Winters decorating

I have not totally forgotten my blog, although it had to be admitted that it has not been updated for quite a while. That is partly due to the amount of decorating I have been doing. I thought it may be of limited interest the amount of floorboard sanding, wallpaper stripping, light removals, painting, radiator issues that I have been dealing with recently. I was actually quite proud of myself today as I had to drain the central heating system to change a few valves. What was most exciting was the fact that I managed to get the heating working afterwards. Previously this has always involved trapping air in all sorts of inconvenient places (in the heating system) and then having to call a plumber to come and sort it out for me. This time I cracked it and the heating is back up and fully operational.

There has been some comings and goings on the smallholding. We now have the loan of a ram who is supposed to be busy servicing the Ewe's . I have to admit apart from a quick try when he first arrived in the field I haven't seen him make much effort in this department. When he first arrived he chased them around the field and tried his best but they just ran away. I hope this initial encounter didn't put him off for good. The other sheep have gone for a little trip to another field down the road where the owner needs the grass trimming. This is perfect as we are quite low on grass over winter (although the fact it is still growing helps in this matter!).

Winter vegetables are not greatly abundant. We have loads of Beetroot sat in the ground and a little spinach. We did have some really good parsnips but we have eaten those now. Any veg for growing in winter got well and truly destroyed by the slugs back in the spring. We'll try again this year. I think we'll plant a little less so we can really concentrate on what we have. I think last year we tried far to much in one go.

The CSA pigs have left us since my last blog. We had a half a pig and then other members have half or quarter pigs to enjoy. Some members also tried our hams. We are planning to get some more piglets in the spring. I am glad we don't have any pigs at the moment. The field is muddy enough as it is without pigs digging it up and stomping on it all day long with their trotters. They really would be belly deep in it by now.

We had quite a quiet Christmas. We went to my parents. We of course took some pork with us to go with the Turkey on Christmas day. The cat was supposed to be at home and stay in the barn, but that didn't quite work out. I spent ages setting up the barn (warm as that is where the biomass boiler is) with a window, cat-flap and bed on a nice shelf off the floor. However that cat liked to get up high and every night we put her in there she climbed up to the tin sheeting in the roof and got stuck up there! I think maybe it was an excuse not to be put to bed in a barn.

The decorating is taking shape and I can see and end in sight (although certainly not by tomorrow morning). It will be nice to get out and spend a little more time with the animals and a little less with the paintbrush!