Rained Out... So Got Professional...

It's been very wet lately and another weekend was nearly lost to wet weather... so I decided to stay indoors and build a website. It was much easier than what I thought, have a look and let me know if there are any errors or typos.

https://www.downwattlelane.co.nz/

It's Twins

We woke to a beautiful Saturday morning, so I was eager to get up and get outside.  Now that winter has arrived the days are short and you have to make the most of a sunny day.  My chores start with feeding the animals but little did I know today things were going to be a bit different. I first feed the chickens and then I feed the sheep. For the sheep I lay out some hay and sprinkle sheep pellets on top, by this time my little friend leads the flock and it takes only a couple of minutes before they are running towards me at as if they were running in the 100m sprints.  If only it was that easy to get them in their pen. As they chow down on their breakfast I do a quick count up to make sure all 15 sheep are there... but today I could only see 14 sheep. Once, twice and a third time, I still only count 14 sheep, I was becoming a tad annoyed blamming the sheep for not standing still as I counted. I quickly glanced around the paddock and over on the far side of the paddock I could see the missing sheep number 15, and then number 16 & 17! We have twins!  I wasn't expecting lambs until July, so June babies are quiet a surprise.

It was interesting to see how the other sheep reacted when the mother and her babies reunited with the flock. There was a lot of staring at the new born lambs and even a few backwards steps when the lambs walked towards an individual sheep. There was a weird atmosphere in the paddock that morning. As for myself, I was super excited, the first newborns we've had on location, down wattle lane. Awesome! 2 healthy little lambs.

I think there are another 5 ewes pregnant... so watch this space.

Breakfast Time

I think I do treat my sheep very well... 

The Daddy, boy ram, he gets a little bolshy and head butts the other sheep away from where he is eating. He doesn't like to share his food, a bit like me actually!

"Trees Are Love, Trees Are Life"... It breaks ones heart to fell them.

After much nagging from the neighbours we have felled some of the poplars that were stretching over their drive. I truly regret the decision in having to fell any tree unnecessarily, but hopefully it keeps the neighbours happy.

My view is that the trees add to the rural view, they provide shelter from the wind, shelter from the hot summer sun, they also help absorb all the water from the paddocks in winter and not to forget the positive effects they have on the environment. But within a couple of hours, twenty 30 year old trees are no more... that's about 600 years of growth lost.

If you are worried about your car, or whatever, I suggest you don't park under the trees on a windy day... that is my opinion on the matter. 

We've left the stumps about 1m high so they can regrow... so all is not lost.

But there is a hell of a mess to clean up.

Beneath the tree there is a guy felling the tree, you can't see him he is lost amongst the toi toi and the digger is controlling the tree as it falls to the ground, so no fences were destroyed in the process. Some rather impressive precision work from the guys, I was impressed.

About 18 trees cut down from the above area, the trees leaning away from the boundary line will remain, I saved what I could.

Health & Safety at it's best, but this wasn't on my property, but excellent work trimming back some of the overhanging branches. I need to get one of those pole saws, fantastic tool to have. But what an expert digger operator.. he was super steady with the bucket. They guy in the bucket has bulls of steel I reckon, when he came down he said he doesn't like heights, what a perfect industry for him to be in!

The mess below to clean up:

Sad to see the trees go, but grateful for the guys and their workmanship.