Meet EV (pronounced Evie)

last Tuesday we collected the latest edition to Team Nesbitt. EV was 8 weeks old, born on January 16th, the same birthday as Nephew2 Godson Andrew. Bing will be 6 in October, Sadie is approaching 8. EV's grandad is Sadie's dad making Sadie her auntie. We are currently integrating EV into the home and are so pleased with her progress. She is now doing what she has to do outside and is on 3 meals a day. Both Bing and Sadie are doing a fantastic job of showing her the ropes and we are looking forward to taking them out together. EV has another injection in 3 weeks time and it will be a couple of weeks after before we can take her out.

She is about the same size as Bing was when we first brought him home.

She has a thing about feet and folows us everywhere. Fortunately her collar has a sound about it when she moves so we make sure we don't stand on her.

Don't know how long her bed will be intact. She has a good old fight with it during her mad half hours.

When I am working in the kitchen she will sleep on my slippers.

Needless to say the pet department at our local country store has made a decent profit since her arrival.

Prepare for more photographs!

Where did 2017 go?

As I sit here vegetating on the settee I am thinking about Burns Night - January 20th in our case. We haven't even had our Christmas dinner and January is on my mind. I guess this is part of being an organised type of person - or a mad woman? We have had another successful year here in the village with the various activities, workshops, walks, fund-raisers and festivals. I have been involved with. We have made a healthy profit, secured a couple of grants and give-aways which mean the hall is being re-decorated as we speak and new carpets on order.
We will be planning 2018 in the New Year, developing what has worked and trying out new ideas we are toying with. As always, all we do is a team effort, each of us bringing some different aspect to the grand plan. I always say treat people as you would like to be treated - it's all down to how we are with others - and other people have helped us take our efforts to a level where we have received recognition.

As ever I have plans for the new year - will they work? will they happen? I'll know this time next year!

Watch this space.

Happy Christmas and best wishes for a healthy, happy 2018.

My Bauble

Slightly off-focus but the baubles arrived......so pleased with mine.
I think I will be doing some more over the next few days/weeks. I loved the atmosphere of the pottery where I collected the baubles - so many opportunities and creative ways to idle away the odd hour!

Watch this space!

October 22nd - Catching up.

I an having a day off today - a hectic yet rewarding weekend. Saturday saw one of the busiest coffee mornings in the village hall.
We always like to try out new ideas - well new to us anyway. We held a Baking Contest! From working with other village hall groups we have good relations with our local W.I. One of these days I'll join, but Cynthia and Anne agreed to act as judges and what an excellent job they did too. We had 5 entrants - all from the village. £2 per submission - some entered more than 1 category and winners received a tea for 2 voucher at our local tearoom, together with a wooden spoon and teatowel. They were all really excited - so next moth we will have another competition - savoury theme. Cheese scone.
The appleas have been prolific and as we were holding a cider festival on Saturday night we kept the apple theme running through the day. One neighbour baked some apple pies and another neighbour gave us some leeks he had grown. We took leeks, and apples to our butcher who made them into our very own Village sausages. They flew off the shelf and sold out. Definitely do this again next November's coffee morning.
In our local co-op one of the workers told me about his hobby of making cider! He was really keen to be involved - basically a couple of months ago i dropped off a few carriers of our apples which he and his pal turned into the most delicious cider I have ever tasted - it was so popular last night at the Festival!
Life slows down this next week and today my feet are certainly up!

September 5th

It's raining today - my new plants therefore are happy. Once we have better weather I'll be planting these out. I visited a friend's garden a couple of months ago and was inspired by her use of grasses amongst the dwarf conifers - I have plans.

The patio - the mammoth task of de-weeding took over the entire weekend - got to the stage of actually lifting off the paving slabs to ensure all roots were removed. Again plans for re-sealing with a mixture of sand/cement together with a weed prevention membrane type of thing.

Serious weeding in the far corner of the garden. Amazing lengths of nettle roots pulled out on Sunday - using these in a green solution for plantfood - came across a very interesting article re stinging nettles here

Bev together with the other 2 gals continues to give us regular eggs - treat today of mealworms.

Jon did a wonderful job on cleaning the Rayburn. I think this will be lit today or tomorrow - coal ordered so I think Summer is leaving us, certainly looking at the falling leaves scattered everywhere.

Off to a presentation this afternoon - remember I asked for votes?
Watch this space!

January 16th

Life is back to normal after a hectic few days. When doing the Christmas shopping I came across a gammon joint reduced to £2.50. I froze it and last week saw us having gammon in many recipes. This was my favourite - just chopped and cooked spare veg sandwiched between gammon and potatoes with a Quark cooking sauce for good measure.

The hens are still enjoying the comfort of their hen house as the "lock - up" regime is still in operation. They have an enclosed run leading out from the shed but as the weather has been so cold Bev is being quite maternal and staying inside - chicks (now fully grown) preferring to do as she does.

The farm to the back of our house has now its own maternity unit. New born lambs appearing regularly.

2017 is off to a good start - lots in the pipeline with our very first Burns Night this Saturday, 21st. Watch this space!

Saturday...a week to go.

The past few days have been quiet - a good rest has been on the cards for a while - and I have made the most of it.

Like other hen owners our four are in restricted conditions. We have rigged up a run from the hen house and will attach some netting tomorrow.

I lift up their hatch which leads into the temporary run and hang the day's treat for them - whilst they are busy eating the treats, in this case noodles, I shut the hatch and use the main henhouse door to go in, clean the henhouse, put fresh wood shavings in, wash their feeding bowls and fill the water bowl. Once all this is done I lock the main door shut and lift up the hatch. The hens then make their way into the henhouse, when they are all in I close the hatch.
They are currently eating corn mix, mealworms and sunflower seeds - all high protein to help them keep warm.

Our visiting birds are making the most of the treats we leave out for them - woodpecker back again.

Tide times allowing we get out most days with Bing and Sadie - whilst the sky looks blue it is very cold.

Bought the Christmas Radio Times so the holiday season approaches. A quiet time for us, just what we need after a hectic few weeks. Must get the tree up tomorrow and sort out the Christmas cards......

Watch this space!

Where was I?

Oh yes........
November 26th we held our Christmas Coffee Morning - Santa was calling!

Santa came and brought presents!

Our local Co-op donated some items which I made up into a hamper which we raffled.

Thursday December 8th - Village Christmas Dinner which myself and Karen organised and cooked for.

Last weekend I was involved with the very first local Beer Festival.

Our youngest nephew, Richard came along to help.

We had a great weekend.

Last night, Tuesday 13th the village crowd went out for a Christmas meal - spot the difference in my hair!

Phew! 

Nearly there!