Here we are at the start of the new year and after a relatively quiet christmas it’s all systems go to get everything ready for guests coming to stay.

There always seems to be more to do than you expect especially with strong winds recently having blown down a few trees around the ponds, also there is a possibility a mink is killing and eating some of the carp in the ponds, I’ve found two dead so far which is very upsetting as these were lovely 5-6lb fish in perfect condition.

We have been collecting and preparing logs for the wood burners and firepits while at the same time doing the daily routine of feeding and bedding up the cattle in the barn and checking the sheep.

I have a couple of pigs that need feeding twice a day and they spend the rest of the day rooting around the 2 acre field I’ve given them. They are doing a very good job of clearing the weeds.

The chickens are still all laying an egg per day even though the days are much shorter this time of the year, this usually makes them slow down, mind you they probably think its spring because so far this winter we haven’t had any frosts (up to the 11th jan) which is in complete contrast to last year when we were down to -10c some nights and hardly above freezing for weeks on end.

I dare say winter ill have a sting in its tale this year which hopefully wont have an adverse effect on the plants and wildlife, there are already in early january daffodils and primroses flowering even were the sun isn’t shinning, and some birds appear to be paring up for nesting!