tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58069385965950478802024-03-13T22:15:57.145+00:00Chickens, family and hayfeverAll things connected to our family moving to Wales and trying to cope with a different way of life.Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-17934155977593506052011-04-18T19:00:00.005+01:002011-04-18T19:11:05.288+01:00Ahem!Hi folks! Hope you are all well. Aren't I the crap one! Anyway, I only popped in to say please visit my new website with it's own blog, where I am now writing. Thank you folks xx<br /><br /><br />Visit me here http://blackbushegg.webs.com/index.htm (Sorry can't get the link to work!)Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-40993251992702947322010-05-16T22:13:00.005+01:002010-05-16T23:04:40.588+01:00Duckling Emergency!<div align="center">Yesterday morning, we again checked the eggs. Four ducklings were now hatched, with two eggs to go. One had no signs of life so I candled it and it obviously wasn't right, so I cracked it opento find a dead, half formed duckling inside. What a shame, but too late for that little one. The other egg had small cracks in the end but not much else. So I opened the shell a little more then popped it back under the hen.<br /><br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471984883844676930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S_BlQpHefUI/AAAAAAAAAXc/kiNZomAifvE/s320/ducks2+018.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471984875185184018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S_BlQI25HRI/AAAAAAAAAXU/ykG3yZdacDY/s320/ducks2+011.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div>Trouble is off to camp this coming week so we went into town to buy some supplies, socks mostly (where do they go?) While we were out I had a phone call from a woman who may have spotted my missing cat. So when we had finished shopping we went for a drive around the area where he might have been spotted. No luck in finding him but we had a quick look at the wind farm while we were there.</div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471983793928032850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S_BkRM3GUlI/AAAAAAAAAXE/9JEX2-nksyQ/s320/Photo-0059.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471983794972150578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S_BkRQwCSzI/AAAAAAAAAXM/DkAILKzvjU8/s320/Photo-0061.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />We arrived home and went straight to check on the ducklings. Broody hen had brought them out into the run for some refreshments. But there were only four. Looking into the nest the unhatched egg lay there unchanged and abandoned. Picking it up I was sure it was dead. It was stone cold and there was no sign off life. However, when I pulled away more of the shell it moved. We rushed it indoors and switched on an incubator. I carefully pulled away more shell and tried to release the ducklings head. It was almost tied in a knot. It was wrapped right round itself and this was obviously the reason it had been unable to hatch!! There are people who say that if they can't hatch themselves then we should leave them to it, but not me, I wasn't going to leave it! The poor duckling looked very strange, it's neck appeared to be three times as long as it should have been! I know they are Runners, but seriously?<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471987160228081522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S_BnVJTkr3I/AAAAAAAAAXk/QQUOj2DRiKM/s320/ducks3+002.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />Anyway, poor little chap was kicking furiously and getting nowhere so I eventually freed it from the shell and gave it some water. Things were still not looking good, it couldn't stand up or hold up it's head. I realised it couldn't stay in the inccy much longer and started to set up the brooder. Brand new and not wired up yet! Probably not the thing to do quite late at night and after a few glasses of wine, but it had to be done! Anyway, I wired it up wrong and managed to electocute myself in the process. Eventually gave in and asked my neighbour for help. Nice chap and was still up watching the grand prix! Finally got it sorted and I set it up next to my bed and had a very restless nights sleep.<br /><br />But this is what I found in the morning;<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471987173012262322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S_BnV47jzbI/AAAAAAAAAXs/-t5Ami1dO0E/s320/ducks3+011.JPG" border="0" /></p><p> </p><p>That looks much more like a proper duckling! I couldn't believe the difference! Very wobbly on it's feet and walking right back on it's legs rather than up on it's feet, but wow it's head was on straight! After plenty of TLC and exercise courtesy of the kids it began to look better and better.