HUGE Catch Up

Wow! We can't believe how the time has flown. Things have sure happened at Fossils Retreat, but in wintry hours. So many animals needing feeding, so much wet, wet, wet ... dark, dark. dark ... (just like last winter), and with one of us on continual shiftwork, seems like things have come at a standstill at Fossils Retreat. And to be absolutely honest - with the house not fully completed, it has been so darned cold in the computer room - we have had a sluggish winter blobbing in front of our home supplied woodburner and Sky TV.

Denise modelling our godsend headlamps recommended by our friends Elizabeth and Teresa. Proved absolutely amazing for problem sheep feet investigations in winter hours too

We got two weaner piglets on 5 June. Winter not really a good time to raise free range pigs, especially with another very wet winter - we had lots of very-near-misses being bogged down in pig muck (on the agenda for this early summer - concrete majority of pig yard - and memo - don't run free range pigs over winter !)

Patsy, at rear, darker spots, and Penny (white head) - two sisters, purchased locally on 5 June 2011 - first day home - 6wks +

After having our ears continually assailed by indignant bellows for ongoing weeks by Bonnie and Bella, our Dexter cows; after finally financially able to get a ramp installed on the property and finding a suitable Dexter bull; a lovely local chap; Legend, arrived and seemed to pacify the two girls. Our records show that he arrived on 25 May. He is a lovely red fellow - there is a not-very-high chance but still-a-chance we may get a dun calf from Bonnie (our black Dexter cow), but will almost certainly get a Grade 1 red calf from Bella, who is also red.

Here's a shot of Legend with Bonnie at back - not a very good shot we're afraid. He stayed around 3-4 months, and as the girls ceased bellowing at us and ignoring him after the 'new boy in town' love affair seemed to end after six weeks or so, we are assuming Legend lives up to his name. Any anticipated calves will be born end of February 2012 on.

The more observant of you will note a kingfisher (at bottom left of photo) on the fence. We had several weeks of visits from many kingfishers - what a delight it was to see them vigilantly lined up on the fence posts, motionlessly intent on whatever it was in our boggy paddock that attracted them.

Let's end this post with a pic of one of the crazy residents of the household - Scruffy (aka Thelma)