I often find that what I plan to do on the smallholding varies a great deal from what I actually end up doing. Tonight was a good example, plan was to build a super duper double swing gate that would keep the warring factions in the Mangalitza pen separate (war has been declared between Pam and Bridget, both have a set of piglets, both have separate 12 by 12 sleeping quarters but a communal play area, Pam seems the think that all the piglets are hers so chases Bridget if Bridget tries to feed her own piglets. As Pam isn't feeding Bridget's piglets this is a problem that needs solving) but in actual fact after spending a bit of time making soothing noises to little t who suddenly began projectile vomiting (no idea why he coated his Grandma and mother in puke, lots of it and five times) I was dispatched to fetch some of our MIA animals from the vast area of common that we are lucky enough to live on. I did find all that I was looking for, but there is only time to tell you of Apollo the pretty boy pony who has been led astray by Trevor and wandered off into the wilderness. This is not a problem, my beautiful and oh so patient wife having nightmares about pretty boy pony being struck by lightening is however, hence the trek across the ridge to fetch him, at least, back to the well earthed safety of Rock HQ. Pretty boy is in the pic above to the right of the trees, I found him after walking 1.5 miles in the other direction.
Here he can be more clearly seen, he is the one sending please come and get me psychic messages, and it was at this point I had one of those chance encounters often had around these parts. As I wrestled with two large Bernese Mountain Dogs who wanted to welcome a walker into their domain said walker introduced herself as Val, she was looking for Gladestry, well as I had just walked from there I was just the person (ok the only person she could ask as there was no one else about) to ask. Val was walking the Offas Dyke, on a whim, on the day of the Olympics she found herself at Prestatyn and decided to hike the 186 or so miles, never having walked more than 2 miles in a go before she was now managing a good number each day and would finish by day 17. I top trumped her 17 days by telling her of my 6 day epic on the Dyke doing the reat TODO. Suitably impressed she carried on shouting that I would probably see her again as she now planned to move to Kington from where she lived, Hay on Wye. Funny old world, but you do meet the nicest people. Anyway back to horse catching.
Apollo couldn't wait to be caught. He stood as good as gold as I ambled up, he even looked in the general direction of home just to make sure I got the message. He had had enough of life in the wilds, the rain, the thunder, the rubbish food and no telly. Even when I told him we still had no telly and were not part of the 20 million who watched Usain Bolt win the 100 metres Apollo was keen to get going and get gone.
So we ambled back down the slopes, me to a well earned cuppa and a medal for finding pony, locating missing sheep, lamb and ram, and Apollo to all the hayledge he could eat.
Trevor on the other hand stayed out of reach and made it clear he was happy to party on with the militia's herd. His time will come. After I build the gate. (Little t finished barfing and enjoyed a light supper of sausage beans mash malt loaf and grapes, som of which he ate, most he pressed into passing dogs mouths, or fur)
No comments:
Post a Comment