a plus. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdlHsOBl19M4NcG9uPPqHQkzz5q1OTIJ5eTT5KevWNa0w7bTPMke5tyJW-6IXoAUmxq-zMT7K7_m72Fd66KF33iE8ijg7lgGcwtPBztoVpBRjTc7Ph64gsA-bzJMdOZ0lMvGqr2IBqxXN57wtR9-8i3yeZgE9JvO7ZZtMHK24dX8j5Yz_YYMm9CxfxxQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdlHsOBl19M4NcG9uPPqHQkzz5q1OTIJ5eTT5KevWNa0w7bTPMke5tyJW-6IXoAUmxq-zMT7K7_m72Fd66KF33iE8ijg7lgGcwtPBztoVpBRjTc7Ph64gsA-bzJMdOZ0lMvGqr2IBqxXN57wtR9-8i3yeZgE9JvO7ZZtMHK24dX8j5Yz_YYMm9CxfxxQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A more subtle scene with a cloudy sky, but still<br />amazing to see such frosted trees.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKQvjKZWhys9Dca_lBLvYkvPwVaMGYCViMuHFJhUk6TXnvvVdvJoTAhd-nKuEfzCIbz8dYTvfneQqf-SHRh4w5bUedNd8LRSCqLZi6TS5PCdZizl--yPJqs4poiaZ4YCdnRVwGFTfkMbWK61n8s8OOlcaatc259pgo2kcqnVgIP7D_p6I6aPCZBWBt-w=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKQvjKZWhys9Dca_lBLvYkvPwVaMGYCViMuHFJhUk6TXnvvVdvJoTAhd-nKuEfzCIbz8dYTvfneQqf-SHRh4w5bUedNd8LRSCqLZi6TS5PCdZizl--yPJqs4poiaZ4YCdnRVwGFTfkMbWK61n8s8OOlcaatc259pgo2kcqnVgIP7D_p6I6aPCZBWBt-w=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at Lady V's residence for young ladies<br />aka one of the alpaca houses from another different<br />angle.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw0rBF_BIJvQTU5yLADH7WLssTPG69bY7OkeBViVAFnbkiKOvC6gsTQjd6UUn3yhvficsET3oHV39nFr_6d4ptCd4dihSwKvSjRZ_krm6tpx6YVc5rK00wOUAZxc2CKufhYv29qyGh6EFl6vRy3qDAXp0656_UGzKuRtYVdUwOFIzNtUw6w47ROmSkYA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw0rBF_BIJvQTU5yLADH7WLssTPG69bY7OkeBViVAFnbkiKOvC6gsTQjd6UUn3yhvficsET3oHV39nFr_6d4ptCd4dihSwKvSjRZ_krm6tpx6YVc5rK00wOUAZxc2CKufhYv29qyGh6EFl6vRy3qDAXp0656_UGzKuRtYVdUwOFIzNtUw6w47ROmSkYA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow is not deep enough to cover the <br />molehills. We must have mole city under our<br />land. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>So while I am slaving away on my computer Ian has been doing lots of snow clearing, poo clearing from the alpaca houses as they don't go outside so much on the more miserable days and feeding Lolly. When he gets back to the apartment we eat and then he washes up. Quite a few days this week he has then been spending some of the evenings testing poo samples for parasites. Exciting heh! So exciting he fell asleep in the alpaca house. He needed a poo sample from a couple of the alpacas and it is a good time of the year to just spend time with them and get them more used to his presence, so he took up a chair to watch them. 15 minutes later (so he tells me) he woke up with two contented alpacas either side just chewing the cud. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo-f8RxK-4nwYSCnZooG1Dt-sfFu_WpguSkTFjcMrJzJ0eJ0QMvS8IE5dRa-XaMe6x7zbtpDY1o4EFKrOCOkuwRrw-3TDJplNUGlXrSfv76ewEX-pxnO0MB-IfLdV9E8NxMpDOF-9E7xSCcLDQMkBmm3Wu31JPV66UWBTY80X0VFB7y5xhx5eifhpShQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgo-f8RxK-4nwYSCnZooG1Dt-sfFu_WpguSkTFjcMrJzJ0eJ0QMvS8IE5dRa-XaMe6x7zbtpDY1o4EFKrOCOkuwRrw-3TDJplNUGlXrSfv76ewEX-pxnO0MB-IfLdV9E8NxMpDOF-9E7xSCcLDQMkBmm3Wu31JPV66UWBTY80X0VFB7y5xhx5eifhpShQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla having a bit of trouble with a long piece<br />of hay.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7a6BEVylJdiH2WLhBn-8sBjVXrQqPYrEfIHpw-xp9L3KSYDZYn4MwnnbtfgSZ3nIUCs_2TfYEGHT6M0rXvvU4vjGBJhoz14pm3cpKQl-vtuKDu62F8dAulrQE45Z5W9gIdfbO9O8057r32Iqh_BZalcfun_LsHT85gYyCCNfOeJD7vbYSP3J1Y_9H_g=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7a6BEVylJdiH2WLhBn-8sBjVXrQqPYrEfIHpw-xp9L3KSYDZYn4MwnnbtfgSZ3nIUCs_2TfYEGHT6M0rXvvU4vjGBJhoz14pm3cpKQl-vtuKDu62F8dAulrQE45Z5W9gIdfbO9O8057r32Iqh_BZalcfun_LsHT85gYyCCNfOeJD7vbYSP3J1Y_9H_g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such peaceful scenes<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHMtqxBE50bPc1pjh-1-c4LQr_5iqCyDDtdA5dLwYuTSWkC6pGOioptBqJdeJMP-vh-8WdKYYrJF-cBGXg1iCt0MtDeM4RDa0mR2r7Cf21hv5hYeuSDUoBUOH9UpIr1HPLqVYc4nSA-5wqztq0meQAevYqsYs-g7HGKDw-rKkeTXaeMEl5o6LV5dCpoQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHMtqxBE50bPc1pjh-1-c4LQr_5iqCyDDtdA5dLwYuTSWkC6pGOioptBqJdeJMP-vh-8WdKYYrJF-cBGXg1iCt0MtDeM4RDa0mR2r7Cf21hv5hYeuSDUoBUOH9UpIr1HPLqVYc4nSA-5wqztq0meQAevYqsYs-g7HGKDw-rKkeTXaeMEl5o6LV5dCpoQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This freeze/thaw cycle is not much fun</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The other news for this is week is my car arrived. It was driven from Riga along some quite icy roads to our village and then we had to drive to the big town to get it registered as owned by me and the bank. The only piece of paperwork we couldn't do electronically. Very annoying really as that was a couple of hours of my time, when most of the procedures in Latvia are going across to digital signatures, which I can do. Oh well! At least I'm now able to travel up to the university this week for staff training. The young guy asked if I had owned a car in Latvia before and the answer was no. We've had a car for 14 years but it has always been registered in Ian's name. I did once take it for its technical inspection because he was away, but other than that, my name has not been on anything to do the car. I have had a Latvian licence for 14 years but wouldn't have thought that would make a difference, but somehow it did. I have six months of full insurance for just over €50, I was expecting double that at the very least. I'm still conflicted though, as I would rather do without a car, I realise the environmental costs but I also have to get to work from time to time. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF5haOPPtLtQx7HFQQ2yQbdaZj84TwGwiBP7flTNkrbXc_9ltiA9-YzEYVUcoJMGj75Np5po_1C9Y2m-DelUlUG48KlWmYkiR67uQVYiQ0dDtbWM7CqoKrOPBz7Us_5QfZRe8NyZC_OEyvaEFkB-DGWjgXQ5j5DIPu2Vzyl12QIgRwUR3WaxKumaixxw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF5haOPPtLtQx7HFQQ2yQbdaZj84TwGwiBP7flTNkrbXc_9ltiA9-YzEYVUcoJMGj75Np5po_1C9Y2m-DelUlUG48KlWmYkiR67uQVYiQ0dDtbWM7CqoKrOPBz7Us_5QfZRe8NyZC_OEyvaEFkB-DGWjgXQ5j5DIPu2Vzyl12QIgRwUR3WaxKumaixxw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A series of plants with their ice-crystal gowns</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga-jJeFr7nUEJ_tR-2GHFp36kvbAWoRnB2WGEbKD8clJ5X4K2DklgAQSuM0S9KZRhvu-Qg4kz_baEEk-Kxj1X2D7ALMwogszx6eAx6_93FvfnRyWMhsRmn1ZnokNtPojmh0BsnC-zPoWEwyuG56An3MTR4zKyhtJfRdSWF5J3Lln967srOEqexdwEjZA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga-jJeFr7nUEJ_tR-2GHFp36kvbAWoRnB2WGEbKD8clJ5X4K2DklgAQSuM0S9KZRhvu-Qg4kz_baEEk-Kxj1X2D7ALMwogszx6eAx6_93FvfnRyWMhsRmn1ZnokNtPojmh0BsnC-zPoWEwyuG56An3MTR4zKyhtJfRdSWF5J3Lln967srOEqexdwEjZA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYWCm4SW_rDeZ3pR_LjEM0GH1BgJ5wXDKouAQuuOLhWwU0xHEjMk0d32DhkYQ1dv6a9RjpuznARdHs_SyMMKzL8dI16VHdtmB6clFjSbkaRCQkOoyBF0qiklbBSBaWo2uJXxvbGilQqPY-t-vofu0tk_1cAJbCpaeRK-Oikkgd4z9LQ_hzE5K0ZZceag=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYWCm4SW_rDeZ3pR_LjEM0GH1BgJ5wXDKouAQuuOLhWwU0xHEjMk0d32DhkYQ1dv6a9RjpuznARdHs_SyMMKzL8dI16VHdtmB6clFjSbkaRCQkOoyBF0qiklbBSBaWo2uJXxvbGilQqPY-t-vofu0tk_1cAJbCpaeRK-Oikkgd4z9LQ_hzE5K0ZZceag=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoX_FhlyYdcnb6nxd9d1Te_JQOC9b6XnYhQ9EHiRczdycSyWgVqgF4PUGXb_vwNUibOPM1tMQJYpzd1RFgNLrO2xA9TCiTPpraIwWDRmIzoeZdz-G5-wA3FIryEdlH2zhCtVcDOR43eIysMM6kKKpckmKkv5QPcRJNHCJMII3ESag1GxI6iyprHO7Z2A=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoX_FhlyYdcnb6nxd9d1Te_JQOC9b6XnYhQ9EHiRczdycSyWgVqgF4PUGXb_vwNUibOPM1tMQJYpzd1RFgNLrO2xA9TCiTPpraIwWDRmIzoeZdz-G5-wA3FIryEdlH2zhCtVcDOR43eIysMM6kKKpckmKkv5QPcRJNHCJMII3ESag1GxI6iyprHO7Z2A=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-7mBXRxqFH2VdgnzY__rcsOmC8snzaXXQFMcCskK6dBBP4fYozivzM6quCNdgvzobD5ewkZMMMCIGuLRsgDgpJ7elxVKln9A-60Pdm4ablj4lvssD2WfuQDTOuH4HExpysSoUjKa_UFkgwDAEfBRosNFhVtkCUqsmhKV54p5da3tnLRrMSh3xdBnq6Q=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-7mBXRxqFH2VdgnzY__rcsOmC8snzaXXQFMcCskK6dBBP4fYozivzM6quCNdgvzobD5ewkZMMMCIGuLRsgDgpJ7elxVKln9A-60Pdm4ablj4lvssD2WfuQDTOuH4HExpysSoUjKa_UFkgwDAEfBRosNFhVtkCUqsmhKV54p5da3tnLRrMSh3xdBnq6Q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The neighbour's land.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgl9O1AGjYigAxwH99Yk4EKr92eRjYH-DpK2NUI8c6z2mSiKFHQFewE_nx5rGmsHh-J1YhTqUKwR3v53_kqg5SGx2GwbU5CWgvTdqInIPEUknFuEAJrfh4kzDHotU0JwHEQzVg7AS1O-zeVw-aoHLTfQcTryLbT_2xHrJkZ0YhEGsanADebQLYw3fo7Qg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgl9O1AGjYigAxwH99Yk4EKr92eRjYH-DpK2NUI8c6z2mSiKFHQFewE_nx5rGmsHh-J1YhTqUKwR3v53_kqg5SGx2GwbU5CWgvTdqInIPEUknFuEAJrfh4kzDHotU0JwHEQzVg7AS1O-zeVw-aoHLTfQcTryLbT_2xHrJkZ0YhEGsanADebQLYw3fo7Qg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun on snow</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmGYEqgD4rJ2i7s18yQ5gp_jxSlvAvh1JJPxMD3SrGvn8LBbHz3kTFiqo1rx32zwD5vjj-15qmVEN3kBpR_InY7I6tPGmd89izeoD6iAg14dLldGxU6-8FZpD-p8I1nLs6fEjk1h6VA3lToVA9hUXRl_wi3j2yTrQKRZ_fL_eoOlgokV4i1ogfvZTGJA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmGYEqgD4rJ2i7s18yQ5gp_jxSlvAvh1JJPxMD3SrGvn8LBbHz3kTFiqo1rx32zwD5vjj-15qmVEN3kBpR_InY7I6tPGmd89izeoD6iAg14dLldGxU6-8FZpD-p8I1nLs6fEjk1h6VA3lToVA9hUXRl_wi3j2yTrQKRZ_fL_eoOlgokV4i1ogfvZTGJA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cattails </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCmdstOrxZeDv-UkNwjK8_1Bkv8mtN0dBDzNVEJn0fROD1o8EeT0kpaShfHrSasqUh6P5QVhi21M_QqOHMNglhd4vy2BJpJ9ELeypSDGBCApsJ9ZFTSYZtFt2RCGc-v1BC_tACS92f4Dj9hRujYo6nDml0f2NhoxNkgv7GQk4iXihk_WU8PHECryXfEg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCmdstOrxZeDv-UkNwjK8_1Bkv8mtN0dBDzNVEJn0fROD1o8EeT0kpaShfHrSasqUh6P5QVhi21M_QqOHMNglhd4vy2BJpJ9ELeypSDGBCApsJ9ZFTSYZtFt2RCGc-v1BC_tACS92f4Dj9hRujYo6nDml0f2NhoxNkgv7GQk4iXihk_WU8PHECryXfEg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanessa in another of her contemplative moods</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtaA3wd2f-aeaBef_HT19DskTg_WWPiqy9nmqFrU9_OrJ8z-QJkdKa0kBfxOyN79ICuttQifjTm3Sv1hScZQ3TFYCENrIgftDZMnXzowzltY714BnUqtje9l1Wo2bo4dPUY8H7-_1YQPdVX-tjvULpizfkWs16CquKiiGET8SgefGmOpZMXxp-Fjm9_Q=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtaA3wd2f-aeaBef_HT19DskTg_WWPiqy9nmqFrU9_OrJ8z-QJkdKa0kBfxOyN79ICuttQifjTm3Sv1hScZQ3TFYCENrIgftDZMnXzowzltY714BnUqtje9l1Wo2bo4dPUY8H7-_1YQPdVX-tjvULpizfkWs16CquKiiGET8SgefGmOpZMXxp-Fjm9_Q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow is creeping up the greenhouse. Fortunately<br />it has melted next to the plastic so not leaning on<br />the plastic.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjQhAxCX3urpZs_Sq9FXB9lKu8t2UFsstYuiSr3kRk20SwEiwcasRwfgQ4Zpoc91HZFmzmKjnCewuGwQKxAjwsIxuiV-F-nduJ7kUYe6olQ6T9tn7QU07vIzr-tYpkXsolTIpCe-RjK2tsqsnkQBcSoFhKDp6VBylBcruVBc6GcI0cWd1Uo8-OhL3x-w=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjQhAxCX3urpZs_Sq9FXB9lKu8t2UFsstYuiSr3kRk20SwEiwcasRwfgQ4Zpoc91HZFmzmKjnCewuGwQKxAjwsIxuiV-F-nduJ7kUYe6olQ6T9tn7QU07vIzr-tYpkXsolTIpCe-RjK2tsqsnkQBcSoFhKDp6VBylBcruVBc6GcI0cWd1Uo8-OhL3x-w=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much higher and it will be more like a rather large <br />igloo.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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Not a lot really. I then had to tell my teacher what I would be doing for New Year's Eve.... errr not a lot really. I'm being rather boring. We didn't plan on staying up as Ian had to be up early to see to the animals. I had some work to do between Christmas and New Year and so I didn't get the chance to do much sewing, which is what I planned, although I did finish off a pair of trousers. So all in all.... not a lot, apart from making a nice meal... but I forgot to make the Yorkshire puddings again. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5bULzODgHyIhCVrVVX3FigwwOpuhHO3VW-xRBtWFkiawDwho9ig_xJiSoPW05BsPUjeG5Mmt7vEkW9hccNoTLjqoyT7AQRM578INY4fqv47ZYTQJE0fKgMXfXX0gT11yR6_5QWaV0tAwxzZsHoCqz5_lod7x2s1GSknVAR5UXWlfYHCKp2-MKzXkQpQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5bULzODgHyIhCVrVVX3FigwwOpuhHO3VW-xRBtWFkiawDwho9ig_xJiSoPW05BsPUjeG5Mmt7vEkW9hccNoTLjqoyT7AQRM578INY4fqv47ZYTQJE0fKgMXfXX0gT11yR6_5QWaV0tAwxzZsHoCqz5_lod7x2s1GSknVAR5UXWlfYHCKp2-MKzXkQpQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly is now being halter-trained and doing<br />well. She was even outside for a walk today.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_3J_7pL6JAAhdivclIeheQqtAjkyYXLeS2entWKo4tvEEzmXu0buPtiP-XWTg83A1kRadeuRA4dL7yBpAF-fMZFJPFb4OnTWwdqUYUZSmLUxCs_2527nzdqjvf-5Ep-t5eDUOZQZWjIz1a40EiS_AvaEBCqzZDv1ef1gh6JdaQEVy-HavVgqAZWzjDw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_3J_7pL6JAAhdivclIeheQqtAjkyYXLeS2entWKo4tvEEzmXu0buPtiP-XWTg83A1kRadeuRA4dL7yBpAF-fMZFJPFb4OnTWwdqUYUZSmLUxCs_2527nzdqjvf-5Ep-t5eDUOZQZWjIz1a40EiS_AvaEBCqzZDv1ef1gh6JdaQEVy-HavVgqAZWzjDw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well someone finds the process amusing.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE8acN1AdchiJ_jFXp3XgLgCPfFPUe0UgDUfIS2F9yZ5vDbzg7h6MzB3LC75WKNqCXJnlRgaaCMRN4cHgGf-AuuCQv106VZcs3nHQoseUO3uvnjy9yWMqdoa8LqM3BXsKSucbr2f2NIPRr-7EJNzINS25OMbXY-SkkfKplx0QLNkzaceTl68Pbh7Uamg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE8acN1AdchiJ_jFXp3XgLgCPfFPUe0UgDUfIS2F9yZ5vDbzg7h6MzB3LC75WKNqCXJnlRgaaCMRN4cHgGf-AuuCQv106VZcs3nHQoseUO3uvnjy9yWMqdoa8LqM3BXsKSucbr2f2NIPRr-7EJNzINS25OMbXY-SkkfKplx0QLNkzaceTl68Pbh7Uamg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter days are for hibernation but it doesn't<br />mean they are not glorious at times.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We are not into giving presents to each other these days. Too much hassle I guess and I hate the idea of buying something for myself just for Christmas. I could never see the point of that. We have what we need anyway. I did finally get a present to open though. My daughter ordered lots of lovely spices and some peaceful tea. It works too! The tea I mean. It seemed to stop my head from spinning from one subject to another to let me sleep well and through the night. I might be rather boring and not doing a lot outwardly, but in my head it's a different matter. Some of our grandkids struggle with paying attention and I realised that perhaps it was my fault. I'm not hyperactive, in the slightest but in my head - well that's another matter entirely. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_kp5Sho81QUKGVxZAn0PA2lZyg0PgJqrNOxoUS_MIRlwCaJJmLPwSwSauoYPWVz4ztaAQmShtRmwUOkCQflkEhs1tp4ereKtMvZMgHSuSLkCVaoJnAwW2qw0vokF6Pjq8AKve-MRTWpzRQIbucsQ2_0Yk-C6IYfhiw-IryUi6ar8p-dF8kL9Neq-NxA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_kp5Sho81QUKGVxZAn0PA2lZyg0PgJqrNOxoUS_MIRlwCaJJmLPwSwSauoYPWVz4ztaAQmShtRmwUOkCQflkEhs1tp4ereKtMvZMgHSuSLkCVaoJnAwW2qw0vokF6Pjq8AKve-MRTWpzRQIbucsQ2_0Yk-C6IYfhiw-IryUi6ar8p-dF8kL9Neq-NxA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So bright and sparkly</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7Auh9IrtqOpBvy8kVsxrfeUgGa6n734UPWF59ZBiSjNlOgmmMgbo5qANWXFRn4rrQZhyMnGkViU54HXN7DGhBacP-0syau17BftwL5LIPEl2aWnAlQ6z01i8dmcXnx-QKY78RrjZk35a2Z33FP2jS_WeldGhjz6m_CIKlBpDUumve1haD_AJjJ7YhHQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7Auh9IrtqOpBvy8kVsxrfeUgGa6n734UPWF59ZBiSjNlOgmmMgbo5qANWXFRn4rrQZhyMnGkViU54HXN7DGhBacP-0syau17BftwL5LIPEl2aWnAlQ6z01i8dmcXnx-QKY78RrjZk35a2Z33FP2jS_WeldGhjz6m_CIKlBpDUumve1haD_AJjJ7YhHQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys are in a sparkly shower too</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Normally someone with ADD can struggle to concentrate at school, but I didn't. I was hyper-focussed and this probably had a bit to do with a hearing problem that meant I needed to sit at the front of a class. There is nothing like putting a super shy kid at the front to ensure their concentration. It was hard work though as there was no way I was going to embarrass myself by not knowing the answer. I have also come to realise that my brain works super hard to fill in gaps, so if I didn't hear everything, it was not too much of a problem - well normally. It has also trained my brain to fill in gaps, which is kind of useful for a researcher who specialises in being a generalist. It does mean I have to work pretty hard to stay on task though. Stubbornness helps there!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj6oXTduloYiPl34eXLLcZlONliMaJ3XgV-sV15GoOc3-vQH4LTDdBrZWMc3uYpqt1ca0g2HZ-qpcedLpsqZN-ws2zW9N2qwbU0ihs4N5aeiFShu3XvYYsFZlFM5lrVgGL-mNlE52PgmG8xBSvcM8wJbFz0zMuq6qEcCRdq1_O1KPNNLCr1Mr71z9BrQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj6oXTduloYiPl34eXLLcZlONliMaJ3XgV-sV15GoOc3-vQH4LTDdBrZWMc3uYpqt1ca0g2HZ-qpcedLpsqZN-ws2zW9N2qwbU0ihs4N5aeiFShu3XvYYsFZlFM5lrVgGL-mNlE52PgmG8xBSvcM8wJbFz0zMuq6qEcCRdq1_O1KPNNLCr1Mr71z9BrQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More trees with a golden glow</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJWD_zBs1Xxw0pebcoTGL5ZPq_CpQkCBTUCWpiSsbfc2FLsEAZ5ES5QEpnSRueFQmhgFf5Gn_Q5N6f3uibIP5e-2CB7SkYupcQQRZUhT0lFqQMPJboQn4aL0-7bRDzLlFMySydT9G9_uz1xFKX-jm3XNhCP1hUSa5P5PH8SOXibVB_udoMX5NDuB17fg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJWD_zBs1Xxw0pebcoTGL5ZPq_CpQkCBTUCWpiSsbfc2FLsEAZ5ES5QEpnSRueFQmhgFf5Gn_Q5N6f3uibIP5e-2CB7SkYupcQQRZUhT0lFqQMPJboQn4aL0-7bRDzLlFMySydT9G9_uz1xFKX-jm3XNhCP1hUSa5P5PH8SOXibVB_udoMX5NDuB17fg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly again, coming out to see Ian. Have you <br />got food?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another difference for me is that most kids with ADD find reading hard, but I could lose myself in a book. I could speed read and that gave me plenty of time to have another story going on in my head at the same time. I would read the words and my head would be somewhere else. There were times of course when I would read a paragraph and get to the end and realise my brain hadn't engaged with the text at all and I would have to read it again, but sometimes I could do the two things at once. Sometimes my brain was just filling in the scene and so I could really visualise what was going on in the story. There were some stories I could not read though because of that. Too scary!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkW_JFLj7OA0FNPrKhtTQBD3qyGJAph393I5LYTPoAx6ArKV0JNdIYDQfO80sd92626r6_KTy86Too4rHIfFFMnhuZ0OpMYqDgJXL0B1a4HRE0XUnUbT6xrSbhzSQP2qh3gOf859LHNZ9golcWuO4_1oS5-zgZhGVPnwyaegcq8YFtEl3XmdbJGvZALw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkW_JFLj7OA0FNPrKhtTQBD3qyGJAph393I5LYTPoAx6ArKV0JNdIYDQfO80sd92626r6_KTy86Too4rHIfFFMnhuZ0OpMYqDgJXL0B1a4HRE0XUnUbT6xrSbhzSQP2qh3gOf859LHNZ9golcWuO4_1oS5-zgZhGVPnwyaegcq8YFtEl3XmdbJGvZALw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still being bottle fed. It's been a long journey.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwDugmlf47Nx3iA2jMmxtbArx1LF_GvVO9ijGX3q0YW-v1UJ6qmW5Z_Ncf33ejdqbcIIQGlNxCG_er2seX1P-I9H3jAGgW6iWKdo_a0bDGgUOm0Vq6S7bHw_myB6Hss7_cTfRQHuYbINKZSzUm6-66ZINYZl6ewEU3jB-iSddIyi7J7xh0mO7Q3YDYXQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwDugmlf47Nx3iA2jMmxtbArx1LF_GvVO9ijGX3q0YW-v1UJ6qmW5Z_Ncf33ejdqbcIIQGlNxCG_er2seX1P-I9H3jAGgW6iWKdo_a0bDGgUOm0Vq6S7bHw_myB6Hss7_cTfRQHuYbINKZSzUm6-66ZINYZl6ewEU3jB-iSddIyi7J7xh0mO7Q3YDYXQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I never tire of this view of our land. The same and<br />yet different every time.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7Vr6yPIJCaKknL7Y3nu4PKH0SjpMtSqO3IRiS5Gla_cfhJpNb8C2YOZDKvnxO4HS-eeaX3ugXHa6-BGwn57l76EIc35LlX3hdthrtV3aKheHB_BjRWK5MYUvQ0ozNzbEovLGhHjq_VQQtfq3RddOFmMXatyAjvdPGIenjiMLUYOTTl5jgznw9D0huig=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7Vr6yPIJCaKknL7Y3nu4PKH0SjpMtSqO3IRiS5Gla_cfhJpNb8C2YOZDKvnxO4HS-eeaX3ugXHa6-BGwn57l76EIc35LlX3hdthrtV3aKheHB_BjRWK5MYUvQ0ozNzbEovLGhHjq_VQQtfq3RddOFmMXatyAjvdPGIenjiMLUYOTTl5jgznw9D0huig=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And frosted trees are always beautiful</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I think it also explains why I don't find travelling that bad, as it means I can just look out of the window and let my mind wander where it likes. I'm not having to constantly pull it back on track (fortunately not many of my travels meant I had to pay attention to the stops where I needed to get off). The downside to an ADD like brain is too many ideas and too many half finished projects. I finish what I have to, but that's sometimes about it. The thought of starting a project can also be a bit overwhelming as I have to clear the clutter, physically and in my head, to get going. Another technique I realised I employ is to challenge myself so I don't get bored. Once the boredom sets in, I lose interest, so if it's important then I have to find the challenge in what I'm doing. It helps though that I find so much to be super interesting or maybe that's a disadvantage. Not sure how many papers I have downloaded for reading later, or how often I get side tracked by one more really interesting line of enquiry. There's a whole world to explore and learn and.....one more rabbit trail, one more rabbit hole .... and where did the time go?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0wdEypfb8UQ0haImr9HremaGHs5LwkKle01YpSlSUso3AoUPFzWrbvkAGPcVy8q4uQ2VbgYzkRjWnPKTtBrV2JkL8Y-AdGxIqQOJM8vRWb_CVoMEL0pC-2oFoYMJljjQP0DIfL7ZjhxLkfrw2AEUVcRqopIJDxoSkkHM0eazjqegAAKf0y9udqCKxtQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0wdEypfb8UQ0haImr9HremaGHs5LwkKle01YpSlSUso3AoUPFzWrbvkAGPcVy8q4uQ2VbgYzkRjWnPKTtBrV2JkL8Y-AdGxIqQOJM8vRWb_CVoMEL0pC-2oFoYMJljjQP0DIfL7ZjhxLkfrw2AEUVcRqopIJDxoSkkHM0eazjqegAAKf0y9udqCKxtQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same view, different day and different time<br />of the day.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgI9F2fUXDFOtlFBCWlmAKK8lRZ_mbtdFtFTtrMXvEpOFFKG9UShylS6nqdpysS5oiSXu-2PX7zNnLAFKH4Ex8rIEOf1OnaZjxVxndoZpFtCkp-7dsucGbjamhsOQv9-HgqL3iSxyZY9Xb5wWcIJOwm6WmRdd982emjeZ0gsEynLsK5HQ2-bbP1nEibIQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgI9F2fUXDFOtlFBCWlmAKK8lRZ_mbtdFtFTtrMXvEpOFFKG9UShylS6nqdpysS5oiSXu-2PX7zNnLAFKH4Ex8rIEOf1OnaZjxVxndoZpFtCkp-7dsucGbjamhsOQv9-HgqL3iSxyZY9Xb5wWcIJOwm6WmRdd982emjeZ0gsEynLsK5HQ2-bbP1nEibIQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aggie in contemplative mood, while chomping<br />away on the hay.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One place where I do struggle is learning Latvian. I'm trying to slow down to notice the details, but my brain is trying to race ahead. It is coming along but oh so slowly. The problem with Latvian is that the endings give you a clue to the context. I'm pretty good at spotting the root of the words, but I have to slow down and sometimes squint at the screen to see the difference. There is not much difference between an "i" and an "ī" (a long "i"), a "l" and a "ļ" or a "n" and a "ņ", but those little characters can make a difference in meaning. You would want to make sure you get the difference right between kazas and kāzas, the first being goats and the second wedding. My Latvian teacher has been known to laugh a little occasionally at one or two of the mistakes I made. She doesn't laugh at me often and she's pretty gentle with me generally. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjymX9vvYa7jM564_K6E2bKImJmZWVh5P9l2lDZ0r0Uh5A7cSRXKnI-B4iKqGFXXhWn4-GPTh0HDVwkT_0PXiNxumnQbGRIDSN8DYibbM5KDa1_KrIjDea3uuSzoAbMO4JrQ5UNDTQWKnwxdP4cxSCEjMIPUoReWJfiAfO-TizA6Z0os3xwxoSbJmPgtA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjymX9vvYa7jM564_K6E2bKImJmZWVh5P9l2lDZ0r0Uh5A7cSRXKnI-B4iKqGFXXhWn4-GPTh0HDVwkT_0PXiNxumnQbGRIDSN8DYibbM5KDa1_KrIjDea3uuSzoAbMO4JrQ5UNDTQWKnwxdP4cxSCEjMIPUoReWJfiAfO-TizA6Z0os3xwxoSbJmPgtA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel in contemplative mood too. Ian is experimenting<br />with a different holding technique. It seems to be<br />working and she seems a bit calmer these days.<br />Now all we have to do is stop her from sitting<br />down so we can put cream on those dreadfully scaly<br />legs of hers.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVtS72hZjh8DLosi2uzTSDqDC67T_lBHCEs1eMdzTp-34KuLgdwlw6zkja1Tz_xGRulfFfkfK9INC591bOwEu84GCRlg2IbV7y2hyoVxl4D7i3H819Eu2SvrNEZ-FO940Ug7jCNTtcKsynqd6Ov_Nih-Yrlxo-QRdNaugqJYs_IwIoKz9w8ZRj-W-6rQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVtS72hZjh8DLosi2uzTSDqDC67T_lBHCEs1eMdzTp-34KuLgdwlw6zkja1Tz_xGRulfFfkfK9INC591bOwEu84GCRlg2IbV7y2hyoVxl4D7i3H819Eu2SvrNEZ-FO940Ug7jCNTtcKsynqd6Ov_Nih-Yrlxo-QRdNaugqJYs_IwIoKz9w8ZRj-W-6rQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilvija and Chanel are still close. We wonder<br />how this will work when Ilvija has a baby.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It took me a few attempts to write a sentence about our unwelcome little visitor to the house, that appears every morning about 10:15 or so - although not today. I've named it Ronald. Not quite sure why, as I am endeavouring to find ways to dispatch it. One morning I saw it three times, always going in one direction. Or was it three mice? I only ever see one. There is no point leaping up to see if I can somehow corner it as there are just too many places for it to disappear. It must be immune to the poison, as we do leave that in the apartment due to us being away. I don't like to use such stuff, but the thought of it eating it's way through the wiring and causing damage to our neighbour's property is enough for me to take proactive action and normally that's enough to sort the problem.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHIXxRV8s_zXJke8B1Rkp7l3Ia_sVPzIPSbRVx9X75w18prLWpjngr-aFol0DriCzkXtYsxwI7WriCd5BDdnVnNpG7arxgRjNAkERRERekqRmjLDRp8Z35FBATqhJMbjlAiI92KBNxZzxW7idSVWnQGPydMsoIPdw0lvV9DEQjqQoUpqHPwOEF34Wn-Q=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHIXxRV8s_zXJke8B1Rkp7l3Ia_sVPzIPSbRVx9X75w18prLWpjngr-aFol0DriCzkXtYsxwI7WriCd5BDdnVnNpG7arxgRjNAkERRERekqRmjLDRp8Z35FBATqhJMbjlAiI92KBNxZzxW7idSVWnQGPydMsoIPdw0lvV9DEQjqQoUpqHPwOEF34Wn-Q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel's multi-coloured fleece. Over the summer<br />we sprayed her with oil that had cloves and garlic<br />in. It seemed to help the skin and keep the mites<br />under control. The problem is that now the winter<br />is here, it seems to have not helped the fleece.<br />She has been dusted with potato starch to absorb the<br />oil, but also with turmeric, garlic and clove powder<br />to repel any mites. Gradually it is absorbing the oil<br />but also the sweat. Most of the alpacas are no<br />where near as sweaty as Chanel is. It might be<br />part of her problem with the mites.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYHrtlO5NO_r7G53HRKtKgZ1gx8HHcie9yED72Wv8HPp5bLPLVJpun9LBNm_YcXfBEwHFvc5XtHO1x3DZdmhC2mK-nJ3lkBizK_fdGt_dwTNaRzcE__sWoo83EVD1xyCETmNfVlufkNlqH3FWcyY0g0g9eiMEhRNYyte7tW77vNMXJ64cZMa3aPnhTzQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYHrtlO5NO_r7G53HRKtKgZ1gx8HHcie9yED72Wv8HPp5bLPLVJpun9LBNm_YcXfBEwHFvc5XtHO1x3DZdmhC2mK-nJ3lkBizK_fdGt_dwTNaRzcE__sWoo83EVD1xyCETmNfVlufkNlqH3FWcyY0g0g9eiMEhRNYyte7tW77vNMXJ64cZMa3aPnhTzQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josefs has been eating the snow</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've tried setting traps but it is such a little thing it just says, "Thank you very much for the tasty.... Christmas cake, fat, crumbs" or whatever else I've used to try and get it to stay long enough to trigger the trap. I don't like using traps either as we have had to dispatch a mouse before now that was caught in a trap and wasn't killed instantly. I know there are supposedly humane traps, but is it any more humane to capture a mouse and dump it in the open countryside in a place it doesn't know in the middle of winter? It might sound humane to relocate an animal but they suffer stress through being introduced to a strange environment. Yes! I've read the studies on that too and their survival rate is not great. So the battle continues of one human vs a teeny, tiny little mouse. We might have to call in reinforcements, namely Rocket Ron and Ginger Tom. Not sure what they will make of being in the apartment for a day. We'll see!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc2tNKHtqVl90QyyrTaQS6iMiqtiac9nfoVUw_Zd65opfnrd-5A_lTHkBiiBi518Pz-0z4lkD2WAkB2w8JaQJ0Mex5H_SGlLCJL_cI1HL2iXcJRMBOIKbXbGtDPp376DOTe0tRFk7w1N0K-MKH6qetYJbTlJrluMDiWARTtzOf1JKLy99B98TipVOyCw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhc2tNKHtqVl90QyyrTaQS6iMiqtiac9nfoVUw_Zd65opfnrd-5A_lTHkBiiBi518Pz-0z4lkD2WAkB2w8JaQJ0Mex5H_SGlLCJL_cI1HL2iXcJRMBOIKbXbGtDPp376DOTe0tRFk7w1N0K-MKH6qetYJbTlJrluMDiWARTtzOf1JKLy99B98TipVOyCw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another sign that Lolly is growing up is that she<br />is eating from a tray. We are pleased as it means<br />she is getting the minerals and vitamins that alpacas<br />need. Karla will be getting hers from her mother<br />still. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAATFRFDzQl2sVqJsz5BZH7rd7dBXRxitQbvN1HOUnu5RP221oweozOgSQOuFER74pz1ZTH-2RvpgGp5OVpeTYTxYiO1ey-fGtOGxJGDbRI0GsL9DSV0QOfXa8GUxfIDNlg11G873XRTIh3N5SyK8EHj21f7fNPLXhs28yki4VjSUu_we1DkL0hP_tMw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAATFRFDzQl2sVqJsz5BZH7rd7dBXRxitQbvN1HOUnu5RP221oweozOgSQOuFER74pz1ZTH-2RvpgGp5OVpeTYTxYiO1ey-fGtOGxJGDbRI0GsL9DSV0QOfXa8GUxfIDNlg11G873XRTIh3N5SyK8EHj21f7fNPLXhs28yki4VjSUu_we1DkL0hP_tMw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They remind me of teasels, but they are not. They are<br />bee balm covered in snow.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinBcX_x6R9nDOp9QTHDEeMA5zutVWtnIpSBq5Ab016a3Vk6J_fJT0V-yRZhYqP7sjY1zIhru8Dbzo8yg99bhwY1a2Px_dXrAkfnYX4BDSuXR4UCGoidBklrS1dOqnvzygvRNmCMHZZTmCzJaPsSbilhRq1fdZVq_rEdD3YAevbP9t5nlVr6S0u2oADAQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinBcX_x6R9nDOp9QTHDEeMA5zutVWtnIpSBq5Ab016a3Vk6J_fJT0V-yRZhYqP7sjY1zIhru8Dbzo8yg99bhwY1a2Px_dXrAkfnYX4BDSuXR4UCGoidBklrS1dOqnvzygvRNmCMHZZTmCzJaPsSbilhRq1fdZVq_rEdD3YAevbP9t5nlVr6S0u2oADAQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes more snowy pictures.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcg02ZEqB3gZr6210jjzsATHrrmKv9PqbckT8MxbQUYkazF6HByuHxPmSsViAefiw0vHBkMXUJ1dfbJg1_X40eyJRl8nMSRzfvDkp65r_v_DBseDTaIachJUplaPOxg3IBm8r1rNRLRj6r0DsuAVZUZpG064uh--QlQdTp37z3aRkbSsuWQr_STKFbpw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcg02ZEqB3gZr6210jjzsATHrrmKv9PqbckT8MxbQUYkazF6HByuHxPmSsViAefiw0vHBkMXUJ1dfbJg1_X40eyJRl8nMSRzfvDkp65r_v_DBseDTaIachJUplaPOxg3IBm8r1rNRLRj6r0DsuAVZUZpG064uh--QlQdTp37z3aRkbSsuWQr_STKFbpw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It has been a long process to get to the stage where<br />Ian can feed Turbjørn by hand. We've had Turbjørn<br />10 years in July of this year and he only started<br />eating from Ian's hand last year.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU3TqTSb22Hw3bqA0f1WL72rowqlbftty3Wc3HXSz5hZrsHw0Y2YXwxdCA7YNABUjvg3ffnhSO4HDPPUiiFfoJiJzAnMOUGuUFBZOU__JHLZ4M7IaEEi03fUcOc4WCQiwNe4pzp4Cb8VcCfuSWAigL2I31vb-fd1V_EQZhyyXt5UhPNPeBHyz9l38pvQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU3TqTSb22Hw3bqA0f1WL72rowqlbftty3Wc3HXSz5hZrsHw0Y2YXwxdCA7YNABUjvg3ffnhSO4HDPPUiiFfoJiJzAnMOUGuUFBZOU__JHLZ4M7IaEEi03fUcOc4WCQiwNe4pzp4Cb8VcCfuSWAigL2I31vb-fd1V_EQZhyyXt5UhPNPeBHyz9l38pvQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No problems with these two eating from anyone's<br />hands, although they are not happy about sharing <br />really.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdxnq5ITelULyH5x0MPzdCnj-esQ49LcMUH4wV9sG8Y7YL8AdQuKM30hWaPPiwL3-lS1ndhdTBqcSjf1bKHQ2AO3GME3tiplO3DMrFEmNI4jeNoSebSsY8jOYTk41yijd5YM05SL28A90hYlYTtLrQzwAnMmQfOXh66a1JfM7oXgnEnQMnKWt5ysZ8ow=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdxnq5ITelULyH5x0MPzdCnj-esQ49LcMUH4wV9sG8Y7YL8AdQuKM30hWaPPiwL3-lS1ndhdTBqcSjf1bKHQ2AO3GME3tiplO3DMrFEmNI4jeNoSebSsY8jOYTk41yijd5YM05SL28A90hYlYTtLrQzwAnMmQfOXh66a1JfM7oXgnEnQMnKWt5ysZ8ow=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please Sir! Can I have some more?</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieiNs_uVG6jMZIYloSxX61mmwBoA9qwi6FIEP6YqQW1QWl-mVuv_Ob6LGnPOtLRVFwanlLxL9Cg7ZG-TdpF4ok9qejZK0BQNW46ra3RpBqVWjK0eJX13EaHesfq2Jy0-lM-m9SFipyg9yX-3oV0k-_knYeJooiocsNLyfBlU-lt0Y9M5ed9M3X4CqzIg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieiNs_uVG6jMZIYloSxX61mmwBoA9qwi6FIEP6YqQW1QWl-mVuv_Ob6LGnPOtLRVFwanlLxL9Cg7ZG-TdpF4ok9qejZK0BQNW46ra3RpBqVWjK0eJX13EaHesfq2Jy0-lM-m9SFipyg9yX-3oV0k-_knYeJooiocsNLyfBlU-lt0Y9M5ed9M3X4CqzIg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda is a cute alpaca. Hopefully she will have<br />another cute baby this year.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4CP3GKN7L4zqmnooQ8c1_wFnshS3ch5bAMs19qJKv2_-gGtvuSD_scY7W1V2X374k9ur4akp1yEWr1zpGvNRYQy3mDUCWGuOU6krOt6Sa077c9yvQI32xepXfKEI8m-LPWrRqxOoJ2pjNihbc45xYT7gqCQeRgQecyL9PJsOg_q_pfpSBEzrrEP6Wcw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4CP3GKN7L4zqmnooQ8c1_wFnshS3ch5bAMs19qJKv2_-gGtvuSD_scY7W1V2X374k9ur4akp1yEWr1zpGvNRYQy3mDUCWGuOU6krOt6Sa077c9yvQI32xepXfKEI8m-LPWrRqxOoJ2pjNihbc45xYT7gqCQeRgQecyL9PJsOg_q_pfpSBEzrrEP6Wcw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More snow!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtJmaD1vFazWaXXzs6AbenClORAoO76WE8-EgWZkxhm-hIVsbIWDHMvYJD_9CFLlThBayIjYoV0CmapJDa9yNpKkVWfWgLSSoXON_8k9I_iYAXVB81XYJbyRkKeNiV0HWFtIDVqkJ-vAj3OmGS9_yOg-IFfXFGIgkoEveGfmw0h30Wax9Alx1Ap_2gwA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtJmaD1vFazWaXXzs6AbenClORAoO76WE8-EgWZkxhm-hIVsbIWDHMvYJD_9CFLlThBayIjYoV0CmapJDa9yNpKkVWfWgLSSoXON_8k9I_iYAXVB81XYJbyRkKeNiV0HWFtIDVqkJ-vAj3OmGS9_yOg-IFfXFGIgkoEveGfmw0h30Wax9Alx1Ap_2gwA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antonia eating the snow. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzxeWTvN1RMKqJBd-Gx_YMnE6DwFuCsXvyiGTq_1Pxxzet5devYpyH18stBhHkk6ZiBM-EfntDw4rqOeurUmUj0BwB5rQepgRcIOrrkiVoWseUQmC3oiy_YLF6sTNlAAHB7biui4qATz90b20FtB7OfQfJoYNh9Ya2Ww3AhV3M8O4ZvCYt7dK4qiG9bA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzxeWTvN1RMKqJBd-Gx_YMnE6DwFuCsXvyiGTq_1Pxxzet5devYpyH18stBhHkk6ZiBM-EfntDw4rqOeurUmUj0BwB5rQepgRcIOrrkiVoWseUQmC3oiy_YLF6sTNlAAHB7biui4qATz90b20FtB7OfQfJoYNh9Ya2Ww3AhV3M8O4ZvCYt7dK4qiG9bA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jakob's with his brown tash and swept back <br />hairstyle. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9bM9IdSN8suojQq_IyJxKVgAy9v3Ex-kWv1zuKr1W0aPJLAZYd6ZETWtKPpfEciD-sq-NhLufJf98NM1NGG3PHYzVFcEMSQcaFvmsgMYiSLY3SsFDt45Pf2i3l1jHueLB1-0clkdJojQlzee7lJA_yO1BPMSMAcClbqINonODYMALkUrDLWoSsg-PtA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9bM9IdSN8suojQq_IyJxKVgAy9v3Ex-kWv1zuKr1W0aPJLAZYd6ZETWtKPpfEciD-sq-NhLufJf98NM1NGG3PHYzVFcEMSQcaFvmsgMYiSLY3SsFDt45Pf2i3l1jHueLB1-0clkdJojQlzee7lJA_yO1BPMSMAcClbqINonODYMALkUrDLWoSsg-PtA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And we finish with George, Jakob's half brother<br />who always seems to have a smile for everyone.