<br /></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471987180504810658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S_BnWU17BKI/AAAAAAAAAX0/2SRVSZfy0kc/s320/ducks3+004.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p> </p><p>And this evening it went back out to the broody, who accepted it straight away. Within a couple of hours it was waddling around with the other ducklings as if it had always been there. So to those of you that don't intervene - up yours :P</p>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-16356372456401566632010-05-14T23:24:00.004+01:002010-05-14T23:50:00.176+01:00The First Babies Arrive!<div align="center">Today saw the day the first ducklings hatched. I managed to coax broody hen off her nest this morning for some corn. She allowed me to examine some of the eggs. I noticed that two had a fair size hole in them and that one other had obvious cracks! Then followed an agonising afternoon at work and some very quick food shopping.</div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center">When I got home (with some very excited children) we brought broody hen's cat box into the kitchen to check on the eggs. Wearing my chicken wrangling gloves I bravely lifted her gently from the nest. There lay two little fluffy ducklings! Quickly checking the other eggs I noticed the one with the crack noted earlier hadn't changed so I eased the shell open slightly to see it wriggling inside. I quickly candled two eggs and saw that one duckling was moving strongly and one not so much. The other egg I have no idea. I will check again in the morning.</div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471258955275969298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-3RCCdmIxI/AAAAAAAAAWk/4sp83Efgw28/s320/Ducks+002.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Proud mum<br /><br /></p><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471258965195861090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-3RCnarrGI/AAAAAAAAAWs/rOe-9Obni_g/s320/Ducks+003.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Little cutie<br /><br /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471258969428652434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-3RC3L28ZI/AAAAAAAAAW0/efpi4Zp8HnI/s320/Ducks+005.JPG" border="0" /></p><p align="center">So tired</p><p align="center"><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471258974421637970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-3RDJyR21I/AAAAAAAAAW8/82_2rD7MNVU/s320/Ducks+006.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p></p><p align="center">Brand new</p>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-86198305905765195272010-05-12T21:50:00.002+01:002010-05-12T21:58:17.048+01:00Egg CandlingLast night I sat on floor with the lights off and began candling and numbering the eggs in my incubator!<br /><br />The Cayuga eggs are too new for me to know, I am a novice candler after all. The Maran eggs are at day 7 now so are fairly obvious. I noticed two definates, one maybe and 3 that I think are infertile.<br /><br />The Pheasants are more tricky. The eggs are small and thick shelled. They were definately fertile but it looks like they were found too late. They don't appear to be any further on than they were when I first looked. They do have obvious signs of development, but I think it was my tired eyes that told me they moved. I can also see what I think is the start of blood rings, which I believe usually appear when the embryo dies. So it doesn't look good for the pheasant eggs, but I'll leave them a bit longer and candle them again. Not too long though, I don't want anything exploding in the incubator!Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-51800185274831448132010-05-11T21:54:00.002+01:002010-05-11T22:00:42.990+01:00What's Cooking?<div align="center">I love this photo of the incubator so much I thought I'd share!!</div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-nEbZCjwFI/AAAAAAAAAWc/eF34reUJ1sA/s1600/)+011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470119197275308114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-nEbZCjwFI/AAAAAAAAAWc/eF34reUJ1sA/s320/)+011.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center">Top: Large Grey Eggs - Cayuga Duck</div><div align="center">Middle: Brown Eggs - Black Copper Maran Hens</div><div align="center">Bottom: Small Greenish/Blue Eggs - Pheasant</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">All tucked up safe in the auto turning incubator. Phew! </div><div align="center">(You can see the Xs and Os from hand turning.)