Rain, rain, rain.
Sometimes life throws a bit too much at you all at once…
I was excited- looking forward to a quick weekend visit to Ben, my son, his partner Berengere and baby Camille…
Everything planned, taken care of …instructions left about Magpie, the lamb attacked by magpies while being born (leaving her with only half a tongue); the heifer which still hasn’t calved; cows being served by the bull; Jill, (my working sheepdog) who’s in season, Ness (my young bitch with wolf-like characteristics); and the nursing home where my mum is. All done and ready to go. Robert looking vaguely anxious - not to worry, says I, of course you can cope, says I, I’m just on the end of a phone, see you Monday evening!
Perfect. Trains on time, connections made. Arrive in Norwich in time for a quick cuddle with Camille before she goes to bed and a happy, chatty supper with smoky wine brought back from France. Saturday morning at breakfast, yumm…hot croissants and fresh bread, the phone goes, I know, just know. ‘Hi, heifer calved…no, it’s good, yes fine, a bull calf’, but? ‘Well, Maggers (Magpie) didn’t make it through the night’. What? Happy, healthy, two month lamb bounding to have her bottle? What happened?
These things do.
Rain, rain, rain.
Treat, lunch in town - a huge bowl of spicy, slippery, splashy, stainy noodles we are messily slurping and enjoying. Mobile goes. I know, yup, know. My mum’s nursing home…could I pop in as she’s really quite poorly and not getting much better. What? I phoned yesterday, is she ill? No one said, I’m away! A mistake, lack of communication, a message not written down…
These things happen.
Rain, rain, rain.
Back on the train, all so very on time, even better connections. I read, sleep, read and feel, well, sad.
At home I peer through the rain hammering the kitchen window and notice that the winter water features have returned. ‘Has it rained all the time I’ve been away?’ Yes, but you’ve only been gone 24 hours!
6 comments
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May 21, 2007 at 10:19 am
Tony
I love your pictures of the countryside and the sheep? Are they all around Locks Park Farm?
May 22, 2007 at 9:59 am
paula
Thanks Tony, I’m glad you like them. They are stunning aren’t they. I take absolutely no credit as they are taken by Robert, my husband, who’s a brilliant photographer!
And yes, they are of Locks Park, my stock and the land I rent near by.
July 1, 2007 at 3:23 am
jeanette
love the story life is always so full on the land. one learns to always leave space in ones planner for the land and its animals to do its thing. we in wa could do with some of your rain dams are very low to empty still and the newly planted wheat canola and barley struggling sheep are still being hand fed and our stocks are also low to gone. south west albany have had good rain we always feel as long as some one in our country can keep going we can puchase from them
July 1, 2007 at 9:34 pm
paula
I’ve heard how desperate your drought conditions are. I hope you have a break and have rain soon.
October 4, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Bruce Colepeper
we are south africans hoping to visit scotland early next year, what are the prospects for employment on sheep farms? I have lots of experience in the industry in RSA, your set up looks wonderful
October 5, 2007 at 8:45 pm
paula
I’m glad you found my blog Bruce, and thanks for the compliment.
There’s always help needed on large sheep farms at lambing time, which you should be in the UK for. I’m not too sure what the chances are for employment on hill farms. I suggest you look up the NFU, Farmers Weekly or any other farming journal on line and contact them for advice on job availability.
Unfortunately my farm is far too small to be able to afford any help though you’re welcome to contact me again for any assistance I can give you.