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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} catch(err) {}</script></div>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-9312849737838310972021-12-28T13:42:00.005+02:002021-12-28T13:42:42.242+02:00Oh, it's Tuesday!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT5E0WnVEmA_did-5h-u9GP_pYGdJhu-eY_p1s3lqut8VZ2YrdCjqXbYNIHi9DzqC4qkGTFfqYf-wcEd-gSNy49eMNFFs6Z1S4GkRYbiKpbchz6CJ_TIQc1_TyVxZLPekDoM6nETFfvx6WGPgo3adv36DXeMoSgnl2mIbUJ7BfahQnyUFC-rYLVIBRpw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT5E0WnVEmA_did-5h-u9GP_pYGdJhu-eY_p1s3lqut8VZ2YrdCjqXbYNIHi9DzqC4qkGTFfqYf-wcEd-gSNy49eMNFFs6Z1S4GkRYbiKpbchz6CJ_TIQc1_TyVxZLPekDoM6nETFfvx6WGPgo3adv36DXeMoSgnl2mIbUJ7BfahQnyUFC-rYLVIBRpw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Are you confused by the days of the week too? Most of us are at this time of the year. I had fully intended to blog again this week on Monday night, like I used to, and completely forgot. I spent the evening revising some Latvian and writing an email to my Latvian teacher instead. All of which takes time. It was nine o'clock at night before I remembered.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbdk4MQRb1SSPqouyWOdpTZiiHgLoU0Hv-myrCDMKxgESeQka_GSdiBj-INZUhObSDB6sk6spZ_OY2b8KmA3rwRg5dMEMO5q8ls-BD6FUsRD2lLNlY5Oj9EpVAI2CoktdBf9_PaOjxmFjeS0N4vQ4aw3wfLb6JPLD-efQHadFfGexJYoK0IAyvLz9Paw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbdk4MQRb1SSPqouyWOdpTZiiHgLoU0Hv-myrCDMKxgESeQka_GSdiBj-INZUhObSDB6sk6spZ_OY2b8KmA3rwRg5dMEMO5q8ls-BD6FUsRD2lLNlY5Oj9EpVAI2CoktdBf9_PaOjxmFjeS0N4vQ4aw3wfLb6JPLD-efQHadFfGexJYoK0IAyvLz9Paw=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sun pillar. Apparently it means<br />it's cold.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_Whud7ycqh2PIcMGRPq7llEU5xtFQNDzrBwjDo7QwIXPgWzobAOue4KqTJ41iLU30zjbGOZropOlHLTyXqsCi66fQb3hYIenwAksjxK6D3-EsWAVEklCPKYFXhLYUgHcvhOn62KYz3NxWls-9e3zkKqBkEzDTE5rWmebcJkXG63exrxGupHr829zhSw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_Whud7ycqh2PIcMGRPq7llEU5xtFQNDzrBwjDo7QwIXPgWzobAOue4KqTJ41iLU30zjbGOZropOlHLTyXqsCi66fQb3hYIenwAksjxK6D3-EsWAVEklCPKYFXhLYUgHcvhOn62KYz3NxWls-9e3zkKqBkEzDTE5rWmebcJkXG63exrxGupHr829zhSw=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UFO? No! Sure looks eerie<br />though</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Last week I worked up until Thursday. I managed to get all the proofreading done and an invoice sent off before the deadline, along with my regular work completed. The money made will come in handy as a deposit on the car that I mentioned about the other week. I won't be looking forward to finding a space to park it though. There are so many cars around at this time of the year, more than in the summer. On Christmas Eve one of our neighbours rang the doorbell and complained that our car was parked in front of our apartment and I never cleaned the road of snow. I was really confused. I thought it was something to do with the fact they now had a baby (which I hadn't realised) and maybe it was difficult to get the baby in and out on the opposite side of the road. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3gJH5mU0_s9Td5562diYphYi8F8OtZb5ONsStP_FqFBZcurjfUojvHgtC-l0HuuKZytpj5fjV_6RKi8WPVx3FnS9vHvdi41Zk8K9EdqcR1Q3iNoA3MLkzJgAHwhb5xJkBWdnKxTCQtIBN1hUpHO9F_danzvjDfv676R32_VVlEqiTmlr-tI7UPV-hFw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3gJH5mU0_s9Td5562diYphYi8F8OtZb5ONsStP_FqFBZcurjfUojvHgtC-l0HuuKZytpj5fjV_6RKi8WPVx3FnS9vHvdi41Zk8K9EdqcR1Q3iNoA3MLkzJgAHwhb5xJkBWdnKxTCQtIBN1hUpHO9F_danzvjDfv676R32_VVlEqiTmlr-tI7UPV-hFw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brencis</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkHTf5l4Tyz_AR8mJNLOzg6jizVZlbzlhQoWfExP9b9i5ffyVFhnVuC7u7IsrY2KqFbOVTWQne5m8bnSQ47X6DPHkSJ3r2Qm72N40sWodU5wj0Sk69MjtleEkDqvtZRa-BQ1Oijo2EF0mq4mc9dVo_tUlctXbBUxmNJKviWtcAXsJYGUwkyu9Td2hkOQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkHTf5l4Tyz_AR8mJNLOzg6jizVZlbzlhQoWfExP9b9i5ffyVFhnVuC7u7IsrY2KqFbOVTWQne5m8bnSQ47X6DPHkSJ3r2Qm72N40sWodU5wj0Sk69MjtleEkDqvtZRa-BQ1Oijo2EF0mq4mc9dVo_tUlctXbBUxmNJKviWtcAXsJYGUwkyu9Td2hkOQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure that the lack of sow makes this look<br />any less weird. It looks more like the skeletal<br />remains of cabin than a hunting tower.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I was also confused because of being accused of never cleaning the snow. I certainly hadn't done it this winter due to working non-stop trying to get things done before the end of the year. I knew the neighbour upstairs always cleaned the road and he never complained. That day was the first time I had even seen the complaining neighbour's boyfriend actually cleaning any snow anyway. I did find out a few days later that the complaining neighbour's car is always left with a pile of snow around, because they had been quite awkward, so no one clears around their car. They don't actually clear the road, just enough to get themselves out and they were obviously disgruntled they had gone to all that effort and Ian had had the audacity to park in "their" spot because they had cleaned it. I did find out the neighbour upstairs is fine about cleaning the rest of the road as he likes to get out and do a bit of exercise. I helped him the other day as I wasn't working and he was very nice about it. He made sure I left the snow around the complaining neighbour's car though.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZFo-4IviGhB4Xh-ztj6oMQ2RIkPIHxBC3lS-fJykCJz_sb2qcdhaktgyekAYV0x5sY31du4QHcSPOKlAGuZPxiqjr6BfWwarkK9JQl8_m_sHG0an5Q-TJ9vmE5eH1y29Ow71Set1Yk-jpbnWeToVH2whg_Ffg0vGrdn6yKPjXiopsiuIqCyUd70RFjg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZFo-4IviGhB4Xh-ztj6oMQ2RIkPIHxBC3lS-fJykCJz_sb2qcdhaktgyekAYV0x5sY31du4QHcSPOKlAGuZPxiqjr6BfWwarkK9JQl8_m_sHG0an5Q-TJ9vmE5eH1y29Ow71Set1Yk-jpbnWeToVH2whg_Ffg0vGrdn6yKPjXiopsiuIqCyUd70RFjg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow has come and gone and come again<br />over the last week. The temperatures go up<br />to above freezing and rains and then drops and<br />snows. Still we did have a white Christmas, but<br />as a FB friend said, not quite sure if Bing really<br />knew what he was singing about when he sang, <br />"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas".</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvUj8jFS4onfYdSktgAsL-w0silPtOmDFaNHkW5cgHURdB0o1lcDKoerDfnaiCr_hXMdvNXADMu70g8XvN7zGbdOqr3CP3xvwRKiQ2L0I8ypa1o8y9eI0PpdVwJypyVL2Z_s-ul7XBH214btM5wvm3o70cgVvTOQtmAYgp1NoEohoBBsFHE4_7rIK4QA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvUj8jFS4onfYdSktgAsL-w0silPtOmDFaNHkW5cgHURdB0o1lcDKoerDfnaiCr_hXMdvNXADMu70g8XvN7zGbdOqr3CP3xvwRKiQ2L0I8ypa1o8y9eI0PpdVwJypyVL2Z_s-ul7XBH214btM5wvm3o70cgVvTOQtmAYgp1NoEohoBBsFHE4_7rIK4QA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wintry scenes do have a striking beauty but it puts<br />stresses and strains on the the people and animals. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtrWwaJWgSsg7NM8qD0RbMi12PUEKdtl1bS2Y9Y4RfHWpZqI7xNKmCwdApn2fC2aVLaKeodLl6zHMjc1gyRVqi3iROC-DhyYIuv1rAvJwKi30iZ3EhuuniWft8px68KWY_x7L-Q-a8i6LjknNk1YWpkivEVMewt6X74jux3nFIdru2txRWm-BLSNhTeg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtrWwaJWgSsg7NM8qD0RbMi12PUEKdtl1bS2Y9Y4RfHWpZqI7xNKmCwdApn2fC2aVLaKeodLl6zHMjc1gyRVqi3iROC-DhyYIuv1rAvJwKi30iZ3EhuuniWft8px68KWY_x7L-Q-a8i6LjknNk1YWpkivEVMewt6X74jux3nFIdru2txRWm-BLSNhTeg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I spent Friday decorating the Christmas tree, that Ian had helped me set up the night before, and preparing food. I can never decide if we have a celebration meal on Christmas Eve, like our Latvian neighbours would be doing, or Christmas Day. In the end, we kind of did both. On Thursday evening we went to our goat farmer friend and she gifted us four goat legs, some wonderful aged pepper goat's cheese and some goat milk soap. I decided to first pressure cook the goat legs to make sure they were tender and then slow roast them in the slow cooker (also it meant I could fit the legs in the slow cooker, which they wouldn't quite do when fresh). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcIKfBCInTQRej-YPaQIEIF52Px8XZT5FHMKQUHDmL5igUe3HRHZrA5-HQ5P9pXsFXElENqE5JBtWr6rBgdM2EzYnad0v33h216tR27WlJNG5VT8p7P7kav486ptgV7lhEv63SYNwZc9iNUEGcg_W59ROEi_oxILIoer5rLIEGdmPdZ3Pn1NBpDTwKIQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcIKfBCInTQRej-YPaQIEIF52Px8XZT5FHMKQUHDmL5igUe3HRHZrA5-HQ5P9pXsFXElENqE5JBtWr6rBgdM2EzYnad0v33h216tR27WlJNG5VT8p7P7kav486ptgV7lhEv63SYNwZc9iNUEGcg_W59ROEi_oxILIoer5rLIEGdmPdZ3Pn1NBpDTwKIQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A field of diamonds</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyBNJRz2tXwwkUCHLIzR0dxdO-_85M6mNKcUy0mvhVpXrtYmYTGNLTKxZlO6ldcQhW1vuR5bxQJNHVVvPMVuIuE-XKmUkXzclLEDSwsgV24OYxeb6IBBirG6HicyFZRDdSZiRgebHy8rjf4p1qxn8qsrprABXlWYnqPi9fNIbkPBtvvCJ_yE8QMJcKxw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyBNJRz2tXwwkUCHLIzR0dxdO-_85M6mNKcUy0mvhVpXrtYmYTGNLTKxZlO6ldcQhW1vuR5bxQJNHVVvPMVuIuE-XKmUkXzclLEDSwsgV24OYxeb6IBBirG6HicyFZRDdSZiRgebHy8rjf4p1qxn8qsrprABXlWYnqPi9fNIbkPBtvvCJ_yE8QMJcKxw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking towards the neighbours</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I cooked some kale, cabbage and leeks in white sauce to go with the meat. Normally I just do leeks in white sauce but certain little pussy cats kept trying to use that area for a toilet earlier in the year. It nearly drove me potty driving them off, but they still managed to dig up most of my leeks, so I only had about three left for Christmas dinner. That is why I had to eke the leeks out by using the kale and cabbage. It worked nicely anyway. We also had roast parsnips which we sprinkled with the pepper cheese, mashed potatoes and stuffing balls. I meant to make Yorkshire puddings too and forgot and then I forgot again the following night when I slow cooked a ham that I had prepared. Oh well! Maybe New Year's Eve instead?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLWq8RbiDT8sCZSuIbwal4ScPjv_G6hK9d_rKyLnJFbMFBii_qIzs2bAL38NHKHBscEIJcWz5CUuTrBO9px2JGa-hOFqwJKsJd0oGwJVnYNA4e_VjLkuITqb58O46e-EXk8a9vosk91tOIdNirYfJG7gKufHE1-Ohw50beviVAYWtqRTktGPPWYmJFZg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLWq8RbiDT8sCZSuIbwal4ScPjv_G6hK9d_rKyLnJFbMFBii_qIzs2bAL38NHKHBscEIJcWz5CUuTrBO9px2JGa-hOFqwJKsJd0oGwJVnYNA4e_VjLkuITqb58O46e-EXk8a9vosk91tOIdNirYfJG7gKufHE1-Ohw50beviVAYWtqRTktGPPWYmJFZg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People often ask he how the alpacas do in the snow.<br />Well? As you can see! Not so bothered. Deep cold<br />can be an issue, but a nice sunny day and they'll <br />be outside.... sunbathing!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0u_EKU3uPrMuy6nWNXW2KhKaftVmVdfwQoXTqoWTAzCFYkGE5BsJyEaUwLI2VIuiCMoxGQQcsmzmoE-DFt_1wsidXM8fbfzvbaMwUz6YiGKKLjM9yXqUrBMF-xcqkKgFOn5RX-dfB-TnzxW1_M2Ufv8Y0Ka5cTBmJyhjXfuIClePpPwdeCztXgTCNGg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0u_EKU3uPrMuy6nWNXW2KhKaftVmVdfwQoXTqoWTAzCFYkGE5BsJyEaUwLI2VIuiCMoxGQQcsmzmoE-DFt_1wsidXM8fbfzvbaMwUz6YiGKKLjM9yXqUrBMF-xcqkKgFOn5RX-dfB-TnzxW1_M2Ufv8Y0Ka5cTBmJyhjXfuIClePpPwdeCztXgTCNGg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjObDEqLoEeVCNMitx5ak4tXYveQRo7W15FCRoYdVWlYuWpZPQcOHDJl84oWzgijbIssJeYYAnHeIIqDYDyTKlnuoFx1YyWk5VBIr6LYVN4G7g2TOx9luj4fhGmemcsYrFpsnOzlA4r0gzHzjeBJz0e86n7LQa5hMJLuVXxdH-sDWwMhxpnexD9sD63rw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjObDEqLoEeVCNMitx5ak4tXYveQRo7W15FCRoYdVWlYuWpZPQcOHDJl84oWzgijbIssJeYYAnHeIIqDYDyTKlnuoFx1YyWk5VBIr6LYVN4G7g2TOx9luj4fhGmemcsYrFpsnOzlA4r0gzHzjeBJz0e86n7LQa5hMJLuVXxdH-sDWwMhxpnexD9sD63rw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly is now adept at alpaca yoga.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The rest of the goat meat went either into a pie or in the freezer. Ian does like pies and it is a great way of making meat go much, much further. I put the rest of the veg in, added some onion and some dried mushrooms - which incidentally I found in a drawer that were leftover from the year before. I was worried we didn't have enough dried mushrooms this year, but apparently we have more than I thought. I only found them because I was looking for somewhere to put something away. I can't even remember what I was trying to tidy away in the excitement of finding a stash of stuff I had forgotten about. I'm not getting more forgetful, honest. I've always been forgetful about where I put stuff and constantly looking for things. I like things to have a place, I just never quite remember where all those places are. At least Ian has been enjoying the pie, as that's the nearest he gets to a Christmas present these days.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbooX4AiDj-OOYIf7fwW5H-zik0YT1kdYjyApayuqaHbDZwPksFsR94Va1r2BxEag8iZ0KAf5gIEFGjBUQmzu02P93rlXgFS1DPgEHUPGIc6VNtjJxE0Q5LbiCkSuaicUH10H8DoUGr2SOL548Av1uI7M-D1kJv8rB_rlix54ITKFMOQltdwa3LxIpNw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbooX4AiDj-OOYIf7fwW5H-zik0YT1kdYjyApayuqaHbDZwPksFsR94Va1r2BxEag8iZ0KAf5gIEFGjBUQmzu02P93rlXgFS1DPgEHUPGIc6VNtjJxE0Q5LbiCkSuaicUH10H8DoUGr2SOL548Av1uI7M-D1kJv8rB_rlix54ITKFMOQltdwa3LxIpNw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Investigating the snow.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi81SwARfVsHo1Jf9Bnr6EAqA4Bo-5C_Bev37_92MXUVHS2v4hAXQikqGwMyz6kcajSlFpm2BjXXBSsmEU2xLAPH8Vf4jXMeMAlf5JyQRvxaa0ucD1IA-t5kDHC3E8DvkAhWPNkcIH8g3hcWHygIx_mKFq7ZZg_BXC9YNivmrE_LGD2fPtLwO2eDDdlCw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1280" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi81SwARfVsHo1Jf9Bnr6EAqA4Bo-5C_Bev37_92MXUVHS2v4hAXQikqGwMyz6kcajSlFpm2BjXXBSsmEU2xLAPH8Vf4jXMeMAlf5JyQRvxaa0ucD1IA-t5kDHC3E8DvkAhWPNkcIH8g3hcWHygIx_mKFq7ZZg_BXC9YNivmrE_LGD2fPtLwO2eDDdlCw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jakobs outside eating the snow</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I had intended to do my usual Christmas trip out to see the alpacas, but there wasn't much point. It snowed quite heavily on Christmas Eve and so Ian spent Christmas day snowploughing the pathways and he did it again on Sunday, and again on Monday. Today is my second day out on the land this week though. Today Ian helped some neighbours collect a cow from the Daugavpils area, a trip of about 2 1/2 hours each direction. He wasn't be able to feed Lolly and do all the other jobs around the farm that need doing in the morning, so I'm standing in for him. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1POo87db_ZRZ5TIkWKc1RGaEBaQJFUsAXCHo2XThtkbMJvh1cUmZMe8UNYUzb1YRVenYWY6j-IZtbc87N1EKcXhJ9Ti_r0ymWjkPQXOXgPl2eypRC9NuWvLArNY-YJ2CiKQqbvVgyizeNbkLHL63BAOkDCXrSBe9lccJ7SYzxBRf1tR-ab-BpJ0qAQQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1POo87db_ZRZ5TIkWKc1RGaEBaQJFUsAXCHo2XThtkbMJvh1cUmZMe8UNYUzb1YRVenYWY6j-IZtbc87N1EKcXhJ9Ti_r0ymWjkPQXOXgPl2eypRC9NuWvLArNY-YJ2CiKQqbvVgyizeNbkLHL63BAOkDCXrSBe9lccJ7SYzxBRf1tR-ab-BpJ0qAQQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian had spent quite a bit of time clearing the<br />paths on Christmas Day. Then it snowed!<br />You can just about see where he had been. The <br />tracks are down the side so he doesn't trample<br />the path and make it more difficult to clear the <br />proper path.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiERCR8Qe-XL8ttbce-HU2IqxG6k7Pd_oayliPVEElvvXQDdZrLkYbkpf_iFJp6mlKhW1F0CUi0ln55o7gNYSETSOq-JGnxesWVb10NNaTeVD2-rdj74z9uKxmLk5duWKRo06bp92Trc3nhcFf0jkEU0TaZyMIo3VWrYDQpQckeJC3sIcaE-mO8D5VU1Q=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiERCR8Qe-XL8ttbce-HU2IqxG6k7Pd_oayliPVEElvvXQDdZrLkYbkpf_iFJp6mlKhW1F0CUi0ln55o7gNYSETSOq-JGnxesWVb10NNaTeVD2-rdj74z9uKxmLk5duWKRo06bp92Trc3nhcFf0jkEU0TaZyMIo3VWrYDQpQckeJC3sIcaE-mO8D5VU1Q=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All cleared again. Although it almost looks the<br />same, I never get tired of seeing the snowy pictures.<br />Not sure Ian is as happy. He agrees it's beautiful <br />but the extra tasks get old quickly.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDEyIiSJ8zFvQFTpNv9ATwK_H2NifUAlBuEvYUerRkCd1b_PpAPL83yqinAkithA7SLR48ap6_5JGbMOR54Gl73IHn2CbOi_Ww9mrYSV7BVnjGt1TdjuGD5TXxsWyIqZHFqMabZgmNOtHll_aHsk8R7Vrf0-eRvsWDOygYdGE0p-b8pY3Ueffbbfg-Pg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1280" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDEyIiSJ8zFvQFTpNv9ATwK_H2NifUAlBuEvYUerRkCd1b_PpAPL83yqinAkithA7SLR48ap6_5JGbMOR54Gl73IHn2CbOi_Ww9mrYSV7BVnjGt1TdjuGD5TXxsWyIqZHFqMabZgmNOtHll_aHsk8R7Vrf0-eRvsWDOygYdGE0p-b8pY3Ueffbbfg-Pg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie eating the snow outside.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I was standing in for him on Wednesday of last week too. Ian was on his laptop first thing in the morning and after putting it down to get ready to go out, it switched itself off. When he tried to switch it back on, it only showed a grey screen. He managed to get hold of the computer technician and arranged to take it in. He had to come back to the apartment to pick me up first though so I could feed Lolly while he was away and put the animals away. I had a meeting that couldn't be rearranged and so I managed the first half hour, went to put the animals away and came back to my meeting. Again, it is good to have understanding colleagues. I think most people these days get the need to do something at home during online meetings, whether it is take kids to school, sort a child out or in my case, put animals away.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvngEuMEIzUo7lxyc-HQ4FxlbfbmWkYXJJbVL_gucVec9qLJbkP4SMjKLMs-j2aVElqButgj99DVJw6vdbAatU7vLc8u3hj8q1xar-CDv-WDHf5cDYCsA9IpE6LkR4JH0JrgCwYAm-MvflrIcCfZSqe2mZxZw4Uf5U7WIdklJtPgKhX-V2b9uNl2kO7g=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvngEuMEIzUo7lxyc-HQ4FxlbfbmWkYXJJbVL_gucVec9qLJbkP4SMjKLMs-j2aVElqButgj99DVJw6vdbAatU7vLc8u3hj8q1xar-CDv-WDHf5cDYCsA9IpE6LkR4JH0JrgCwYAm-MvflrIcCfZSqe2mZxZw4Uf5U7WIdklJtPgKhX-V2b9uNl2kO7g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Accumulating against the greenhouse</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjSmtW65hAX7RlqAdjrT46UjeylhD5gXt4SrLLoToHDN7T47X83v0vsCWLA-SFzPzjko_kObWwtpsNIr0HmXmOvlu4EFu_MAKjjz8gCQ62HU5CBRpwnSoanN6O92HV2aLuV05BzklWWocJFJfaBLZi4wJZ6MZY41M6U5AEVnclxlyHEbmT8-4Esm43Gw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjSmtW65hAX7RlqAdjrT46UjeylhD5gXt4SrLLoToHDN7T47X83v0vsCWLA-SFzPzjko_kObWwtpsNIr0HmXmOvlu4EFu_MAKjjz8gCQ62HU5CBRpwnSoanN6O92HV2aLuV05BzklWWocJFJfaBLZi4wJZ6MZY41M6U5AEVnclxlyHEbmT8-4Esm43Gw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at the snow from inside the greenhouse. <br />Not sure how much will disappear over the<br />New Year weekend as it is forecast to warm up<br />for a few days before getting cold again.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijxEDj_WOYXwNJ-XFSUXmqOgX80cFJ1sP5ldRa7r3iN4k1YTjh42GdjnXLDXBnlvmaytuFMFuSj4nWwJv0ihl6BlxOHVkDygh5p04mdea4zB7_9GjNd8luFhihnV4kwvR8Kb4U9c8AYxFWh5GeL3r9Av3zn27JRhoV5Qs-c_qtez0vrgo183HocN58kA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijxEDj_WOYXwNJ-XFSUXmqOgX80cFJ1sP5ldRa7r3iN4k1YTjh42GdjnXLDXBnlvmaytuFMFuSj4nWwJv0ihl6BlxOHVkDygh5p04mdea4zB7_9GjNd8luFhihnV4kwvR8Kb4U9c8AYxFWh5GeL3r9Av3zn27JRhoV5Qs-c_qtez0vrgo183HocN58kA=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I bet my Christmas tree is bigger<br />than your's! Mind you, this one<br />is a tad bit taller than the one we <br />have inside the apartment.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>He seemed to take a long time in Riga, but he said the traffic and roads were horrid. The roads were in a better state here in our rural municipality. Apparently the roads in Riga were not cleared and were full of slush, which is about the worst type to drive in, especially in heavy traffic. He also hit rush hour on the way back to compound the problem. At least the computer problem was fixable. They checked it over, gave it a clean and adjusted the connector to the battery. The battery connector was the problem and nothing more. So €25 and the diesel to get into Riga seemed cheap compared to the deposit on my car disappearing.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhS5hyW3usO2endWHVCwSOFjSOOnGDN6GHqBQTgxPU-Pp5X2yjjPOXRi34UJRdM3zFOh8rAb_yG5WQChRyKpBeOWQgrjFdb5_oDvXHGlcLxToIKyqOOzA-kB90-g2GUHHzyo7VwNPaML70NAF-AwTwFqFiJ0YKSDSdhjhl3Shd5q5WBTTByUrtGYUwdA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhS5hyW3usO2endWHVCwSOFjSOOnGDN6GHqBQTgxPU-Pp5X2yjjPOXRi34UJRdM3zFOh8rAb_yG5WQChRyKpBeOWQgrjFdb5_oDvXHGlcLxToIKyqOOzA-kB90-g2GUHHzyo7VwNPaML70NAF-AwTwFqFiJ0YKSDSdhjhl3Shd5q5WBTTByUrtGYUwdA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking towards the more pristine side of the<br />land</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvuLuh6z4E8DUzxJCTQbz5c3Xouzwq_GRnnTnUrpWdDkkHBQ8hDTw02smTrXSacBYzOW6jK0-7KCYA0s_M2aEGtsx1_7ZciN1g77zBogPFhA2eE0d9gZLk_OUdbBZJfdgUT6wmcebW-pKk3zOZxiDciFq7ecgjWsPTibfSJZQvLI2EGhczHj8Qu7RH1g=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvuLuh6z4E8DUzxJCTQbz5c3Xouzwq_GRnnTnUrpWdDkkHBQ8hDTw02smTrXSacBYzOW6jK0-7KCYA0s_M2aEGtsx1_7ZciN1g77zBogPFhA2eE0d9gZLk_OUdbBZJfdgUT6wmcebW-pKk3zOZxiDciFq7ecgjWsPTibfSJZQvLI2EGhczHj8Qu7RH1g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rosie glow as the sunrises</td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxIPqAUEKQgo8TihekBFYQcFAjoQTWfWyT7unpTbibPfE1aDzVBw3qFtIF6-BDaYE-mwTAp54v4_vxz-qjiFmXmK78dAV7K4BL6wpN665MuXA1ypikrqQSxoNYyQa2OEKCh46fMn57PtYq7-EoLQ0wDPOf1uNW4-6Zr3fSk3gJ7Vcv_9PDZxkP34jmIQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxIPqAUEKQgo8TihekBFYQcFAjoQTWfWyT7unpTbibPfE1aDzVBw3qFtIF6-BDaYE-mwTAp54v4_vxz-qjiFmXmK78dAV7K4BL6wpN665MuXA1ypikrqQSxoNYyQa2OEKCh46fMn57PtYq7-EoLQ0wDPOf1uNW4-6Zr3fSk3gJ7Vcv_9PDZxkP34jmIQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian had to clear a path down to the barn.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTxNPYCt3QB4OkqscOosoDaL1u8u7kL134FNtud9hTAN32AhEANzqgcovnB__b6sl8erlawvhlw9kw1sn5Bjl0dXFD6oxQ9Cg8MaCmZYvjzJ7VVdE5G0cT0CL9ZhVOk_YXYfLQoTvDO3mbfsIiVTso21uIStKQ4QsvlWsxcECGRmMbF1U9w7DHuBLhaA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTxNPYCt3QB4OkqscOosoDaL1u8u7kL134FNtud9hTAN32AhEANzqgcovnB__b6sl8erlawvhlw9kw1sn5Bjl0dXFD6oxQ9Cg8MaCmZYvjzJ7VVdE5G0cT0CL9ZhVOk_YXYfLQoTvDO3mbfsIiVTso21uIStKQ4QsvlWsxcECGRmMbF1U9w7DHuBLhaA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More rosie glows</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBa1xJ5ZxXt-vS8H8mby-EZ9nVReMfT9d24CyqENWkAgnOYA31u-ymUPHCVX2fhbx1j8zRYXArwgip7fQrKNvq5mKrPe0Qvf6bkbKj-h2jS4VKIt7iDCTIHIkVLB4YEIQyj4ra0fO1rvQaNBdttt4uWWy6JOA_Xq98qwZ4UZSmIHdLXg80-5CMIHDYdA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBa1xJ5ZxXt-vS8H8mby-EZ9nVReMfT9d24CyqENWkAgnOYA31u-ymUPHCVX2fhbx1j8zRYXArwgip7fQrKNvq5mKrPe0Qvf6bkbKj-h2jS4VKIt7iDCTIHIkVLB4YEIQyj4ra0fO1rvQaNBdttt4uWWy6JOA_Xq98qwZ4UZSmIHdLXg80-5CMIHDYdA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Normally an untidy spot but now covered in a <br />blanket of snow.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkcv22---LSFB02YH1pVLWAR9B0XMluE9m6ntADmjDjPXpM0f8EnfOUoQiTJdRqKvNz8eK37StG5OKge3CQGF58FowiQuEfqBq1MC2FLVykIXPL-Y1VCBlj7-7v1A4__0EDMeFkQLATsZk16FoDab678qqH-ei1co8e9uzRVBBIgoa0SnJ-Nq2__Fgsw=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkcv22---LSFB02YH1pVLWAR9B0XMluE9m6ntADmjDjPXpM0f8EnfOUoQiTJdRqKvNz8eK37StG5OKge3CQGF58FowiQuEfqBq1MC2FLVykIXPL-Y1VCBlj7-7v1A4__0EDMeFkQLATsZk16FoDab678qqH-ei1co8e9uzRVBBIgoa0SnJ-Nq2__Fgsw=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice wide pathway so Ian can<br />drive on and get nearer to the<br />caravan in the greenhouse</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinWx6HIyYar4yF8UFN1_TVoMJphxcmoFq-54bCxRQaOrMs2Fr3_EmpQ7hH4fFIeBF7mL80w25-Qe2HfrLqXYLxVYrePjjz4RYnfTTin1so2HvlXvQW5V5eWN8W1zC8wD3BLnczdiw-PD8q9Xw3Lj-399mSHauG7ADMa9utKHopoq9lQ3QhfHGRpJpgLg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinWx6HIyYar4yF8UFN1_TVoMJphxcmoFq-54bCxRQaOrMs2Fr3_EmpQ7hH4fFIeBF7mL80w25-Qe2HfrLqXYLxVYrePjjz4RYnfTTin1so2HvlXvQW5V5eWN8W1zC8wD3BLnczdiw-PD8q9Xw3Lj-399mSHauG7ADMa9utKHopoq9lQ3QhfHGRpJpgLg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the boys paddock</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuMDAdYRSt45K9zyq5m1mK7FoEgGXTXsclHecwp5KVRDAlxNIASaiXU4G0a3Y9phQrvfmjhTA6SG8dxThUp2N2Wf4vF4n2P0QJqF2dCaPV1CsqeE3XYBatFeN_mB8BlGRPuAH02G0BMKdpqGQBzsw1dsZACzSXlXcD39s01Em69hBGIAK8zDU9d4upCA=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuMDAdYRSt45K9zyq5m1mK7FoEgGXTXsclHecwp5KVRDAlxNIASaiXU4G0a3Y9phQrvfmjhTA6SG8dxThUp2N2Wf4vF4n2P0QJqF2dCaPV1CsqeE3XYBatFeN_mB8BlGRPuAH02G0BMKdpqGQBzsw1dsZACzSXlXcD39s01Em69hBGIAK8zDU9d4upCA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the pile of manure that Ian is building<br />on the left for planting our potatoes into in spring</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUXOIGjqTCfOWXqBM4nDlj1WnsIrF0A95sw28DZNtNxfMvBW_q2V_7_Rf164hobBS5VSiZl0RTsfZaTshyTC46ARM4yM4i_LK_wlPvX-E5FCS6XQWpcVHDxB_4kwnz3NwHV-vtPEnwqBv0vwYp4f_CHP0qQvVbWzP5RirQPLXxAIHDBHWxcqBtUjIhcg=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUXOIGjqTCfOWXqBM4nDlj1WnsIrF0A95sw28DZNtNxfMvBW_q2V_7_Rf164hobBS5VSiZl0RTsfZaTshyTC46ARM4yM4i_LK_wlPvX-E5FCS6XQWpcVHDxB_4kwnz3NwHV-vtPEnwqBv0vwYp4f_CHP0qQvVbWzP5RirQPLXxAIHDBHWxcqBtUjIhcg=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The haystack. Hope that new cover<br />works.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF9HOvtOeVFUTZp2wqf98Q_4gwAuxM1Eq-gQlTgRTgR7OvF_TPPYrOsPBnkwX41dKklSXckaEcPUpbqMPJftFKedFiLyD4fjRrVDjRUjp1yOdBNaI2eBbHC3nNuaqqmnZT3jdJ9uvLRaAropMn5AbxtJRKBS7qZyOsTp4H09P3AsUc3PGTXAfA5iVcCQ=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF9HOvtOeVFUTZp2wqf98Q_4gwAuxM1Eq-gQlTgRTgR7OvF_TPPYrOsPBnkwX41dKklSXckaEcPUpbqMPJftFKedFiLyD4fjRrVDjRUjp1yOdBNaI2eBbHC3nNuaqqmnZT3jdJ9uvLRaAropMn5AbxtJRKBS7qZyOsTp4H09P3AsUc3PGTXAfA5iVcCQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside our apartment. There is a road over there<br />in front of the bushes.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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Another three weeks have gone by and have I been busy? Oh yes! Most nights I've been proofreading reports for an organisation, a prospective business plan or a PhD thesis. Not much then! I have no problems when it comes to trying to help people craft their words into something more readable but dotting the i's and crossing the t's is not quite my idea of fun! Needs must though! By the end of it, I am spotting those full stops that shouldn't be there, at least on the second reading anyway. However, the main aim of ensuring a more readable piece was achieved. Although it wasn't fun finding some of the more mundane mistakes, they have been interesting reading material and I think I've learnt quite a lot in the process too. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFzp40wdmpUMXpj5cAeUjBTjRoi0cH0p6XxcHgsgUHq1r7CUwmCMg__MqDcNaEsZdidmy6Q-P47-JPY27cVA-WgA5FCKuIiT6GojPmRYChmAVd0dHMzePVRk1KZbfXZc9WcoMQMT71SNKSPZ-Bx153gS1tAqROsQ2eaSnzgh8yqxlCV7_4RE28z_aRaQ=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFzp40wdmpUMXpj5cAeUjBTjRoi0cH0p6XxcHgsgUHq1r7CUwmCMg__MqDcNaEsZdidmy6Q-P47-JPY27cVA-WgA5FCKuIiT6GojPmRYChmAVd0dHMzePVRk1KZbfXZc9WcoMQMT71SNKSPZ-Bx153gS1tAqROsQ2eaSnzgh8yqxlCV7_4RE28z_aRaQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully that new cover is keeping the snow off<br />our bales of hay.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFA3RJvS8avapD4UIF2_3HoKSzjMxfAuYVLHwedLjT9TjQXyNGcu2k0NxUJg5dNJ6VwrOFUUBPMls1fjI0m5BIFJ2gYEfgms1ec1j9dvkouXDo1qwVhAHykuI16MmxrPyxheO6cAHM0YfBUy_48OTBBB-nZCCG89P6T_-god7F0BhYcpPwJjHOsd_PNQ=s4032" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFA3RJvS8avapD4UIF2_3HoKSzjMxfAuYVLHwedLjT9TjQXyNGcu2k0NxUJg5dNJ6VwrOFUUBPMls1fjI0m5BIFJ2gYEfgms1ec1j9dvkouXDo1qwVhAHykuI16MmxrPyxheO6cAHM0YfBUy_48OTBBB-nZCCG89P6T_-god7F0BhYcpPwJjHOsd_PNQ=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A perfectly formed snowflake on<br />our car</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I have a confession to make. A couple of blogs ago I talked about buying only what we need and making do with what we have. I do still stand by that, but it has come to the stage where I need a car and I cannot use the one that we have now, as Ian uses it to get out to the land. In summer it is not too bad as we are out in the caravan on the land anyway and a few days without a car for Ian is not a problem, In winter that is not an option. For several years I've used public transport and it's been okay. A long day but I've been fine with the travelling. The problem is that due to Covid-19 the travel has become more onerous. I looked at the timetable recently and it was not very convenient at all. I can still get the early bus, but will the cafe I used to use still be open and available to sit in for around 3 hours? I wouldn't know until I got there and sitting in a train station for three hours is not my idea of fun, especially in winter. I can work in the cafe but not so easy on chairs not designed for ease and comfort. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS979JriLA0wTJP6h2FqDtlpfM8N7Lz9rXgmg4aDjtc3Zm2ufQsuD5F6j7BjvyBWZ9wdMH2vOwKw_fVsUqbEfHD_oOv_A-cZCiMH7yiHtRuwZWD7Mk8xlREbxJXdstlhj7zfowKFTgeC4JOQOaWSVcf7HiTnr3NnedwYmX7eBIlW1fOJaSjMeFfsYWuA=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS979JriLA0wTJP6h2FqDtlpfM8N7Lz9rXgmg4aDjtc3Zm2ufQsuD5F6j7BjvyBWZ9wdMH2vOwKw_fVsUqbEfHD_oOv_A-cZCiMH7yiHtRuwZWD7Mk8xlREbxJXdstlhj7zfowKFTgeC4JOQOaWSVcf7HiTnr3NnedwYmX7eBIlW1fOJaSjMeFfsYWuA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GT aka Ginger Tom</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQqKIn2JwaI-AJ6uwmS4nhz9ZKY2yyjh_SfKnc5bH6Vyvs0zcA7otkXgcbCLfSqLP-qVSQSzFUUhwIShYqhbzBVyPdYZps_Hr5c2sIi-AFZnpA-gwjSQG6mztaXH8OMFrPIJtP50SqkAaQCfVwcYngGfOoCnys-sXWkLJNe1GPUycOoF73nY2asr4Cww=s3008" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQqKIn2JwaI-AJ6uwmS4nhz9ZKY2yyjh_SfKnc5bH6Vyvs0zcA7otkXgcbCLfSqLP-qVSQSzFUUhwIShYqhbzBVyPdYZps_Hr5c2sIi-AFZnpA-gwjSQG6mztaXH8OMFrPIJtP50SqkAaQCfVwcYngGfOoCnys-sXWkLJNe1GPUycOoF73nY2asr4Cww=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys alpaca house. All is calm</td></tr></tbody></table><p>To get to the university I used to travel to Cesis on the early bus and then catch the train to the Estonian border town, cross the platform and then get the Estonian train to Tartu. That meant just one three hour stopover in the cafe I mentioned between the bus and the train. Before that I used to travel up by bus to Cesis, another bus from Cesis to Valmiera, another one from Valmiera to Valka, walk over the border for 20 minutes, have a late lunch and then catch the bus from Valga to Tartu. I looked at all the possible permutations that I can think of and all of them involve several hours somewhere and most of them involve the 20 minute walk across the border. Not much fun in winter at all. I'm due for a pay rise in January and so I've decided that since I need to be up in Tartu more frequently then I need a car. It was decided with a heavy heart though. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrPdPS5yNYWMl-f9Ha-UuBzG8HJzhneWPSP1h96dgMO4Ca5-qCf4eEvG5E39PB6pdTtTEt5owi0bcRWN5hQ3qWzx8lMi3gny1csLqF-kJc71cbn7tX3FvtXMG_iuGGUM-C9oAoCsEr31z6xanXhtvBFrWvSYjXxp2o4utQoYRL3gHUG9yTMjKzuyICmA=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrPdPS5yNYWMl-f9Ha-UuBzG8HJzhneWPSP1h96dgMO4Ca5-qCf4eEvG5E39PB6pdTtTEt5owi0bcRWN5hQ3qWzx8lMi3gny1csLqF-kJc71cbn7tX3FvtXMG_iuGGUM-C9oAoCsEr31z6xanXhtvBFrWvSYjXxp2o4utQoYRL3gHUG9yTMjKzuyICmA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonder who is in the stable?</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCDnNKyAvvig6TZBfdVfCZ3LYczww2HULT4NlFrlcecz8E4C-xssNTiXQP_y3b3yAr08ClEHcQBjqhEaU3mpWmV6FoYRXEyV7LrjuCxeNpGetUSOLLenwDzXD62Rx59w9u62eDp-_14GqKvRSVzzUn2cwlsqAMDiqdnkwL6Ehah3CZEwUZzsw5_apweQ=s3008" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCDnNKyAvvig6TZBfdVfCZ3LYczww2HULT4NlFrlcecz8E4C-xssNTiXQP_y3b3yAr08ClEHcQBjqhEaU3mpWmV6FoYRXEyV7LrjuCxeNpGetUSOLLenwDzXD62Rx59w9u62eDp-_14GqKvRSVzzUn2cwlsqAMDiqdnkwL6Ehah3CZEwUZzsw5_apweQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of these photos are from over a week<br />ago when it looked very Christmassy. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>There was another reason that tipped the balance. Our car suffered in the cold again, despite putting the additive into the fuel to stop it waxing out. One morning Ian set off to the land but the car died on the way and he had to get a neighbour to tow him. He got out to the land and fortunately had a new fuel filter. He got back okay, no issues but the following morning, he didn't even get away from the apartment. He had to call the garage out and borrow a friend's car. One without a heater and not ideal for the country roads. Not good when you have animals that need seeing to.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJ7fKGdin5nNzmYGdIoRY6hzn_ar1UHcwZhvK7Cb0LBU9IdNh6vTjf5BYBbS57ytiZsU9RKFEFQ0DtjSynBylVnJcCai6jUXzawBFgxVM8BrLLSh5swsK9ThmF15ta0tgGNXSmHZG_-rjHtntUvwHVoQ7M57pedGI-CBnQ5ruLjT0k_yeClNW-k2zwpg=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJ7fKGdin5nNzmYGdIoRY6hzn_ar1UHcwZhvK7Cb0LBU9IdNh6vTjf5BYBbS57ytiZsU9RKFEFQ0DtjSynBylVnJcCai6jUXzawBFgxVM8BrLLSh5swsK9ThmF15ta0tgGNXSmHZG_-rjHtntUvwHVoQ7M57pedGI-CBnQ5ruLjT0k_yeClNW-k2zwpg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last bit of fence was taken in last week.<br />The girls have to remain separated now until <br />spring.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3Fuvcvo3Rvrel8f8eRJt77-irneJEDKvHFmcplml3t8lJY5-CFYrygSk-n8N6sMGXgj8RABfWiCmpXnmlZ6yZjMz5ln_v3VIwj3U49cjw8bGweq2-VwP9GgPNO6pQk4g4dLHSnmdHtgm-AXRxKPvZHKBXvSWn-xrO2iiwwEwOybOiOpVtABJK6ZjnkA=s3008" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3008" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3Fuvcvo3Rvrel8f8eRJt77-irneJEDKvHFmcplml3t8lJY5-CFYrygSk-n8N6sMGXgj8RABfWiCmpXnmlZ6yZjMz5ln_v3VIwj3U49cjw8bGweq2-VwP9GgPNO6pQk4g4dLHSnmdHtgm-AXRxKPvZHKBXvSWn-xrO2iiwwEwOybOiOpVtABJK6ZjnkA=s320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hunting tower didn't<br />survive a windy day and looks<br />rather bizarre in the snow</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Apparently the additive needs to be put into the diesel before it waxes, which makes sense, but not helpful to find out after the event. It isn't like adding salt to the icy roads that will melt the ice once it freezes (well as long as it isn't below -5C). The additive needs putting in before the temperatures drop to below zero to work. Unusually for early December we had a thick layer of snow and very cold temperatures. A friend of ours in his mid-20s does not recall such cold temperatures so early and his mother only once. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIeeTw-wh5qFfSujLiR09g4mtQGTQB55d_GJFSQDTOnWhinwhKsAbGjjciafOSHSNH9tv3K8370fPL57exZNzje4AJAdBGadbgvCMwIDUKM26utovouUyHjdHSjqU1_by1SZdi2J2Y_nxAbPwTbMAJ0tLtIIFOcNJq7R8Ejf2h1etUBrOfupGhg1C7Mg=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIeeTw-wh5qFfSujLiR09g4mtQGTQB55d_GJFSQDTOnWhinwhKsAbGjjciafOSHSNH9tv3K8370fPL57exZNzje4AJAdBGadbgvCMwIDUKM26utovouUyHjdHSjqU1_by1SZdi2J2Y_nxAbPwTbMAJ0tLtIIFOcNJq7R8Ejf2h1etUBrOfupGhg1C7Mg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost looks warm in the rosy glow of the sun, <br />but do not be deceived</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4n5FkvcV6LB3wHNBPdFNOoqQ_kMuMV7mN2XtzKUyYReB-GwodvcFQV4Dw7p8uAtopCNOtwsLCLoIOoBaIfRDbKsbp7h2X2EpyN1ffzlnCji6lkLsSdD8SK_xZGB8RFmWfWcWLX9Rj6gtUs3igu5bo1zmJ5KGb0DmjULC7rWQ6UtDOMwuRkTZ5lR-Qaw=s3008" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4n5FkvcV6LB3wHNBPdFNOoqQ_kMuMV7mN2XtzKUyYReB-GwodvcFQV4Dw7p8uAtopCNOtwsLCLoIOoBaIfRDbKsbp7h2X2EpyN1ffzlnCji6lkLsSdD8SK_xZGB8RFmWfWcWLX9Rj6gtUs3igu5bo1zmJ5KGb0DmjULC7rWQ6UtDOMwuRkTZ5lR-Qaw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josef out soaking up a bit of winter sunshine</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One of the reasons for the additive problem was also trying to get enough of it. Ian had just a small amount left over from last year and the petrol station ran out of the stuff. Well Ian has now sourced some online and bought enough to last a few winters. People panic buy toilet roll, we panic buy diesel additive. I was meant to be going up to Tartu a few days later, but didn't dare risk getting stranded in the middle of nowhere and there is plenty of that on the journey up. Neither Latvia nor Estonia are densely populated outside of the capitals. I will not be getting a diesel car for this reason, but I'm aiming for a hybrid. We'll see, I still have to organise the financing of it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpT7tM-H0vomqsvR45LVHXSoHIneE2Z3Gf0h7VXzveJQjhhW3OqepoFKI5D_AZ_CPwdfdMnCW6iOU87-u3sIJiEVVlFPQFy2i2f6KcQpDA92fUjDfSzZc_2whlJDkwvQJjVSAHnXVBAx22lpBxJdu31xM2GTqMwDINkBCyPDrUsCqXqigI2z5pDSpNPQ=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpT7tM-H0vomqsvR45LVHXSoHIneE2Z3Gf0h7VXzveJQjhhW3OqepoFKI5D_AZ_CPwdfdMnCW6iOU87-u3sIJiEVVlFPQFy2i2f6KcQpDA92fUjDfSzZc_2whlJDkwvQJjVSAHnXVBAx22lpBxJdu31xM2GTqMwDINkBCyPDrUsCqXqigI2z5pDSpNPQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just love seeing the frosted trees against the <br />brilliant blue of a winter sky</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEGmnESVMeYHSxYNY22dfw0IYzKEdyWq4JfAlce-P1Ipyjpdca4KGF2TCkh_ALf1upk4T1sw2LkwqTcLyfFs8bDdMxCTJOENrLq_o_Mu0GkaQH36V-FvRU4r6tKA78Es9tPI4tB973JVYt1l60Odo5PaPzeBjGAzZetpveykT7bV2ouBkYc7TiY2MqDQ=s3008" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEGmnESVMeYHSxYNY22dfw0IYzKEdyWq4JfAlce-P1Ipyjpdca4KGF2TCkh_ALf1upk4T1sw2LkwqTcLyfFs8bDdMxCTJOENrLq_o_Mu0GkaQH36V-FvRU4r6tKA78Es9tPI4tB973JVYt1l60Odo5PaPzeBjGAzZetpveykT7bV2ouBkYc7TiY2MqDQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly is growing well but still being fed. It does<br />rather tie Ian to the farm. No going off for a few<br />hours yet.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>With the cold weather we also got snow, quite a thick blanket too. That didn't help our greenhouse situation. It is definitely on its last legs and needs quite an overhaul for next year. Two sections tore and dumped some snow inside the greenhouse and some on the caravan. Ian managed to repair one patch but the other was more problematic. One of our visitors contacted us and offered to help. She came with a friend of hers and he was wonderful. He worked out what to do and organised us to help. It's not easy though repairing a central section of a large greenhouse. Hopefully it will last the rest of the winter. The lady also helped us with Brencis while Ian cut his toe nails and gave him his Vitamin D injection. I held onto Brencis' head and she kind of draped over his back. That is usually enough to keep him steady while he has his toe nails done. I think he even behaved better this time around. He's not bad, just very fidgety, which is not helpful when he is so big.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEif8x5_bPbl61zJcVOobpVXmaKceeTfeaiS_ibzCtqhH3qxff8Ct6U8HrdytKkWP6oepCkee7BnE5fbrr32D30LBDP2ioY4I3reaUMzEM2cQESQAvNxynHPZScmSdMCk9m-tm5V0BwF5cWIhnbgH5XExUVSsl9q84khsmf_qh-GgGa-iWlRv2FkSg2ymg=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEif8x5_bPbl61zJcVOobpVXmaKceeTfeaiS_ibzCtqhH3qxff8Ct6U8HrdytKkWP6oepCkee7BnE5fbrr32D30LBDP2ioY4I3reaUMzEM2cQESQAvNxynHPZScmSdMCk9m-tm5V0BwF5cWIhnbgH5XExUVSsl9q84khsmf_qh-GgGa-iWlRv2FkSg2ymg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the sort of gaping hole we want to <br />see in the greenhouse<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0kelXhxg22Ko91c0KVH3bHUZ_4zO_q20o0kxn-n2HiWZOUClHMF58AWAZBIfUng1xdSfOypbmEaFOatTbIrbjc1BoMa3gqE7qaJDysIYpOy0LB3Qt9tQsutHLbP6byCVmuTLZ-uD4SgE1GCIDoSu8FQVAxfzqV7Z2R4Y0mJt5SKxFbHD0U8uAO_oh6w=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0kelXhxg22Ko91c0KVH3bHUZ_4zO_q20o0kxn-n2HiWZOUClHMF58AWAZBIfUng1xdSfOypbmEaFOatTbIrbjc1BoMa3gqE7qaJDysIYpOy0LB3Qt9tQsutHLbP6byCVmuTLZ-uD4SgE1GCIDoSu8FQVAxfzqV7Z2R4Y0mJt5SKxFbHD0U8uAO_oh6w=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The caravan gets moved into the greenhouse to<br />protect it over winter. Not get snowed in.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1-fowlyBVM60OSUnYWESQoNm7QMZNgEfIHwTgAaKI91AXHfwbNrcZqmvaFssIE2rw17cH1eICRB-bGlzdUonVxZQu__ePs6B9DikhVeTqWNBNMgL_zRRNGO0OzzXbu9sA8uYKHuFlH1O8Wtd_CqLIiBu9ZgbdYtwt8VMgpTeivp13CCT6qP2Zg2I8Xw=s3008" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1-fowlyBVM60OSUnYWESQoNm7QMZNgEfIHwTgAaKI91AXHfwbNrcZqmvaFssIE2rw17cH1eICRB-bGlzdUonVxZQu__ePs6B9DikhVeTqWNBNMgL_zRRNGO0OzzXbu9sA8uYKHuFlH1O8Wtd_CqLIiBu9ZgbdYtwt8VMgpTeivp13CCT6qP2Zg2I8Xw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"How warm is the water?", Lolly asks.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It did warm up again last week and the snow almost disappeared resulting in the usual post-snow muddy mess but now the cold has returned. Not sure if it will dip below -25C again this time though as the forecast is for more like -15C, but the wind is bitter. We've also had little snow flurries and so the ground is covered again, but not deep, more like a dusting - well a Latvian version of a dusting. The cold has meant we had unwelcome visitors to our orchard and some pruning was undertaken. Not quite the pruning we had in mind. At least the muddy weather meant Ian was able to put up the double stranded wire fence around that was enough to keep the deer out of the orchard the last time. Apparently they don't judge distances well and so a double fence works better than a high fence.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikBXwva9Xz4MqkWD01hbnOv6F1vqcVj8ikBwPRSppzFLFc3_dhWvo7cT7B9DFolH7kJT6jK_nMVSHdzf7J2PMd_NllnIIpMBYNVTfQI0MzUojuUWmal1TqmeTRBCXD0O3LvA6KtepXYX5xPYal9eTche3Jr7qovwgb_2EoXlKW7zRkK_ZgsmhRO8LViA=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikBXwva9Xz4MqkWD01hbnOv6F1vqcVj8ikBwPRSppzFLFc3_dhWvo7cT7B9DFolH7kJT6jK_nMVSHdzf7J2PMd_NllnIIpMBYNVTfQI0MzUojuUWmal1TqmeTRBCXD0O3LvA6KtepXYX5xPYal9eTche3Jr7qovwgb_2EoXlKW7zRkK_ZgsmhRO8LViA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla has been eating the snow it seems. She is<br />one unfazed cria. Normally they are more timid,<br />not this bossy little madam. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTVBWvGPR-S_zv4bgjQkNUcZ3oM9ZyeySereutWGhR70zlXS6B-yXj1dU4YmVMZF9qW7f2xOpfMOJ4jYhRhizDapGGDK4i6T89f9KLukUf2ObxM1zb6ACC7ZYVYKfXvnhFhIb2qAnprsKI3Q-muPupohqsq5rzIHWAmXn-CmAcQH6afXPoqXWb1rBxAw=s4032" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTVBWvGPR-S_zv4bgjQkNUcZ3oM9ZyeySereutWGhR70zlXS6B-yXj1dU4YmVMZF9qW7f2xOpfMOJ4jYhRhizDapGGDK4i6T89f9KLukUf2ObxM1zb6ACC7ZYVYKfXvnhFhIb2qAnprsKI3Q-muPupohqsq5rzIHWAmXn-CmAcQH6afXPoqXWb1rBxAw=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sort of looks like Lolly is up to her<br />neck in snow, but not really</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Since the cosy blanket of snow went I also decided that my plants needed some protection from the cold and cut down some spruce trees (Christmas trees). They grow like weeds on our land ad so we cut them for our alpacas and the garden. We leave the trees that are better for biodiversity. I also cut one to bring home to decorate for Christmas. Normally Ian would bring one back on Christmas Eve but it was due to snow and since I was cutting trees down anyway, I thought one of them would make a decent decorative indoor tree. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD3YnBdPTMXtZ64obIBISJYpjIDF5pYkV3GDtWF6XYhCYEnH70OdFvHTGFBSYmfqBlqAARHrqbb67FXtNhd6ecN8s0Fj1F_mhpKRCl4tRkVVYAM5olea-r6ImJYReuYIc_l_gMkYqhvTWA-jzUDujOwJUmr-DX1KqpyotgIIQFkrpuMlzgZHrO-EOR_g=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD3YnBdPTMXtZ64obIBISJYpjIDF5pYkV3GDtWF6XYhCYEnH70OdFvHTGFBSYmfqBlqAARHrqbb67FXtNhd6ecN8s0Fj1F_mhpKRCl4tRkVVYAM5olea-r6ImJYReuYIc_l_gMkYqhvTWA-jzUDujOwJUmr-DX1KqpyotgIIQFkrpuMlzgZHrO-EOR_g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I won't be getting much veg from the garden<br />for a while.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh07UFd0vrqK4jCvkZy3R0qn2cHm2nyMRAx25UZv6sTJGOdPyHB5Z2oRFryWtbVLGnsyU4syAvWRhJtSvsxeJflO9l_i6SGVbrhr_YyvSJpHGkiMvmletOxqJYTykPgRBNmG1yEt5qjqrzYCkJGnPQKO0GZKbBajvuATzDyy6RAJI442DVIc7XO62I23g=s3008" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh07UFd0vrqK4jCvkZy3R0qn2cHm2nyMRAx25UZv6sTJGOdPyHB5Z2oRFryWtbVLGnsyU4syAvWRhJtSvsxeJflO9l_i6SGVbrhr_YyvSJpHGkiMvmletOxqJYTykPgRBNmG1yEt5qjqrzYCkJGnPQKO0GZKbBajvuATzDyy6RAJI442DVIc7XO62I23g=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had to laugh the other day when Aggie was<br />purposefully ignoring me till I offered her food.<br />She turned to me, snaffled the food and then<br />ignored me again.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So apart from that, not much else has happened. There are the regular things like putting cream on Aggie's feet as the mites had made her feet sore. It is now improving even with only a weekly slathering of home-made ointment. Unfortunately Chanel is a difficult one as she won't let us get near enough to put cream on as she sits down and all the parts that need cream are underneath her. During the summer we sprayed oil on, but that is not feasible over winter as we cannot direct it to just where it is needed and it means her fleece doesn't repel the water as well - surprisingly. We had to give her a good brush down to fluff her coat up again to protect her from the cold. She has now been started on a course of ivermectin (yes its for mites not Covid). She had one at the weekend and the next will be in about two weeks time. So all in all, plenty to keep me busy but just not so much to write about at the moment. No escaping alpacas, no traipsing to the garden to get veg, to the barn to get milk and then to the kitchen to prepare food. All the preparation of food from the garden has been done and in jars or in the freezer. A waiting time, a pondering time, a planning time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_tzYxedqamL9u-B5JhAiHObQbi5-OWhgJfgnqJ3JWDMLhbQOHp235IBELDHI9yzB4rnEDCSiKZ24m3B3ZNslG19FW3BDNnKqHL7DE7AKkSMW84kTTmNuqhQ44gw7McKcjbTpAGDy60hHB7mysQ4qrihAkmXd3hPy9hg51XHZoup73LAPxsIRbI_1zyg=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_tzYxedqamL9u-B5JhAiHObQbi5-OWhgJfgnqJ3JWDMLhbQOHp235IBELDHI9yzB4rnEDCSiKZ24m3B3ZNslG19FW3BDNnKqHL7DE7AKkSMW84kTTmNuqhQ44gw7McKcjbTpAGDy60hHB7mysQ4qrihAkmXd3hPy9hg51XHZoup73LAPxsIRbI_1zyg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel is such a sweetie really, as long as you don't<br />want to put cream on her, cut her toe nails, do <br />something to her daughter (who is now a grown <br />alpaca and expecting her own baby hopefully) or...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJfdfcO_AQHyqjX1DbrILRpBbJQjl5mW6x6N0fVhV-1BzBzX8TprCxzB6k7aZLEGOMrwq6c_rr00YXXqhbo3WGiuqOrwEZurUgcsOsFClJIk5UtdZBrf16mG4OhEcqpf73MIemnLVgq30i4lOe7xjSpLBmZPx1reWJ9t1HPk9UqsSJ1VCO63aYkkT5Iw=s3008" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJfdfcO_AQHyqjX1DbrILRpBbJQjl5mW6x6N0fVhV-1BzBzX8TprCxzB6k7aZLEGOMrwq6c_rr00YXXqhbo3WGiuqOrwEZurUgcsOsFClJIk5UtdZBrf16mG4OhEcqpf73MIemnLVgq30i4lOe7xjSpLBmZPx1reWJ9t1HPk9UqsSJ1VCO63aYkkT5Iw=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilvija, Chanel's daughter, practicing her Christmas<br />carols</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhMsm3NmrfhVz9d1A8b-zVnP8e242s2utILpmsb8btvobE_iCBj6UlVCMZLkpCuBBCDn7K3pc0cU9cwo775Utz_8NIkAZOvDCAkH_Jb2b3QWjmvNop3TAJMK1rXu0Ry9UPIRI3ElV--mjOtmrsj31_m8OdWiZgggp4k5lHSxuQ3vUtOfHDu7O7y3KLJg=s1024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhMsm3NmrfhVz9d1A8b-zVnP8e242s2utILpmsb8btvobE_iCBj6UlVCMZLkpCuBBCDn7K3pc0cU9cwo775Utz_8NIkAZOvDCAkH_Jb2b3QWjmvNop3TAJMK1rXu0Ry9UPIRI3ElV--mjOtmrsj31_m8OdWiZgggp4k5lHSxuQ3vUtOfHDu7O7y3KLJg=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's this doing here? This is from <br />many years ago, when my hair was not<br />white for a start. I used to teach in <br />children's camps in Latvia. This was <br />a photo I used in a presentation for a<br />lecture to talk a little about myself and<br />some of my experience. A varied <br />background for an academic really</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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You will have to wait for daylight for<br />snowy pictures<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I write the snow is coming down quite thickly now. We've had snow before already this autumn/winter but it didn't last long and something we expect at this time of the year. This snowfall may last a while though as the temperatures are set to plummet. I managed to dig up the carrots, leeks and parsnips at the weekend. Hopefully I found them all under the light blanket of snow. This morning I harvested the kale and savoy cabbage as there is no guarantee I will find them once we have a thick blanket down on the ground. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQZl63FanyhaxdFo2W_FKmRk2beIBLrt2Twi0J8Z9GFstL77-NRxkxVHJhqO3OcJYeUXw91Pj7t6ZP-CrOtzsfdGrhjWhD1KAFet115Zgfk2ZwwV9QmFKaE-ebbDUOe1sMO-mruuQ0VVr/s1280/DSC_4853.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQZl63FanyhaxdFo2W_FKmRk2beIBLrt2Twi0J8Z9GFstL77-NRxkxVHJhqO3OcJYeUXw91Pj7t6ZP-CrOtzsfdGrhjWhD1KAFet115Zgfk2ZwwV9QmFKaE-ebbDUOe1sMO-mruuQ0VVr/s320/DSC_4853.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A frost covered savoy cabbage</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKuK77nTCGoaxayapWM_bY_xFBvMsn00TAQ6JjdMqGqP1T0doYl3gW5E4rv8owGPhFjBjQApS7Hcm67HG8DXs4YlbtgGg2J9M0wq-JmOiq0OBfm7DyGsABlfE7-V3fph3gDrliQtbS-wC/s1280/DSC_4839.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKuK77nTCGoaxayapWM_bY_xFBvMsn00TAQ6JjdMqGqP1T0doYl3gW5E4rv8owGPhFjBjQApS7Hcm67HG8DXs4YlbtgGg2J9M0wq-JmOiq0OBfm7DyGsABlfE7-V3fph3gDrliQtbS-wC/s320/DSC_4839.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frosted mallow plants</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I haven't had the chance of getting my flower and herb beds protected with spruce coverings but maybe I can do that at the weekend. The plants won't need the protection from the cold at this time of the year as the snow will do that but they may need it in the spring as the snow melts and they may need protection from being eaten by deer. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbw5NrgtOwuiuq8GkNHyOkyocajnQJ_QoM-69gAzOC9pdpaziGA4TtscJhKgHp_nICEO4CT985eT_4n3BXyw7In9RU0U-gIElN0cxUpz4yrAWeK1FP4hkyVQXqjZSdTp6aZn1uCGaMK-v/s1280/DSC_4848.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbw5NrgtOwuiuq8GkNHyOkyocajnQJ_QoM-69gAzOC9pdpaziGA4TtscJhKgHp_nICEO4CT985eT_4n3BXyw7In9RU0U-gIElN0cxUpz4yrAWeK1FP4hkyVQXqjZSdTp6aZn1uCGaMK-v/s320/DSC_4848.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The deer nearly ate my water lily one year, but this<br />year they would have difficulty getting to it.<br />I love the abstract effect of the autumnal colours<br />frozen under the water.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6anFgUP1b0hQ7Zd2J1vdMWozXo4Twa7jTxS91roAHQqO1uYRsfN8kGK06FDHoVUH_4HL48AYEctMte0CGaQygKD01pEB9v4WT3tfywI1O1XE58jjYDsFe_U85gzA-54_93ZosaRVHTS_D/s1280/DSC_4861.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6anFgUP1b0hQ7Zd2J1vdMWozXo4Twa7jTxS91roAHQqO1uYRsfN8kGK06FDHoVUH_4HL48AYEctMte0CGaQygKD01pEB9v4WT3tfywI1O1XE58jjYDsFe_U85gzA-54_93ZosaRVHTS_D/s320/DSC_4861.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How can one little cat cause such a fuss?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>At least the fences have all been taken in, as it is difficult to taken in an electric fence once it snows and it could be broken by the weight of the snow, as well as a tripping hazard once the snow gets really deep and we forget where it is. The boys was taken in after their little escapades and they haven't been allowed out of the paddock since. They moan from time to time but I think they mainly realised that it's that time of the year anyway and if not, they will now. They don't like to go far in the snow. The girls' fence was taken in yesterday due to the forecast of up to 20cm of snow. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg32RtG7mCF8G7NbUf9UW5V3ZJyWyUWfYLAwM5aQuW0BO4-eyW3cb9S9GkP3EfWAXW16Y50o7gcAXk0wTDnjHYhI_8fXrP2J7HdhUwhpL3xEWBEOatu-UHr8z-p7dtyv7M4dF6cG38bf5K/s1280/DSC_4864.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg32RtG7mCF8G7NbUf9UW5V3ZJyWyUWfYLAwM5aQuW0BO4-eyW3cb9S9GkP3EfWAXW16Y50o7gcAXk0wTDnjHYhI_8fXrP2J7HdhUwhpL3xEWBEOatu-UHr8z-p7dtyv7M4dF6cG38bf5K/s320/DSC_4864.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An alpaca eye, Jakobs</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBLOFwhZk9SNdU7pEDUciEvtlIuIMtSSdlvWlnpuMEpGWRYGZ1GHKVGsyAOYyFLa7OasT8P-xNHUGadjOYfcWCjvBlI_XtY1dyUL6y8FveUivJMTnY0pdIviOqFanB1abc7ei33mtAvSc/s1280/DSC_4909.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBLOFwhZk9SNdU7pEDUciEvtlIuIMtSSdlvWlnpuMEpGWRYGZ1GHKVGsyAOYyFLa7OasT8P-xNHUGadjOYfcWCjvBlI_XtY1dyUL6y8FveUivJMTnY0pdIviOqFanB1abc7ei33mtAvSc/s320/DSC_4909.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly is quite tall and getting very fluffy. She<br />will need all that fleece next week to keep warm.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Despite the on and off bits of snow we've had, the weather has been quite warm in between at least most of the time and so we've not had the urgency of moving out of the caravan yet. We will this week as it is getting too difficult to prepare an evening meal with the cold and dark. Some warm water on tap sounds wonderful right now. I don't ask for much do I? One of the reasons for not being in a hurry is that Lolly also still needs feeding and she is still getting a late night feed. However, this evening she challenged Chanel for a tray of food and so this will help to fill her over the night, along with the hay of course. She is one of the earliest to start eating the granular feed and will just about manage that from Ian's hand now. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN7Zx8M5HE8ivYh_pe4v3jfBX8pYvCoKN4zuSTdCF4VzufkA_e72nXUir73olG5pqH8-rwR-N1lYlRxxrHXWomI-t5eTKmleyTNrqgDOhSzZ18qq8EvEXg27chn7L1nJuNp6iCbG2ajNR/s1280/DSC_4857.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvN7Zx8M5HE8ivYh_pe4v3jfBX8pYvCoKN4zuSTdCF4VzufkA_e72nXUir73olG5pqH8-rwR-N1lYlRxxrHXWomI-t5eTKmleyTNrqgDOhSzZ18qq8EvEXg27chn7L1nJuNp6iCbG2ajNR/s320/DSC_4857.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josefs is Lolly's half brother and he's quite tall too</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpwcActPBVpIxu2tfki_i7ekcm1pWXqBPzNZ5u3vXkb0dvWmJCUOs10DrAAvGt_NBk8dmxI1a_36EohRjp4elRYwor0Fv84-Z1Y1tROVkHKdbHNN_AMp_AFfsvGlQFgZ_2c-SdFnezr-H/s1280/DSC_4894.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpwcActPBVpIxu2tfki_i7ekcm1pWXqBPzNZ5u3vXkb0dvWmJCUOs10DrAAvGt_NBk8dmxI1a_36EohRjp4elRYwor0Fv84-Z1Y1tROVkHKdbHNN_AMp_AFfsvGlQFgZ_2c-SdFnezr-H/s320/DSC_4894.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ilvija can be quite timid, but definitely seems to<br />have learnt how to avoid being handled from her<br />mother</td></tr></tbody></table><p>This morning Ian managed to get Chanel and Ilvija separated. Chanel is still very protective of Ilvija and that makes it very difficult to trim Ilvija's toe nails and do anything else that needs doing. This morning Ian wanted to check her front teeth and there certainly seems to be a problem with them. It is as if they are rotting away and yet just a month ago they were perfectly fine. We now have to try and work out what the problem is or whether she has been kicked and we hadn't noticed. At least in a white alpaca if there is any injury it is easy to see, but not so easy with a dark alpaca. We also did take the advantage of trimming her toe nails but she was a very squirmy one - probably because she doesn't get used to being handled due to her protective mum. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFSQ6-KMmfcxp8iVmoDXNvF2EfnuFcTX9aiXR0vXctUpFsyMSraKSivxkFqXF-Ta3moQpt6nBYoghE5n4syWUOoPLZtANc3JfKbzITtcm-qi_MXqKMBjA3dNzxnn7CPGHRBeanaITFI6R/s1280/DSC_4893.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuFSQ6-KMmfcxp8iVmoDXNvF2EfnuFcTX9aiXR0vXctUpFsyMSraKSivxkFqXF-Ta3moQpt6nBYoghE5n4syWUOoPLZtANc3JfKbzITtcm-qi_MXqKMBjA3dNzxnn7CPGHRBeanaITFI6R/s320/DSC_4893.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her mother can be sweet too, but we are oh so<br />wary in case she gets upset and starts spitting.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnk28b8rSHX6hOJlX7Lk5m3UKcjzIdKiRsR4UiHxvivj7pPcVYM8aecm0B2BmWO6wMaAxxVaMNq3_FSXEhBKqz4lUmCQAAIj2ZafgI3p_AX2ARFWZIhyphenhyphenMU4DD30BCZpiop2-XfSZTK7EH/s1280/DSC_4837.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnk28b8rSHX6hOJlX7Lk5m3UKcjzIdKiRsR4UiHxvivj7pPcVYM8aecm0B2BmWO6wMaAxxVaMNq3_FSXEhBKqz4lUmCQAAIj2ZafgI3p_AX2ARFWZIhyphenhyphenMU4DD30BCZpiop2-XfSZTK7EH/s320/DSC_4837.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raspberry leaves</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtCpR3zbK_2iudqZUYm7qBnvi6lMb3i2qhGRmlD0Ehfdakp8AIjrlRU9iKsHP4CVrBOtbKV2rTfjG-uljNLw5HygtuTvg0fNQYkAcDh8N3VaWPW1oCULDoeJfwy5mkMn4tqjBn4yODPtl/s1280/DSC_4927.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtCpR3zbK_2iudqZUYm7qBnvi6lMb3i2qhGRmlD0Ehfdakp8AIjrlRU9iKsHP4CVrBOtbKV2rTfjG-uljNLw5HygtuTvg0fNQYkAcDh8N3VaWPW1oCULDoeJfwy5mkMn4tqjBn4yODPtl/s320/DSC_4927.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antonia sunbathing! In the frosty morning!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I saw a house sparrow here on our land for the first time recently. Ian has seen them before but not often. So what! It does mean that the bird diversity is increasing here, which is good. Sparrows are not that common on our land and I've seen more eagles and buzzards than sparrows in the rural areas. At the moment the most common bird is the coal tit but there was a surprise one morning when I looked out of the caravan window and saw a crested tit land on the grapevine. It was more of a shock because the caravan is in our greenhouse and the doors were shut. Not sure how it got in. We had to leave the doors open for it to escape before our cats found it. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAcc-CkCIDeA_ndpomhhmBwq_Q05r4mepF6eUfdzQNf8HgyasKyvA25mzHsXhx358_dJSsn2aOhGfyLwbBBBgKd5E1uwhS4CaY73nKq2TUKoZfOlEhY9JieiZ0Yg-RYfHw_Rjh7F9zhSh/s1280/DSC_4844.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAcc-CkCIDeA_ndpomhhmBwq_Q05r4mepF6eUfdzQNf8HgyasKyvA25mzHsXhx358_dJSsn2aOhGfyLwbBBBgKd5E1uwhS4CaY73nKq2TUKoZfOlEhY9JieiZ0Yg-RYfHw_Rjh7F9zhSh/s320/DSC_4844.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frosted pine needles</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyV8IiyTVnlQdwNIbhc-da15QUXgwYsdXmjhUFOKQsdXfYxMjnXTXmfqFSq2K8EEVnSWZ3t93lJfN7RlenFZlFBZn8Iu84UbZ6mp7lXEjzym_k2M6uy_zy0WIL00iDAUiytekq80jAELK/s1280/DSC_4862.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyV8IiyTVnlQdwNIbhc-da15QUXgwYsdXmjhUFOKQsdXfYxMjnXTXmfqFSq2K8EEVnSWZ3t93lJfN7RlenFZlFBZn8Iu84UbZ6mp7lXEjzym_k2M6uy_zy0WIL00iDAUiytekq80jAELK/s320/DSC_4862.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a scary cat over there says George.<br />George is a bit of a wimp when it comes to the <br />mud. Before they were locked in their paddock,<br />for bad behaviour, they would have to go through<br />a gate with a muddy puddle in the middle. He <br />would delicately pick his way around the <br />puddle. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Our internet is back up and working properly now that the lockdown has finished. I guess a lot of folks went home, or maybe it doesn't take a lot of people to slow down our internet. I don't know. What I do know is that we now regularly get 4 or 5 Mbps but we get even more in the morning, around 10-20Mbps. I went back to our apartment for a meeting the other day as it wasn't appropriate to do that in the caravan and I got a whopping 54Mbps - bearing in mind this is a mobile internet we are using and not a fixed line one. Shame it couldn't be like that all the time, it would make some of the work I do a lot faster. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEbBkj3BA7R0AkTaT42ihZEXbN1DZyq0yhEjutE9HazbefNd9vvfbwy4lsbseqdrBZlMSthW-aDfY4lqz1PvhSeWXQpeIKnFc89fccvM-TtVdWIK8HeVj97RLyhg4VeAylVtSub7tckp5/s1280/DSC_4843.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEbBkj3BA7R0AkTaT42ihZEXbN1DZyq0yhEjutE9HazbefNd9vvfbwy4lsbseqdrBZlMSthW-aDfY4lqz1PvhSeWXQpeIKnFc89fccvM-TtVdWIK8HeVj97RLyhg4VeAylVtSub7tckp5/s320/DSC_4843.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is the horehound.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RcPuGaPobkZy-f9Zss5S6VFvdT1YvhMS5kOJi6BOSdqNYQV3jCZst-GqhcW4lQ_rVK-VqSSaJCapnDLE0Hn77ADls3TX5-sTEDRo24RSNAP_bV9mGeTTibqqTr4VxchpoQRpx1c-xyJC/s1280/DSC_4831.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2jifQEz4bvTXQbu85AN7HLENsjDsYUhKYD3auL0_6m7UPJVb7JZDbfyklotbfQ7n7PMsM1pVS4C77lzYL1I-2m5-pboX5OJEoDpob4Ex_-mGWu_GOrfYImDL024si3L0-HpmO5Z_kjKj/s1280/DSC_4875.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2jifQEz4bvTXQbu85AN7HLENsjDsYUhKYD3auL0_6m7UPJVb7JZDbfyklotbfQ7n7PMsM1pVS4C77lzYL1I-2m5-pboX5OJEoDpob4Ex_-mGWu_GOrfYImDL024si3L0-HpmO5Z_kjKj/s320/DSC_4875.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Mr. P contrasts nicely with the </span><br style="text-align: left;" /><div>frosty grass</div></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><span style="text-align: center;">.</span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RcPuGaPobkZy-f9Zss5S6VFvdT1YvhMS5kOJi6BOSdqNYQV3jCZst-GqhcW4lQ_rVK-VqSSaJCapnDLE0Hn77ADls3TX5-sTEDRo24RSNAP_bV9mGeTTibqqTr4VxchpoQRpx1c-xyJC/s1280/DSC_4831.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RcPuGaPobkZy-f9Zss5S6VFvdT1YvhMS5kOJi6BOSdqNYQV3jCZst-GqhcW4lQ_rVK-VqSSaJCapnDLE0Hn77ADls3TX5-sTEDRo24RSNAP_bV9mGeTTibqqTr4VxchpoQRpx1c-xyJC/s320/DSC_4831.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will be put in the barn for some tender <br />loving care over the winter, but first we need it<br />to get plywood to fix it and to take stuff back<br />to the apartment - providing there isn't too much<br />snow.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Ian's been busy too. He's been fixing broken feeders, putting a rubber skirt on the barn door -made from the divider that was in the horse box- to stop snow and wind from blowing underneath, helping other alpaca owners with their alpacas, recovering the haystack with a breathable synthetic felt cover to replace the brittle plastic (I also helped with that) and last but not least trying to order a summer house, which will be a step up from the caravan and mean we can work on constructing a kitchen that I don't have to worry about the cats getting into. The only problem is that we haven't heard back as we decided to try and go for the self-build option as the built option was just outside of our price range. I would need to do quite a bit more proofreading to pay for that. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8APkhsWH2g291tZJ51SDXFGcp39ajpRUJigH2cb-8JMrNFIRjDOpplb2jADZ34lELwmvHdacD1G176-Vd6VqGomAVjeGtfPZpetGdZYLltcbNK_7vidJ_Id0ulTfKEAI0xsus7QzljZy/s1280/DSC_4868.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8APkhsWH2g291tZJ51SDXFGcp39ajpRUJigH2cb-8JMrNFIRjDOpplb2jADZ34lELwmvHdacD1G176-Vd6VqGomAVjeGtfPZpetGdZYLltcbNK_7vidJ_Id0ulTfKEAI0xsus7QzljZy/s320/DSC_4868.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up of George</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79DiIVhzPhf7uWem2h8nME5aRyf-k2vwMPRf0UGv3Q_vROmrFeIYPHqZpZ2WY_3wGjLFsdkXreDMrLVT85uUc4mByde7xsHm6hPR6zqqlcNlKvkfMwzCQxBQoKzhW49jY3_FxJoSCrGQd/s1280/DSC_4955.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg79DiIVhzPhf7uWem2h8nME5aRyf-k2vwMPRf0UGv3Q_vROmrFeIYPHqZpZ2WY_3wGjLFsdkXreDMrLVT85uUc4mByde7xsHm6hPR6zqqlcNlKvkfMwzCQxBQoKzhW49jY3_FxJoSCrGQd/s320/DSC_4955.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our caravan is in there!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Having the caravan spare though means we can have people to stay, particularly those who will help us with the alpacas. Now that will be good - not sure if it will work or not but at least the option is there. Ian did get a surprise message from two French students studying some veterinary related course but he's not heard back from them. Probably put them off with the rather basic accommodation, even if there will be a caravan.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV55xntV1MJrJafnrDYmYRguYfG6fEv_n6eE13WXm-1o6u1mcmg3SzZYJN5CDGDT37oAQrHnBEbg1SxzYn3enL7zCaZQ3N0poPD0MJmd3aNUPILoX0CloH5bw_KX1xddBlaqTWYndDVlju/s1280/DSC_4851.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV55xntV1MJrJafnrDYmYRguYfG6fEv_n6eE13WXm-1o6u1mcmg3SzZYJN5CDGDT37oAQrHnBEbg1SxzYn3enL7zCaZQ3N0poPD0MJmd3aNUPILoX0CloH5bw_KX1xddBlaqTWYndDVlju/s320/DSC_4851.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frosted marigold</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImOr_5-xjD1Tk9qjCb3wlgAD2WOZOJtRjiJVCNnDzKpm77tD7JvFJDVNnulBm4YS4gdIfGgUBD519UvD6MeO3E1DCx64GoEUwI4LOHDqBxBLUHPIeHCKneTDmK3ha8kBDVPP5c39sOhNm/s1280/DSC_4878.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImOr_5-xjD1Tk9qjCb3wlgAD2WOZOJtRjiJVCNnDzKpm77tD7JvFJDVNnulBm4YS4gdIfGgUBD519UvD6MeO3E1DCx64GoEUwI4LOHDqBxBLUHPIeHCKneTDmK3ha8kBDVPP5c39sOhNm/s320/DSC_4878.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very cold day</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2JJrVi_imjJzHUfSuRcc7CW24yoJUQ2LlTI_mXVRcy75j7JaetouATR9xNtJenFyjs9TWHiBliXRngpJYibcyPV3YtUyOTGq9pzuBHAZh6FquXqxcjgvO3_JYzOgzVlnfmx0HcZ8Jjo0/s1280/DSC_4881.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2JJrVi_imjJzHUfSuRcc7CW24yoJUQ2LlTI_mXVRcy75j7JaetouATR9xNtJenFyjs9TWHiBliXRngpJYibcyPV3YtUyOTGq9pzuBHAZh6FquXqxcjgvO3_JYzOgzVlnfmx0HcZ8Jjo0/s320/DSC_4881.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla and her mum</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaemTp-1YiQcm8K-1QM9-iL0UtMsTwmeT8Z4tTsXcCf0zlzYg7RY4tUaq2TQFoqbs59KXK2OkqG2uinCuS4RP8yG6JXRLMbBoC1fwvOnHB0lj8Rspi9Qw9Zrx-R3zraSZbQBW_RFV7W_M/s1280/DSC_4883.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaemTp-1YiQcm8K-1QM9-iL0UtMsTwmeT8Z4tTsXcCf0zlzYg7RY4tUaq2TQFoqbs59KXK2OkqG2uinCuS4RP8yG6JXRLMbBoC1fwvOnHB0lj8Rspi9Qw9Zrx-R3zraSZbQBW_RFV7W_M/s320/DSC_4883.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up of Lolly's fleece.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5A47qJfnZkxf0vzrnz_l4RXTUe0j23ZPh2vfZ1N3sLRhvtuKRQRaKcrK0J2hDZMDYRmBYvYGiTEv-Z4nVVuXMnTJ2VhFRzppWb3OavqtEU3HF9_042SLQvoNPyq8eSHs0bho_j3KiohmS/s1280/DSC_4885.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5A47qJfnZkxf0vzrnz_l4RXTUe0j23ZPh2vfZ1N3sLRhvtuKRQRaKcrK0J2hDZMDYRmBYvYGiTEv-Z4nVVuXMnTJ2VhFRzppWb3OavqtEU3HF9_042SLQvoNPyq8eSHs0bho_j3KiohmS/s320/DSC_4885.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mari doing her warm up exercises.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68kUgK1tT3e_wErfvIMtIhjblG81XO3weemhe6oPm9DZTdl_IcERFwS-_rUEY0bLyEWnaYH8-DP5FjqHyp52vugl3YgkzcPuRVHztLXAihtqcIYWw4ipjsqwuHgog4ZmIUD7-xGb_t6Cv/s1280/DSC_4902.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68kUgK1tT3e_wErfvIMtIhjblG81XO3weemhe6oPm9DZTdl_IcERFwS-_rUEY0bLyEWnaYH8-DP5FjqHyp52vugl3YgkzcPuRVHztLXAihtqcIYWw4ipjsqwuHgog4ZmIUD7-xGb_t6Cv/s320/DSC_4902.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass ice-cream</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEnvEj0y8hQVNZ8iGunhpOG5w0J1VnxXdlFbBwRkhyphenhyphenKyJ82LY67uvhQ6LfDUH9s_XMWCIVkt_CcR4pXzJeEy3gJ3tmrW1xZiil6qvHJQO1BtNdAOtFM7PoJQVP7s_FQ2-QwtRiBxBeH6o/s1280/DSC_4904.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEnvEj0y8hQVNZ8iGunhpOG5w0J1VnxXdlFbBwRkhyphenhyphenKyJ82LY67uvhQ6LfDUH9s_XMWCIVkt_CcR4pXzJeEy3gJ3tmrW1xZiil6qvHJQO1BtNdAOtFM7PoJQVP7s_FQ2-QwtRiBxBeH6o/s320/DSC_4904.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grass will have disappeared under a blanket<br />of snow by tomorrow morning</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOAMmof79r6pzA0qzUfql-2sA9OOupp47imGKN8MtfZ1r-ZXEKWEv6jmCF3kiBL134l30j9xHP_dHw72SaA1A1DyzV0pqCiqzHgz1LXoil1CcaC5q-Ve1vllZOO_Vyh51YYBA2dRDI4Xw/s1280/DSC_4914.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOAMmof79r6pzA0qzUfql-2sA9OOupp47imGKN8MtfZ1r-ZXEKWEv6jmCF3kiBL134l30j9xHP_dHw72SaA1A1DyzV0pqCiqzHgz1LXoil1CcaC5q-Ve1vllZOO_Vyh51YYBA2dRDI4Xw/s320/DSC_4914.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A warm spot on top of the caravan</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaKamGvFNKgSBjc6627zASs-GQjxEfPTV-MXhq7KjygCLj2vXGQ4ugIcxrTOu1hstZhvwnDV1XTjjY_9OcYl5d_N3hLW8vSykSiQhskbHknD4IOkGEVFtMxwkRggg5nQJb4ApsLLvPPyX/s1280/DSC_4915.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaKamGvFNKgSBjc6627zASs-GQjxEfPTV-MXhq7KjygCLj2vXGQ4ugIcxrTOu1hstZhvwnDV1XTjjY_9OcYl5d_N3hLW8vSykSiQhskbHknD4IOkGEVFtMxwkRggg5nQJb4ApsLLvPPyX/s320/DSC_4915.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cattails</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzpGDvzyN7pShgtWMkAzWvg16nOCa0mYYOLqq_s5Qi3fSMypOg7I8gDsHdVmlOdVdWjnXs92f9_ZYuhYdjP_zhFqxOed3szXWAZZwDrfBrYMPw_AqSEpzFdOgPlWX2w3yYY1y3jp-i07N/s1280/DSC_4920.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzpGDvzyN7pShgtWMkAzWvg16nOCa0mYYOLqq_s5Qi3fSMypOg7I8gDsHdVmlOdVdWjnXs92f9_ZYuhYdjP_zhFqxOed3szXWAZZwDrfBrYMPw_AqSEpzFdOgPlWX2w3yYY1y3jp-i07N/s320/DSC_4920.