</div>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-89650342147323414452010-05-10T10:23:00.004+01:002010-05-10T10:44:45.427+01:00Poultry Matters and a Missing CatWell I picked up the new quail hens last night. All didn't go exactly to plan. Dude was moved to his new hutch with the established females. Sanchez was given the new hens. At first he thought it was wonderful, being male he introduced himself just how a virile male should! Wonderful, I thought, he's pleased with his pressie. Funnily enough Dude did the same thing with his girls, and I'd not seen either of them do it before!! It must be all to do with new territory and new blood.<br /><br />Anyway ten minutes later and Sanchez was pecking the hell out of the new hens! My cousin had told me how violent they can be but I didn't expect him to be like that with his girlfriends! So Sanchez spent a night in solitary in the shed, partly to give the girls time to settle in and partly so he can think about what he has done!<br /><br />This morning I have clipped his beak just a little bit and popped him back in. Things seem to be much calmer today, he is chasing them around a bit but doesn't seem to be trying to peck their heads off!<br /><br />My new Cayuga duck eggs are now in the incubator, a nice Brinsea 20 borrowed from a friend. At least I don't have to turn the eggs. My other incubator currently holding 6 Maran and 7 Pheasant eggs is manual and that's quite a chore to remember to turn them all 3 times a day! And we are only on day 5! Now all that's bothering me is that 28 days is so long!!<br /><br />At least my Indian Runners are nearly cooked. They are due this weekend, so expect some wonderfully over the top posting from me in a few days! I have had a few panics about them hatching. I bought them from Ebay and was ecstatic to find all six were fertile and developing well. Trouble is when they are under a broody you can't monitor the hatch very well, and I am worried that they will not have been moist enough. I really don't want to lose them at the last minute! Ducks is new to me so it's all trial and error.<br /><br />On a different note, the family is sad, we have lost one of our dear Bengal cats. He has been missing for over a month now. Just went off one day and didn't come back! A Bengal was found a couple of weeks ago in a village not far from here but was sadly not ours. He had been missing from elsewhere for 3 months though. It does give us a bit of hope that he will stroll back in one day or that someone will find him and check him for a microchip. All we can do is wait.....Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-12783471732683639542010-05-09T18:12:00.008+01:002010-05-10T10:20:23.161+01:00For Stiggy - The Quail<a href="http://www.onemanandhischickens.bogspot.com/">Stiggy</a> asked me about the quail, so I thought I'd post a bit of info for those that don't know much about them.<br /><br />My quail are Japanese or Coturnix Quail, they are one of the plainer types of the species but are a good 'starter' bird. I got my birds from my cousin at six weeks old, they were literally just off the heat lamp so spent the first two weeks coming into the house at night as it has been so cold. At first they were kept in an old rabbit run on the open ground, with a cat box shelter. Unfortunately one became ill, very dehydrated, and died. I then decided to take them off the ground and found a great big hutch for them.<br /><br />Quails are very flighty birds so must have plenty of head room. They have an amazing springy quality to them which I can only describe as boingy! The best time to see this is first thing in the morning. When it is cold at night I cover them, when I pull back the cover they let their little over-night wound springs go, and boing from one end of the hutch to the other. When they first arrived I was amazed at how calm they were as I had heard about them being flighty. It didn't last and they were soon difficult to catch to move in and out of their night quarters! I loved having them in the house in the evenings though, they make the most comforting noises. A bit like when you walk in a pet shop full of finches.<br /><br />Apart from their skittishness they are easy to keep. Mine are just fed on chick crumb, but you can buy them fancy quail mix which is, of course expensive. They also love meal worms for a treat. They are messy and seem to thrive in spilling their water all over a clean bed. They also get through chick crumb faster than I ever imagined for their tiny size.<br /><br />Quails come into lay very early, anywhere between 7 and 10 weeks I have heard. Mine are now around ten weeks, but I still haven't had an egg! The one thing I am really looking forward to is my first hatch. For any of you that have seen quails eggs you will know how tiny they are. My cousin describes them on hatching, as resembling big bumble bees!