Walkabout, chores and corncrake

Ferns are unfurling in lots of different shapes and sizes, beautiful heads uncurling and last years fronds dying back into the soil now.  Unfortunately the bracken is also coming up, in ever increasing places.  Farmer has been 'walkabout', taking a well earned break from day to day Treshnish life and all that entails.  This has left Daughter and Self to take charge of the chores with the help of Local Sheep Contractor who looked after the well-being of cows and sheep.  

With the warmer weather the heating system at Treshnish has used alot less wood-chip, but the boiler  needs some TLC every now and then - the level of chip needs to be checked, visible slithers taken out where possible, ash bins emptied and a daily walk past to make sure everything is as it should be.   Sometimes the Fall Chute Cover Opens and you have to stop the boiler, turn it all off safely and investigate.  It happened earlier in the week but thankfully the blockage was easily cleared without needing to call the engineer for help.

The corncrake is still around, audibly and visibly!  This is great news and proof that the conservation measures we take really are creating suitable habitats for them. The Haunn corncrake has been entertaining guests in the garden of East, Middle and West this week and showed no fear when the strimming was done either!

We often have strong winds at this time of year and lose the apple blossom.  It hasn't happened yet and I am enjoying their colour.  Gooseberry sawfly have hatched though - my annual problem in the veg garden.

The Recycling Shed has come into its own now - a collection point for recycling glass and plastic bottles, batteries, used light bulbs, jam jars, tins and cans, paper and cardboard and raw vegetable waste which we use to make compost for the veg garden.  Cyclists can store their bikes here and we have a supply of logs and kindling for sale.

Making up the milk for the bottle fed lambs has become more part time, they are only fed twice a day now, though three of them (all bar Breeze) baa loudly still whenever they see anyone going past despite having plenty of grass and a trough full of nuts to nibble at.  For some reason Breeze refuses to improve her bottle technique but she is first in the queue when the trough is filled up so there are no concerns there!