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian taking a photo and Lolly checking him out, <br />or rather their shadows!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHZYIHCvlAVpm0lBlKTbWaJJopsyIf3wt2-rblYqHQCArX3rzhd8wi_Twldu-7A-CiUgSxXe-gaf21uyM6ysPbUZ2ZIlpOoNQ9WVWh-x82NVLSM-7xrMlN7maal1JZqRq17uLYY01NH_K/s1280/DSC_4933.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHZYIHCvlAVpm0lBlKTbWaJJopsyIf3wt2-rblYqHQCArX3rzhd8wi_Twldu-7A-CiUgSxXe-gaf21uyM6ysPbUZ2ZIlpOoNQ9WVWh-x82NVLSM-7xrMlN7maal1JZqRq17uLYY01NH_K/s320/DSC_4933.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mvjvwfHGCxkMZGNGnJLhfBM1QFUFyQSfuPHivRt76JHeNqX-SG_FKgJeOSQLxkFJGN_y91zez0kW3spWGs9gLqudnpnmMmmXFGRanygD61ehAY5vbt-I9Nq4oLWnQh1hYAoqFYJiWPp1/s1280/DSC_4935.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mvjvwfHGCxkMZGNGnJLhfBM1QFUFyQSfuPHivRt76JHeNqX-SG_FKgJeOSQLxkFJGN_y91zez0kW3spWGs9gLqudnpnmMmmXFGRanygD61ehAY5vbt-I9Nq4oLWnQh1hYAoqFYJiWPp1/s320/DSC_4935.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least someone is using the outside loo. <br />Good for you Valeria</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpiQ1Sq6s8iqFVqhM0rURR_LpImWkUIwaO7hVgEUknh3LjgD8W4EzCDglB9b213Gdz3oo4S2hfmubwY07v4QApJPSoVdUnXOaUciVTT6etQpOL0EK4N7Z3Z4rKNysbqrUlwAZvfWVEJAp/s1280/DSC_4936.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpiQ1Sq6s8iqFVqhM0rURR_LpImWkUIwaO7hVgEUknh3LjgD8W4EzCDglB9b213Gdz3oo4S2hfmubwY07v4QApJPSoVdUnXOaUciVTT6etQpOL0EK4N7Z3Z4rKNysbqrUlwAZvfWVEJAp/s320/DSC_4936.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanessa warming up in the sun</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RAA85sZe6aY7x6tw3TS754Y2AsuAeXQCpw_AOWYHD84pFukyU5TJY75XFaRaDDObrWFZmoDv5jvAz9JeqsSKVuwC_0ivYKIxF7jQSyimJs6KDY6miYNwc1NPauZTNkOF2qYts0OlHdIx/s1280/DSC_4949.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RAA85sZe6aY7x6tw3TS754Y2AsuAeXQCpw_AOWYHD84pFukyU5TJY75XFaRaDDObrWFZmoDv5jvAz9JeqsSKVuwC_0ivYKIxF7jQSyimJs6KDY6miYNwc1NPauZTNkOF2qYts0OlHdIx/s320/DSC_4949.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello Lolly!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfAR6zAA7KghpITLh5Q6dv1pKAgZoQSmTr63WFepYW9X5K_kXQHpKOf_cRkUy8vJeRiOLT9Vcsd1BR6qGdCKTsTXvU7-qRWWPqVFCHPWgTrIs2wtcFXbryXvg7CeIXNBEVlUTPor4v-M3/s1280/DSC_4958.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdfAR6zAA7KghpITLh5Q6dv1pKAgZoQSmTr63WFepYW9X5K_kXQHpKOf_cRkUy8vJeRiOLT9Vcsd1BR6qGdCKTsTXvU7-qRWWPqVFCHPWgTrIs2wtcFXbryXvg7CeIXNBEVlUTPor4v-M3/s320/DSC_4958.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie with Josefs in the background<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEF0E5G3qq14ngqQPBeIQXDf8pUYQYFA2HtiEyaJ8bh1GbTk-ad_kOYt7NQJbeJmU0ktXQQwEHOK1-ndOvYECPoga42SWPAiWFN4zXLSsegPrLGGGJunHueyhry9bzXTIyrcLjoTq-mSb/s1280/DSC_4962.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEF0E5G3qq14ngqQPBeIQXDf8pUYQYFA2HtiEyaJ8bh1GbTk-ad_kOYt7NQJbeJmU0ktXQQwEHOK1-ndOvYECPoga42SWPAiWFN4zXLSsegPrLGGGJunHueyhry9bzXTIyrcLjoTq-mSb/s320/DSC_4962.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turbjørn soaking up some sun</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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} catch(err) {}</script></div>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-9919926190076205572021-11-12T22:05:00.003+02:002021-11-12T22:10:25.365+02:00And other things<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdMRWL5V6pPXC2Ry3Y-nlp6wEV2kZiEINUL9d4wNn1u9zbOU0W_CPSRKbxRF930e1YAspi1tn_bVU-NoVwsm4jLhGfMTnk_oO3Pn-WJnIcxLJ4qgdGlfwh3ugHD0nkdTeskuGQFjsz2LE/s1280/DSC_4815.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdMRWL5V6pPXC2Ry3Y-nlp6wEV2kZiEINUL9d4wNn1u9zbOU0W_CPSRKbxRF930e1YAspi1tn_bVU-NoVwsm4jLhGfMTnk_oO3Pn-WJnIcxLJ4qgdGlfwh3ugHD0nkdTeskuGQFjsz2LE/s320/DSC_4815.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got this look today when she turned to face me.<br />Fortunately she decided to do as she was told<br />and not spit at me in the process.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Not a plain sailing kind of week. Chanel had an eye infection, which meant putting eye cream in every night for about a week. I tried irrigating the eye at first, as that normally helps as it did with Freddie not so long ago, but after two days and no improvement we went to get a prescription from the vet. It was kind of tricky getting eye cream into Aggie recently but even worse with Chanel, who is our rather spitty alpaca. Chanel also sits down as soon as we try to do anything to her and she will often sit down near the door; so that meant straddling her to put the cream in and praying she didn't stand up in the meantime. Fortunately she decided to stay down on the floor. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qfRBTqoBdtQB7pCYeHotCJmLJMwqHpojizKIjZ9IvFCHAqJwUdDLQrMnuI2Rr2LCcAgf8aHZs0WoCQkDii_bhzyEEeo52JVaj50wKLcX0K2uSeiLEyDfCO3LLW0AzRIBIEb51GJn9XcK/s1280/DSC_4789.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qfRBTqoBdtQB7pCYeHotCJmLJMwqHpojizKIjZ9IvFCHAqJwUdDLQrMnuI2Rr2LCcAgf8aHZs0WoCQkDii_bhzyEEeo52JVaj50wKLcX0K2uSeiLEyDfCO3LLW0AzRIBIEb51GJn9XcK/s320/DSC_4789.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise! It really does exist</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIckvFRNg2-ElRC2jSIKUydiBeoGaZWRRZuMzjv6m8jF8-QG4NRAxU_6IM5RxhuQ7gcOLKo6cRdTG9lThg3O9t6H3b9Phv_rc_MmF7GPPoFYZ6v5zJ0m76gttN5_LtvclPRX3MAyJx6zI3/s1280/DSC_4796.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1280" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIckvFRNg2-ElRC2jSIKUydiBeoGaZWRRZuMzjv6m8jF8-QG4NRAxU_6IM5RxhuQ7gcOLKo6cRdTG9lThg3O9t6H3b9Phv_rc_MmF7GPPoFYZ6v5zJ0m76gttN5_LtvclPRX3MAyJx6zI3/s320/DSC_4796.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Personally if I was going to zone out on a <br />frosty morning, I would choose a sunnier spot.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One night I noticed that Aggie was stamping her foot a lot and she seemed rather agitated. I thought she looked like the mites were bothering her again and so she has had oil sprayed onto her feet. It might also be the issue with her eye that is beginning to swell a little again. It's not an eye infection like Chanel's as Aggies' eye issues responded to steroid cream and not the antibiotic. It's most probably her overactive immune response to mites. The warmish (for November) weather is probably not helping. Those aren't the only alpacas we've had to deal with either. Mari has had a cough for a while, so she's on her second course of antibiotics. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3DzJ5lvyJs-OvVYE481c97ERF1x7-0KYHrn1n01wqzc4Z7C_MSLKQiMYRxBvyMjReUu8fzigi62Vx9rSLXX0BSd6RQoU30OPQjX9AF0uiC6-biK6iZyk4F4hssZW35YAcpz5RlyrkqQ_f/s1280/DSC_4801.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3DzJ5lvyJs-OvVYE481c97ERF1x7-0KYHrn1n01wqzc4Z7C_MSLKQiMYRxBvyMjReUu8fzigi62Vx9rSLXX0BSd6RQoU30OPQjX9AF0uiC6-biK6iZyk4F4hssZW35YAcpz5RlyrkqQ_f/s320/DSC_4801.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mari seems to look fine but that cough has lingered.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUPwNejZOSWfffnNuwB-YgRI9M0j7TtTbAv1rMx9G7fE5KNAijOEQI8uQvQrEDvehI60ZdLjF_jbEHdn2RaSFgnMVsGLhpJrFYQBiXyA4ZRwEoHJsBBOgP-Ts8xDJBw2GYg0mSCtW8_r0/s1280/DSC_4797.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUPwNejZOSWfffnNuwB-YgRI9M0j7TtTbAv1rMx9G7fE5KNAijOEQI8uQvQrEDvehI60ZdLjF_jbEHdn2RaSFgnMVsGLhpJrFYQBiXyA4ZRwEoHJsBBOgP-Ts8xDJBw2GYg0mSCtW8_r0/s320/DSC_4797.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The frost doesn't seem to bother them.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I wish I could say they were the only issues this week, oh no! I'd just had one of those hectic moments where I'd taken a phone call and then had a few minutes to put the chickens away before a staff meeting. I'd let the older ones out in the morning to roam around the greenhouse and eat the weeds that had been growing up. After lunchtime they are usually ready to settle down a bit so it is a good time to get them back in the ark ready for putting away for the night. Most of the chickens were already in and two of them jumped in after the grain I threw in, but of course there was one I ended up catching in the net to put her away. We had moved this last ark into the greenhouse as the weather has been awful and they were just creating mud patches on the grass where we moved them too each day. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVXsGAcCVuwKRiRragHhhSeeThbttuiqprO-ZjHY7f9b1LbCNqJmZi-8gTuNMBLWvf1U6fIHCg5ivvbB9ZVNCgkpjfP_zJpkmQrEgAFk4bGvkfQEU9b4uR8DGLiT8bew0UI-I45zlkQf1/s1280/DSC_4800.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVXsGAcCVuwKRiRragHhhSeeThbttuiqprO-ZjHY7f9b1LbCNqJmZi-8gTuNMBLWvf1U6fIHCg5ivvbB9ZVNCgkpjfP_zJpkmQrEgAFk4bGvkfQEU9b4uR8DGLiT8bew0UI-I45zlkQf1/s320/DSC_4800.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In more peaceful times</td></tr></tbody></table><p>After that little performance I just sat down to listen to the staff meeting online and we were a few minutes in when Ian phoned. Ian knew I was in a staff meeting, so I guessed it was urgent. "The boys are out again!" Oh good grief! I tried to write something hurriedly but realised there wasn't time so slung on my boots and coat and ran out the door. "Get the poles," he yelled! So back in the greenhouse, grabbed the poles and headed up towards Ian, just as Mr. P went through the fence. "Drive them all down to the paddocks, we'll sort them out there," shouted Ian. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfujscE3SOQLdbLLw7B8ZxXw_v_Ekyd1TedEfGpbhYguaoCODwym7SYj-59u5sHvILFtSRkEi3qrq58Z2JNnXGfRM7Ri1AHBmRzo_lujY69EP2NSusgW8Tf9KL4DbKHHUooGG3iOTOUM8H/s1280/DSC_4808.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfujscE3SOQLdbLLw7B8ZxXw_v_Ekyd1TedEfGpbhYguaoCODwym7SYj-59u5sHvILFtSRkEi3qrq58Z2JNnXGfRM7Ri1AHBmRzo_lujY69EP2NSusgW8Tf9KL4DbKHHUooGG3iOTOUM8H/s320/DSC_4808.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I always get nervous when the little ones are<br />in the middle of the mayhem. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Well that was easier said than done. There were alpacas going in all directions. Eventually I managed to separate off the little ones and two females and herded them into a paddock. Four more females were standing around wondering whether to go back to the boys. Nope! No way girls, even spitty Chanel took the hint that I was not messing around and they'd better move themselves. Eight down, three to go. I managed to get Silla up as she will sit down for the boys, although she was being harassed by Jakobs I managed to get her almost to the gate when she sat down again. She was not going to move this time, even when he sat on her head in the mud. Ian was struggling with Brencis and a harness, so was not able to help me. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsDHVa9XcmrDLFTE8xFz5vXb9YuHIdODREmxkZcg_50cKJLNAyg5qT_kQ6mUuTzV6ptaDE94U97CVk5PNs6dG3dIuM8Xwz0LSYcpd1h2sdJ79_RNks2xE7xE5zxZVMam5Adg1Itw94B0B/s1280/DSC_4791.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsDHVa9XcmrDLFTE8xFz5vXb9YuHIdODREmxkZcg_50cKJLNAyg5qT_kQ6mUuTzV6ptaDE94U97CVk5PNs6dG3dIuM8Xwz0LSYcpd1h2sdJ79_RNks2xE7xE5zxZVMam5Adg1Itw94B0B/s320/DSC_4791.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was rather cold that morning but so good to <br />see the sunshine.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I managed to get Jakobs off but he was being too persistent and I was slipping and sliding around In the end I wrestled him to the fence (seem to have been here before). I held onto him tightly with him bucking and trying to free himself. Ian eventually came over with a couple of harnesses, one for Jakobs and one for George who had come over to join in the fun. Ian got Jakobs harnessed up and I took Jakobs back to the paddock. Ian had managed to get most of the other boys back in the meantime, while I'd been fending Jakobs off. Ian got hold of George and followed me. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LoHV5oHWZBz4XA3XVjyQONjOE41QrzTrKbgKlEmVbIlFQ3nUd-oYWO4LBOatk3cbkaOwO-qImdojh0wDhufvRbqYeVRVLBeHqoiosZXDNMoDenaA9RtQ6seAx4xqLOqddgFbcNIGKiaj/s1280/DSC_4798.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LoHV5oHWZBz4XA3XVjyQONjOE41QrzTrKbgKlEmVbIlFQ3nUd-oYWO4LBOatk3cbkaOwO-qImdojh0wDhufvRbqYeVRVLBeHqoiosZXDNMoDenaA9RtQ6seAx4xqLOqddgFbcNIGKiaj/s320/DSC_4798.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silla looking a lot whiter here than she did <br />by the end of the escapade.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Well that just left Freddie, Silla, Antonia and Vanessa. Freddie seems to be the initiator of much of the fighting with the boys, but I'm not sure he really knows what to do with the girls - fortunately in this case, because he's not breeding quality, with poor fibre and a slightly dodgy leg that is probably genetic. He showed no interest in Antonia and Vanessa and they were showing they were not taking any messing around from any males, especially a young whippersnapper like Freddie. Silla, who was by now black from sitting in the mud was wandering around. This would have been an ideal time for her to sit down as Freddie may have been easy to catch then, but no. Still we managed to get in between the two of them and headed Freddieoff back to the boys paddock. Next job was to herd the remaining three girls into their paddock. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjhNL3CxWiVelWEd383bf4kGX3cmo55ax-O1l1HAazC1wkYDVYXjKuFt5DwsBcoV2nmI-3DM0QRGiPg5VafalwUCimAYpxEEO2jEaJ54bORhVLyapM98upHMewEd_iucqfnBVCrBGwI95/s1280/DSC_4799.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjhNL3CxWiVelWEd383bf4kGX3cmo55ax-O1l1HAazC1wkYDVYXjKuFt5DwsBcoV2nmI-3DM0QRGiPg5VafalwUCimAYpxEEO2jEaJ54bORhVLyapM98upHMewEd_iucqfnBVCrBGwI95/s320/DSC_4799.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surely a bit early for a bulging tummy Ilvija?</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uGHOVXHMyqhstMHJU7J50si7QH7lGdU_UPGDygdiK3USQ6vOFrqCPI59-f7g0AzMdOxnykYk4wjMtcBKomYohnN0Vr_NMFjK0P_1A7mcsF8f3Rs2Hq4W6jPA2znZUI_WtBDi_iJ8c7t4/s1280/DSC_4810.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uGHOVXHMyqhstMHJU7J50si7QH7lGdU_UPGDygdiK3USQ6vOFrqCPI59-f7g0AzMdOxnykYk4wjMtcBKomYohnN0Vr_NMFjK0P_1A7mcsF8f3Rs2Hq4W6jPA2znZUI_WtBDi_iJ8c7t4/s320/DSC_4810.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda is still feeding Karla but she seems to<br />be starting the weaning process. Lolly is also <br />taking less milk from her bottle feeds. We've<br />managed to drop the late night and early morning<br />feeds. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Wheezing away I headed back to my staff meeting. I wrote a note in the chat box apologising for my absence with a short explanation. Not sure if the other staff who were meeting face to face saw it but I noticed smiles on the faces of those online. At one point I had some comments to make and had to wheeze through what I wanted to say. My colleagues laughed. I'm glad it's something they can understand and not frown upon. I was meant to be chairing this week's meeting but my internet has been so bad that I asked if someone else could do it fortunately.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21dHk9KhMSwf_MHdUfdo1mSkbw5Tpks_ThXMRNg0JyAv_8x6jm5oP762YMXfezXbV8kFPqAqXgqAqfofMzd-Krc33jGQcjYylfL2tTknKG5WLhhe88haM_cwso1CulmEd7An-iosRbG8F/s1280/DSC_4812.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21dHk9KhMSwf_MHdUfdo1mSkbw5Tpks_ThXMRNg0JyAv_8x6jm5oP762YMXfezXbV8kFPqAqXgqAqfofMzd-Krc33jGQcjYylfL2tTknKG5WLhhe88haM_cwso1CulmEd7An-iosRbG8F/s320/DSC_4812.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel at the front. You can see she still has skin<br />issues but she is so difficult to treat. She gets all <br />stressed that will only make things worse. Still we<br />try to do what we can.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It wasn't the only event recently. The excitement in the caravan was palpable, when Ian laughed and said, "Only two more sleeps till bakery day!" We've had to manage without our usual pastries and bakery bread for over three weeks and last Friday was the first time the bakery reopened. Do you know how difficult that is for Ian? Yes I can bake but it's more of a faff at this time of the year and I'm kind of busy with work until it's dark. Not easy with a kitchen in the greenhouse that gets cold. Ian could bake his own cakes too, he's done it before, but... well the bakery is nice and of course we are supporting a local business. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkinMjh-iy7bJsXgSAg-DzX2tfRgn5jwAe9vLwBrrEOmhOi2p74DInYCetCFf_A-t2j9NrjO20bY3NXwnO79NVs_RGcNlKZKx-DMGZkRYw6lsm9h6NF4y-9J5q8-uUDK6s_wmvETXTjVy/s1280/DSC_4825.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkinMjh-iy7bJsXgSAg-DzX2tfRgn5jwAe9vLwBrrEOmhOi2p74DInYCetCFf_A-t2j9NrjO20bY3NXwnO79NVs_RGcNlKZKx-DMGZkRYw6lsm9h6NF4y-9J5q8-uUDK6s_wmvETXTjVy/s320/DSC_4825.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning on the land</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfYKUodFcHbf3CuslkjrZUHt_ggmSHHY8jr_h2sI8b_ZCQCVWOQv74JXHe-4P5taF_jgFRc2KqrJlPjvCY6Ue-LYv9rxoq7kzTHY8eV1OE_tWBeZsSlmVAOjPAJmbtlWMrfgitrHFJ_nG/s1280/DSC_4820.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfYKUodFcHbf3CuslkjrZUHt_ggmSHHY8jr_h2sI8b_ZCQCVWOQv74JXHe-4P5taF_jgFRc2KqrJlPjvCY6Ue-LYv9rxoq7kzTHY8eV1OE_tWBeZsSlmVAOjPAJmbtlWMrfgitrHFJ_nG/s320/DSC_4820.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mari</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I haven't followed all of COP26 but been aware of the issues. I know there will be a lot of background deals and nothing will really be done until the last moment, which is why I haven't been following it so much. I haven't been filled with a lot of hope either despite the rhetoric. I'm having trouble believing that Johnson can be serious about his proclamations. My concerns though are for the future generations. I've heard that mention of climate change is just "Project fear" and we shouldn't scare the children! But why should the children not be scared when it seems that the adults are ignoring the tsunami of change that awaits if efforts to address climate change and biodiversity loss are not taken. The children seem to understand the consequences and just want the adults in the room to actually do something instead of ignoring the data or even ridiculing it. They want the adults in the room to lead the children up the hill basically. In a tsunami, as many of us now know, the sea first retreats and uncovers all sorts of interesting things on the beach, the changes are amazing, but we need to read the signs that all is not well and retreat up the mountain. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9KQW7cvkf9LqrnJPbHzhwlLBzIghedup00jAkcXOt9MXUrtObP56YytK1YjkUxegDPUplijFh449F-oEdh5kr_7DzpPpUcZ3joG9WARO5-YRldGzHGub8Ftl1hq3nfreC7Zo66ORzq6D/s1280/DSC_4826.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9KQW7cvkf9LqrnJPbHzhwlLBzIghedup00jAkcXOt9MXUrtObP56YytK1YjkUxegDPUplijFh449F-oEdh5kr_7DzpPpUcZ3joG9WARO5-YRldGzHGub8Ftl1hq3nfreC7Zo66ORzq6D/s320/DSC_4826.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue sky! The lack of it just lately means that Ian<br />hasn't been out with his camera so much.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8kNvOURhFMVqRIIdEnHVZyf8thf0DWXACJEvgwanj-1fRQTx1vJkTCOSZ6bBRnptac1vmoLOIJKyMB09dGuybiSs34okBKe2CvHWx_P7chquTrL8-_gAyYi4XuKDGFE3Q-nCOncPl2o0/s1280/DSC_4821.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8kNvOURhFMVqRIIdEnHVZyf8thf0DWXACJEvgwanj-1fRQTx1vJkTCOSZ6bBRnptac1vmoLOIJKyMB09dGuybiSs34okBKe2CvHWx_P7chquTrL8-_gAyYi4XuKDGFE3Q-nCOncPl2o0/s320/DSC_4821.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aggie's eye is starting to look a bit swollen <br />again. It will be time to get more cream I think.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So what does retreating up the mountain look like in this scenario? First reduce consumption. Buy only what you need to and make sure it is fairly made, ecologically sound and what you need - yes I did repeat that twice. In planning there is something called the mitigation hierarchy that means we should first try to avoid damage to biodiversity, if we cannot do that we should mitigate the effects (ensure they are not as bad as they could be) by restoration or rehabilitation to give it a new lease of life after the disturbance and finally offset by compensating for biodiversity loss through creating an alternative elsewhere. We can use that principle in life, by first avoiding buying something new. But if we have to buy something new and cannot reuse what we already have, then do as little damage as possible and make amends afterwards - buy locally, buy fairly traded items, buy long lasting items. Or lastly we compensate by tapping into the ecological restoration projects.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eiQjA4ARFImjzyokQXVqoKgonQn96QuQ8832_LaqUAZXWTt9BUNWS6i_ia8XykLRzzPDDuwIM9zuBmoi3iduzpd3o-uimu5hsaeK11U0X_Qwy87IaJ2UiNyKXvxN8hQzCpsy7_2D3vrF/s1280/DSC_4823.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eiQjA4ARFImjzyokQXVqoKgonQn96QuQ8832_LaqUAZXWTt9BUNWS6i_ia8XykLRzzPDDuwIM9zuBmoi3iduzpd3o-uimu5hsaeK11U0X_Qwy87IaJ2UiNyKXvxN8hQzCpsy7_2D3vrF/s320/DSC_4823.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silla</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Next is to deal with our surroundings, like skimming pebbles in the lake where the ripples reach out further and further. Make our gardens productive, not primarily low maintenance. Plant useful plants, plants that feed you and the wildlife, plants that add tastes to our foods like herbs, plants that do not need to be re-seeded each year, bushes with berries, trees with fruit. Get involved in rehabilitation projects near you or find out how to start one. Let's show the kids we are doing something. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI4r4Sl7hLEcc4kT6If-fMs30D5fy8YYXKJNa-1UeHwGUkMSvFLPt_TQSXGHhXVnp1p4L9iJrw3Qy6UzdF-aznXUw-Wh6LgrCNw9Xwn2vz-y0erp6qcWorWQnEBsEnTAqHu2ftRYriyQs/s1280/DSC_4824.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFI4r4Sl7hLEcc4kT6If-fMs30D5fy8YYXKJNa-1UeHwGUkMSvFLPt_TQSXGHhXVnp1p4L9iJrw3Qy6UzdF-aznXUw-Wh6LgrCNw9Xwn2vz-y0erp6qcWorWQnEBsEnTAqHu2ftRYriyQs/s320/DSC_4824.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the sun. There has been precious little<br />of it just lately.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Now that will get us so far, but not far enough. There are bigger polluters of our environment and we have to remember they are stealing resources from children and grandchildren. Why do you think the kids are angry too, as well as afraid? They see their future slipping away. Do we want to pass on a dying planet or a living, breathing planet? Simple! We have enough resources to be able to rehabilitate this planet, we have the knowledge, but it is going to take an extraordinary effort to get us there. Not business as usual with greenwashing as I said in a recent meeting. Let's stop ignoring the issues that trashing our planet has done and start to restore and rehabilitate, while we still can . We need to insist that our politicians are onboard, by objecting to the companies that steal our futures and the futures of our kids and those are just for starters. Come on! We can do it! We have to do it! Acknowledge the kids are right, but we are going to have to work hard to give them a better future and not a dying one. </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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I happily told my Latvian teacher, in Latvian, that the boys had been peaceful since the last incident. After the lesson, I needed a coffee before starting work, so I switched on the kettle and then went out of the back door of the greenhouse to the outside office (aka the loo). As I went back to finish off making my coffee, I saw a row of faces staring intently at me over the fence. I thought that was a little odd but waved merrily at the alpaca boys. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZc_-TbOIO8gKWWxrPT1goQU3odhNV7iV_k-2vq2pUNaTPbMtZ8zreWxcVojwRm4C3sSqtnhg9ZZU5Ch-JStJMcgunPJzUfqiE56hkO9s1j2NE0vSVMksCz7XxM5cOEIea9xRwgch3Yd0/s1280/DSC_4702.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZc_-TbOIO8gKWWxrPT1goQU3odhNV7iV_k-2vq2pUNaTPbMtZ8zreWxcVojwRm4C3sSqtnhg9ZZU5Ch-JStJMcgunPJzUfqiE56hkO9s1j2NE0vSVMksCz7XxM5cOEIea9xRwgch3Yd0/s320/DSC_4702.jpeg" width="320" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>It's not completely unusual to be stared at by the <br />alpaca boys just perhaps not a row of them.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuekkoDafqKz7S7RSHzTznyD5k0_G26SruKk5XSIDqVT6sWBV1njgX-dgEY5VkNgluuR0-U1dUnWphzPWhAw6VQZ79Bn3dGiO69-GAQt8wlRy5ScwnJ07HqM1vwbCuW8NBoH3RC8e2imX9/s1280/DSC_4666.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuekkoDafqKz7S7RSHzTznyD5k0_G26SruKk5XSIDqVT6sWBV1njgX-dgEY5VkNgluuR0-U1dUnWphzPWhAw6VQZ79Bn3dGiO69-GAQt8wlRy5ScwnJ07HqM1vwbCuW8NBoH3RC8e2imX9/s320/DSC_4666.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Life has also been a little wet just lately. Our <br />well is rather full.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Life is a little complicated in some ways and could do with a little bit of a reorganisation, so while the kettle and coffee are in the greenhouse, the milk is down in the coolness of the barn, as it is a better location for the fridge. I set off out of the front door of the greenhouse and saw the girls were not heads down gently grazing the grass, instead they were all gathered together with their heads up and postures that suggested they were on their guard. My level of alertness went up the scale, scanning for the cause of their behaviour. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0z2_o9mBdYAUOLwlaAIGixj9MwqDCNr3uoBMWYNTGaqhgArplN-cUY-NOqs8Wniu7n6-GLCFinuWbXNx_iB4ZLT1cDR5KS-D89YR3dHGRNLyVKZK1yHJ7uhIczYn4XJGKpO88m5hW5lW/s1280/DSC_4753.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0z2_o9mBdYAUOLwlaAIGixj9MwqDCNr3uoBMWYNTGaqhgArplN-cUY-NOqs8Wniu7n6-GLCFinuWbXNx_iB4ZLT1cDR5KS-D89YR3dHGRNLyVKZK1yHJ7uhIczYn4XJGKpO88m5hW5lW/s320/DSC_4753.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>This is how they should have been, quietly <br />and peacefully grazing.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-77Jkc6O5WjwPft_iej28QVRUQZBSEA7q3mHKDlGZw6MJIZWVQcU5iL4KJHe92zDh6UIdi6hR4IAA2Fr3l3aXMWmkrdF1EIgSx3pSpME6m27CnoaMHmXACMrtoNwXkH8ZzSzvTI-uFBKa/s1280/DSC_4700.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-77Jkc6O5WjwPft_iej28QVRUQZBSEA7q3mHKDlGZw6MJIZWVQcU5iL4KJHe92zDh6UIdi6hR4IAA2Fr3l3aXMWmkrdF1EIgSx3pSpME6m27CnoaMHmXACMrtoNwXkH8ZzSzvTI-uFBKa/s320/DSC_4700.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Josefs does tend to stand out for his <br />distinctive markings</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I spotted Josefs first, his distinct brown and white colouring standing out against the mainly solid colouring of the girls. Then I spotted little Jakobs too. My heart sank. I was home alone and needed to act. I plonked my coffee down and ran, meanwhile mentally calculating if there were any more loose alpacas. Nope, just the two young ones. I knew they had tried to join in the mating game at the weekend and so not likely to be able to just head them off. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaspofNvvZMvoGrF8TyN67BQn5nTEcbGY-jkGiaVszNJv-34H8sP06_b8UM-Ke9YEDYN-03TrA7Ar2-ZeUBmazh3v80eTL1yiisr85nwSreSJo2YoWY4TBgdfU980LERD2cwCisTdMvno/s1280/DSC_4704.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNaspofNvvZMvoGrF8TyN67BQn5nTEcbGY-jkGiaVszNJv-34H8sP06_b8UM-Ke9YEDYN-03TrA7Ar2-ZeUBmazh3v80eTL1yiisr85nwSreSJo2YoWY4TBgdfU980LERD2cwCisTdMvno/s320/DSC_4704.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>On a more peaceful, sunny day.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaR65N0PPhtCjw0ffPDTyEu1xFJhbHAyzOHlvDBVx4Jog4rudFbNZXDg5tDehhNkJ_LpjZgICAJkeQMZW5nooKu7X7FC7_ZghL7Ijq9fEVtZoMSpW6cwZIzEZ7CmE9I4WHHATs__jBGHY/s1280/DSC_4688.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjaR65N0PPhtCjw0ffPDTyEu1xFJhbHAyzOHlvDBVx4Jog4rudFbNZXDg5tDehhNkJ_LpjZgICAJkeQMZW5nooKu7X7FC7_ZghL7Ijq9fEVtZoMSpW6cwZIzEZ7CmE9I4WHHATs__jBGHY/s320/DSC_4688.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Really, this is how they are most of the time. <br />Just peaceful grazing away. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I enacted plan A: I went to close the gate to stop the girls getting into the paddock and went back to try and drive the two boys in, since at least they were still on the outside of the girl's electric fence. As I got closer though, they crashed/leapt through the fence into the girls area. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizn6QRFIH8nsxHxMAmBmMhyphenhyphenoU0ycFxRbnxSli977wcPL3lqFgy04CrcpOscIDRLJUnj1yOYDtDnYI0UOGoSYhjN16cASw1Tta3Fp3CV4ZGdKPSc4Mo6RhSYF-gFfO-AvZ7W7m_kbwqZBmq/s1280/DSC_4695.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizn6QRFIH8nsxHxMAmBmMhyphenhyphenoU0ycFxRbnxSli977wcPL3lqFgy04CrcpOscIDRLJUnj1yOYDtDnYI0UOGoSYhjN16cASw1Tta3Fp3CV4ZGdKPSc4Mo6RhSYF-gFfO-AvZ7W7m_kbwqZBmq/s320/DSC_4695.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>At least Freddie wasn't involved..... this time! He <br />is often mixed up with the fighting just lately and <br />is perhaps the most persistent. The others often <br />give up before he does. You wouldn't think it <br />from that sweet face would you? <br />Don't be fooled!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbGqTJ85Xaukf6bDRlCD4nverIIBpvJtP86Mgwh8z940Lm1yUp-JJlXid5xUtmCiBbB8XGTNnoRaInr0Kd6iFRS5C4s8jFiD5OAHB0OPL6oAPjB1vHJQxo6IldToLmm3YN94YHdIP-0k3/s1280/DSC_4705.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbGqTJ85Xaukf6bDRlCD4nverIIBpvJtP86Mgwh8z940Lm1yUp-JJlXid5xUtmCiBbB8XGTNnoRaInr0Kd6iFRS5C4s8jFiD5OAHB0OPL6oAPjB1vHJQxo6IldToLmm3YN94YHdIP-0k3/s320/DSC_4705.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Lolly has such a sweet face and is looking more <br />and more like a little female version of <br />Mr. Tellus, her father</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Plan B: (Plan A didn't last long then) I went back to open the gate and try to drive as many girls as I could into the paddock. I ended up driving in Jakobs too. I gathered the herding sticks and managed to capture him in a corner and man-handled him along the fence and out of the gate. There was nothing I could do about Josefs and so herded Jakobs back to the boys paddock and grabbed a harness for Josefs. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9uyLSjZn1r9255wKU5XInTMFWz-H9dP-ldC5S099XOS3u6xrLZ0_35nHOPcJPvqWAbl7leHi4E-g73_NqftqsW-2-ZVUzT0QEGAsH54uOeuXvYtR33RpqwRg0CtAyY8kPdUWeVmleQgD/s1280/DSC_4680.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9uyLSjZn1r9255wKU5XInTMFWz-H9dP-ldC5S099XOS3u6xrLZ0_35nHOPcJPvqWAbl7leHi4E-g73_NqftqsW-2-ZVUzT0QEGAsH54uOeuXvYtR33RpqwRg0CtAyY8kPdUWeVmleQgD/s320/DSC_4680.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>It will be interesting to see what colour she is at shearing time.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHHzhoes8iBL4CdindZrNs09MtXFaUTx3icmKBKxORaatUHbykgu16R2Wz49m91iGWcaR8FgP5CvMYONq_ewDMHHE1wrc5XVL5vArCkghi5AetHE_M8eNGaF9lnn2Vw1SoP5WUN7J5ERe/s320/DSC_4720.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Still soaking up that sun.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHHzhoes8iBL4CdindZrNs09MtXFaUTx3icmKBKxORaatUHbykgu16R2Wz49m91iGWcaR8FgP5CvMYONq_ewDMHHE1wrc5XVL5vArCkghi5AetHE_M8eNGaF9lnn2Vw1SoP5WUN7J5ERe/s1280/DSC_4720.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></i></a>Plan C: Get as many of the girls into the paddock as possible as Josefs was intent on mating with Mari. He would be busy for a while. I did notice he was definitely a rooky suitor as he wasn't positioned correctly. At least that was what I hoped! I was surprised though that Mari was sitting down for him, she doesn't like Josefs. I managed to get all except Mari through the gate and could now concentrate on getting Josefs. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapUGs4EcPOJz9KfLOwu2Izpo5sH2nwrtoxkSmArXS4JJP2zXwafMOQ_DkyQ5RGYMWtJ5BWBEQe0PJ84nQ1_Qo1Spcbyd9OsYMZy1Ki3XcSkkgSAL2SNPYMttuAmrWb0vXdx-Q5ria-PBt/s1280/DSC_4651.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapUGs4EcPOJz9KfLOwu2Izpo5sH2nwrtoxkSmArXS4JJP2zXwafMOQ_DkyQ5RGYMWtJ5BWBEQe0PJ84nQ1_Qo1Spcbyd9OsYMZy1Ki3XcSkkgSAL2SNPYMttuAmrWb0vXdx-Q5ria-PBt/s320/DSC_4651.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>I'm surprised that Mr. P wasn't there too with<br /> Josefs and Jakobs. He so wants to visit the girls. <br />He is often stood by the fence <br />staring in their direction.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwyU8Ut_2d9h-Ae53vyybCT5th9aYU2unv0HVG88ei5lM_oQ2VA_eNygnwp0ko5KqH9ElFNzw_HSWx74kWTjHhQpJ9j2d8LQhxXvyPEtwoeMOz2-lLNoRg_x98LI7OCLRQT6FyX2UN_mA/s1280/DSC_4758.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwyU8Ut_2d9h-Ae53vyybCT5th9aYU2unv0HVG88ei5lM_oQ2VA_eNygnwp0ko5KqH9ElFNzw_HSWx74kWTjHhQpJ9j2d8LQhxXvyPEtwoeMOz2-lLNoRg_x98LI7OCLRQT6FyX2UN_mA/s320/DSC_4758.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Hopefully Mari is not pregnant, but interesting <br />that she sat down for Josefs. She would normally <br />spit him off as soon as she saw him.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Mari had stood up by then and was moving around a bit, which made it more difficult to get him. He wasn't giving up easily though and so I was able to walk up to him and get the harness strap around his neck. With the strap around him he wasn't able to run off and so I was able to get hold of him properly to put his harness. After that he wasn't too much bother to lead him back to the other boys. I secured their paddock gate and went back for my coffee and cake. I needed cake!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-PLkT84jpRtBrEzl7218DjxVEe4C417aA3aW7eh4XQBqHt2tZs1oMuorGo_wiqELHZAMRN2Jnf4UeT-14eElGpymD22oV2iGvnlX2-EZkXiIt0u-wnwuS7wmPHmgsfws6-t16mBMoDVx/s1280/DSC_4653.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-PLkT84jpRtBrEzl7218DjxVEe4C417aA3aW7eh4XQBqHt2tZs1oMuorGo_wiqELHZAMRN2Jnf4UeT-14eElGpymD22oV2iGvnlX2-EZkXiIt0u-wnwuS7wmPHmgsfws6-t16mBMoDVx/s320/DSC_4653.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Turbjørn was not involved either, but no <br />surprise there.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpmYdQVp_KeXmHZSxeIRlnIa6cbtmvHnnNGu0_D6nNGqfbJu98cB8y-jrDjD54_K25xNmXLLICdb7nF9Dt4gVb8zQWW7jst5Np1sQ3uR3NzViBx2fLBVKKg5ciQ7NDFecjp0V4zdQpMh5/s1280/DSC_4764.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpmYdQVp_KeXmHZSxeIRlnIa6cbtmvHnnNGu0_D6nNGqfbJu98cB8y-jrDjD54_K25xNmXLLICdb7nF9Dt4gVb8zQWW7jst5Np1sQ3uR3NzViBx2fLBVKKg5ciQ7NDFecjp0V4zdQpMh5/s320/DSC_4764.