<br /><br />Anyway, as I currently have two males and only three females I am popping back over to my cousin's tonight to pick up some more hens. They will then have to be separated into two clans as, believe it or not, it is the hens that will fight not the cocks. They can live quite happily with a couple of cocks and several hens, as long as the ratio is about 6 hens to each cock, and as long as they were introduced very young. I have been told that quail can be very aggressive and can head peck so badly they will go through the skull! I am not risking that!<br /><br />So hopefully soon I will have plenty of eggs to sell for both eating and hatching. Quail eggs are fantastic for baking! Obviously if anyone is interested - let me know!Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-77339520741876219912010-05-08T23:54:00.008+01:002010-05-09T00:31:01.467+01:00Sorry!<div align="center">Can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. But I think I'll have another bash. I have quite a few things to keep a tab on at the moment so what better place to do it.<br /><br /><br /><br />I have developed a definate poultry obsession in recent weeks and there is so much going on! Ever since we moved to Wales I've had a few chooks, but it's now progressed.<br /><br /><br /><br />I now have quail! I currently have five, i picked up what was meant to be five hens and one cock from my cousin. Sadly I lost one hen and one turned out to be a cock. So I am off to pick up a few more hens tomorrow. This photo is of Dude with three of the girls.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469037271661037138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-XsbCC6RlI/AAAAAAAAAVs/eOBjyCPw0vg/s320/006.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is Woody, my fab little broody;<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469038131766316290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-XtNGL_TQI/AAAAAAAAAV0/pFcAJec8l8E/s320/010.JPG" border="0" /></p><br /><br /><p align="center"></p><br /><br /><p align="center">She's sitting on Runner Duck eggs! That will hopefully hatch into something like this;</p><br /><br /><p align="center"></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469038530436117522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-XtkTWRtBI/AAAAAAAAAV8/kgZqtRewIDg/s320/Runners.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><p align="center">(Photo coutesy of lovely Ebayer from who I purchased my eggs, thank you)</p><br /><br /><p align="center">Unfortunately I can't stay away from Ebay and spotted this; </p><br /><p align="center">It's a Cayuga Duck<br /></p><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469039493044964002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-XucVWHCqI/AAAAAAAAAWE/ta8-Aj6tnB4/s320/Cayuga.jpg" border="0" /></p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><p align="center">Well I was smitten. I've never seen them before so I called my cousin for some info only to find he has a friend who keeps them! I am picking up some eggs tomorrow when I go for the quail! I'm having to borrow an incubator because mine is full already!</p><br /><p align="center"></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469040238525159026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/S-XvHuecFnI/AAAAAAAAAWM/aRy54aJALUU/s320/Georgia+and+Leah+3+001.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">In there are some Black Copper Morans I am hatching for a friend. But also 7 pheasant eggs that my neighbour found. They are fertile but I think the nest had been abandoned and I am not sure if they are still viable. But you have to try!! </p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">So there is a lot going on and the eggcitement starts next weekend when the Runners are due to hatch. So I will try to be good and keep posting.</p><p align="center">Nice to be back! Again!</p>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-85071677238697987152009-05-20T22:50:00.006+01:002009-05-20T23:53:54.424+01:00I'm back!!<div><div>Well, I've had a break! But I'm back now, I don't know if I'm refreshed, but I'm back anyway!!<br /><div>Lots of things have happened, but I won't tell you about them all now, that would take far too long!!</div><div><br />It turns out I don't have Cealiacs after all. What I have got remains a mystery!!</div><div><br />The girls continue to ride, and are now joining pony club. It really is a good deal you know. At the moment I pay £10 each for half an hour's lesson, and £5 each for half an hour stable management. For £22 a year they can join Pony Club (without their own horse) and once a month meet up for the day, ten til four, ride, learn and have fun. They can take riding tests, earn badges, compete and camp!! Ideal if you ask me! Just wish I was under 21, I wanna join! Find out more <a href="http://www.pcuk.org/">here</a>.