The Big Sky,Spring Jobs and Kit Hopkins' slippers!

Local County Councils do come in for a bit of ear bashing from time to time, but I must admit that out own   (Flintshire Council) is pretty good when something needs sorting out. We have two street lights in our lane,and both are attached to telephone poles. Recently both have not been working, and over the past few weeks, (before they were unfortunately fixed this morning), I have absolutely LOVED walking the dogs down the lane in the darkness. Without that harsh, yellow neon glow, suddenly the vague night sky had been transformed from a blank backdrop into something out of a sci fi movie and every evening I have stopped quietly by the sheep field gates soaking in the cold black beautiful big sky of the night.


If I had  my way, I would switch off the village street lights after 11pm......

William and Meg

The day has been sunny and springlike and for the first time this year, the dogs have joined me on the field from 8am as I worked away cleaning the coops and tidying the carnage caused by the awful winter weather.Meg and William still cannot be left to free range with the poultry, their pure terrier instincts are too ingrained and strong to prevent a massacre, but George and Constance can be left to their own devices. George remains a terrible egg stealer and potters away checking each coop in turn for any spare eggs to eat whereas Constance remains rather non plussed with the whole chicken thing
There was once minor "stand off" when the Geese stood their ground between me and her ( below) but apart from that, peace reigned for the most part.

Bulldog versus  geese

As I tidied up the compost bins,cleared dead wood, fixed fencing and disinfected coops, Constance ambled around the field very slowly checking on each pen and enclosure in turn.
For a city dog, she remained very calm and composed as she did her rounds, peering intently inside each hen house with her little piggy eyes before plonking herself in the centre of the field, where she watched the morning pass her by in the warmth of the sun.

Constance in thoughtful mode

By a late lunchtime, I had all but finished, so took the opportunity to deliver eggs . On my rounds I was stopped by Mrs Hopkins ( you my recall she was the lady that knitted my winter mittens), she called me into her bungalow to try on a pair of hand kitted slippers she had made for me, and like Cinderella they fitted perfectly!

Now don't be fooled by the slightly "pixie" and schizophrenic look of these individualised pieces of footwear ( I especially love the little pom poms) they ARE totally the most comfortable house slippers I have EVER owned......I wonder what's next? knitted underpants?