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Antonia.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I rang Ian who was still at the garage and told him the news. All was calm by now. Everyone was in the right paddock and I would let Ian deal with them all later. A few minutes went by and Ian rang me. "I have a problem," he said, "I'm nearly back but the wheel is nearly off". Oh my goodness! The garage guys were on their way pronto and soon sorted him out. They had no idea how it happened, as they checked the required torque wrench settings when putting the wheels back on. Fortunately though, due to Ian's prompt action in stopping when things didn't feel right, nothing was damaged and he managed to find all the nuts from the wheel.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsq0Da471z5GKJUZnzz14FfC1Q7r_EjecVS8KH3lA0PgE0iorYBKnECSCr2OvBVicvCXBTsVYxLq5z9U9Rft0f23CNXSvP7gAk_cxKz5ta0gPXyJwmxb1wIcR4YG4Yv50JeVupuKGaABmc/s1280/DSC_4665.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsq0Da471z5GKJUZnzz14FfC1Q7r_EjecVS8KH3lA0PgE0iorYBKnECSCr2OvBVicvCXBTsVYxLq5z9U9Rft0f23CNXSvP7gAk_cxKz5ta0gPXyJwmxb1wIcR4YG4Yv50JeVupuKGaABmc/s320/DSC_4665.jpeg" width="213" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Another issue we have is the <br />caused by the moles. <br />We must be mole city by now as they <br />are popping up molehills all over the place. <br />This is on the path up<br />to the girls' houses.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6j2kZUKjRP2r6kGeZT96rNHJVOKqA3OrYXLay5PIvRwiBoOM2j-62LSQhLzkT89a5z6sVvfI_Nssq8T9MFDQ9mdgGuX4XukBHd_C14LvB8Se1KrpwOeahTUOseah700ytUWbVSNDZmGg/s1280/DSC_4667.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6j2kZUKjRP2r6kGeZT96rNHJVOKqA3OrYXLay5PIvRwiBoOM2j-62LSQhLzkT89a5z6sVvfI_Nssq8T9MFDQ9mdgGuX4XukBHd_C14LvB8Se1KrpwOeahTUOseah700ytUWbVSNDZmGg/s320/DSC_4667.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>This is just outside Vanessa's house and there are plenty <br />around our large greenhouse and even some just inside. <br />There are also mounds and holes appearing in the little <br />greenhouse and outside of that. There are some around<br />the boys' house and in their field as well. Just about everywhere.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzk6TvseEDrCVnQuOsn1C-hVkmbFXdsUWNGgS-ohVGTBx0sowHpnBoAlD8h6fW9EQTFfm74zNxJtw5Wl955s3hUBF4LT4hZhT69-qM_Tt8pdoZ_BYF6oJzuA8Jv_OqLtDxkGdHR41LeH0H/s1280/DSC_4723.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzk6TvseEDrCVnQuOsn1C-hVkmbFXdsUWNGgS-ohVGTBx0sowHpnBoAlD8h6fW9EQTFfm74zNxJtw5Wl955s3hUBF4LT4hZhT69-qM_Tt8pdoZ_BYF6oJzuA8Jv_OqLtDxkGdHR41LeH0H/s320/DSC_4723.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Just a little scratch</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>In an attempt to return to get back to normal I then spent some time reading a PhD thesis for one of our students and doing a little editing, followed by some lunch and a bit more editing. At one point I suddenly realised that I needed to do some work on the final proofs for the article that had been accepted recently and it needed doing before the next day. Phew! That left me just time to grab a quick cup of coffee before an online meeting.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXrFvfooNKSXCZSCR6KcPkstaqcYWAmWzpSFFIpP9JVrcuoIguISUEI_KFsb5FShOcvkWWYx-OE7ppz0jD_5-bLm6mnpe2u6im86U8XKlc4dzB04rfvHlLrMreAFDf1qIibulUx2VRAxB/s1280/DSC_4724.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXrFvfooNKSXCZSCR6KcPkstaqcYWAmWzpSFFIpP9JVrcuoIguISUEI_KFsb5FShOcvkWWYx-OE7ppz0jD_5-bLm6mnpe2u6im86U8XKlc4dzB04rfvHlLrMreAFDf1qIibulUx2VRAxB/s320/DSC_4724.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Oh that is so much better!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmVEYcOeDOaAlsZUZ5Mk1gLHZsvCcAI9opf6NnRFqDlYYeL1exMJq5Xsj5yALKuyhSdTfEFCQ8SfJ628W6N-Rot-7-uPf75sTAQVx8wwe6kGyGcmX_53gkAZkOwL4Z2U2n7WwEDwzEg0r/s1280/DSC_4733.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlmVEYcOeDOaAlsZUZ5Mk1gLHZsvCcAI9opf6NnRFqDlYYeL1exMJq5Xsj5yALKuyhSdTfEFCQ8SfJ628W6N-Rot-7-uPf75sTAQVx8wwe6kGyGcmX_53gkAZkOwL4Z2U2n7WwEDwzEg0r/s320/DSC_4733.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Ilvija and Lolly searching for grass amongst <br />the leaves.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I listened to the presentation on the position of the bioeconomy in EU policy by someone from the European Commission, then we were assigned to work groups. Our internet hasn't been great and so I didn't immedieately volunteer for the rapporteur's job, but after waiting for several minutes for someone else to volunteer, I realised we were not getting anywhere fast, so agreed to do the job. So that is how I finished the day by giving a five minute report for our group from our caravan in the middle of rural Latvia, on a by now dodgy internet, to the folks from the European Commission - as you do! It was an odd kind of a day. They're not all like that though, thank goodness.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaWZbhyphenhyphenhbM_hkqfMuHwqjSJscFD2rvomY0jyChAm06Ij0OxTH2K8t1-dRo5hYiex62kz2yPzXqvGSmZex4V3Pt_kGd4tF8y75JH7YOKxm3KDar2YT38ozJwEzD5uHaAk9XLWtsIXGx4NL/s1280/DSC_4736.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaWZbhyphenhyphenhbM_hkqfMuHwqjSJscFD2rvomY0jyChAm06Ij0OxTH2K8t1-dRo5hYiex62kz2yPzXqvGSmZex4V3Pt_kGd4tF8y75JH7YOKxm3KDar2YT38ozJwEzD5uHaAk9XLWtsIXGx4NL/s320/DSC_4736.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Karla also looks just like her father, Brencis</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HtkUVWCzcK8M5wUGVJHb70q9ktUKH700Ggnu1YFPZgo-gMiMtF_Z6mgKWDsOoUATae7BZvzqCNyCam1wuckOpJtXwjpPa3gPBuNp8p6DXyrjApxsg5cqXbBsWXcIYhVZ1eQMoi9saU4C/s1280/DSC_4739.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HtkUVWCzcK8M5wUGVJHb70q9ktUKH700Ggnu1YFPZgo-gMiMtF_Z6mgKWDsOoUATae7BZvzqCNyCam1wuckOpJtXwjpPa3gPBuNp8p6DXyrjApxsg5cqXbBsWXcIYhVZ1eQMoi9saU4C/s320/DSC_4739.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>She looks like she will have more fleece than her father though</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQkMwEfsadslUXpxNkgxv_fxDmRAZedG7RlBz-8awBefAkv9VJti7WOJNYEvCBQkPW8bFKJ1s3f0BSWHM5ISl3P00CJY4GsB_TZMnu7C_MNeAMr_eI3kdClR7Zc38_3asy5rjktpV8nud/s1280/DSC_4772.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQkMwEfsadslUXpxNkgxv_fxDmRAZedG7RlBz-8awBefAkv9VJti7WOJNYEvCBQkPW8bFKJ1s3f0BSWHM5ISl3P00CJY4GsB_TZMnu7C_MNeAMr_eI3kdClR7Zc38_3asy5rjktpV8nud/s320/DSC_4772.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>This is wool that has been spun for our neighbour. <br />It is a combination of Josefs and George.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Just as a side note, the new tyres came in useful to help Ian pull our neighbour's car out of the mud (twice) at the weekend. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-ehg324Ra3MbU077UOVQp3wiApW5QWk_r2YjGNLoWXRBNwyXG5zqxxbLNi6k3bwwt3ggrOnj527lrXOYMqZ0YKx_CKdOxwfSGEyk3tRt-ADripUyxqX4ryfKWQ4QtMb5QkiOEgW5QxLY/s320/DSC_4777.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>I think Josefs approves<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUTHQLVWNGu6_rh0AjK77AjkmrHUi0A_XK7EdycgdH9bZepKlYLZTjtKQCSyg49G8xjosO0AHHnsktPGEQisBJrDDz1dtXLOhjZEdCSQ-TdGwNgYXuHOn4XWkzTpKPxmhLYXEp_EMHh6y/s1280/DSC_4751.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUTHQLVWNGu6_rh0AjK77AjkmrHUi0A_XK7EdycgdH9bZepKlYLZTjtKQCSyg49G8xjosO0AHHnsktPGEQisBJrDDz1dtXLOhjZEdCSQ-TdGwNgYXuHOn4XWkzTpKPxmhLYXEp_EMHh6y/s320/DSC_4751.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Wheeeeeee! A little roll on the bank.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngRa8qpfJxFPw6NdLoRioXnTWUoMpWKe2diWpvgYj1ehtwTUVwzF0TRP4yrIHdLwfABwJxLA-WZGgwURkbLvl-3_T2rZPZn2audOz7li25ivnZLT2_kqN4XVybJWraiVg1kjj8ZNDIxGs/s1280/DSC_4755.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngRa8qpfJxFPw6NdLoRioXnTWUoMpWKe2diWpvgYj1ehtwTUVwzF0TRP4yrIHdLwfABwJxLA-WZGgwURkbLvl-3_T2rZPZn2audOz7li25ivnZLT2_kqN4XVybJWraiVg1kjj8ZNDIxGs/s320/DSC_4755.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Do you mind, I'm eating!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjTyTZhWzaKIxW_pYBVHutnY0eaaJn0M5CtoPhEJGErnv6SRiRC3X-xnfGu8Q26-DmakV5OYgWjxLtkV14N8TeudKqafx6ZRfOawWe-Mv5nsNwClMR_DyR3tDYCthRw2ybYtY_dRuGDeE/s1280/DSC_4756.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjTyTZhWzaKIxW_pYBVHutnY0eaaJn0M5CtoPhEJGErnv6SRiRC3X-xnfGu8Q26-DmakV5OYgWjxLtkV14N8TeudKqafx6ZRfOawWe-Mv5nsNwClMR_DyR3tDYCthRw2ybYtY_dRuGDeE/s320/DSC_4756.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span>Me too!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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She might be<br />low down in the hierarchy but she doesn't like to be messed<br />with. Often we just ignore her and let her do her own<br />thing, knowing she will eventually follow the others. <br />Cross her and spit happens!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Some of you may already be aware of the errrrmmmm, incident we had over the weekend. We'd just finished our morning coffee and I went to the loo. As I sat there, Ian shouted, "Come quick, the boys are out!" "I can't" I shouted back, feeling a bit helpless. There was something though about the urgency in Ian's voice and the fact he said the boys were out that suggested something was very, very wrong. The boys are out, usually means Ian wanders over and shouts for them or slowly drives them back to where they should be, it doesn't demand that I come as quickly as possible. So as soon as I could, I slipped on my wellies and pulled on my coat as fast as possible and I sped out of the caravan door. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIkI-TpCyRw2EXiqSpIn6uZwIqTMIMxacQ3_H3OMQss3YzIYrFDcBg4TilMQrT9xdfLfOEAyTSHzN3LGYfgP-ChBPCLoEUG9nLj9eYI5oq8Sj3R-Cxg9FvlHGzvb9wDdOwGfjI5Nm_9OA/s1280/DSC_4670.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIkI-TpCyRw2EXiqSpIn6uZwIqTMIMxacQ3_H3OMQss3YzIYrFDcBg4TilMQrT9xdfLfOEAyTSHzN3LGYfgP-ChBPCLoEUG9nLj9eYI5oq8Sj3R-Cxg9FvlHGzvb9wDdOwGfjI5Nm_9OA/s320/DSC_4670.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lolly is getting tall these days</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXlvOrsZicRIbviF69V3y4H24ZojUuuJuv_ygHcah2keOITe3Be2pe0jFXrnhugVnOH2nPYIKNI0kdb4e3OAzwmM6AMQJbsyEEZaRPBd8gV-nERa6nHbPtLzvofJRMC1fpOIhDgI39mdr/s1280/DSC_4645.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXlvOrsZicRIbviF69V3y4H24ZojUuuJuv_ygHcah2keOITe3Be2pe0jFXrnhugVnOH2nPYIKNI0kdb4e3OAzwmM6AMQJbsyEEZaRPBd8gV-nERa6nHbPtLzvofJRMC1fpOIhDgI39mdr/s320/DSC_4645.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Turbjørn's neck has been a bit better just lately, but at least<br />it means he keeps well out of the way when there's an <br />incident.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>As I looked out of the greenhouse where our caravan now is, I could see what the problem was! It was complete and utter mayhem. The girls were running about and errrrrr so were the boys, all eight, no severn of them. Turbjørn, bless him is not up to any running about and any sign of trouble, he is out of there. So he was grazing quietly on the grass just outside the boys paddock area. Not where he should be but certainly not in any trouble. Meanwhile I could see Ian dragging alpacas by the neck, into or out of the girls paddock area. Separating, whoever he could. Not the best way to move them but all he could do under the circumstances.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikoYdZaVmpaK4opUj8CUJJVn2fWpoaBliCLl2T05PZHENQJS6fE-PSEJaPkpX3ITxxXaM-pxAbMHjyhUx8N0krCMKeUAKj112WAaAbgeMul77PlS3ekFwZLrtOqFUJ_ECT_KoeCmRKGZN/s1280/DSC_4681.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikoYdZaVmpaK4opUj8CUJJVn2fWpoaBliCLl2T05PZHENQJS6fE-PSEJaPkpX3ITxxXaM-pxAbMHjyhUx8N0krCMKeUAKj112WAaAbgeMul77PlS3ekFwZLrtOqFUJ_ECT_KoeCmRKGZN/s320/DSC_4681.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Silla, did you have to sit down? You were awfully difficult <br />to move</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I ran over to Silla, who was obligingly sitting down for a male. She's supposed to be pregnant but this makes us think she's not. Anyway, there were three randy male alpacas intermittently trying to fight with each other and mate with her. Every time one tried to mount her I would push him into the others, over and over and over again. I was starting to wheeze when Ian eventually managed to get to me, having removed one male alpaca from the girls paddock and get as many of the females into the paddock area as possible, or something like that anyway. I was too busy fending off Brencis, Mr. P and Jakobs to take in all the details. We manhandled Silla into the other paddock meanwhile continuing to fend off Brencis and Mr. P. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrPyCecPWu-YiL7Cujcygu7WKoI1pakP4zZCDQcjXD69VMKgmmESo9kP9vYK_Jcl-ptJJY4zSJeKwEksfEOQEf3o9y7ImwcyUrkTHS8FR1fwJ6eITH6Wzvsm0v1OqhFIageZZ8LtgUDHH/s1280/DSC_4631.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrPyCecPWu-YiL7Cujcygu7WKoI1pakP4zZCDQcjXD69VMKgmmESo9kP9vYK_Jcl-ptJJY4zSJeKwEksfEOQEf3o9y7ImwcyUrkTHS8FR1fwJ6eITH6Wzvsm0v1OqhFIageZZ8LtgUDHH/s320/DSC_4631.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mr. P. can be rather persistent when he's after the girls<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXuWDYx3KpaDDTQ9oLZetgVtzjpT6RX8RuI8AQa9lK6ztM6UT4iV0dyEqyKIp4PASDOcNy53kpLVrCRklZ16mAFa1LsmelLxegymM0XwJQSlIQ72NeMp7VRiOwMreZtvl6ObUdhv2qixk/s1280/DSC_4682.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXuWDYx3KpaDDTQ9oLZetgVtzjpT6RX8RuI8AQa9lK6ztM6UT4iV0dyEqyKIp4PASDOcNy53kpLVrCRklZ16mAFa1LsmelLxegymM0XwJQSlIQ72NeMp7VRiOwMreZtvl6ObUdhv2qixk/s320/DSC_4682.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Poor little lass, she looked so small surrounded by the boys.<br />No harm done anyway.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Looking around we saw Karla suddenly surrounded by quite a few of the boys. We hurtled up to her and managed to get between her and boys and shoved her through the gate, then Mari, who was also still on the outside. I can't remember the order of getting the girls inside the paddock areas but we managed to get all in, bar one. Antonia was the last one, but she was not having any male near her and somehow most of the boys realised that and didn't seem particularly interested. We don't think she's pregnant as she has a way of throwing off any male that tries that is really quite sneaky, but she was still fending off all advances anyway. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWUbHha4DRfo828WrzOudHy6mDZWvQrH_DeVyO9w458emJbvYsYlq9YrUuDBdGY9JfZ9n3cH-179z6kz963zu2PAE8vAUqGpcsS_wFyoZGA4LJTx2EKROkE1Kc1Yry30_IgKFBWT7V79q/s1280/DSC_4639.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWUbHha4DRfo828WrzOudHy6mDZWvQrH_DeVyO9w458emJbvYsYlq9YrUuDBdGY9JfZ9n3cH-179z6kz963zu2PAE8vAUqGpcsS_wFyoZGA4LJTx2EKROkE1Kc1Yry30_IgKFBWT7V79q/s320/DSC_4639.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mr. Tellus was not going to miss out either!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I mentioned that Silla was sitting down, so was Aggie and Chanel. At least we know Aggie and Chanel are not pregnant as we decided not to mate them, so that was okay - sort of. Fortunately alpaca mating is a long affair and with all the mayhem we don't think they've had a chance to get any pregnant. We certainly don't want babies born at this time of year, although we will have to make sure sometime, I guess. Amanda and Ilvija were definitely resistant, so that is good news, but not quite the confirmation of pregnancy we would like. We would rather wait for the scan, which should be happening next month. Much less stressful that way.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1K7iaoLxcpQqyk9DgP4V_6kN8aj5szem5-509neaJqhEBRK680Vr3S_UY2iduc81ZywATud46EWCC5hOmwkl21PDduSdMvg9Vn-rmpcYbckZS3pIOvXiw1pVfGgGXZ9FFGo-Rd_PAa_d/s1280/DSC_4633.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1K7iaoLxcpQqyk9DgP4V_6kN8aj5szem5-509neaJqhEBRK680Vr3S_UY2iduc81ZywATud46EWCC5hOmwkl21PDduSdMvg9Vn-rmpcYbckZS3pIOvXiw1pVfGgGXZ9FFGo-Rd_PAa_d/s320/DSC_4633.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">At least you are where you're supposed to be</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt4tVmILs-BlM6na7wzn-20dc7PFF-1a9GhuEPV72SPZb1i3VxKNppjlg9MCWBYGjeMvN4vA722jpZCXfh4ifOKR3wrHDTWRVFgiJ2u92WIjbOjUF_Jin2m1J5fRyXPAE8Nz1yLewOSPz/s1280/DSC_4636.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt4tVmILs-BlM6na7wzn-20dc7PFF-1a9GhuEPV72SPZb1i3VxKNppjlg9MCWBYGjeMvN4vA722jpZCXfh4ifOKR3wrHDTWRVFgiJ2u92WIjbOjUF_Jin2m1J5fRyXPAE8Nz1yLewOSPz/s320/DSC_4636.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Come on guys! Pack it in! Stop fighting!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq00UHGARAYBeTngvTjAEcADrh-NgLDjB6RJyOzFWi0onzYktjuKxl9y1yGNS5UkUtJUkiMeJ37wbIbolzj-Pzml9SU8lKZmeN4vA7Dsmvjsngzj4Zr1phxH5Cfl2L1SgOIlcopnJg67hZ/s1280/DSC_4637.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq00UHGARAYBeTngvTjAEcADrh-NgLDjB6RJyOzFWi0onzYktjuKxl9y1yGNS5UkUtJUkiMeJ37wbIbolzj-Pzml9SU8lKZmeN4vA7Dsmvjsngzj4Zr1phxH5Cfl2L1SgOIlcopnJg67hZ/s320/DSC_4637.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I don't care who started it!<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o-ZjI2qVIX1UUINdiKfy_UysbuQA3-08vRihlwBzDUbOot8ALxnVLDobhcDCv5vuqFIKLVBo0zX8MH_gF8G9eFEu7_UcR-gTZHVg2Irqf0WYDVqZO49bG6sKxJGwkWv5-pa6mX5OCyQh/s1280/DSC_4654.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-o-ZjI2qVIX1UUINdiKfy_UysbuQA3-08vRihlwBzDUbOot8ALxnVLDobhcDCv5vuqFIKLVBo0zX8MH_gF8G9eFEu7_UcR-gTZHVg2Irqf0WYDVqZO49bG6sKxJGwkWv5-pa6mX5OCyQh/s320/DSC_4654.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">He might be young, but he had more of an idea of what to<br />do than George did! I would rather have found that out<br />when he was supposed to be on mating duty, not before.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Next job! The boys. Surprisingly they didn't seem that interested in heading back to their own paddock. Ian tried to encourage them with food leading them away and I came up behind waving the herding sticks to keep them concentrated on Ian and not on Antonia who was still wandering around. Nope that didn't work. Instead we managed to get Antonia in with the other girls. Phew! Boys on the outside, girls on the inside. Turbjørn meanwhile sneakily helped himself to the food in the trays that Ian had to put down while we put Antonia away - smart lad that one!</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-jEX6bBeilnG-hEZQPSohx5VYugHz0XWZWq8OE8tyA7vPUQ2LlKRo32YcgA3BVSQ_qxDjSNJTxlJrvJgG_98nDVP3PXHFwKy4IgsV9cZBQ1PgaqQqj5EF8OTadF0qEfcMFrbKJwQKEIX/s1280/DSC_4649.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-jEX6bBeilnG-hEZQPSohx5VYugHz0XWZWq8OE8tyA7vPUQ2LlKRo32YcgA3BVSQ_qxDjSNJTxlJrvJgG_98nDVP3PXHFwKy4IgsV9cZBQ1PgaqQqj5EF8OTadF0qEfcMFrbKJwQKEIX/s320/DSC_4649.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Safely out of sight or are they? The boys are now in a field <br />on the opposite side of the hill to the girls<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUckJxnzPEyJeuvCcC5Zt0tDrioqumFgfqFfKf8jYd5QG1Gdxn56tMfBOJ4ofQuDct_MtvNSZ-e2GoveUUG3RTmSjnTNO7xWniLbIMo758IuqUTHZo5nGRp2wOmaxYqML3KwP5gwxI6NEn/s1280/DSC_4674.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUckJxnzPEyJeuvCcC5Zt0tDrioqumFgfqFfKf8jYd5QG1Gdxn56tMfBOJ4ofQuDct_MtvNSZ-e2GoveUUG3RTmSjnTNO7xWniLbIMo758IuqUTHZo5nGRp2wOmaxYqML3KwP5gwxI6NEn/s320/DSC_4674.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yes Mari! Eating through the fence hasn't been helpful!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>So we caught our breath and tried to decide what was next. The fences aren't absolutely secure as the ground is so soft due to all the wet weather we've had just lately and some of the posts are in need of replacing due to Mari eating through the fence wire. We were worried that the boys might try to break through. While I paced backwards and forwards with the herding poles, Ian went to get some food to get the girls into the alpaca houses, at least there they would be secure. At one point I yelled to Ian to hurry up as Brencis was leaning on one part of the fence that was ominously toppling inwards. I managed to move Brencis away from the fence, or rather shoved him away, and Ian came as fast as he could. I helped Ian encourage first one group of girls and then the other group into the alpaca houses. They were on edge and so a bit reluctant. At least the girls were now safe. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJC2PxLteRfKJqOZJ40WvJmdDiO2OLTWOqy3wB9LD-_P1pXc2QNX6jEC_o6H8KSAKX_3_awDt2putpC8VnqLRQwAULJq1_i8UInWFp3ctHvlobaVTS3UxHjZh7lEYtLohSnYS0VhdLiHM/s1280/DSC_4657.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJC2PxLteRfKJqOZJ40WvJmdDiO2OLTWOqy3wB9LD-_P1pXc2QNX6jEC_o6H8KSAKX_3_awDt2putpC8VnqLRQwAULJq1_i8UInWFp3ctHvlobaVTS3UxHjZh7lEYtLohSnYS0VhdLiHM/s320/DSC_4657.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">No girls in sight, right!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAQgn2CO9bJaLhCnTr7mB-LBgvaiMlZZ-SA_1OHWFsaEQ7qB4bDNB8_pjtHMu1pKHssZOe3wURDR3ReZ9pg9ByhxhLwZ6QCSvAODI8rEHFXUQKBw2LF6I9zvy4TcU08SpwzBjL0Vvwj7O/s1280/DSC_4662.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAQgn2CO9bJaLhCnTr7mB-LBgvaiMlZZ-SA_1OHWFsaEQ7qB4bDNB8_pjtHMu1pKHssZOe3wURDR3ReZ9pg9ByhxhLwZ6QCSvAODI8rEHFXUQKBw2LF6I9zvy4TcU08SpwzBjL0Vvwj7O/s320/DSC_4662.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yes! George still had the "right" idea, just the wrong timing!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Back to the boys. We gave them a few minutes to calm down and then tried to encourage them back. They still weren't convinced that they should go back. We'd just get some of them heading in one direction and then some would turn around. Eventually, all but Mr. P grouped together and slowly, slowly we moved them towards their paddock area. Some were standing their ground a little more than normal to me, but eventually they went through the gate. Ian sorted them out while I went to look for Mr. P. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd999LAo3SWTcu5XReklUFVDLovvnYjX_l0z4Qly1sYo7nU0si4an7Hoxt7hfjYepgOmASo58HAjRilGvu7BpusovjqGPG_x-8YY-4NCLIogJekI3P6TZnVXCyQrWqNsnjBfDwvn-fQg0/s1280/DSC_4669.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPd999LAo3SWTcu5XReklUFVDLovvnYjX_l0z4Qly1sYo7nU0si4an7Hoxt7hfjYepgOmASo58HAjRilGvu7BpusovjqGPG_x-8YY-4NCLIogJekI3P6TZnVXCyQrWqNsnjBfDwvn-fQg0/s320/DSC_4669.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Peace and calm! Well when the wind doesn't blow over<br />the hunting tower.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Mr. P saw me coming and decided to go around the fence in the opposite direction. I was going to drive him back when I realised if I followed him around, I stood a chance of herding him into an area where I could catch him. Once again, slowly, slowly with the herding poles, ........into the corner and ....caught him, at the same time I discarded the poles. He was a bit resistant but I hung on. I had seen Ian was heading in my direction while I was herding Mr. P. and then go back, I assumed he'd gone to get a harness. I was so relieved to see Ian harness Mr.P. up and them both of them toddling off back to where he should be. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1uJc_BVB4wfgRUudj05Hrt7VqqvCvNOl5aNvB4XxnBUDyzQwFGbUa6VkP1zF5QYwG0yF7FwH1-iu2-YBNxy_VrONoskydwTRRAUais2ewZqedRY5MfyxgswrvKO9o9LD_FW8gGO_UALeV/s1280/DSC_4646.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1uJc_BVB4wfgRUudj05Hrt7VqqvCvNOl5aNvB4XxnBUDyzQwFGbUa6VkP1zF5QYwG0yF7FwH1-iu2-YBNxy_VrONoskydwTRRAUais2ewZqedRY5MfyxgswrvKO9o9LD_FW8gGO_UALeV/s320/DSC_4646.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Just like I said boys! No one messes with me! Got it?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We normally only have two cups of coffee in one day, but this was a three cup of coffee kind of a day. As I sat there, wheezing like I had been smoking a packet of cigarettes a day all my life, I smirked to myself, as I thought about what I had just been doing. "Ha!" I thought! "No one messes with me! I can fight off three and at one point, four randy male alpacas trying to mate with a receptive female." Not quite sure that works on a CV, but you know, it makes me feel I can take on the world! For a while anyway!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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} catch(err) {}</script></div>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-55415960910806683572021-10-19T22:19:00.008+03:002021-10-20T07:56:32.486+03:00Cooling down<div class="separator"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacxkm_OkP3mzjAoDf1_K0an50otUQUpzpjpNOV8bJs7SsJE-39WGnj2WL7Ujh7BbajFhriYk3BupiBz7i-Czb8KVateY0VpgFT7NJQy-5PpoS5B8N46WTVe-iuxK-_ucf9VCb5DDH7sR-/s1280/DSC_4573.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacxkm_OkP3mzjAoDf1_K0an50otUQUpzpjpNOV8bJs7SsJE-39WGnj2WL7Ujh7BbajFhriYk3BupiBz7i-Czb8KVateY0VpgFT7NJQy-5PpoS5B8N46WTVe-iuxK-_ucf9VCb5DDH7sR-/s320/DSC_4573.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least here they are just chasing each other<br />around. It will do some of them some good and<br />a good work out to warm themselves up.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>We had a heavy frost this morning and several, large flocks of geese were making a determined headway southwards. Yes! Winter is creeping up. Not quite here yet, but you can hear its whisper in the cold northerly breeze, or the crunch of the ice underfoot on a frosty morning. Today was one of those glorious late autumn days, crisp in the morning and bright sunshine all day. The boys came out fighting, only Turbjørn didn't join in at all. Something was in the air as they are not normally like that. The younger boys usually get a bit argumentative in the evenings, but never in the mornings. The nip in the air didn't leave all day, but at least it was better than the damp, wet days, which we've had a few too many of just lately.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMOr6W0Cd7SJQN1Z7SFAwFSOWjlNKo2XX8p9i3dMK7552gJSNyFttnO8UbgbHuWrQgg2NGDtIxn8dHEEOQMncvAD2Omi18_8GmnHK6t1EM4YzTjW45wNr9dRkGJIkwbH3mVZ7mJAurvGo/s1280/DSC_4577.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMOr6W0Cd7SJQN1Z7SFAwFSOWjlNKo2XX8p9i3dMK7552gJSNyFttnO8UbgbHuWrQgg2NGDtIxn8dHEEOQMncvAD2Omi18_8GmnHK6t1EM4YzTjW45wNr9dRkGJIkwbH3mVZ7mJAurvGo/s320/DSC_4577.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The physio came out to see Turbjørn this last week.<br />He had a painful spot on his neck, not just the <br />stiffness he normally has these days. She gave him<br />some laser heat treatment on it and Ian is giving<br />him regular treatments with the heat pad again. Mind<br />you, he's not that bad as he's still sitting outside when <br />it rains. He was so wet one morning that Ian couldn't<br />use the heat pad - he would have sizzled.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-pK_PytROPSi_aruckYPu0g0OUTdEFscyXkvQiRP2O89cAV4-I3cZjg0GrhHPiDEP4LQI8y44Y6RmK7swDWtrBSsYgPauniUYEg711U1mKPOFbp_Eg8m6fM7isPDkxIH8HwnGW1AWnLa/s1280/DSC_4467.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-pK_PytROPSi_aruckYPu0g0OUTdEFscyXkvQiRP2O89cAV4-I3cZjg0GrhHPiDEP4LQI8y44Y6RmK7swDWtrBSsYgPauniUYEg711U1mKPOFbp_Eg8m6fM7isPDkxIH8HwnGW1AWnLa/s320/DSC_4467.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh oh! This is looking serious</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Sunday morning I cut down the shrivelled remains of the Jerusalem artichokes and started the process of digging up the tubers - at least enough to clear some ground for Ian to dump the alpaca manure and expand the bed widthways. The rain set in for the afternoon, but fortunately I had some proofreading to occupy my time. I also dug up the dahlias that I raised from seed this year. The tubers are drying off in the little greenhouse ready to be taken back to the apartment. I also cleared and mulched another bed and so now nearly all the beds are settled down for their winter sleep. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7Qlrt_uE6vX0omczM9c9ExB-Y8AjftOxeja2d6XKZ7_aXqPe2crAZVrq83-u8aGhfIm_h57aE0we-8TQ-0Fkeqz4mwuJeRWwFQfrw-API8JX8JY2Ou6i5mmp4LaXDT7rc0i9Vk4Bj_3f/s1280/DSC_4468.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7Qlrt_uE6vX0omczM9c9ExB-Y8AjftOxeja2d6XKZ7_aXqPe2crAZVrq83-u8aGhfIm_h57aE0we-8TQ-0Fkeqz4mwuJeRWwFQfrw-API8JX8JY2Ou6i5mmp4LaXDT7rc0i9Vk4Bj_3f/s320/DSC_4468.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not just the odd flock of geese this time. Lots<br />of flocks have been flying over. Winter won't <br />be long now, so they say!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAPTEyX-sj4Qfg-T7GCvNtsCdj9HlWzJrHbY2ZWuenZskt3uTtTyYoEh6FH_62TOiCtjpPWMTT4kQ5u99TpqxmEAYYoE9_nf5GN5GMyc7BGJJvRiSzhqHGl7I8r1V-93gPsk8yqyItONb/s1280/DSC_4455.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAPTEyX-sj4Qfg-T7GCvNtsCdj9HlWzJrHbY2ZWuenZskt3uTtTyYoEh6FH_62TOiCtjpPWMTT4kQ5u99TpqxmEAYYoE9_nf5GN5GMyc7BGJJvRiSzhqHGl7I8r1V-93gPsk8yqyItONb/s320/DSC_4455.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wish vegetable gardening was this easy. Just<br />put the animals out on the grass and let them<br />eat it down. Not much mowing goes on these<br />days.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I need to work on the garden for next year, as it has started to get out of hand and take too long to deal with. I'm thinking of a very low maintenance to no veg gardening next year to give me time to get the flower and herb garden sorted and make the veg beds more manageable. It doesn't mean we will have nothing to eat from the garden, there are plenty of herbs. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWaLmppHz_wpaoQFZ-5nS27hk034kBdJTxZ0PHBVM7W0sAESS8mZle9Eve7ym7OfN03QVctNxQc9vxTtEtsWjsr47FQInxiYubzqJWLhTqU8FZG5ALatwX_DX9QMhrcs62IncWsd6w2HO/s1280/DSC_4456.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWaLmppHz_wpaoQFZ-5nS27hk034kBdJTxZ0PHBVM7W0sAESS8mZle9Eve7ym7OfN03QVctNxQc9vxTtEtsWjsr47FQInxiYubzqJWLhTqU8FZG5ALatwX_DX9QMhrcs62IncWsd6w2HO/s320/DSC_4456.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are some gardeners on our land who we <br />do not appreciate. The moles have been<br />working overtime. They are all round the<br />greenhouse and have even been digging up in our<br />new greenhouse now. They are in various places<br />in the fields. They also dug up the ditch and <br />blocked it so Ian has taken up the small bridges<br />and has re-dug it. So far they haven't been back-<br />close but not back yet! </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTIqz9VyusBD7zr6oA2xoqE1v98NYRuY9C7pIER3UU1A552SZsKf4fsoOCMPBXkH7QEhWbGFCTFM_ce2E99JpSBIJjt2lT_i69LEoQwiz9Urqoj-dOOcOgf_Fk0dQg6WlFNCjR5_EgbtB/s1280/DSC_4458.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTIqz9VyusBD7zr6oA2xoqE1v98NYRuY9C7pIER3UU1A552SZsKf4fsoOCMPBXkH7QEhWbGFCTFM_ce2E99JpSBIJjt2lT_i69LEoQwiz9Urqoj-dOOcOgf_Fk0dQg6WlFNCjR5_EgbtB/s320/DSC_4458.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a glorious golden autumn</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There are also plenty of wild edible weeds that we eat a lot of in spring and I can sort of cultivate them too. Nettles are really nutritious and if we cut them back they can be harvested later too. I've already put some potatoes in to see if they will be okay over winter. I know I've tried it before and it didn't work but then again the winter was hard that year. We seem to have lots of potatoes that grow up anyway where I haven't planted them and they are cheap to replace, so no big worries. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVcOTBzrp_jm3Kyf6bDuhHI6Rkmvu8sMSmn1gC5VLOrNB1Z0OtL7hvMKyOCWyuy0OCAq_pH71XkGrCKj3Vi6qxCv0hUCkwbC0sHXTAYiq2JbOznWPrtL1GEdFHAdKaLwnqImIYqJe5Ixf/s1280/DSC_4459.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdVcOTBzrp_jm3Kyf6bDuhHI6Rkmvu8sMSmn1gC5VLOrNB1Z0OtL7hvMKyOCWyuy0OCAq_pH71XkGrCKj3Vi6qxCv0hUCkwbC0sHXTAYiq2JbOznWPrtL1GEdFHAdKaLwnqImIYqJe5Ixf/s320/DSC_4459.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...panning round a bit more</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCwBGsGXJ9MdE04NeRLofMrHOsQfzRgNOaYJKMInd-pK94xUQJxCxBqL4ggklgyAvUt4_SB1KyiXgEfwW3gWu8Ux3m7E9kRgprb2G2DvdE2Eo2QG5HJmBjoNfeAeZf_Hf_tfaVdUzsHQz/s1280/DSC_4464.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCwBGsGXJ9MdE04NeRLofMrHOsQfzRgNOaYJKMInd-pK94xUQJxCxBqL4ggklgyAvUt4_SB1KyiXgEfwW3gWu8Ux3m7E9kRgprb2G2DvdE2Eo2QG5HJmBjoNfeAeZf_Hf_tfaVdUzsHQz/s320/DSC_4464.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a profusion of colours, all bathed in a <br />golden light</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I might also buy some plants instead of trying to raise them myself and put some seeds in that can overwinter. I tried it before with parsnips and that worked really well. Those sorts of veg don't seem to need a lot of work and so can just sort themselves out with a bit of mulching later on. . Once I have the garden under control I could then think about late summer and autumn vegetables as they seem to be doing okay. The garlic is already in too. It is easy to put that kind of thing in after the potatoes have been removed (I say removed rather than dug up as I don't use a spade - no need and a lot fewer losses from spade or fork damage). After the potatoes the bed is clear and just needs a quick raking over and then mulching. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveJHZnKP5B4SHpLBYVXPN1NqxBy6mLoSpHk183PcUbidh2vacuCcZitdL8w0heY7Qows7vFPWw8dJxJ-weF_T2jUMYPprcACLzLvmDna5ZkI5JIQpqJxJCKNYvusioWB9_C8XPtqUD2me/s1280/DSC_4478.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1280" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveJHZnKP5B4SHpLBYVXPN1NqxBy6mLoSpHk183PcUbidh2vacuCcZitdL8w0heY7Qows7vFPWw8dJxJ-weF_T2jUMYPprcACLzLvmDna5ZkI5JIQpqJxJCKNYvusioWB9_C8XPtqUD2me/s320/DSC_4478.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then we had the damp squib of a day which<br />drained the colour and makes the photos look<br />like a slightly faded one from the 70s. Karla <br />and Lolly were wet through this week, but<br />none the worse for it.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdLHLH5sUCXssRFhX71eFe2wRXvUwN5fCzDCWDba41nkQrdXkeiNxHX-sSYuTGYQijGSXvhreq8DyN18XVhQRBMYfCg4ADmn3sHfziGgCWrifzdiywr_N62g24DmuzIXHAcvQe9IccioU/s1280/DSC_4479.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdLHLH5sUCXssRFhX71eFe2wRXvUwN5fCzDCWDba41nkQrdXkeiNxHX-sSYuTGYQijGSXvhreq8DyN18XVhQRBMYfCg4ADmn3sHfziGgCWrifzdiywr_N62g24DmuzIXHAcvQe9IccioU/s320/DSC_4479.