A Year in Stempster

More snow fell during the night, filling in more of our footsteps. The water in all the animals' bowls and waterers was all frozen and had to be chipped away with a small wooden post that was the first thing I found. The chickens are not impressed by the snow, still, and I left them shut in their coop. When I went out in early afternoon, they were all in their house so I put their food, corn and water inside and shut them in for the night. There was thunder and lightning forecast for later, and closing the ramp door would stop the snow from blowing in anyway. The poorly quail was bleeding again, and his feet were red raw. Jude and I put him in a cat carrier in the garage. It's still chilly in the garage but he'll not get any snow, and there shouldn't be the draft. For the others, I draped some weed fabric over their hutch. They still have a small area where they can see out but it should help stop the drafts. When Ginny and I were just finishing with the chickens and qu...

 There had been more snow in the night, filling in the footprints like in The Children of Green Knowe. The wind was bitterly cold and blowing the snow in drifts. It took a while for the gritter to come down the hill and up again to reach us. Most of the roads in Caithness are closed and Caithness itself is now only accessible by boat. The drifts had piled up against the stone wall to the sheep field. The sheep themselves were huddled in a line beside the wood, having found the most shelter the field offered, when we went for our Intrepid Adventure down the road. We got caught out in another blizzard when it was impossible to see the road. Icicles have started forming around the house, one large icicle dangling near the porch door, and several smaller specimens hanging from the eaves of the boiler room. There is a spider's web in the corner of the eaves, and two small icicles danging from the threads of the web. It shows how strong the silk is! The snow is building up on the roof, p...

 I was surprised when I got up how little snow there actually was. Mum's prediction of "the weather forecast is wrong" was starting to look like it might come true. As I stepped outside with the dogs to go and check on the chickens and quail (absolutely dreading what I might find as one of the quail had hurt itself yesterday), I looked out over the garage and realised it was about to snow. It was still dark, and about 25 past 8, and I needed my head torch. As soon as I'd got the food organised, and turned the corner of the garage to make my way into the kitchen garden, the snow started. Not the beautiful, fluffy snow that is fun to be out in, but the hard little hailstones that pretend to be snow. The quail were fine, thankfully! Then, it was on to check on the chickens. Orlando came with me but Jess, being a little killer spaniel, had to stay in the kitchen garden so the chickens would be safe. I got their food out of the house and was just about to open the hatch to...

 The year began with a grey mist. When I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth, I could half see Lythmore on the other side of the valley, but it was covered in a translucent curtain of sleet and rain. The wind had been wild in the night and, when I went to let the chickens out, I found that the top gate had been blown open. The chickens stayed close to me, unbothered by eating, but just wanted the reassurance and comfort. The wind has continued all day, and the snow has been ever present, sometimes falling as hail, other times as thick, fluffy snowflakes. It hasn't settled much, though there is a thin dusting, surprising as it has been snowing most of the day. Perhaps it is being blown away as soon as it nears the ground! One of my female quail has hurt her eye. I'm unsure how it happened, but imagine she has been in a bit of a fight with another one. I am concerned, but I can't bathe it in salt water while it is so close to her eye. Ouch! I think tomorrow will see more...

 The walk this morning was not the most fun we've had! The strong wind was blowing hail into our faces on the walk back up the hill to our house, making me pull my wooly hat over one side of my face, turning me into a cartoon pirate character! As we left the house, however, we were treated to a murmuration. The starlings were teaching the jackdaws how to move in clouds. The littler starlings would try their acrobatics first, then the jackdaws would follow in their path, which continued for some time. It was happening over at Bailie Farm, too, a little further away. The clouds of birds became invisible until they turned when the shape they formed grew darker. Once they had finished their display, a sparrowhawk flew briskly from the wood, clearly determining that the coast was clear. The crows do not like the sparrowhawk. Then, after the hail, when we got home, we were treated to a beautiful sunlight, casting a rose gold glow onto the turbines, and causing a rainbow over the house.

 We were going to have our Story Day today but it seemed a shame to spend our last good weather day inside so, instead, I did something I've been putting off for some time. My potting shed is my goal for next year. There is a greenhouse in the Kitchen Garden, but this is really Dad's, and I don't like to use it too much. Besides, it's only small and gets very full through the year. Eventually, I'd like a polytunnel in the orchard, but that'll be a long time in coming, so I've been saving up for a potting shed where I can work in the Kitchen Garden when we're having April showers. I also really like the classic designs of potting sheds, and I have great plans for decorating it! First job, though, was the thankless task of clearing the wood pile and bits and bobs from where the potting shed is destined to go! This wood pile has been a feature since before we moved in, and some of the wood was rotten beyond recognition, some had screws and nails at weird an...