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Generally they get on, but sometimes little Lolly<br />pushes Karla to her limit. Karla is smaller in<br />height but much stronger than Lolly. But <br />Lolly can outrun all the girls I think with her<br />long legs and boundless energy.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another aspect I really need to sort out is compost. We have plenty of manure and that, but not a convenient place to compost it all. I need the compost for starting seeds and it seems daft to buy it in when we have so much stuff that could be composted. I could do with doing some hot composting to get rid of weed seeds and then bagging it up, but I just don't seem to get organised enough for the beginning of the year. April and May is just such a busy time, both for the academic and agricultural year, that trying to fit in finding compost, raising seeds, finding sticks for beans and so on, all gets too much. Starting earlier isn't an option either in our short season, as the ground can still be frozen in March and we still risk hard frosts and snow. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ieEuyR7orX2GJrcLIsDrtX1N42nuzl2oqVegMPe78pV18bibDoWGiPLR1CfBtn5S6XfOLah8FGINoJ_W6LND-hpEMwOALNTm0dubo-I0W7PYZqxW69NWDiLRmRBBOIzwEeVh5wU5EsgJ/s1280/DSC_4488.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ieEuyR7orX2GJrcLIsDrtX1N42nuzl2oqVegMPe78pV18bibDoWGiPLR1CfBtn5S6XfOLah8FGINoJ_W6LND-hpEMwOALNTm0dubo-I0W7PYZqxW69NWDiLRmRBBOIzwEeVh5wU5EsgJ/s320/DSC_4488.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like miniature stained glass windows.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDDVwrwEVFWel2cL_5C68auMwzatqeOcP9m2L_vpVh5iOh3DAvYKz63SdEazVVNMA-_XkE1NM0s2I7P89GytRDJjz72hC1pgAfcdaTSrV3xR99as6VjiOMegpWvWDjwNGmQoPSz9naydK/s1280/DSC_4495.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDDVwrwEVFWel2cL_5C68auMwzatqeOcP9m2L_vpVh5iOh3DAvYKz63SdEazVVNMA-_XkE1NM0s2I7P89GytRDJjz72hC1pgAfcdaTSrV3xR99as6VjiOMegpWvWDjwNGmQoPSz9naydK/s320/DSC_4495.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking gorgeous there Mr. P</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Ian will have to get cracking with wood chopping, as now we have finally got the wood to the apartment and down in the cellar there, ready for our return in winter. I say we. We both stacked the horse box and Ian did one run to the apartment on his own. I had work to do and there was rain forecast which makes getting the horse box on and off the land tricky, so he made a start. We both went another morning to finish it off. We made it before it rained anyway. It would have been done earlier but we had a problem with a delivery of flour. I get my organic flour online and it was too heavy to use the post box and it had to be sent by courier. Well there are problems with our address since the administrative changes as there are now two places in our larger municipality with the same name and the courier got the wrong one. I always wince when people swear in my language. I'm not the swearing sort and so this just kind of compounds it. I did feel sorry for him though as I know they are on a tight schedule. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGQ4q-nMBOyyE8cmvS5Dp0fG9bCuk03b767DBU1C3P9POa4wH8FAnc577fK16sT2GpCtVOnF8ilW-SfDTFraXMf0NUuX5tndsXgS90-ivFXvNJZG76SLQbKsMmMxs7rQhNaOFRsXTKWRs/s1280/DSC_4498.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGQ4q-nMBOyyE8cmvS5Dp0fG9bCuk03b767DBU1C3P9POa4wH8FAnc577fK16sT2GpCtVOnF8ilW-SfDTFraXMf0NUuX5tndsXgS90-ivFXvNJZG76SLQbKsMmMxs7rQhNaOFRsXTKWRs/s320/DSC_4498.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A soggy Brencis</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KOLzEXSXlb1qQIJmthyphenhyphenvu7xZn-0KObIfKhyBapZTqc9WCI8vhva2DiK2FsDGKqcZ1h_c4X7xbscspAG7sqN_atDn3QGMb5cZb3tCVjVM7o6cQHjCvyJCZRZPgzccJxE9n03nG_yN4ueH/s1280/DSC_4501.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KOLzEXSXlb1qQIJmthyphenhyphenvu7xZn-0KObIfKhyBapZTqc9WCI8vhva2DiK2FsDGKqcZ1h_c4X7xbscspAG7sqN_atDn3QGMb5cZb3tCVjVM7o6cQHjCvyJCZRZPgzccJxE9n03nG_yN4ueH/s320/DSC_4501.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Tellus with a few glistening jewels</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I heard last week that the paper that seems to have gone on for ever has finally been accepted. I sighed a huge sigh of relief but then got a message that they would like a summary of the paper for policymakers and the general public. Oh boy! Just condense 18 months of work into 1000 words please! Don't use anything too technical! Okay but it's one of the most technical papers I've ever written.... so....anyway it's done and sent off to my colleagues to comment on. Work seemed to be piling up this last week but at least I've managed to clear some backlogs in the last two days and can now get back on with the more routine side of things - whatever that is. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eoD3olnn2WIKxP6aO91tGYMa0JMI1h_Zy85oBJVufCokL0Ds_5-QTVk57AHRYn6IbLKAndssasSD8O8RcKGNJRCwQJbDeU2M9HbJ3-E6WyukZ_rGfxu_ffsLiymKOKyW8yHZ1PiliCaK/s1280/DSC_4506.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eoD3olnn2WIKxP6aO91tGYMa0JMI1h_Zy85oBJVufCokL0Ds_5-QTVk57AHRYn6IbLKAndssasSD8O8RcKGNJRCwQJbDeU2M9HbJ3-E6WyukZ_rGfxu_ffsLiymKOKyW8yHZ1PiliCaK/s320/DSC_4506.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A two-tone George</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFu2DBSo1noKDbimOqM-TiaMrH-9AyEh5Vl6ElEsWYxbSCpLUy1SjUPXZfzN94hBVEPWrh5i5mLoEyYqckB6oYFszD-LYxLouEQ0Tb18-miluVPA-bafub5UDyUd9vxctP7PD9PYk2GkZV/s1280/DSC_4526.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFu2DBSo1noKDbimOqM-TiaMrH-9AyEh5Vl6ElEsWYxbSCpLUy1SjUPXZfzN94hBVEPWrh5i5mLoEyYqckB6oYFszD-LYxLouEQ0Tb18-miluVPA-bafub5UDyUd9vxctP7PD9PYk2GkZV/s320/DSC_4526.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden morning rain with Freddie and Jakobs</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewL9WuOkQyEl_llTSypN_oZbctzHttvKbni73AzX-trBGrzmN-MAkvTx7OA8c2rCJnK76K7gNa6f75dTMN-i7pRCsgnSkA9YjdMM48xIjrNZQys06zDvFa5uQAR4J4lF08Mn_rhsIOJb8/s1280/DSC_4530.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewL9WuOkQyEl_llTSypN_oZbctzHttvKbni73AzX-trBGrzmN-MAkvTx7OA8c2rCJnK76K7gNa6f75dTMN-i7pRCsgnSkA9YjdMM48xIjrNZQys06zDvFa5uQAR4J4lF08Mn_rhsIOJb8/s320/DSC_4530.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rainbow in our forest</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFFSvB1N3ZeBXV6Qcgk14Vk-BM4Oavj9GkRkLVgg04him43nlB4hdM0ac80gc8ayCXPj2oIGTgis2ujH5tliNXkb6u8eGU2gT8XA-FZVYvgd32Bo-3jM7WCVLGyu3HjiSAosZ1sW1VH7m/s1280/DSC_4528.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFFSvB1N3ZeBXV6Qcgk14Vk-BM4Oavj9GkRkLVgg04him43nlB4hdM0ac80gc8ayCXPj2oIGTgis2ujH5tliNXkb6u8eGU2gT8XA-FZVYvgd32Bo-3jM7WCVLGyu3HjiSAosZ1sW1VH7m/s320/DSC_4528.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The other end of the rainbow on the hill</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldzxxotBLCvsqziviBSW0UP8UvMJV6MOA_4RtGFyPS2SluqhmCtJgYYptG1Pz3cYuRVARISSgO_kzgB9C6RD6VZQb2hY-CIVxHr5IDVDN5u1wyvMZZfVAXiWrsmTuDYUAK_tzwV4_mQKc/s1280/DSC_4532.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldzxxotBLCvsqziviBSW0UP8UvMJV6MOA_4RtGFyPS2SluqhmCtJgYYptG1Pz3cYuRVARISSgO_kzgB9C6RD6VZQb2hY-CIVxHr5IDVDN5u1wyvMZZfVAXiWrsmTuDYUAK_tzwV4_mQKc/s320/DSC_4532.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two-tone George on a frosty morning</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0lu2R9YrQ78WNuINrAEGOKEFi2u6MWpl4sDlK0iAM_rUk3qaMfeA3dLgrbinwKSQPuJcJVgTtE8JAyhoLBteuDIbQzP1t7uEh9ragHmYiVv2_kqacEmdScUQRN0Mq9GKP0tFdzqGb0V7/s1280/DSC_4543.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF0lu2R9YrQ78WNuINrAEGOKEFi2u6MWpl4sDlK0iAM_rUk3qaMfeA3dLgrbinwKSQPuJcJVgTtE8JAyhoLBteuDIbQzP1t7uEh9ragHmYiVv2_kqacEmdScUQRN0Mq9GKP0tFdzqGb0V7/s320/DSC_4543.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josefs and Freddie fighting</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DslF7eqwNsDjTUcTKSgYTx12Pmmf1tafpE6pjVBA9x_uLWkUEFoF6XtuX1U7P9XKfckLoLmmUL1IyuCb7uolomMOTnj0Bi3zxpiU2jJ4sT8PN6CwFCy5UOXwM0DYEth-VhfYYt_Q4gZD/s1280/DSC_4553.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0DslF7eqwNsDjTUcTKSgYTx12Pmmf1tafpE6pjVBA9x_uLWkUEFoF6XtuX1U7P9XKfckLoLmmUL1IyuCb7uolomMOTnj0Bi3zxpiU2jJ4sT8PN6CwFCy5UOXwM0DYEth-VhfYYt_Q4gZD/s320/DSC_4553.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still at it</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6vX4c3_PiqqQHuhTeFPUy7SjbjfWUNgxX3tJ5au8WZSxiVteqzVbDkh7XKJAeFbWFxHMWsc2Q_3NyFjYbIZKntTDzNebEKfz-gXD2UHTAFk1TRpAWGaoGHBiumQLv9HTSOMJ8gpjgV5N/s1280/DSC_4565.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6vX4c3_PiqqQHuhTeFPUy7SjbjfWUNgxX3tJ5au8WZSxiVteqzVbDkh7XKJAeFbWFxHMWsc2Q_3NyFjYbIZKntTDzNebEKfz-gXD2UHTAFk1TRpAWGaoGHBiumQLv9HTSOMJ8gpjgV5N/s320/DSC_4565.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josefs taking a breather</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4cMumk63i_v2r3EL2IHdyhm3jUbaU10gs8sWq3zC2-LafooX_5dK0Np6HSQUYp5hZ-uDKtrIcGgqgyFaHAtz3gW7TOF4JRTtbvcoZ7zvj-fyd0zYvn-ogiLVFleOHblliqQFbyb1XuYi/s1280/DSC_4572.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4cMumk63i_v2r3EL2IHdyhm3jUbaU10gs8sWq3zC2-LafooX_5dK0Np6HSQUYp5hZ-uDKtrIcGgqgyFaHAtz3gW7TOF4JRTtbvcoZ7zvj-fyd0zYvn-ogiLVFleOHblliqQFbyb1XuYi/s320/DSC_4572.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning jog</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicu0XvG71vRH3zsWi1r7t87BuzjFJTNVq0ANZyFad3v0lsPvz70R5tjz46ur7i66E7iBzSCffiB0JgtWTWYP7ccQg_u-n0nPa8vUfeDVzWSps9tEspfoMx2FiprAD-LwI02TQ932z4F0La/s1280/DSC_4580.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicu0XvG71vRH3zsWi1r7t87BuzjFJTNVq0ANZyFad3v0lsPvz70R5tjz46ur7i66E7iBzSCffiB0JgtWTWYP7ccQg_u-n0nPa8vUfeDVzWSps9tEspfoMx2FiprAD-LwI02TQ932z4F0La/s320/DSC_4580.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Father and son wrestling now.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEhCVkCbq2oQ-69qcIqf7s7CeGVvKn8rOtXiRUsrCvOL-wa7pj9o1cvdDRzudlGZ-n0qOatvgnE3F9lDS7AHpieS2LFHY-4IU7RiluwJy5ZJMs6ekOQzyaTG3gMeJ0lzoo2fpcqC6frjj/s1280/DSC_4587.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEhCVkCbq2oQ-69qcIqf7s7CeGVvKn8rOtXiRUsrCvOL-wa7pj9o1cvdDRzudlGZ-n0qOatvgnE3F9lDS7AHpieS2LFHY-4IU7RiluwJy5ZJMs6ekOQzyaTG3gMeJ0lzoo2fpcqC6frjj/s320/DSC_4587.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now it's Freddie and George's turn. But don't<br />worry, Ian calmed them down after a while and<br />no one was hurt.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwHdX3WZwzKph7geZPQ9Ejitei61TsoT-faT9l8bSOmUBuKCGt9LW-DyULsZ8Ha6G3A_N3B-jgUrWyCOLgbWaxTD4LsdUmR0SQTmhdiw7XTIsQ7K0W95xIo-Bt0yaxWzS_sMlE0Bc3dMe/s1280/DSC_4608.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwHdX3WZwzKph7geZPQ9Ejitei61TsoT-faT9l8bSOmUBuKCGt9LW-DyULsZ8Ha6G3A_N3B-jgUrWyCOLgbWaxTD4LsdUmR0SQTmhdiw7XTIsQ7K0W95xIo-Bt0yaxWzS_sMlE0Bc3dMe/s320/DSC_4608.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice on the car</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_obs2Cs1EORVN80Z5yWm_CeaJbzTWDexMqxd6WR_wrl4eWa9_3_tFCS1P6rCsFZRRPQ6HMdwbuft5L9qI3M8OKVdEwgAtoiX89zQK3MrJAEgO89AXxMG-4hnmhyza990kOqg2bp9j6vr/s1280/DSC_4609.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_obs2Cs1EORVN80Z5yWm_CeaJbzTWDexMqxd6WR_wrl4eWa9_3_tFCS1P6rCsFZRRPQ6HMdwbuft5L9qI3M8OKVdEwgAtoiX89zQK3MrJAEgO89AXxMG-4hnmhyza990kOqg2bp9j6vr/s320/DSC_4609.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A disagreement this time between Freddie and <br />Jakobs.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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} catch(err) {}</script></div>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08013060781688432165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3667528135627300426.post-46667604442372905622021-10-11T21:45:00.012+03:002021-10-12T07:22:48.031+03:00You're supposed to fly south!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEgR2eUxtP2dVlowxKtlLhie2S4f93V74us1p28hHfzf30l_WPbSGRrjaHeh6b_DDCFnY5HReyX6fX43XlFcPwQjc_JWAsy-9KEEXYbr6_JnZoklh4fbpgg7udWvr9FUpplUdFJJM9duJ/s1280/DSC_4423.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEgR2eUxtP2dVlowxKtlLhie2S4f93V74us1p28hHfzf30l_WPbSGRrjaHeh6b_DDCFnY5HReyX6fX43XlFcPwQjc_JWAsy-9KEEXYbr6_JnZoklh4fbpgg7udWvr9FUpplUdFJJM9duJ/s320/DSC_4423.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glorious autumnal day</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Have we missed winter? Did we fall asleep and not wake up for months? It felt like that on Sunday when a small flock of large geese flew north east. After a few minutes one lone goose flew south west. It was honking away as if to say, "I told you all, you're flying the wrong way, but would you listen? No!" I knew how it was feeling. There are times I feel like I'm just flying the opposite way to everyone else, but I think we all feel like that from time to time. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUe975fGLdViVOYNys662FmYf58svEG1Shck2LU4IcrT0mZ35wUAMj2bqt6nKJL4qHQ9oA2ubgzQB4tJ1lHvZZgK5DweHyJKyqbr6vpIO1JEkVjfAd_PU6VcjpX9fZrgrtypLeSCf8Z9Wk/s1280/DSC_4416.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUe975fGLdViVOYNys662FmYf58svEG1Shck2LU4IcrT0mZ35wUAMj2bqt6nKJL4qHQ9oA2ubgzQB4tJ1lHvZZgK5DweHyJKyqbr6vpIO1JEkVjfAd_PU6VcjpX9fZrgrtypLeSCf8Z9Wk/s320/DSC_4416.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">....but winter is on its way. The photo looks <br />greener than it did that morning</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLiTwUMiqxDz-vAVOkFDSslH7Yzj-YDdxeIb9FK2-lUJ6NNiFP85I5T00cUoBHRQcDtxyrDq1LCq_bKGHH_BPxgAkWozt4jeejYX9BBJPPJU6Rbtp2Bc4R8Rup6VrI7UkJLcj0L4raeNl/s1280/DSC_4417.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLiTwUMiqxDz-vAVOkFDSslH7Yzj-YDdxeIb9FK2-lUJ6NNiFP85I5T00cUoBHRQcDtxyrDq1LCq_bKGHH_BPxgAkWozt4jeejYX9BBJPPJU6Rbtp2Bc4R8Rup6VrI7UkJLcj0L4raeNl/s320/DSC_4417.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...to prove my point</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Well, Latvia is in a state of emergency again for the next three months. People are simply not getting vaccinated in enough numbers. The government are organising mobile vaccination clinics and hopefully that will help in the more rural areas. There are also more restrictions on non-vaccinated people, which seems to be providing an incentive to get in line to get the jab. Meanwhile Sweden, Norway and Denmark have reopened after they have vaccinated a high proportion of their population. It's not rocket science. Vaccines work. It brings down the incidence. It reduces the severity of the disease even if you do get the virus. But as long as people are not getting vaccinated in enough numbers this whole stupid situation continues and the virus goes round and round and round.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4feoLdgVPCNQqjUB9m5BF0Ytz-ruJs73rkpX3a5X8NhO8WVdUZ-7BhBqB4fltun755UK6kyAZIOBfwG_5XntWeH0uNLuZr3Uc0UXI7RWTncMUu_d2wdido-aveMz3rdKHwaW3fvdWHgvU/s1280/DSC_4420.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4feoLdgVPCNQqjUB9m5BF0Ytz-ruJs73rkpX3a5X8NhO8WVdUZ-7BhBqB4fltun755UK6kyAZIOBfwG_5XntWeH0uNLuZr3Uc0UXI7RWTncMUu_d2wdido-aveMz3rdKHwaW3fvdWHgvU/s320/DSC_4420.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mari. Ian mulched this long, dry grass today</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgFrdK6NKIDz__e9anvq9HuEDgHOwTKwKiZGzfm4kOEoHj0_mmB0ioXrZiPegVuYTjqin8ciYJbyk_4aOl-NDabP8S9WQUjDXL5JrT5q-8bxP8_2UzrdQTAvLhk7rkIyYElGTxapIrqE-/s1280/DSC_4421.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgFrdK6NKIDz__e9anvq9HuEDgHOwTKwKiZGzfm4kOEoHj0_mmB0ioXrZiPegVuYTjqin8ciYJbyk_4aOl-NDabP8S9WQUjDXL5JrT5q-8bxP8_2UzrdQTAvLhk7rkIyYElGTxapIrqE-/s320/DSC_4421.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two trailers! There's a kids story in there <br />somewhere. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Not sure if ivermectin is a thing in Latvia but I understand that it is elsewhere in the world. Marvellous! So not only do we have a virus circulating around due to a lack of vaccinated people we are storing up problems for resistant parasites, as people take ivermectin as a precaution against Covid19. There is already a huge problem in the livestock industry of resistant parasites. So mange anyone? And yes people can get it too and it's called scabies. Or maybe a nice intestinal parasite like roundworm or a wonderful case of lice. Oh life will be fun when we can't get rid of these things because they are resistant. It will add to our woes with failing antibiotics due to overuse. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrqq3TBAnGN-7MHdlRX79EYrw75T-Tc4YV7Ce4cYnN4tf4gbBpC5EwRJaeUPWSx5OM8keXgLXId-tEXA4ZLY4_3bWoBXXvPlTrqrYFF5zfB4Qm5WW7KRSuRCloohArESqFWBTQs3xeDAN/s1280/DSC_4424.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrqq3TBAnGN-7MHdlRX79EYrw75T-Tc4YV7Ce4cYnN4tf4gbBpC5EwRJaeUPWSx5OM8keXgLXId-tEXA4ZLY4_3bWoBXXvPlTrqrYFF5zfB4Qm5WW7KRSuRCloohArESqFWBTQs3xeDAN/s320/DSC_4424.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls enjoying the sunny spots these days, <br />after spending the summer seeking the shade.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJndG4uvF_8VtSfJVeUMH2b_jVe2dr-UQSwwmbOk6l22vx4adHIl__sBoxjOf7JphbPNjRtvNvSzdNOb1endgNMdrduAbTvoC8LChI6IXpMZIEVQG0IWwZ9aMEVnqP2h9QVq217tE3X7h/s1280/DSC_4425.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1280" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJndG4uvF_8VtSfJVeUMH2b_jVe2dr-UQSwwmbOk6l22vx4adHIl__sBoxjOf7JphbPNjRtvNvSzdNOb1endgNMdrduAbTvoC8LChI6IXpMZIEVQG0IWwZ9aMEVnqP2h9QVq217tE3X7h/s320/DSC_4425.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silla!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Well life for us does carry on in our little rural bubble, especially as we've closed the farm to visitors for the winter, so I don't think we slept the winter away. Our caravan is now back in the greenhouse. It didn't seem to go in very easily and it took a bit of too-ing and fro-ing to get it up the ramp and in but at least there were no disasters - close but not disasters. It's a good job that this autumn hasn't been as wet as last year, because it was mid-November before we got the caravan in the greenhouse that year. The weather this October though has been mainly dry and over the weekend it has been glorious, if a little cool. This last week we had a couple of hard frosts that finished off any tender plants, but we still have plenty of hardy stuff in the garden. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil50ERa2mMhv4seSeRYPsyeFnkZiWh6b9Z3XduMaknWIWdAtk6UiJ4b3RenLpT5xh7fltUzC7Ze4uZOfHuvdclnVLTrLLU0r3-MlTxSqGqcMOnvSi_AjfJLG7VBLK6RY-DrLbiGW4DFUKc/s1280/DSC_4426.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil50ERa2mMhv4seSeRYPsyeFnkZiWh6b9Z3XduMaknWIWdAtk6UiJ4b3RenLpT5xh7fltUzC7Ze4uZOfHuvdclnVLTrLLU0r3-MlTxSqGqcMOnvSi_AjfJLG7VBLK6RY-DrLbiGW4DFUKc/s320/DSC_4426.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the babies! They're getting big now</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQj0cDXjmzRb8HOCcLbJ9zTNMdrNCoC1flL7QXU-9SmVQpMGWFfA8Z4Z_ywkT-qDiF80MGNKKKJn8ztjI9jV0dgOMDyrEvqKUoaZx_kVbnvcnT5kbxbdc_6xMnUm6P9UTbq0bICdkbLf8/s1280/DSC_4432.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQj0cDXjmzRb8HOCcLbJ9zTNMdrNCoC1flL7QXU-9SmVQpMGWFfA8Z4Z_ywkT-qDiF80MGNKKKJn8ztjI9jV0dgOMDyrEvqKUoaZx_kVbnvcnT5kbxbdc_6xMnUm6P9UTbq0bICdkbLf8/s320/DSC_4432.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not long before Ilvija will be scanned to see if<br />she's pregnant.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The dark blue grapes have now been cut back, a bucketful of them steamed and some of the remains sieved. I did give up after the third attempt at unjamming the hand food strainer though. This was despite using the right insert in the strainer that is supposed to handle grape pips. Oh well! The tub full of pulp was added to what might be the last of the autumn raspberries and steamed in the pressure cooker to add to porridge over the winter. Another job done. We still have other grapes and they will have to be cut soon, but they've held up under the frosts. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtAOe_CCj5CGJfcZ2b4xcS_EGKf6tKaPIOigf7EJJDTUfBTfpS1WdYPF3KnkmMZjE99S8BAd9BXZijTbV8JmORuZAUWib9BHCBM20VG2nlq3NL93e5KUM2EjxupZFKVflWZTOCjC_wYDR/s1280/DSC_4437.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtAOe_CCj5CGJfcZ2b4xcS_EGKf6tKaPIOigf7EJJDTUfBTfpS1WdYPF3KnkmMZjE99S8BAd9BXZijTbV8JmORuZAUWib9BHCBM20VG2nlq3NL93e5KUM2EjxupZFKVflWZTOCjC_wYDR/s320/DSC_4437.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aggie. She's a funny one. She seems like she's<br />almost getting motherly with Lolly. A bit late now.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSW5ZEJO3utf1PEMFyn94JmwdRXDmzT2DZVVf50dkdinl6Ap0L9fI-Akeb1YhwpIGaX_AiQfqLWjutzX02zRxYBG17XZeV1VDdkt5xkRpBhLxiRabaBtjrgvzgLglaBN44-blKJmVhPII/s1280/DSC_4446.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSW5ZEJO3utf1PEMFyn94JmwdRXDmzT2DZVVf50dkdinl6Ap0L9fI-Akeb1YhwpIGaX_AiQfqLWjutzX02zRxYBG17XZeV1VDdkt5xkRpBhLxiRabaBtjrgvzgLglaBN44-blKJmVhPII/s320/DSC_4446.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aggie's eye is slowly getting better now. She's <br />had more antibiotics and now on a steroid <br />cream as well. It might be caused by ingrowing <br />eyelashes but we will check again, once all<br />the swelling has gone down.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Today was glorious again and so I took half a day off to stack wood in the horse box with Ian. That's another job that needed to be done before winter rains set in. That was enough for Ian's back and so I will take another half day off to help him stack it in the basement. It felt a bit of an odd day, frosty first thing but then a relatively warm wind from the south. No wonder those geese were confused. It felt like something was in the air, a wind of change. I'm basically an optimist, despite the rant above, my optimism keeps me going, pushing forwards for change. It's six years since the song, "Winds of change" hammered into my brain (<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3667528135627300426/7013958968702803217" target="_blank">link</a>). Six years ago seems like a lifetime away and so many situations have taken a turn for the worse. More countries feel precarious or on the edge. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8jAqsQJvt0tEIBgKZSKKRIdfsNlJ-pCSrr-IlfV6k1y4L1yS303XyaKqHDxAKMhEnKTmddQZzG4uWtGy_mSuiiqwNmpmVUX2NFrY3OmEbb465ynNs2XfIWxugtgCp3bgictCYsGj-zUo/s1280/DSC_4439.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8jAqsQJvt0tEIBgKZSKKRIdfsNlJ-pCSrr-IlfV6k1y4L1yS303XyaKqHDxAKMhEnKTmddQZzG4uWtGy_mSuiiqwNmpmVUX2NFrY3OmEbb465ynNs2XfIWxugtgCp3bgictCYsGj-zUo/s320/DSC_4439.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly has grown well on grass and bottles of milk<br />from the neighbour's cows. Ian has dropped one <br />of her feeds in preparation for weaning and also<br />to ensure she is ready for when we do go back<br />to the apartment and cannot give her late night <br />feeds.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYRELQjUtdKKcERSZoPMyVYRHr6aOvutRuJz_l2q_JpN70DRWhqG1MrrIlKVWDPfA8xbJGpU3nTwWoqLlaiaUbUEy8bDs-AM4GdxZxvPiqohja0xZHiUYTZxqgydqPPyF4_iwT0-bgeAz/s1280/DSC_4441.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYRELQjUtdKKcERSZoPMyVYRHr6aOvutRuJz_l2q_JpN70DRWhqG1MrrIlKVWDPfA8xbJGpU3nTwWoqLlaiaUbUEy8bDs-AM4GdxZxvPiqohja0xZHiUYTZxqgydqPPyF4_iwT0-bgeAz/s320/DSC_4441.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla looking dreamy</td></tr></tbody></table><p>But it is times like these when change happens. A generation has gone since the Scorpions sang their song and now it is time for a new generation to rise up and step away from the path that others have trod towards destroying the planet on which we live. Change scares us, but staying the same scares me more. I want to pass on a living, breathing planet to my children and grandchildren. Not a shrivelled up wasteland that we are preparing for them at the moment. We've seen in the last couple of years that if nature is given space it can grow in abundance. It can fill the gap. If we don't! It's not even worth contemplating. So I will continue on my path of looking towards the landscape changes that will be needed to give nature and people space to breathe. The paths that involve political change, individual change, system change, the lot. That path will also continue on our own land, as I give myself room to breathe and space to think. It's been awhile!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPF3iKB0fDat1MKBecezHP1-7JtYZrBf5M-tQV_l6_jG-F5UqnjSjbOlMuArswZGkDwr0841hfP_J8dRWg4_Iis_996jQHcLXgQPX2r7BqVdwRh8KPsOHAdpDgofcgbALSTEtz3-xmmYOF/s1280/DSC_4442.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPF3iKB0fDat1MKBecezHP1-7JtYZrBf5M-tQV_l6_jG-F5UqnjSjbOlMuArswZGkDwr0841hfP_J8dRWg4_Iis_996jQHcLXgQPX2r7BqVdwRh8KPsOHAdpDgofcgbALSTEtz3-xmmYOF/s320/DSC_4442.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanessa soaking up the sun again</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKGbrPC3qrkEINxrsmyefT9HxjNthDzUt2G1hFPlFqEgOHLWzrQyoq2kO62AaED80YLWXbYE-hiWaVDailJm3dEaZPjVKGSPcQOD5mmBIlJOIm-geD5ogUFLqh4jrTIzFJrQyAqkp4UDp/s1280/DSC_4449.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKGbrPC3qrkEINxrsmyefT9HxjNthDzUt2G1hFPlFqEgOHLWzrQyoq2kO62AaED80YLWXbYE-hiWaVDailJm3dEaZPjVKGSPcQOD5mmBIlJOIm-geD5ogUFLqh4jrTIzFJrQyAqkp4UDp/s320/DSC_4449.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes there two are the best of pals and<br />sometimes they're not. Like kids really!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTP18IRoNqAZVPmhSV9OQ4vVkyuoFjhKZyi-EAZcgjsZjbXiD5a2iMGBXT_mMnqr7zn2arrAMAfmSiUuoSVSY9k8husfbUg7pKrGdxPcTjM9sZ582HPyxqYICEHUrhSP_Zo2DBX3yk4mo/s1280/DSC_4451.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTP18IRoNqAZVPmhSV9OQ4vVkyuoFjhKZyi-EAZcgjsZjbXiD5a2iMGBXT_mMnqr7zn2arrAMAfmSiUuoSVSY9k8husfbUg7pKrGdxPcTjM9sZ582HPyxqYICEHUrhSP_Zo2DBX3yk4mo/s320/DSC_4451.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel is still giving us cause for concern. She<br />might be having a course of ivermectin. At least<br />in this case it will be used for what it is intended <br />to be used for as an anti-parasite medicine to treat<br />mites. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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The boys are <br />rather interested in something.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">Last month I received a request to meet a Polish professor who was visiting our university. I was intrigued. Apparently, our research overlapped, which kind of felt odd when our academic disciplines are different. Then again, my kind of research in rural landscapes does cover various aspects from rural out-migration to place attachment, from agriculture to tourism, and from landscape types to practical realities of living in sparsely populated areas. It's diverse and I like it that way, I find it much more interesting than being a specialist in a narrow field. <o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaC1yOO9f8jm4u4wO8twfFzrGJeSrS4F-7bM8W5Lkq_EjR62axEhzhkDiXJaEH8QEXBA1s32GNzS69QoXq2A1w7O2G19KtidYi8F9Nlpv5KDL4ZHerltOyCDAhmrE4E4l3lGLKF1qWcIZ9/s1280/DSC_4289.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaC1yOO9f8jm4u4wO8twfFzrGJeSrS4F-7bM8W5Lkq_EjR62axEhzhkDiXJaEH8QEXBA1s32GNzS69QoXq2A1w7O2G19KtidYi8F9Nlpv5KDL4ZHerltOyCDAhmrE4E4l3lGLKF1qWcIZ9/s320/DSC_4289.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our place is looking very autumnal now</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohPw1t0qOLBoPxESEcUdraLSXPqXTmwj_NaAYT0DyRkNjTglvhgPGvS0O3FPoUo3QEkYRATnw4qvrm6Vki1M2acEssSAIAbVzHcwJDY0aALtFpYhcAjcJAyEahLwQI60GDrVOmFzYjNqF/s1280/DSC_4293.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohPw1t0qOLBoPxESEcUdraLSXPqXTmwj_NaAYT0DyRkNjTglvhgPGvS0O3FPoUo3QEkYRATnw4qvrm6Vki1M2acEssSAIAbVzHcwJDY0aALtFpYhcAjcJAyEahLwQI60GDrVOmFzYjNqF/s320/DSC_4293.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure what Rocket Ron is staring at, or <br />maybe he's just sleepy.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">Our overlap apparently comes from her focus on the market branding of regional areas to my focus on the place attachment that can be branded or rather the specific identity of a place that people feel connected to. It kind of reminds me of the attachment of Sheffielders (from South Yorkshire, UK), where Ian and I used to live, to Henderson's relish (you might have to look that up) but that all comes from a sense of belonging connected by something you put on your food. Something very regional and distinctive to a place. Anyway, the meeting with the Polish professor went well and we will explore ways to apply for funding for a joint project. That would, if all the funding comes together, make three projects on the go at once - common enough in academic circles, none are full-time but should add up to a full-time job. Now it is just a case of waiting to see what happens. <o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJvJgZ5V-TkQbQVj7ZQAa_162JyQ-48qEGvHobr_PqkSzYoaDEkiLQ8rsbgz95QA7rqIbncE1pgU9t0otvox0Ik0oEyLSloxkTH_wWehCCMGdRNbyyATBxCxdH_JgnCYg4M1pydFJ7Igs/s1280/DSC_4294.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJvJgZ5V-TkQbQVj7ZQAa_162JyQ-48qEGvHobr_PqkSzYoaDEkiLQ8rsbgz95QA7rqIbncE1pgU9t0otvox0Ik0oEyLSloxkTH_wWehCCMGdRNbyyATBxCxdH_JgnCYg4M1pydFJ7Igs/s320/DSC_4294.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our neighbour's trees</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRKD3OVZCo-fYSQrtzlRQWphT2xwI368o2YNkoOJN-fWRuvK38UskbV2SjK2SiOdkBoixs_OrZYMsUBCvX-H5kV4p0ylhg6H3arnxTsfTj8FmUoYzaYyTRHQpNRPzRZz_lgwV5eyQctnf/s1280/DSC_4302.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRKD3OVZCo-fYSQrtzlRQWphT2xwI368o2YNkoOJN-fWRuvK38UskbV2SjK2SiOdkBoixs_OrZYMsUBCvX-H5kV4p0ylhg6H3arnxTsfTj8FmUoYzaYyTRHQpNRPzRZz_lgwV5eyQctnf/s320/DSC_4302.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So peaceful</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">I went in the car to the university because I didn't want to spend too long travelling - 3 1/2 hours compared to one day on public transport. Well, it would have taken me 3 1/2 hours, but I stopped on the way to take a meeting, which of course is possible in the car these days. I didn't use the video to save energy, but I don't think I really needed to do that. Despite being in the middle of nowhere the coverage was adequate to have a problem free meeting. In fact, a meeting later on in the week suffered more problems with the internet connection from someone's house in Cambridge than it did from my car in the heart of rural Estonia. The joys of being in digitally well-connected countries. Apart from the fact ours is going through a naff phase.<o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisR4c9bWUCKkMCdDIlx1hS-nq06xEVAmEZELUh8Vt9igSNdWcsH6Qv-jc5MOWETjx5Zw1JH7ppAgbKALuVfcpkuh4jqB7w9a8Av_hMAeCkdWZRv06CFn1Vwe1m9qWK-hyMB9gWQklDt0Hy/s1280/DSC_4400.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisR4c9bWUCKkMCdDIlx1hS-nq06xEVAmEZELUh8Vt9igSNdWcsH6Qv-jc5MOWETjx5Zw1JH7ppAgbKALuVfcpkuh4jqB7w9a8Av_hMAeCkdWZRv06CFn1Vwe1m9qWK-hyMB9gWQklDt0Hy/s320/DSC_4400.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The plan was to put the caravan in the greenhouse,<br />but we didn't. It's fun to see the boys while working<br />though. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRdHUvb-0k8L07NqMqT6OkjP9d16lcsVRnCObBQlmNWmExKTW9yuORnX_wb-52uUDDjVM22taOupxTDtqxCbFzUnZwAZeWnvxunNfIMNOCYuh7ziRF_f5uKbb5WShKJcA0i8z9do6NkL_/s1280/DSC_4307.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRdHUvb-0k8L07NqMqT6OkjP9d16lcsVRnCObBQlmNWmExKTW9yuORnX_wb-52uUDDjVM22taOupxTDtqxCbFzUnZwAZeWnvxunNfIMNOCYuh7ziRF_f5uKbb5WShKJcA0i8z9do6NkL_/s320/DSC_4307.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just looking!</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">I also should mention that I took the advantage to go and visit a woollen mill that spins alpaca wool on the way up, as it was only a short detour of about 5 minutes. I wanted to see what they can do and what was needed to prepare the fibre for spinning our end. It was a very interesting visit and I got to see quite a few possibilities to use our wool and to understand some of the challenges of the fibre. The woollen spinning mill is only a small building on a huge farm, but the mill has customers from all over Estonia, Latvia and Finland. The lady herself used to hand spin yarn from her own small flock of Wensleydale sheep but now it is all processed by machine, albeit still small-scale. The long locks of the Wensleydale sheep are gorgeous though, so silky and curly. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumNSrUT18MGNr979FRKTiTR9-DM52V1Q1hRYg4N-UdnxsEigukq0h6NhwvHQjvKGLzBLYCeL05QgIXhu9tlxYm0rOfPqTIh8oLMQMnkvBc5qoWvtDYVFawXJTHmvSiP-qNpKgCs45sVdG/s1280/DSC_4317.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumNSrUT18MGNr979FRKTiTR9-DM52V1Q1hRYg4N-UdnxsEigukq0h6NhwvHQjvKGLzBLYCeL05QgIXhu9tlxYm0rOfPqTIh8oLMQMnkvBc5qoWvtDYVFawXJTHmvSiP-qNpKgCs45sVdG/s320/DSC_4317.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So that's what you're staring at Mr. P.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUwVpF63Y9eyU4Iz-0GcElZvipyxR3LSRxQGOKXfShbSM27HJlBh_UzQi4bMaFaXhwnfK5HEYKOVqKZdMCIEQurLOtVAEObYY2rO_gkhAXimg8lDmSp6kPqAvvL6GeFpGAbcPbavMPkzO/s1280/DSC_4290.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUwVpF63Y9eyU4Iz-0GcElZvipyxR3LSRxQGOKXfShbSM27HJlBh_UzQi4bMaFaXhwnfK5HEYKOVqKZdMCIEQurLOtVAEObYY2rO_gkhAXimg8lDmSp6kPqAvvL6GeFpGAbcPbavMPkzO/s320/DSC_4290.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weather has been largely dry for the last week.<br />That's been a lovely change from the endless <br />days of rain.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyPq2A_iLwIOYNTAS7rZoIESuPf0kvnLuk7cWLnoA8zgjgq7RH0EtKiZ-pboOONQXP2kUrC4chc1P4iP9nFhqk-_ixR6Jdg6nwiDM7wEhjQHm4N46nlF7jMlYE0XWL-YSA4nynIEOb2eu/s1280/DSC_4304.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyPq2A_iLwIOYNTAS7rZoIESuPf0kvnLuk7cWLnoA8zgjgq7RH0EtKiZ-pboOONQXP2kUrC4chc1P4iP9nFhqk-_ixR6Jdg6nwiDM7wEhjQHm4N46nlF7jMlYE0XWL-YSA4nynIEOb2eu/s320/DSC_4304.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ian fixed the brake cables on the horse box this<br />weekend and glad to say it passed the technical.<br />Now we can fill the horse box up with wood and<br />take it to the apartment while it's still dry. Next<br />weekend's job I think.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">This last weekend I've been trying to finish off as many garden jobs as possible, especially since we've been seeing more geese fly over in big, noisy flocks. It has a way of lending some urgency to the jobs, as we know the season is coming to an end and winter will slowly creep across the land - or race in, it depends. I finished off digging all the potatoes the weekend before and finally got around to bagging them up this weekend. They are now stored in our basement. There weren't as many as last year, but I think there will be enough. I stuck the tail end of last year's bags that we didn't get a chance to use on the ground under some hay and Ian will cover them over with manure over the winter. Saves a job next year if they come through, otherwise they will feed the local mice and shrew population, which in turn will feed the cats. I will also plant some little potatoes and see what happens. There will then be one row of white and one row of red to plant in the spring. So, let's see how many will be eaten by mice and how many will come through. <o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVrDwZpCh_oN7RJemz0dKz-1gGk91GDs2H112GVuJ9SMlzOz_OgB0WZO6CCuKGPvxA8kMwbR6HxVSwgygQXE-LTeokd5eSaNjIT7GyQKzh7re9GmxfBldra7amLdpnVSEuoURWl9KloWQ/s1280/DSC_4309.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVrDwZpCh_oN7RJemz0dKz-1gGk91GDs2H112GVuJ9SMlzOz_OgB0WZO6CCuKGPvxA8kMwbR6HxVSwgygQXE-LTeokd5eSaNjIT7GyQKzh7re9GmxfBldra7amLdpnVSEuoURWl9KloWQ/s320/DSC_4309.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our visitors was really concerned about<br />our poor Turbjørn. I thought he looked a bit <br />brighter today, but lately he has looked rather down.<br />The other younger boys have been doing rather<br />a lot of play fighting that's led to some proper fights<br />and we wonder if Turbjørn is either getting <br />knocked about or he's just trying to stay out of<br />the way and not relaxing. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHf-5F53EnJFJ9i20wD07Lx8rDPlfJtuFyIEptU60QIQ_XRgLtp1RjXS0ju99zxqpvsJjZSHzPzudAW5-WrOtrWCsFiFWmY80wP9dIpfjE2x5NmYEHLnw6cwYA2KglREsvEqsVBPDTrXan/s1280/DSC_4318.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHf-5F53EnJFJ9i20wD07Lx8rDPlfJtuFyIEptU60QIQ_XRgLtp1RjXS0ju99zxqpvsJjZSHzPzudAW5-WrOtrWCsFiFWmY80wP9dIpfjE2x5NmYEHLnw6cwYA2KglREsvEqsVBPDTrXan/s320/DSC_4318.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cheeky look</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">Another job finished this weekend was taking up the last lot of beans. I've been in the process of de-podding them while I wait for the kettle to boil for coffee breaks, or while waiting for the evening meal to cook. There is still plenty of veg in the garden, but they are all plants that will take at least a light frost. So, we still have radishes (much better at this time of the year with fewer pests), beetroot, carrots, parsnips, kale, a few leeks (those that survived being dug up by the cats), savoy cabbage, turnips (still small, but we'll see how they do), broccoli and one squash. We also still have some tomatoes ripening in a box under fleece in the greenhouse, waiting for another day to make green tomato chutney. If I don't get around to it soon, it will be red/brown/yellow tomato chutney. I'm not fussy! Either will do.<o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlDOJupg2gazQNl4YEfQ2_devG95K9t7Azg4XNYgleUkov296tBbHakS_UslPF0ULYs1De7HEw5zrM5LaUGL21i-GnEk3oXuEmA6CDLhewsRjVJ75bV6qUDZj0SdXM0pWEuHqdA39m-PD/s1280/DSC_4329.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlDOJupg2gazQNl4YEfQ2_devG95K9t7Azg4XNYgleUkov296tBbHakS_UslPF0ULYs1De7HEw5zrM5LaUGL21i-GnEk3oXuEmA6CDLhewsRjVJ75bV6qUDZj0SdXM0pWEuHqdA39m-PD/s320/DSC_4329.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some serious eating going on in the fresh field.<br />They know too that the winter is on its way.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7WKrXXifcoyMj7jp0sJb_01YmOOg0A18Ay3BdAOxDVx9AdgXlzB6cFMTmU7LM8h7hDygh5XqRBHqgsiPHFYpGRgRcCwcbBW-8Dh22KxPxTDsN6n6EXqWS_blOGXr5moIg8swZWuvglej/s1280/DSC_4344.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7WKrXXifcoyMj7jp0sJb_01YmOOg0A18Ay3BdAOxDVx9AdgXlzB6cFMTmU7LM8h7hDygh5XqRBHqgsiPHFYpGRgRcCwcbBW-8Dh22KxPxTDsN6n6EXqWS_blOGXr5moIg8swZWuvglej/s320/DSC_4344.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were lots of visitors in one group and so <br />they have to stay out of the paddock. Aggie<br />came and sat next to the fence though, so they<br />could all stroke her. Her eye is still <br />giving me cause for concern. She will stand<br />while I irrigate it, but it didn't seem to make much<br />difference unfortunately. The vet has now been <br />and she's on antibiotics. Sigh!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">We are still getting visitors and one of those things occurred that just had to happen one day. Ian always talks about the reason we are in Latvia and one of those reasons is that he suspected he would be relocated to Miami if we had stayed in the US. And as he says, "Colorado, nice. Miami, no way". Latvia looked much more appealing to us. One guy piped up, "I'm from Miami (pause) and that's why I'm here now and so I understand what you're saying", or words to that effect. Phew! Good job he didn't take it as an insult. Ian does explain though that we are not city people and even the thought of living in Riga doesn't fill us with joy, we are happy enough in our rural retreat.<o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkPqf81PXrim6zPc-68L0_9Pl0DVaClcrNm57qrORWTBG2j069ZruL1GNYVV6O-vga3vICxc407p3WmRST1Hw6RPpuLP_Oo5YSasBgcb9hygCRmy8VDgUmW7QKlsjp6_9GVCbVhNQYsYZ/s1280/DSC_4339.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkPqf81PXrim6zPc-68L0_9Pl0DVaClcrNm57qrORWTBG2j069ZruL1GNYVV6O-vga3vICxc407p3WmRST1Hw6RPpuLP_Oo5YSasBgcb9hygCRmy8VDgUmW7QKlsjp6_9GVCbVhNQYsYZ/s320/DSC_4339.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla is going to be a very fluffy alpaca by next year</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUZ0JLqqGWlNo4NYucNgmnwo-o349tEMWQduyAsF46xLHJohLey3b9iBsJFlzcKq8431lur-z0rAJxQAEyobsMzJHWeBdPSgpP4w-JZW4yhRYCPnn4l5Rc19mdCIw9Wxuap_Eg20E4WDP/s1280/DSC_4354.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUZ0JLqqGWlNo4NYucNgmnwo-o349tEMWQduyAsF46xLHJohLey3b9iBsJFlzcKq8431lur-z0rAJxQAEyobsMzJHWeBdPSgpP4w-JZW4yhRYCPnn4l5Rc19mdCIw9Wxuap_Eg20E4WDP/s320/DSC_4354.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Lolly is going to be a tall alpaca we think</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">This particular tour guide always seems to make sure we sell something and this time I sold a hank of wool (only one left and Ian still has orders to fulfil for more), lots of felt balls and now we only have about two or three of them and I also sold an experimental piece of felt I made quite a while ago. I was intrigued by what the lady wanted to do with it and she said she was going to paint a design to match, then place the felt on it and frame it. I really should do something similar but haven't had the time to do that. Oh well! Nice to be part of someone else's creativity too. <o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSoSsIO1bQG5_LdijC5UJLopniCEBbnNurM4x_83dI_BvVfINb-earJ6II6PFaDbtVJf7AN99xk4X74ZUEu5g8jE0h2aTKZsxn8pFzuUW4Oow-R3pIn1lkW2uY25PWKjJ202-t569wSVj/s1280/DSC_4385.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSoSsIO1bQG5_LdijC5UJLopniCEBbnNurM4x_83dI_BvVfINb-earJ6II6PFaDbtVJf7AN99xk4X74ZUEu5g8jE0h2aTKZsxn8pFzuUW4Oow-R3pIn1lkW2uY25PWKjJ202-t569wSVj/s320/DSC_4385.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oooh! That sun feels good</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16FdDlh6l2ICSOQvCVyBhHqdnezYFD1LSHEd6_q0bfxGx5fi8ft_zzr41IGtyReKQvLlb8HURZRZ0EaWOZoOYuR3pqEmu-Ub2seaw5AO5T-77TFjEJ04wpu_UbP6iKH1OWDug_OqQT7wQ/s1280/DSC_4365.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16FdDlh6l2ICSOQvCVyBhHqdnezYFD1LSHEd6_q0bfxGx5fi8ft_zzr41IGtyReKQvLlb8HURZRZ0EaWOZoOYuR3pqEmu-Ub2seaw5AO5T-77TFjEJ04wpu_UbP6iKH1OWDug_OqQT7wQ/s320/DSC_4365.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs. Bossy boots though does have a nice smile</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">I was rather taken aback, though, by the young whipper snapper who cheekily suggested that because I'm old I don't know how to use the internet properly. Whaaaat! There are differences sometimes between the way I handle the internet and those of younger generations, that's inevitable and I most certainly use the internet differently to many within my own generation, but to suggest I'm old and so don't use the internet properly was a bit staggering. I think the gist of his argument was that he had grown up using it and I hadn't, which is true, but I'd certainly been using it longer than he'd been alive and errrrhmmm! I use it for my job and can effectively research a topic pretty quickly, even if I have to resort to "just googling it". I know it's limitations and the techniques you have to use not to get misinformation only. <o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxeUJ5W_tWB9hYW5KH0L7uI6RQlUVWfe71hWPq_o-lfuUE8HRtZy3QYTBp34q8ITIPc9QP3xEraGvxWxtdKTyxvgHD_FTh0uItvjzCdVfu2AF_1D_TTBttRfByiIp9pHL4XGMUZf5ALlK/s1280/DSC_4371.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxeUJ5W_tWB9hYW5KH0L7uI6RQlUVWfe71hWPq_o-lfuUE8HRtZy3QYTBp34q8ITIPc9QP3xEraGvxWxtdKTyxvgHD_FTh0uItvjzCdVfu2AF_1D_TTBttRfByiIp9pHL4XGMUZf5ALlK/s320/DSC_4371.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly has a sweet smile too</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aq-rPywt4aY-IzgDby28YFncmo2tmUn1Bjg9VbmxiAIijnfwJRdzwrSV1JeNEOV2BUP54flk78_PlpYxIeRFi-5jwukl_LJzC_k00P5WhNeOpwgFBNE-9_bGnOrv1NAJ9CbLXGkjipkS/s1280/DSC_4377.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aq-rPywt4aY-IzgDby28YFncmo2tmUn1Bjg9VbmxiAIijnfwJRdzwrSV1JeNEOV2BUP54flk78_PlpYxIeRFi-5jwukl_LJzC_k00P5WhNeOpwgFBNE-9_bGnOrv1NAJ9CbLXGkjipkS/s320/DSC_4377.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanel can smile sweetly too, but she can also<br />be quite grumpy and spitty. She's loss the fleece <br />off her legs again. We thought that after the<br />summer of spraying her with a mix of clove<br />infused oil and vodka, she was doing really well<br />and didn't need to continue. Apparently not! The<br />problem is that she is so uncooperative about it<br />and stressy, that's its not easy to spray her<br />regularly and not where we really want the spray<br />to go. We will persevere.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">I've been doing another peer review for an article. I haven't done one for a while, but it didn't help that the notifications were landing in my spam box. I thought I had better send a message to one editor rather than let them think I was ignoring their messages - not a good look really, especially as it was a reasonable journal to review for. My. colleague has also resubmitted a paper yesterday that has been ongoing for aggggggesss. I do hope that is the last time ever with that article. <o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIfjiUOpPSbu-7ulDa_b2iU7NtmIChUDyy9RkTNny-eCBvvY2rGO8GXck3X9vwTVeGTfLUYadrr7-aBkfmzleKR_vH1UTAcgBCcXfWIN9MXWbL8rciDJIxAup6Ss_jC_MwKsdQv5X6NPl/s1280/DSC_4410.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIfjiUOpPSbu-7ulDa_b2iU7NtmIChUDyy9RkTNny-eCBvvY2rGO8GXck3X9vwTVeGTfLUYadrr7-aBkfmzleKR_vH1UTAcgBCcXfWIN9MXWbL8rciDJIxAup6Ss_jC_MwKsdQv5X6NPl/s320/DSC_4410.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think Jakobs is wondering what Ian is doing!</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">As things are winding down a bit, I've actually had a little bit of time to do some reading of papers for myself and one I was reading was discussing the response to the Covid 19 crisis and whether there has any opportunity for progress on sustainable development. It reminded me of how nature didn't take long to take advantage of the pause in modern life. We need nature to recover more long-term for the sake of life on this planet, but it did show what can be achieved if we stop and slow down. Of course, there is the drive to "get the economy back on its feet". Pity! The economy they have in mind is endless growth and that is not a pleasant thought. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82EhqR6oeFEMPz-60IpxSK15vhkucp683-sdBk9yyYOBGvXCR7VW7URnF7_o368nXR_-03OEdW2YMhVaUSruofU9yJFhbtJhB0vjQ3sRTc4Nbkr7TVPjTHiZutwZEGUv19OoTz5i-j4nc/s1280/IMG_20211005_175134_0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82EhqR6oeFEMPz-60IpxSK15vhkucp683-sdBk9yyYOBGvXCR7VW7URnF7_o368nXR_-03OEdW2YMhVaUSruofU9yJFhbtJhB0vjQ3sRTc4Nbkr7TVPjTHiZutwZEGUv19OoTz5i-j4nc/s320/IMG_20211005_175134_0.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A false morel. Not one we'll be <br />eating any time soon, but an interesting<br />looking mushroom and quite large.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0bPKH6a1y3stqhs72LuJ_85RWm73Cne9uIsDUuvR26ZhZtIXFi1dFXn8DpiADDnXQemmQnSBlfn5hiGuH8WUF9Ixm-BIyKLBtNI882PhFE0MH2ftgn3HfHqmZXmzm-5KnpZE3GaY0FW7/s1280/IMG_20211005_175140_5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0bPKH6a1y3stqhs72LuJ_85RWm73Cne9uIsDUuvR26ZhZtIXFi1dFXn8DpiADDnXQemmQnSBlfn5hiGuH8WUF9Ixm-BIyKLBtNI882PhFE0MH2ftgn3HfHqmZXmzm-5KnpZE3GaY0FW7/s320/IMG_20211005_175140_5.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><br /></span><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RD1OfFdy3lWg8TdAclJmi8h_BwO5I277kjElo47qFhqVqo61OIKOSalmtdqn8YyUeUYsqdCgwavwWa1uncxsG7v9vpMvZwx-sgTHEte35Gzg599L_44sFlR2N9j611B4uewNkgGQFzw_/s1280/DSC_4297.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4RD1OfFdy3lWg8TdAclJmi8h_BwO5I277kjElo47qFhqVqo61OIKOSalmtdqn8YyUeUYsqdCgwavwWa1uncxsG7v9vpMvZwx-sgTHEte35Gzg599L_44sFlR2N9j611B4uewNkgGQFzw_/s320/DSC_4297.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys in their field. They are now not far<br />from our caravan, so I can look out and be <br />distracted by alpacas.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">We really need to buy less and buy better. Buy local and if not local, then fair trade and based on ecological principles. With this in mind we were quite pleased to have found someone to do a zip repair on Ian's trousers. I don't mind repairing things, but I'm not a fan of replacing zips. He had two pairs done for €6 and the zips look sturdy enough, so that's good enough for me. How many other small businesses can we support? We buy locally raised meat when we need it, we buy from our local bakery once a week and we use the local small supermarket for our regular stuff. We top up using online shopping for things like flour from a Latvian company that sell organic flour and we buy milk from our neighbour. We can afford to do that partly because I'm earning now, partly because we don't have loans and mortgages and partly because we don't spend our money on a whole lot else. Retail therapy is a thing of horror to me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6nfqRjTaldTZPmyQ7ct0gvt3U0B_2nNB2IeibQ4aCekP5GjDgSLCSrTSnUYDO6tMOy8wZfDRIGY9S60lehHsG9dzYsuhQBf-ZXr1nd-z6YPqq8bYttPjR99K6MayBvv_AYKhzgwzcquP/s1280/DSC_4292.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6nfqRjTaldTZPmyQ7ct0gvt3U0B_2nNB2IeibQ4aCekP5GjDgSLCSrTSnUYDO6tMOy8wZfDRIGY9S60lehHsG9dzYsuhQBf-ZXr1nd-z6YPqq8bYttPjR99K6MayBvv_AYKhzgwzcquP/s320/DSC_4292.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And now for some rather autumnal tree photos<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDCN4MIAL49nbPjSUk1XyTZfLp6PK41YRYImH3L5ftzsAFyc7SQomrKNhXwsnMUZjlwTWJA6ErpqrWdRa_hfkZs9w22FQDQ-d7Ugx6dEbynH_dOrm2TN08PQkcgwnwLAMw1Ym2HoBdoM2/s1280/DSC_4298.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDCN4MIAL49nbPjSUk1XyTZfLp6PK41YRYImH3L5ftzsAFyc7SQomrKNhXwsnMUZjlwTWJA6ErpqrWdRa_hfkZs9w22FQDQ-d7Ugx6dEbynH_dOrm2TN08PQkcgwnwLAMw1Ym2HoBdoM2/s320/DSC_4298.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the clouds in this one</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">There is also a lot of talk about getting back to normal by sending children back into school with face-to-face learning for the benefit of their mental health. This has been strongly argued but the premises are still a problem. We have to recognise that not all children were thriving in the school environment either. They need interaction with others that is true- but not just with children but other people of all ages, we all do to greater or lesser degrees. Some thrive in a noisy, vibrant environments and some don't. How to thrive in different environments is an important part of education, but we have to manage that depending upon the child. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: -webkit-standard; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjFxn3icRRUjRZe2zG_YBsTY5nJXm0XBNtuARzxFb1yjvs_byBpwtiMhIeDIVpMfVNZoanD6AValRthd83-80DwAdofcm-xsAb8X75Span9BtIU7bPAXDir4pSp8vBNZrp1ky5A7hG4XU/s1280/DSC_4299.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjFxn3icRRUjRZe2zG_YBsTY5nJXm0XBNtuARzxFb1yjvs_byBpwtiMhIeDIVpMfVNZoanD6AValRthd83-80DwAdofcm-xsAb8X75Span9BtIU7bPAXDir4pSp8vBNZrp1ky5A7hG4XU/s320/DSC_4299.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More of those clouds from a different angle<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9y5TeoP36ftPIhxrhTNkCq4mramtG6MMLUTspahND2XFRAMIwQMn3aF3hDt5E-ikDDPEiznSN_vOoZS1Ya40UkbsZllt1vJztgzbe5_N78MVVdVfppi4R4U7_yjvBjCMjgAl2TCBOCw2/s1280/DSC_4303.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9y5TeoP36ftPIhxrhTNkCq4mramtG6MMLUTspahND2XFRAMIwQMn3aF3hDt5E-ikDDPEiznSN_vOoZS1Ya40UkbsZllt1vJztgzbe5_N78MVVdVfppi4R4U7_yjvBjCMjgAl2TCBOCw2/s320/DSC_4303.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They don't look like that today as the wind has<br />been blowing for the last two days and the <br />trees are starting to look quite bare.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">How many have realised that a lot of work gets done without the endless rounds of meetings and people popping in and out of the office? Quiet spaces are important, a topical question at my workplace. So why is that not the same with children too - again some more than others. Often children need supervising, but not all the time. There is evidence that boredom is good for children as long as they have access to relieve that boredom. Access to the outdoors is important for that. Learning how to navigate barriers, creating stories in their heads and acting them out are essential for development of young brains. Plastic toys and structured activities may have their place but are not the answer to a child connecting to the natural and social environment around them. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBtMhhHb0PL8NvDSZXDRRXLU9ne9ipeURyVImnoQwJeJiuKgaRmeNEN0fz-j3UXIzE2knoWPcDEovWB1yZPc6yY8S8BcQb1796ccG6UotEceD8_eeDtNg1ACzrMkAQf5F04_yj5WSRynp/s1280/DSC_4383.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBtMhhHb0PL8NvDSZXDRRXLU9ne9ipeURyVImnoQwJeJiuKgaRmeNEN0fz-j3UXIzE2knoWPcDEovWB1yZPc6yY8S8BcQb1796ccG6UotEceD8_eeDtNg1ACzrMkAQf5F04_yj5WSRynp/s320/DSC_4383.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is the highlight of laziness young lady! </td></tr></tbody></table></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzU0pz-TrMoc8ZHkoiHt-mV12dbsxYJbsBh9aqJQVJamwFH4o0dwQ5ePMMquJT-3Z5sZoxlO-nWOU4jFqbEjnYJvC99JLRw4jp5l4YsrXbilWW7MsdG6-vjQ7M1wmYEmsKP5p3-uP-x7l/s1280/DSC_4398.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzU0pz-TrMoc8ZHkoiHt-mV12dbsxYJbsBh9aqJQVJamwFH4o0dwQ5ePMMquJT-3Z5sZoxlO-nWOU4jFqbEjnYJvC99JLRw4jp5l4YsrXbilWW7MsdG6-vjQ7M1wmYEmsKP5p3-uP-x7l/s320/DSC_4398.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brencis!</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;">A push to reconnect both in schools and work needs to be balanced with working out how to do that safely and not pushing us into yet another round of unnecessary lockdowns or sending vulnerable people into hospital. It is also about creating a safer environment for the future - not one that removes all risks but manages them for the health and well-being of all inhabitants of this planet. Let's put health and well-being first and not the economy. The economy should serve the people, not the people serve the economy. If it isn't working, then fix it and it sure is broken at the moment. That's a whole other topic!</span></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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Perfect life? There were a few comments after my last blog that were really nice and encouraging but I did wonder if I'm giving the wrong impression at times. I'm struggling to balance too many things and some plates drop like this blog just lately. It's not just for reading by others but also a public diary of our time here on our land, so when I get out of sync I lose our thread of what we've done. I don't often go back and read through the blogs myself, but Ian does and tells me what we were doing this time so many years ago. It's also a great record of the weather and the changes through the years. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0NWjail6BuFT4I_nWXWjUtSUiuPrEhCCrnFpyPUtximCMHPCBNqyOLxax-Rq4OSew_aElk3P-eu4PsAvJEwXBZLKPUONpeV9vcm65eqSZWRaEd5yrcTEKs3MBBLqssaG3Yt9LeshyphenhyphenlRh/s1280/DSC_4104.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0NWjail6BuFT4I_nWXWjUtSUiuPrEhCCrnFpyPUtximCMHPCBNqyOLxax-Rq4OSew_aElk3P-eu4PsAvJEwXBZLKPUONpeV9vcm65eqSZWRaEd5yrcTEKs3MBBLqssaG3Yt9LeshyphenhyphenlRh/s320/DSC_4104.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was Ian's birthday on Monday <br />and our daughter organised a cake<br />as a surprise. This was made by the<br />local bakery that is only open<br />Fridays and Saturday mornings but<br />we visit every week. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpf8CfE9ajvJb4vJ26jWBP2VWOa1hYcyDKUAAbJS0CsIbYwmKlx8fvQyAE6BVDu1MDzAdVRMJ5TlGsML0PmABJdQLItsDD3AYkefrSXoAvVd5PWA1qL4jsd3QIMayuUDjOQjK98y4yuOZ/s1280/DSC_4108.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpf8CfE9ajvJb4vJ26jWBP2VWOa1hYcyDKUAAbJS0CsIbYwmKlx8fvQyAE6BVDu1MDzAdVRMJ5TlGsML0PmABJdQLItsDD3AYkefrSXoAvVd5PWA1qL4jsd3QIMayuUDjOQjK98y4yuOZ/s320/DSC_4108.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly is beginning to lose her new baby looks.<br />She's still being fed by bottle lots of times during<br />the day, but we have to start planning what <br />happens when it comes to us going back to the<br />apartment as she still has a 6:30am feed and a<br />10:30pm feed at the moment.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The problem though is trying to work full time or at least nearly, help out on the land, grow our own veg, do a bit of extra work for an educational organisation that serves missionary schools and home educators and last but not least try to learn Latvian. Something has to give and this blog has been one of those things. It's a busy season, but the season should start to wind down soon, the frosts are coming and Ian even heard some geese flying over - never a good sign. Once they go the wintry weather often begins about two weeks later. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVj7MOHummHi0h3a8725uG7-BCioi7LsMGTrAbQHIOWoDziZb_QqjcWmf0HCNzg8WjfGerJPKgkskAeDijyTIL7NO8V_Ey8lh54tB7PO7rq8baOY_1p-wdd0P7DTVnT0NmFWyHkbo_8584/s853/DSC_4093.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="853" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVj7MOHummHi0h3a8725uG7-BCioi7LsMGTrAbQHIOWoDziZb_QqjcWmf0HCNzg8WjfGerJPKgkskAeDijyTIL7NO8V_Ey8lh54tB7PO7rq8baOY_1p-wdd0P7DTVnT0NmFWyHkbo_8584/s320/DSC_4093.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I never knew how many different types of spiders<br />there are on our land until I started collecting <br />pictures of flora and fauna on our land. This is a <br />crab spider.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk31fKSONnrj1b0BRfbsMbAcf8ZiEt_QzJXpbZh5ZNitfWE5y7_6IhVKH9vouygVgycCT0klIH6lwkrEuEq4jCAwP2Y2HygcC_tSUXf4nGVBNT-mZD4Jbrc8rdXIZqs0twpTtS2D9oWzRc/s1280/DSC_4105.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk31fKSONnrj1b0BRfbsMbAcf8ZiEt_QzJXpbZh5ZNitfWE5y7_6IhVKH9vouygVgycCT0klIH6lwkrEuEq4jCAwP2Y2HygcC_tSUXf4nGVBNT-mZD4Jbrc8rdXIZqs0twpTtS2D9oWzRc/s320/DSC_4105.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The many moods of the grasslands. This has been<br />brown since it went to seed but gradually as it <br />dies back it is getting a more autumnal hue </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'm still yearning for a cabin on the land, the trials of using a kitchen set up in a greenhouse have been a pain that doesn't get any easier. Nothing seems to be in the right place at the right time and my food preparation area is a magnet for anything that isn't food. It's a wonder we get fed at times and sometimes we do eat rather late. I don't have to go shopping very often but making our evening meal might involve going to find what can be harvested first. I like the feeling of looking at a plate and thinking that most of it is from our own land and then there are days I couldn't care less and just want to eat whatever is in front of me. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDk8eqKQo8FGMF4m0i46_YR2dGWc256S4buQH8TaUbQiDSkewy370aKQj-oEORT5vMKVOn4uCpLCNifzSGtLUncw7eB48qNo5PBXTVH-GcvnEL20w0scBsu0g4tM_Txj1KZPJ9klSEpdD/s1280/DSC_4110.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDk8eqKQo8FGMF4m0i46_YR2dGWc256S4buQH8TaUbQiDSkewy370aKQj-oEORT5vMKVOn4uCpLCNifzSGtLUncw7eB48qNo5PBXTVH-GcvnEL20w0scBsu0g4tM_Txj1KZPJ9klSEpdD/s320/DSC_4110.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little miss stubborn is also getting bigger. She is<br />one cool customer. She will just sit in a doorway<br />and not bother to move for us. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbdyvaIFKHfvDIBd0oIDTCi6txzTx84OALQ5Sn-gXIs4DbfxJtZLVAVET0uVs3k5gJPIxsHOgUkSBUV9Ph7VnzfnGBHKgFFpfBV7Q-uC9l1KnkVuh2dcOZn-Q9WlKR-_nKvzL_2lqW8jP/s1280/DSC_4113.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbdyvaIFKHfvDIBd0oIDTCi6txzTx84OALQ5Sn-gXIs4DbfxJtZLVAVET0uVs3k5gJPIxsHOgUkSBUV9Ph7VnzfnGBHKgFFpfBV7Q-uC9l1KnkVuh2dcOZn-Q9WlKR-_nKvzL_2lqW8jP/s320/DSC_4113.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The alpacas ate what they could from this and <br />then Ian went over and mowed down the <br />saplings that had sprouted</td></tr></tbody></table><p>All sorts of things have happened in the world since I last posted but in our own rural bubble nothing much has changed apart from the turning of the year that happens every year. Sometimes early and sometimes later. We've had a few just frosty mornings but nothing severe. I took in the squashes as a precaution and harvested the beans now, although Ian did find a few more squashes that have either grown in the meantime or I missed. The squashes are curing on the windowsills of our apartment and the beans have been drying in the electric dryer. The beans that were still green are now either in the freezer or in jars with other veg and a tomato sauce. All the tomato plants have been uprooted to put the chicks inside the greenhouse or rather the remaining chicks. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBObJEqcPrDLC5yGErl1MThlvjQqX3PDTk22SeAAGYZepipa5HPPkrnGNMEtS7M-iaJQND4QlZlZKIcpUUKMl7f-ccqz6wDSoOy4TN_9ci4VkiB0tfjUszdmdctAdf8AnFgOFlpy5CaxOj/s1280/DSC_4256.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBObJEqcPrDLC5yGErl1MThlvjQqX3PDTk22SeAAGYZepipa5HPPkrnGNMEtS7M-iaJQND4QlZlZKIcpUUKMl7f-ccqz6wDSoOy4TN_9ci4VkiB0tfjUszdmdctAdf8AnFgOFlpy5CaxOj/s320/DSC_4256.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chicks inside the greenhouse and our monstrous<br />cucamelons that are taking over the greenhouse</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiJN8wYJdEE7LTJ9fmfjdlcwhO7DzEOo6p4ptBHpal8Zg46JtNUlvk9bf-rpwX5d2fnt3qcZ0KAXzbEv7vGEDPOuJTC3T0uiVHRTA2vxPgQ-cRVRIE3jhpv44asmNh6d4N1WqnfKQ20AX/s1280/DSC_4282.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiJN8wYJdEE7LTJ9fmfjdlcwhO7DzEOo6p4ptBHpal8Zg46JtNUlvk9bf-rpwX5d2fnt3qcZ0KAXzbEv7vGEDPOuJTC3T0uiVHRTA2vxPgQ-cRVRIE3jhpv44asmNh6d4N1WqnfKQ20AX/s320/DSC_4282.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wasps have been trying to build in this birdhouse<br />for a while. Ian started spraying water at it and<br />ended up with a sting just above the eye. It <br />looked like he'd been slapped on the face it was<br />rather swollen at one point.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One day I found a dead chick and thought it must have died over night and the others had pecked at it. Chickens can be horrid that way. I did wonder if anything had got in because I thought it was odd as all the chicks seemed healthy enough the night before. I dismissed that idea as there was only one dead one and anything that got in usually seems to dispatch them all as we've found out over the last few years. The next morning I let out the chickens and only 8 of the now 13 chicks appeared. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbtjUTXpMT-OqF47W1iiMt73Q1QlC0iukqfG9qaPtmOOjKllHvh6lsnBMWvoTSlcFKvidB4WW-DYZ8GEyaYcAvOgABUXCMUs4oZ1KZLI98QM7mM0xfVzC8uZSpV1ewb3yWQBOWGs3XXXJ/s1280/DSC_4114.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbtjUTXpMT-OqF47W1iiMt73Q1QlC0iukqfG9qaPtmOOjKllHvh6lsnBMWvoTSlcFKvidB4WW-DYZ8GEyaYcAvOgABUXCMUs4oZ1KZLI98QM7mM0xfVzC8uZSpV1ewb3yWQBOWGs3XXXJ/s320/DSC_4114.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These nettles aren't turning, they've been this <br />colour for ages. Rather pretty really.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fkb_kW89Xugd3pp2HX4VuO7SF9Yzbk2gDD5g2QOeNNvbSH1Yckv3hkAqNVryPZnB50UixWflOOQDX9d_xqLIrakJBogl86lPyP5oG9_YoPsD7qq-xcldo08den3UH_owgoZLp7SWm9a7/s1280/DSC_4131.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fkb_kW89Xugd3pp2HX4VuO7SF9Yzbk2gDD5g2QOeNNvbSH1Yckv3hkAqNVryPZnB50UixWflOOQDX9d_xqLIrakJBogl86lPyP5oG9_YoPsD7qq-xcldo08den3UH_owgoZLp7SWm9a7/s320/DSC_4131.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oak leaves turning</td></tr></tbody></table><p>When I looked in the ark I found that the rest had been killed, not a pleasant sight first thing in the morning. It was the darker ones mainly that survived although there were also two white ones remaining. One of the white ones though must have been attacked. I did think of dispatching it but we gave it a chance. It had a wound on its back that I covered with blue spray and we put it in a cat basket with food and water. It was hungry - a good sign. It also seemed to have a broken foot as it was not putting it down flat, but chickens can often adapt with a broken foot. After a bit of a rest I put it back with the others and a few days later it was almost back to normal, just a slight limp. Anyway they are now safer in the small greenhouse and seem none the worse for their ordeal. Obviously modifications will be needed on the arks for next year. Sigh!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCI997mj-AJF0kZyQwrWjVuZ7EZuzK2vXKAhW7Qx8XnMt_QtWDUojZplF8IlujrpFQut-D5P_U-YOMth0hEInM0CCr7JRiJLxekUAXKoR1-f91mQGGzovSWcxqqLDqT1tJv4_90BmE_upH/s1280/DSC_4128.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCI997mj-AJF0kZyQwrWjVuZ7EZuzK2vXKAhW7Qx8XnMt_QtWDUojZplF8IlujrpFQut-D5P_U-YOMth0hEInM0CCr7JRiJLxekUAXKoR1-f91mQGGzovSWcxqqLDqT1tJv4_90BmE_upH/s320/DSC_4128.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our alpaca created parkland<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjll3sUIUptkUybQp4KPxAYl1CfeNiS1BdSIaW5sEfDmz8E2k6FhfEG9rs1F6VSaNqs9VliUlXhsY0GdW_waC4HFWYhyErqckSvckeAoBODrRfJ2U3YUDQFuAx5_nAoi5MedzHuobXT_HZW/s1280/DSC_4130.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjll3sUIUptkUybQp4KPxAYl1CfeNiS1BdSIaW5sEfDmz8E2k6FhfEG9rs1F6VSaNqs9VliUlXhsY0GdW_waC4HFWYhyErqckSvckeAoBODrRfJ2U3YUDQFuAx5_nAoi5MedzHuobXT_HZW/s320/DSC_4130.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from the hill</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrl5nW-Rue1NNJ0N8ExCTn-B3ZIOrngl_s7CMprN6dNMUb1swEnMvNELPbeO3gWy_5nFRi8-dXPamJ24FKcAhscgFOHf_kh6_Je2291sK-ABx5iW3n0Sn8JQ7cHPnkY3H2Jp69SkMBbdef/s1280/DSC_4129.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrl5nW-Rue1NNJ0N8ExCTn-B3ZIOrngl_s7CMprN6dNMUb1swEnMvNELPbeO3gWy_5nFRi8-dXPamJ24FKcAhscgFOHf_kh6_Je2291sK-ABx5iW3n0Sn8JQ7cHPnkY3H2Jp69SkMBbdef/s320/DSC_4129.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All trimmed to a perfect height<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkJslRaXvir4DiHqpH3hUYP5tKDLSppZN3tT1kbY-95OXYDq7mHkHuwTG7sx5UeQE0DDYzIYqsMArCixQMXPc2dmXRtuWUUNzLYSWpFy2qn8zjj3HJrrFJPsMgI9AHMLSGTEb-zQOi4L7/s1280/DSC_4120.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkJslRaXvir4DiHqpH3hUYP5tKDLSppZN3tT1kbY-95OXYDq7mHkHuwTG7sx5UeQE0DDYzIYqsMArCixQMXPc2dmXRtuWUUNzLYSWpFy2qn8zjj3HJrrFJPsMgI9AHMLSGTEb-zQOi4L7/s320/DSC_4120.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the look of moss covered rocks</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The academic paper that I've been in the process of writing for what seems like aaaaaaaaggggggesssss I thought was finally finished. There was the smallest of alterations needed, which we took as a good sign, but then a rather serious sounding email that said there were still issues and if we didn't sort them out then it would be rejected. Very annoying as some of it should have been highlighted before as it is pretty much the same as it was in the first submission. The technical details of this paper has nearly driven me potty, as if I wasn't potty enough. I prefer the more qualitative story-telling type of approach, where the stories of the land are told and people's connection to it. The systematic mapping process can be very tedious but also very necessary. There is so much fascinating work out there that has been done by some hardworking scientists that needs to be accessed and understood. I am now into my third mapping project and sometimes I wonder why when we get such grief from a journal editor. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtX-hhdwlm7_Ci4wdl8XsdG07gxN4EepM-9rqoVweKwFgkxwFSc5uO-_N5BD7auobV-B_lwqsMTMYuuYf9W4EyrAIGgfMj9bdxpS6crMP2Td3zv0y8tbhIEY4jfDhYYN9sQPAgqkni9Nmf/s1280/DSC_4123.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtX-hhdwlm7_Ci4wdl8XsdG07gxN4EepM-9rqoVweKwFgkxwFSc5uO-_N5BD7auobV-B_lwqsMTMYuuYf9W4EyrAIGgfMj9bdxpS6crMP2Td3zv0y8tbhIEY4jfDhYYN9sQPAgqkni9Nmf/s320/DSC_4123.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An inquisitive Valeria</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjYAzIEgjxf-QZW45ExjyewvXjyA4BCSb8q7QMs2g3D2yhXucjfacwJCbYGz-sRmYoYWW6sfwgcWBuv0Tj94fBsstubrNto_VUMzT8UNKztR6RaVhh53HqgX4QLAeirc4L89YJ6YHLMII/s1280/DSC_4154.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjYAzIEgjxf-QZW45ExjyewvXjyA4BCSb8q7QMs2g3D2yhXucjfacwJCbYGz-sRmYoYWW6sfwgcWBuv0Tj94fBsstubrNto_VUMzT8UNKztR6RaVhh53HqgX4QLAeirc4L89YJ6YHLMII/s320/DSC_4154.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pensive looking Mari</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Systematic mapping is a very precise technique and it is nice for this third project to be working with someone with more experience than I have. So I'm looking forward to seeing how this process can be speeded up to get the information out on time next year. It is also intriguing to be working with someone whose work I've read in the first project - super guy to work with too. So from no career to a very active career is a bit of a jolt. I've been thrown into the middle of another grant application for funding and if we get it I will be leading a small team on a project looking at the management of protected grasslands. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZzi-FlvrfqcZt1m6Ef9kXYNXgQUksVJWWqoi8vKyGL66JbWJNNPOO1Muz0g9kQIgRtLhfL4EFOy39bMebQIXZk42sRT9XCmu8ijwJNFMx0D96ubfG7NGPNe1mzCzOthIpbLA90MNueBh/s1280/DSC_4200.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZzi-FlvrfqcZt1m6Ef9kXYNXgQUksVJWWqoi8vKyGL66JbWJNNPOO1Muz0g9kQIgRtLhfL4EFOy39bMebQIXZk42sRT9XCmu8ijwJNFMx0D96ubfG7NGPNe1mzCzOthIpbLA90MNueBh/s320/DSC_4200.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterlillies</td></tr></tbody></table><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzSYTBJXsvy7H2QxCkJ0GUYW8Y6cAfN4j0HysH2W4Rygk_GOKXnIGuHKoJRplqEorzhMBKxWYHXgRPkBV7MEh2O8pVe4FPPeuKnT1i-s8EGJiI-ga6eX8AfV2GAu9z0XI6ZCNUts71v1w/s1279/DSC_4199.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1279" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzSYTBJXsvy7H2QxCkJ0GUYW8Y6cAfN4j0HysH2W4Rygk_GOKXnIGuHKoJRplqEorzhMBKxWYHXgRPkBV7MEh2O8pVe4FPPeuKnT1i-s8EGJiI-ga6eX8AfV2GAu9z0XI6ZCNUts71v1w/s320/DSC_4199.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet the Herk bird. Well that's what we used to<br />call it. It has a call that has us running to see what<br />the matter is as it sounds to us like an alpaca <br />warning call. Herkules our old man used to <br />make that call and so we called it the Herk bird. <br />We never knew what kind of bird it is though. <br />When the grassland expert was with us, we saw it <br />fly past and make the call for the first time ever <br />and she was able to tell us what it is. At last! We<br />now know it is a Black Woodpecker.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We had a consultant come out to see our grassland and also discuss the project. It was fascinating walking around to see the place from her perspective. There were things I have never noticed before and somethings I had but hadn't understood what they meant, for instance some plants that indicated a change from a dry meadow to a wet one. She was very supportive of letting some of the the trees grow but we know there is a need to remove some as it has got a bit dense in places, however, she said the mix was good for biodiversity and this will only improve with clearing out the dense patches. She also explained the difference in approach of agroforestry between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. So interesting to learn more about a landscape, particularly one we call ours. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdKEV-pvPSOBnTnJq7WW6Hti5ZDXjb90JS6hc2zCzAEj1OZRmWmGpK7XuvR75cXJSorekbVY7eUwC9vy7nLfIRCgyJtE7QHwJ27ztyhXOhslif4Pm01VzrUExPT1WIrg5RToaO-WAvmM0/s1280/DSC_4174.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdKEV-pvPSOBnTnJq7WW6Hti5ZDXjb90JS6hc2zCzAEj1OZRmWmGpK7XuvR75cXJSorekbVY7eUwC9vy7nLfIRCgyJtE7QHwJ27ztyhXOhslif4Pm01VzrUExPT1WIrg5RToaO-WAvmM0/s320/DSC_4174.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freddie looking very elegant. He doesn't look this<br />elegant after finishing fighting with the others. The young boys are still fighting regularly, sometimes<br />just playing and sometimes more serious. We<br />removed their fighting teeth this last month though <br />and so now Ian is not so worried about them injuring each other. The older boys rarely join in and so we <br />are hoping they all settle down soon. </td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkLkhq52wNHaXrtnGJcvI8Pz1r-_6D8Ju5DRPJnt5KbRa_Z_2YclJVwCsNoWP63shnVVNV5pm_rzM7MqS3fOROuIQqBpeqUusBXpXo18cDPUChsPoznt4ZLA8rGxzGUNBqkRMOgdxi4Z7/s1280/DSC_4187.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkLkhq52wNHaXrtnGJcvI8Pz1r-_6D8Ju5DRPJnt5KbRa_Z_2YclJVwCsNoWP63shnVVNV5pm_rzM7MqS3fOROuIQqBpeqUusBXpXo18cDPUChsPoznt4ZLA8rGxzGUNBqkRMOgdxi4Z7/s320/DSC_4187.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Tellus putting Jakobs in his place without<br />the fighting, "Just a warning lad! No messing<br />with me. Got it?"</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Needless to say with all that has been going on I only managed the harvesting by taking a week off work. I had planned on an October holiday but then my daughter-in-law and grandkids planned to come out. Unfortunately a passport didn't arrive in time and so the trip got cancelled. I took the week off anyway as I realised it was the best opportunity of getting things straight out on the land. Having said that due to a conference at the beginning of the week, I still managed to work my normal hours. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKve-LkN98ez7pEY9QcwpsOFRUUGlN2WO1OT33xhoY7oOgKZOVlmuE59jARSfFAq2klUpPgj1L4REzjVAAqx_TUTpmnhAhYGAf8Vv6jwIahdp04efOJCbb_skxdV1MuE3kLEeh_cUjB9xP/s1280/DSC_4190.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKve-LkN98ez7pEY9QcwpsOFRUUGlN2WO1OT33xhoY7oOgKZOVlmuE59jARSfFAq2klUpPgj1L4REzjVAAqx_TUTpmnhAhYGAf8Vv6jwIahdp04efOJCbb_skxdV1MuE3kLEeh_cUjB9xP/s320/DSC_4190.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George doesn't join in as often in the fighting but<br />we think he's established himself as the boss <br />among the younger ones.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbB6rXrDaxhk0zIkh5QtZJy3gMveju8PbICO7xCGlMdHndjKVgBAnFYjLVN2jLuSarGNSCe79PnBGtZUYamWIprWzxT6z7qnw-rrlc-kDCJztLT2qFOKy-EKtwfQ5Ae5qgv821Tbtxw-e/s1280/DSC_4193.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbB6rXrDaxhk0zIkh5QtZJy3gMveju8PbICO7xCGlMdHndjKVgBAnFYjLVN2jLuSarGNSCe79PnBGtZUYamWIprWzxT6z7qnw-rrlc-kDCJztLT2qFOKy-EKtwfQ5Ae5qgv821Tbtxw-e/s320/DSC_4193.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor Turbjørn though is struggling again. Not<br />sure if the antics of the young ones has ended<br />up with him jarring his neck again or just the<br />colder weather making him feel worse. We'll<br />see what the vet says.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another reason for taking advantage of the time off is that it is the first time in ages it's been dry for more than a few days at a time since the weather broke. Ian finally got some more cutting and baling done before the weather turned wet again and so some of the hay has just had to be thrown away and the hay on a neighbour's field is sat in rows and will be rotten by now. It's a good job we just about got enough from this year and plenty left over from last year to see us through. I managed to dig out half of the potatoes - I say dig, we don't dig exactly, I just use a small hand rake to find the potatoes. No digging is required due to our alpaca manure beds that Ian prepares over winter by dumping the clear outs from the daily clean of the alpaca sheds and fields. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68jsA6_gkvxoARLGmlNnuEVGgZHkZ5jxXFGpP1ZP8utrPvxFKNO5GXurMpGdViLXcidAqn4TlvdrjErE3GGE6B3i2YTYkKi0csedvRQUOxC4-rdcEZz2PvB4QfrdgWJ8nVOnOmOJwMZBa/s1280/DSC_4196.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68jsA6_gkvxoARLGmlNnuEVGgZHkZ5jxXFGpP1ZP8utrPvxFKNO5GXurMpGdViLXcidAqn4TlvdrjErE3GGE6B3i2YTYkKi0csedvRQUOxC4-rdcEZz2PvB4QfrdgWJ8nVOnOmOJwMZBa/s320/DSC_4196.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That juicy leaf just on the other side of the fence.<br />At least he isn't leaning through the fence like<br />his half-brother George. George has broken a<br />few fence posts in the process.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHhgA1WufsoBbVlhWgwh0UB1xco6StA6oLMIQ09FWJVWY1Nj4eSRT7kZPaNlnH8M5iHhMNr9tcSKnWsPVKWQAdg-ITvjVPv5Qj0xSq7QLvyMVzJL1tgxoBpt3Wb04GxPzawEAK-ZqDfJ1/s1280/DSC_4211.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHhgA1WufsoBbVlhWgwh0UB1xco6StA6oLMIQ09FWJVWY1Nj4eSRT7kZPaNlnH8M5iHhMNr9tcSKnWsPVKWQAdg-ITvjVPv5Qj0xSq7QLvyMVzJL1tgxoBpt3Wb04GxPzawEAK-ZqDfJ1/s320/DSC_4211.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys in their field</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We've had a few of the irritating things in life and Ian has had to deal with these as I've just not had the time. Some of them are the kinds of things I used to do but we've had to switch roles. He's been trying to find out why our eID cards do not work to sign in online. We suspect it is the latest version of software on our computers but that is still a job in progress to work through the issues with some techies. He's also had to try and sort out the scanner as that stopped working when we updated our software. He's also had to sort out brake cables for our horse box as it failed its technical. Horse boxes, trailers and cars tend to be Ian's job to sort out. I think I might have taken the car once to get a re-test when he was away but that's about it. Unfortunately that hasn't been easy either and we had a delivery fail because of a problem with the address. Anyway, they should come soon, so they say.</p><div style="text-align: center;">Some mushrooms in our forest</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliG7LIN7ftxL1dxmFOqrVmswhSl64eW2vAco142f3lYboCyskTPNUk5fNTmaGGhRdcajjomEPlrEelNHO8_cF3b18Fs_g1pd-sr1CIwtHhV1ZMHM2UobJ4m7fMK9XgzyTiptzf0xrBvWj/s1280/DSC_4213.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliG7LIN7ftxL1dxmFOqrVmswhSl64eW2vAco142f3lYboCyskTPNUk5fNTmaGGhRdcajjomEPlrEelNHO8_cF3b18Fs_g1pd-sr1CIwtHhV1ZMHM2UobJ4m7fMK9XgzyTiptzf0xrBvWj/s320/DSC_4213.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chanterelles</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_zQjHoOQEXgIVzEvySiQ9qtkk0g8Fal5Y0dqX8_ORmdsrZtuY-vaL1DpRJazH_MzipcZsm99uNRgI0ODtzRVQ9CGF828nyGrsbrBX3B1Tbp5KKtYn_hp7jSZ8Nc1E0m1GtusNyvaOmcj/s1280/DSC_4222.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_zQjHoOQEXgIVzEvySiQ9qtkk0g8Fal5Y0dqX8_ORmdsrZtuY-vaL1DpRJazH_MzipcZsm99uNRgI0ODtzRVQ9CGF828nyGrsbrBX3B1Tbp5KKtYn_hp7jSZ8Nc1E0m1GtusNyvaOmcj/s320/DSC_4222.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure what this one is even with the help of <br />iNaturalist</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJFCrxpFue7CWmJhpRqMUwdlTNbm4bopm3pdOoe-9vWqL8kkmsME41hU0Q-7v3vKgbSugNuMdh_pv7Me3ZhISRjAh5N9ZDIJ1z7n4pHFxeyMFdgf9RPk8OLW-Pg_Vv0il2DIOOOFDqaDL/s1280/DSC_4230.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJFCrxpFue7CWmJhpRqMUwdlTNbm4bopm3pdOoe-9vWqL8kkmsME41hU0Q-7v3vKgbSugNuMdh_pv7Me3ZhISRjAh5N9ZDIJ1z7n4pHFxeyMFdgf9RPk8OLW-Pg_Vv0il2DIOOOFDqaDL/s320/DSC_4230.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nor this one</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzq4eNM-9ORjh2flcE61sOSy3fOPGnzhe6DFjsrE63kw1V93MDbTZT5uLNUPWHvU1tNr2wb3jOb1NtDL5Du7k8UMDDLAHk4UnJ0RCZf1G9Ltdu6VyQzhM_600Lk158LHCqk94Y6uu_Xc2/s1280/DSC_4240.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzq4eNM-9ORjh2flcE61sOSy3fOPGnzhe6DFjsrE63kw1V93MDbTZT5uLNUPWHvU1tNr2wb3jOb1NtDL5Du7k8UMDDLAHk4UnJ0RCZf1G9Ltdu6VyQzhM_600Lk158LHCqk94Y6uu_Xc2/s320/DSC_4240.jpeg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully right on this one, <br />golden pholiota but the blurb <br />says found in New Zealand and<br />the US and yet there are dots <br />to say it has been found in Europe. <br />This is where iNaturalist might<br />come unstuck as it seems to <br />possibly perpetuate inaccuracies.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcv7lScELwMKDP9hf0tijfcDoX_htJg_3zuFsYBcVqUXHBjtdfmTl_WN_lGg8rFzJCSf9HXmGF803SDBj_G9AJh1CE8hs8YfLWm3Rkufte70ygTgjRzszmdpjaUFeJUbH82Ke_BGW3TZz/s1280/DSC_4242.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcv7lScELwMKDP9hf0tijfcDoX_htJg_3zuFsYBcVqUXHBjtdfmTl_WN_lGg8rFzJCSf9HXmGF803SDBj_G9AJh1CE8hs8YfLWm3Rkufte70ygTgjRzszmdpjaUFeJUbH82Ke_BGW3TZz/s320/DSC_4242.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the name that comes up for this one, <br />Trooping Crumble Cap. <br />They look like a forest of little parasols.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Storm damage, not that it was that windy but we don't have a lot of wind to strengthen the trees and so when it does blow it leaves more damage.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZbroYe1I73YordiHvht9NZWTbyg308H3a6cxDsApDXtBKt6x7Yz_yJr4uJ46jqIVbHKf3krTCoaYKXp6lg7FkVpyG5CKl10ZRNPBJH5p402PWtunGLXJ4iQz7849_mFZyhDA8PsbVi9g/s1280/DSC_4217.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZbroYe1I73YordiHvht9NZWTbyg308H3a6cxDsApDXtBKt6x7Yz_yJr4uJ46jqIVbHKf3krTCoaYKXp6lg7FkVpyG5CKl10ZRNPBJH5p402PWtunGLXJ4iQz7849_mFZyhDA8PsbVi9g/s320/DSC_4217.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm always amazed when a tree goes at what<br />can happen to it. Such strength and yet it can<br />be twisted by the wind.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCB6iOCxTSoKMKogKO7xDia9IlD9LFI5YkALDBwn27pyvZBJHgMN9cdxHS3jreKXAhLU_WFIlqfgZDSQ_Tb9nz9pcd0VS-9vRA9Dk3yV23Q90yjkk_FZKsuMQKGE56OvRqMO_b6AJxF_x/s1280/DSC_4221.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCB6iOCxTSoKMKogKO7xDia9IlD9LFI5YkALDBwn27pyvZBJHgMN9cdxHS3jreKXAhLU_WFIlqfgZDSQ_Tb9nz9pcd0VS-9vRA9Dk3yV23Q90yjkk_FZKsuMQKGE56OvRqMO_b6AJxF_x/s320/DSC_4221.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess this one had significant decay in it.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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Staged photo. This isn't how I <br />normally feed Lolly but I needed a photo in <br />nature for the expert working group. So this is<br />me with our biotope as a background which<br />we manage using the alpacas of course.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It was Ian's turn to be a student, but he's now graduated with a certificate. Our land was designated a moist meadow biotope and it meant he had to attend a mandatory course four day course to get the special subsidies for this piece of land. He had forgotten about it in the busyness of this time of year. He suddenly remembered and checked it out to see when it was. It turned out the course started the very next day. Fortunately the lady at the bureau suggested her son as a translator for the zoom videos. It was a bit frustrating as Ian didn't understand a lot of it, but he's got a very nice book that has lots of details and will help us plan the management of the land better. We will also see about a consultation to draw up plans. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETb5CQeD3of9e16saibBmvhFm00EUXjWiOrJ8C3uOoXB8ucfrDvIYa_3p-jZaHDs2_Y8tRPZVwJJi1w53sl3-q61nfTKUo0YkeZNcAUQeB57bpgidek6m46mHWddxo45TLMdA1RlTm3UR/s1280/DSC_3885.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETb5CQeD3of9e16saibBmvhFm00EUXjWiOrJ8C3uOoXB8ucfrDvIYa_3p-jZaHDs2_Y8tRPZVwJJi1w53sl3-q61nfTKUo0YkeZNcAUQeB57bpgidek6m46mHWddxo45TLMdA1RlTm3UR/s320/DSC_3885.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls proving that alpacas don't mind long<br />grass sometimes. They weren't eating the long<br />grass mind - it's not the sort they like, they were <br />eating all the vetch and clover that they really <br />do like.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmA73V8DpbahRJDxtwCMlZc7ydPY7sOLzR5MruZVIeukvkwQsuc8qi6A1uaFd8GnGxNnHbYPdbPloifEeEV4Xf7jmDbwjDKTzJDBceV6v9CjhdxsHwGuw5TCqHRUrRkfhdg7GkXH9fCdb/s1280/DSC_3888.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmA73V8DpbahRJDxtwCMlZc7ydPY7sOLzR5MruZVIeukvkwQsuc8qi6A1uaFd8GnGxNnHbYPdbPloifEeEV4Xf7jmDbwjDKTzJDBceV6v9CjhdxsHwGuw5TCqHRUrRkfhdg7GkXH9fCdb/s320/DSC_3888.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They also appreciate the tasty, short green grass<br />too.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another frustration has been the weather. We still seem to be missing some torrential downpours but we haven't escaped entirely unlike the period of drought a short while ago. The drought has definitely ended and we are well into the showery season. It doesn't help for cutting the remaining hay fields. Some hay was cut and has been left in windrows for the last week. It won't be good for anything except mulching somewhere, even then some of it is too weedy and just wants composting in a hot composter - rather a lot of compost though. I do need some, but perhaps not that much. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyLppExeICWxj-OHoL5tiu-Bi89NQhtBek0Ok9q-R1mTx4l5JM-K2YdN2pnu-x7nOuxcCOtfwHbRf21pS7wm1CUpsjAVb32eZjHohaGN5oplCPot3e3cBX4fnuscwqXMYQPvfQbCqqoz9/s1280/DSC_3912.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyLppExeICWxj-OHoL5tiu-Bi89NQhtBek0Ok9q-R1mTx4l5JM-K2YdN2pnu-x7nOuxcCOtfwHbRf21pS7wm1CUpsjAVb32eZjHohaGN5oplCPot3e3cBX4fnuscwqXMYQPvfQbCqqoz9/s320/DSC_3912.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having a nosy in the greenhouse. There is a<br />fence between the alpacas and our greenhouse.<br />Not sure they would go in anyway, unless they<br />spied our grapes perhaps.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRFGC4vRD0f9erpWHZS7RhdAsprb8L2_c2UjamD2gic6j_LVmOxZ03rPD3aDTgzN8Pp0uOT-LJ5FlKcCOQxr9VS58HMxk4M4FJw3hJMBfg36AyuhP9M8jjAeR5Nz_CgYFlODzaYtouYUz/s1280/DSC_3923.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRFGC4vRD0f9erpWHZS7RhdAsprb8L2_c2UjamD2gic6j_LVmOxZ03rPD3aDTgzN8Pp0uOT-LJ5FlKcCOQxr9VS58HMxk4M4FJw3hJMBfg36AyuhP9M8jjAeR5Nz_CgYFlODzaYtouYUz/s320/DSC_3923.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This looks like the two young ones with their<br />Mums but it's not. It shows the young ones<br />are well integrated into the herd, which is good.<br />Especially relieved to see that Lolly is <br />accepted and her and Karla are often together.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The weather has meant a change in flies. We no longer have the giant horseflies. Hurray! We now have the irritating ordinary flies. Booo! Can't win it seems. The flies themselves are generally not too bad, but if they find a weak spot they are in and feasting on sores. Horrible things. We are having to put daily fly repellent on the alpacas, creams, barrier sprays - you name it, we've tried it. It's okay in the morning to put the creams/barrier sprays and fly repellent on the animals for most of them and that seems to be keeping the issues at bay to some extent, although top ups for Tellus is sometimes needed during the day, but Chanel!!!!! Oh my! Her skin is the worst, she attracts the flies due to being so dark and sweaty and...... she's our most awkward animal to deal with. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlPJT35KriW60rMXdEmKIx7xspdzo7FpwaSg8oJTffYn1gVPdRfr7_7bQFbaJxz871-ojiy0TVQfHOAxB8rR0JfhFlnJTB2XWI79f4yJvwcnHdiwNzNklVIe1rj0dJBlA01s5SddkX8K8/s1280/DSC_3918.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlPJT35KriW60rMXdEmKIx7xspdzo7FpwaSg8oJTffYn1gVPdRfr7_7bQFbaJxz871-ojiy0TVQfHOAxB8rR0JfhFlnJTB2XWI79f4yJvwcnHdiwNzNklVIe1rj0dJBlA01s5SddkX8K8/s320/DSC_3918.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silla enjoying the sunshine. Good job as there has<br />been precious little of it just lately.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlAVnq_apJsSD6pZ9t5sHE4MGtE6BO2nGwdQ2t92Ip8g479RmlQ9RBMZxnfMUh-4t2yOs1e8Obbhbjferc0VvOrMv3kexsQA9b7Af8pBLubgBnBVIINzpdKvbDmdrHeENu6cXn55ciW66/s1280/DSC_3928.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlAVnq_apJsSD6pZ9t5sHE4MGtE6BO2nGwdQ2t92Ip8g479RmlQ9RBMZxnfMUh-4t2yOs1e8Obbhbjferc0VvOrMv3kexsQA9b7Af8pBLubgBnBVIINzpdKvbDmdrHeENu6cXn55ciW66/s320/DSC_3928.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still inseperable</td></tr></tbody></table><p>All the other animals we can generally treat by Ian holding onto them and I applying whatever is needed. Except Chanel, oh and Brencis but that's another story. We have to time the encounter. The strategy is that I get my spray in hand and as Ian takes hold of her head, I move in swiftly to start spraying before she sits down. The good thing is that she isn't spitting quite so much when this is done, she just moans pitifully all the way through the procedure. She has also developed an annoying habit of bracing herself so that it makes it doubly difficult to get hold of her legs to put anything on. Whatever goes on has to be sprayed to stand a chance of putting it on. Any creams that would heal her skin are too difficult to apply. Maybe we should get a non-electric plaster sprayer and see what that does. I have a feeling that might not end well though. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHnpSkueAbNorfVlQ0bWwwzn4WyoiaZN9jZljDPy67FSWEkPxOSzDpyxZde5t4_dmuOpatWiK_HdHQv9iFTwMqKRqWPTBROqwrOX-ZPIkbS5BNNKpkH8LDWTHSTZiO9nhZCI0aw5YWNQX/s1280/DSC_3930.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHnpSkueAbNorfVlQ0bWwwzn4WyoiaZN9jZljDPy67FSWEkPxOSzDpyxZde5t4_dmuOpatWiK_HdHQv9iFTwMqKRqWPTBROqwrOX-ZPIkbS5BNNKpkH8LDWTHSTZiO9nhZCI0aw5YWNQX/s320/DSC_3930.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karla is turning out to be a very laid back little<br />lady and the spitting image of her father. She<br />can be a bit stubborn though, also just like her<br />father, Brencis in the picture below.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLxonTJyMmyHWhN7AdEXcoPZiZtABRO70N9i_IQyJ2pcD7vYw7-hPQttWNXshn5A4fWFUC7MDFMjJ60Qw8uNsoN8QPRjzchTjaK-YHEaaP0sa50VpWKdRftkHtjUCgu0mZ-yiKtozQhu6/s1280/DSC_3952.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLxonTJyMmyHWhN7AdEXcoPZiZtABRO70N9i_IQyJ2pcD7vYw7-hPQttWNXshn5A4fWFUC7MDFMjJ60Qw8uNsoN8QPRjzchTjaK-YHEaaP0sa50VpWKdRftkHtjUCgu0mZ-yiKtozQhu6/s320/DSC_3952.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiHaazxi3v7rtdh8jBx1KnM1gOyE0VOXImesKKPvfEi9w2F43jRr9MBi10395s8A0qvgAwBhec88cX-9ejNJrA9drZxlVOY-1sc3Ls1kaid6mquQzt9_mH53fxBqKT7mC9M2cHCiP86hNr/s1280/DSC_3897.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiHaazxi3v7rtdh8jBx1KnM1gOyE0VOXImesKKPvfEi9w2F43jRr9MBi10395s8A0qvgAwBhec88cX-9ejNJrA9drZxlVOY-1sc3Ls1kaid6mquQzt9_mH53fxBqKT7mC9M2cHCiP86hNr/s320/DSC_3897.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the look I get when I call her name for<br />feeding!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Since Lolly our youngest cria (baby alpaca) has arrived, all I seemed to do is prepare food, eat, feed the baby, wash bottles, on repeat until it is time to sleep. I'm grateful we've managed to drop the middle of the night feed, although the early mornings are proving more of a killer. I've added 5 minutes a day onto the length of time when we feed her in the morning until it is a more reasonable time i.e. 6:15. Up until the last few days I've been traipsing up the field every two hours to wherever the alpacas are loitering. Fortunately when I shout for Lolly she generally comes running. Sometimes she's even prowling waiting for me, but not too often. Now the feeding has extended to more or less every 2 3/4 hours, which at least means I can get some work done in between.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnJg6dj9ZCp5DiQJquU0qglxNhg0KxfPBSqH9Xk7OUT4yWJQynVojo6cawu6IdoyPui83WM4nJ3DloDRgMz0xjSZNASvAChcBqFY9TWhaPYj_qyyZhUOaqMxEkz8XMzx_Eaa2EUY6FNwz/s1280/DSC_3937.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnJg6dj9ZCp5DiQJquU0qglxNhg0KxfPBSqH9Xk7OUT4yWJQynVojo6cawu6IdoyPui83WM4nJ3DloDRgMz0xjSZNASvAChcBqFY9TWhaPYj_qyyZhUOaqMxEkz8XMzx_Eaa2EUY6FNwz/s320/DSC_3937.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure if they are just having a chat or a <br />disagreement. Still a nice day!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfiBkC8X0NG0RaA3ms8QmLkukRSIdaZApqXx3vB_9QJAyWtSrIkUjXIYJk9EUPPPrP4XLFAars8MBH6bTtXorCyygL75FyGXaNp4rZwKNUWRDELvsxeXiV97VMhrJopfYGQzTUwwY-GOk/s1280/DSC_3939.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfiBkC8X0NG0RaA3ms8QmLkukRSIdaZApqXx3vB_9QJAyWtSrIkUjXIYJk9EUPPPrP4XLFAars8MBH6bTtXorCyygL75FyGXaNp4rZwKNUWRDELvsxeXiV97VMhrJopfYGQzTUwwY-GOk/s320/DSC_3939.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New fashion, obviously!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So yes! I've also started back at work. It's a bit hard going. One of my current projects is screening articles, so reading over a 100 titles and abstracts in a day to decide if we include them in in a study or not. Normally I can read them faster, but for now that is a start. The other job this week was to finally, finally finish off a paper. I had to learn how to create an interactive table matrix from data in a programme we use. It was easy once I got the hang of it, but it took some working out how to ensure I got the right data in the right place to be able to create the file I wanted. I had to listen to a video and I'm not really a fan of videos and could have quite happily fallen asleep trying to watch it. Still! I got there in the end!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcHbNG8vXtWd2t2vsXuVwImJfCs8uLJ2pPsT20K4WgggxUdSTJbN9XFp-ykm-Of1netd8IPavpbZ3ou15HMguKbauhvEoC-7pID4YoLDC7qJUJc8n1emveKCYnep_ARCW5ISECwF6tUXU/s1280/DSC_3978.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcHbNG8vXtWd2t2vsXuVwImJfCs8uLJ2pPsT20K4WgggxUdSTJbN9XFp-ykm-Of1netd8IPavpbZ3ou15HMguKbauhvEoC-7pID4YoLDC7qJUJc8n1emveKCYnep_ARCW5ISECwF6tUXU/s320/DSC_3978.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7QC9dp5k0IFDv4nQ6-tVjtmXIzlhIO5f4SZzr5kMglAer5CKXJOfhCbx2oT-x01fMGTCsPfNKifA5PbakSxNMW_kRu4tP0mho9aY2dWGtwaO1I5CxlY8ppAbyU35_cGmWJXFQ8RsJv1v/s1280/DSC_4028.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7QC9dp5k0IFDv4nQ6-tVjtmXIzlhIO5f4SZzr5kMglAer5CKXJOfhCbx2oT-x01fMGTCsPfNKifA5PbakSxNMW_kRu4tP0mho9aY2dWGtwaO1I5CxlY8ppAbyU35_cGmWJXFQ8RsJv1v/s320/DSC_4028.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potatoes all wrapped up under a mulch of hay<br />and my squashes that are doing well.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Last week was my final week of holiday and I did get some gardening done at least. I managed to cut all the potato tops off and mulched them up to mature. If I leave the tops on they could spread blight to the potatoes tubers and I also found last year that the potatoes swelled up so much they ended up poking through the soil and turning green, so a thick layer of mulch should help stop that. They'll be dug up in September. My garden is a mess as usual at this time of the year but at least we still find enough to eat in abundance. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdXTIsQQYltS4bA6RbDv95PeMi7bNAanqlgupwaD2qSvvaUHHPeh7W25uW-F5D49er3dEjWMiJYMG-6dvJo21MONyw2MkwSkvQy0DgraG3ExJKCoRLSpzgqN7zFadVxftBbj0CWCn41d9/s1280/DSC_3959.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdXTIsQQYltS4bA6RbDv95PeMi7bNAanqlgupwaD2qSvvaUHHPeh7W25uW-F5D49er3dEjWMiJYMG-6dvJo21MONyw2MkwSkvQy0DgraG3ExJKCoRLSpzgqN7zFadVxftBbj0CWCn41d9/s320/DSC_3959.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were a little worried about Turbjørn recently.<br />The youngsters had been fighting and we wonder<br />if Turbjørn had been caught up in one of their <br />arguments as he seemed to be in quite a bit of pain.<br />Fortunately he settled down and seems much better<br /> now. He's also put weight on over the summer, so<br />that's an improvement.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk5Yf4p3jTbXp5s3cEEd7A0bW1nXre4bUr3F7panMxpSeShgatfkmNikpsIfD6uW4toWNuaNBitHYf5Vv6iuqW1Ef8ff7kFNyEooAGNfaczmGGvZ0tHw0L3ikBz9BcdWz_EO_TA1z4-42/s1280/DSC_3965.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk5Yf4p3jTbXp5s3cEEd7A0bW1nXre4bUr3F7panMxpSeShgatfkmNikpsIfD6uW4toWNuaNBitHYf5Vv6iuqW1Ef8ff7kFNyEooAGNfaczmGGvZ0tHw0L3ikBz9BcdWz_EO_TA1z4-42/s320/DSC_3965.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the lookout!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>My main task is just trying to keep my brassicas going, to get them through this season as the onslaught of bugs continues. The cabbage bugs have been a pain all year and the caterpillars have been joining in the feast, the snails and slugs will be next I'm sure. One night of not checking - usually due to a torrential downpour - and the little teeny-tiny caterpillars turn into monsters. At least the rain means the plants are looking better than they were. I also managed to get some more seeds in and they have now being watered in, or perhaps washed out. I must go and check to see if anything has germinated beyond the radishes I spotted today.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPY2dkiDnTGZGOOeJ6ybVcklF2rm1v88aLHPGrnhpTGYKD41Axo3E9mAtq3kGcfuv3x5HR2c0pT5PcGkKCCk2kPbwgzoBOGkDILjFT4ltcfGHaVSWS-YCtzUWTFdtc8SLKMKrUbTm9EdXJ/s1280/DSC_3967.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPY2dkiDnTGZGOOeJ6ybVcklF2rm1v88aLHPGrnhpTGYKD41Axo3E9mAtq3kGcfuv3x5HR2c0pT5PcGkKCCk2kPbwgzoBOGkDILjFT4ltcfGHaVSWS-YCtzUWTFdtc8SLKMKrUbTm9EdXJ/s320/DSC_3967.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh! So that's who they've spotted. Rocket Ron!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvG2x8swFylXjNMT1mxo_xV8zSp3z_tp8i9ZPoaYF7D7RWBMKt0xP3BWs_5X2BPTFQhrO44TYbUEFkIJ1nzOU6jIvefmmdYA59gOZtZtlE07W1WKa4Le_rjSU4xmhGycZocK4UUhAxyZHj/s1280/DSC_4050.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvG2x8swFylXjNMT1mxo_xV8zSp3z_tp8i9ZPoaYF7D7RWBMKt0xP3BWs_5X2BPTFQhrO44TYbUEFkIJ1nzOU6jIvefmmdYA59gOZtZtlE07W1WKa4Le_rjSU4xmhGycZocK4UUhAxyZHj/s320/DSC_4050.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our land looks so nice on a lovely day. Currently<br />it's looked rather more moody.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We had a worrying few days when Ginger Tom went missing. I messaged a neighbour to see if they had seen him or heard anything but they hadn't. We know the risks with foxes around here and concerned that one of those may have taken him. The weather was awful over those few days too. After 5 days he turned up looking fit, healthy and dry. Hmmm! Did he stray a bit too far and found a cozy barn? Who knows! Anyway, he's back and not wandered off again since. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS2uI4ePM2-RejQ1usW8MwOSaT5UeH4ujhJwPrpd6ZTPhATWBRbjiy33e2KPKskhtP9vBvC1Oqgmzuz65gAOl6jOLrHInTiGvIhJJ-4pDDPA3J1T9VhUd1yDgQdY_JToXel9sArXDe0lM/s1280/DSC_3989.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfS2uI4ePM2-RejQ1usW8MwOSaT5UeH4ujhJwPrpd6ZTPhATWBRbjiy33e2KPKskhtP9vBvC1Oqgmzuz65gAOl6jOLrHInTiGvIhJJ-4pDDPA3J1T9VhUd1yDgQdY_JToXel9sArXDe0lM/s320/DSC_3989.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mother checking on her little one. She's only<br />sunbathing.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvWCpk9MSRpPZsegaRHmAKqJNGALS18oXZdHx8pQ1fqwClWWXVq0y426JV-n12x7EXtGUk7P8hKtkO8XzB5zQmaq_OIPdNzb0hVgiZsL-kpF1Erei3ehlj_xEyAtEh7aCsUh6zRmxEIhy/s1280/DSC_4000.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvWCpk9MSRpPZsegaRHmAKqJNGALS18oXZdHx8pQ1fqwClWWXVq0y426JV-n12x7EXtGUk7P8hKtkO8XzB5zQmaq_OIPdNzb0hVgiZsL-kpF1Erei3ehlj_xEyAtEh7aCsUh6zRmxEIhy/s320/DSC_4000.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A popular preoccupation for alpacas, designed<br />to worry their owners.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Ian has been giving advice to some other alpaca owners recently. They had some sick alpacas and some had already died. They weren't able to get the right kind of information, so Ian passed on the contact information for the veterinary school and shared what he knew from the very technical books we have on the subject. A bit later he was going to the big town and so decided to call in and see them, as they are kind of close to the town. He spent a long time just chatting about alpaca things of course. A little while later the alpaca owners contacted him again and said a little one was ill. They had told Ian previously that he hadn't been thriving as his mother had died and the other alpacas ignored him, so not surprising. The poor little mite. They were struggling because he needed quite a bit of care and they had a lot of work to do with other animals. Ian went back out and took what medication we had, mainly vitamins, particularly B1 which can be critically low in a sick alpaca and doesn't harm if not needed and just hoped that something might have worked. We chatted about it and he decided to offer to bring it to our place so we could nurse him, but unfortunately he died that night.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKkFWRWPGy-Vpe-EhdOxSuAyP8-30RySkaNak2oelWM7Iv4cuSSZNovUN1tJLKNajIUqVchI_TkZKAufpiFB2Ar4I8uxPTfpB_V2o_JSRvGySDaqF4CLklwgnSEetz2-264eU34lfNZrv/s1280/DSC_4011.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKkFWRWPGy-Vpe-EhdOxSuAyP8-30RySkaNak2oelWM7Iv4cuSSZNovUN1tJLKNajIUqVchI_TkZKAufpiFB2Ar4I8uxPTfpB_V2o_JSRvGySDaqF4CLklwgnSEetz2-264eU34lfNZrv/s320/DSC_4011.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanessa does look like her Mum.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4g0j020lcdJih8mP9uiD-feSfDUIzdLZdVcF-r1qw20cOmh-JCZpsOgC24e7H49zqeXxN3Stsl7l_Dcyg8yj-XZQz-zARV6g0uqS1cDeBCY6YyegE5KlAW9RV6TL9ePZNIJQ9Q2jFQ9L/s1280/DSC_4015.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4g0j020lcdJih8mP9uiD-feSfDUIzdLZdVcF-r1qw20cOmh-JCZpsOgC24e7H49zqeXxN3Stsl7l_Dcyg8yj-XZQz-zARV6g0uqS1cDeBCY6YyegE5KlAW9RV6TL9ePZNIJQ9Q2jFQ9L/s320/DSC_4015.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grapes are delicious.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I've been in Tartu this last week, just for a few days though. It now seems like a major expedition rather than just popping up the road (long day of travel though that is). A work colleague has a summer home in Latvia and he was visiting his place before travelling up to Tartu for a few days. The summer house is only about 3/4 hour away from us and so I took the opportunity to cadge a lift as we say. It saves a full day of travel and means I could finally get my health check for work done. I could also say hi to my work colleagues. One of them pointed out that we had never met in the flesh before, which kind of surprised me as I had got to know her in the online meetings and forgot she had only really started post-Covid. I had also only seen another work colleague last year when his family visited after my graduation. Such a long time has passed by when we see each other regularly via the computer but not actually in person. So much has changed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETijofVUq3rNV8qJjKg20fb0P9TzNhpv26tsFdV1-LZxqXx4I26VCwCMw_kOfz_ZS3Tp0bQus9bMe5SG4dfAdvBgi6XqRd0kydJIWiiNq5mtlDj2Av7GDCP-JrGxx1FPDyXkoQeLT8hA5/s1280/DSC_4017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjETijofVUq3rNV8qJjKg20fb0P9TzNhpv26tsFdV1-LZxqXx4I26VCwCMw_kOfz_ZS3Tp0bQus9bMe5SG4dfAdvBgi6XqRd0kydJIWiiNq5mtlDj2Av7GDCP-JrGxx1FPDyXkoQeLT8hA5/s320/DSC_4017.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chicks are growing fast. They'll have to be <br />moved outside soon</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript">
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