</div><br /><div>I have also started riding again, yay!! A lady just down the road from me has three horses, Ippy, Echo and Gayly, that I and lovely girl have been exercising and also I have been riding for a woman locally who has ride and drive horses. Advertising time!! Felicity and her husband John have a beautiful holiday home in a very secluded and beautiful spot in the Welsh countryside. Felicity also runs driving courses, check it out <a href="http://www.blogger.com/holidaymidwales.co.uk">here</a>. Felicity's five year old is a bit fizzy so I accompany her on hacks on her old faithful, Champ, who provides a calming influence to help Archie settle. There is also Belle, a three year old who will be broken to drive this summer and also, hopefully, I will be helping back her too.</div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338039332178298770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/ShSGfY-NB5I/AAAAAAAAAVU/XXTO3IHFX2g/s320/020.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>This weekend I am hoping to take Gayly on a fun ride, The Llandinam Mountain Event. Weather permitting of course, becaue it really has been quite crap, hasn't it?</p><br /><p>Apart from that, well, we have new chicks in the fold after a broody hen got a present of fertile eggs. She hatched seven out of seven, we lost two but the rest are coming on fast.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338041553908929762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/ShSIgtkEFOI/AAAAAAAAAVc/QSg2tMPJtcY/s320/006.JPG" border="0" /></p></div><br /><p>Sadly we lost Bella, one of the battery hens. But Cinnamon has integrated wonderfully and is now living in the big house with the other girls.</p><p>Jedi has been to school camp, and had a wonderful time, abseiling, cayaking, orienteering, caving and a world of other things!!</p><p>The cats have been bringing me headless rabbits on a regular basis (eewwww!), I haven't seen my husband in just over a month, oh and I took this cracking pic of Harley;</p><p> </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338041554684017506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/ShSIgwc2-2I/AAAAAAAAAVk/nTegJ0afGRg/s320/001.JPG" border="0" /></p><p> </p><p>Nice to be back :)</p>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-41359168653635562402009-03-23T10:03:00.002+00:002009-03-23T10:25:26.098+00:00100th post and an end in sight!Sorry I haven't been about lately, I haven't been too good actually. It's something I don't talk about much but I suffer from Fibromyalgia. I have done for a very long time and it took years to get a diagnosis. My sister was diagnosed with M.E. a very long time ago and was really very poorly for a while. After going to the doctor with a whole variety of weird symptons and discussing them with my sister, i realised there were similarities. My sister showed me some information on Fibro and I realised that was it!! My doctor had been pretty useless uo until I presented him with the information, and I got my diagnosis about five years ago.<br /><br />Since then my sister has discovered that she actually has multiple chemical sensitivity not M.E. M.E. is such a vague term. When the chemicals she is exposed to are controlled my siser now lives a fairly normal life. We think both our problems were casued by exposure to Organo Phosphates and that's why we both suffer. My chemical sensitivity is not as marked as my sister's but I still have to avoid certain things. <br /><br />I have coped with my Fibro relatively well over the years and have been determind to leave a relatively normal life and not let it get to me, I think that's why I don't really talk about it. Most of the people I know don't even know I have it!! Recently I have been quite poorly and my health is deteriorating. I am loosing weight, and completely unable to put it back on. My fatigue levels are high, my skin poor and my pain levels have increased. My digestive system is also a complete mess. So last week I was off to my new doctor for a moan. It looks like I may have Celiacs Disease. A very daunting prospect!! I didn't know much about Celiacs, I thought it was an allergy. Turns out it's an auoto-immune problem where the body's immune system sees Gluten as a bad thing and attacks it,, causing damage to the intestines. The damage caused stops the proper absorbtion of nutrients etc from your food.<br /><br />The only cure is to completely stop the intake of Gluten for the rest of my life. The prospect is extremely scary but if it means I can get well, have more energy for my children and generally live a much healthier life then it actually makes the diagnosis an exciting possibility!! I hope that makes sense!! Any no doubt I will have more to say about this new journey so I will let you know how it progresses. I will also try to update you on all the 'normal' things that have been happening! But for now I'm am hoping you are all feeling better than me!Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-3159126351735201292009-03-04T21:11:00.007+00:002009-03-04T21:47:19.314+00:00ABC Wednesday - G<b>G</b> is for so many things this week, like <b>G</b>osh I've been busy, for a start!! (I haven't posted since last Wednesday!!) <b>G</b> is for <b>G</b>reyhounds of course (see this post <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=">here</a>, updates soon!) But most of all <b>G</b> must be for <b>G</b>atherings.<br /><br /><div>An old school friend of mine attempted to organise a school reunion last weekend. It didn't quite come off. Only five people turned up!! I don't think she gave people enough warning and so many just couldn't make it. It was, however, a wonderful evening. It gave me the chance to go back to my home town in Somerset and not only catch up with a few old school friends, but also my old mates from 'home'.</div><br /><div>On my first day of high school I met <b>H</b>. We became firm friends immediately and stayed that way all the way through school. After school she moved to London and we lost touch for a while but after making contact again we now keep in touch, although we don't see nearly enough of eachother. We also formed a little group with two lads, <b>S</b> and <b>J</b>. We were all pretty close.</div><br /><div><b>H</b> and <b>S</b> made the <b>G</b>athering, but unfortunately none of us know where <b>J</b> is. What a shame, it was so good to get 3 quarters of the group together and catch up on old times, but it would have been something else if it had been complete.</div><br /><div>Anyway, next year is our 20 year anniversary of leaving high school. I can't quite believe it, I mean, I think I'm only 20 anyway!! And thanks to the wonder that is Facebook, I am making contact with more and more of my old school friends, and the plan is to organise a massive reunion <b>G</b>athering for that.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div>Here's the old <b>G</b>ang</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309450506310936434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/Sa71GtUuZ3I/AAAAAAAAAVE/2YyNx-1Br1k/s320/The+Gang.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><br />Don't we look snazzy in our matching dark <b>G</b>lasses!<br /><br />To see more ABC Wednesday <b>G</b> posts visit <a href="http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/2009/03/g-is-forgood-evening.html">here</a>.Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-15446016558900026412009-02-25T21:03:00.005+00:002009-02-25T21:55:25.900+00:00ABC Wednesday - FWednesday has come round really quick!! Anyway, this week's letter is F for <i>Fundraising.</i><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306852954970284642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 128px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 125px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SaW6pUg8YmI/AAAAAAAAAU0/6Dx4ZqFlGqk/s320/grw_logo.jpg" border="0" /><br />My eldest daughter, Jedi, (for those of you who don't know) has a passion for Greyhounds and for raising awareness of their plight. Along with this comes the need to raise money to help rehome and reabilitate ex-racing Greyhounds. To find out how this passion started please read my previous <a href="http://berthddu.blogspot.com/2008/07/school-summer-fair.html">post</a>.<br /><br />Anyway, once again she has the urge to <b>F</b>undraise. This time she is planning a sponsered silence, not any old sponsored silence, but for a whopping <b>48 HOURS!!!</b> That is quite a feat for an eleven year old!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.greyhoundrescuewales.co.uk/">Greyhound Rescue Wales</a> is her chosen charity, as it is our local Greyhound charity and of course you can't support them all! We are currently waiting for GRW to register with <a href="http://www.justgiving.com/">JustGiving.com</a> so we can make this the biggest and furthest reaching fundraising effort yet. So if you would be interested in sponsering Jedi, and helping abandoned, ill-treated or just plain unwanted Greyhounds wherever you are, please keep an eye out for a future post (hopefully within the next week) which will give details on how to find her JustGiving page. Or leave a request in the comments and I will notify you when we have the information. </p><p><br />Remember, this is all off the back of an eleven year old with a very big heart, nothing to do with me, I'm just the skivvy!! Please show your support, not just for the Greyhounds but for a wonderful little girl who has the want and determination to do something bigger with her time and energy.<br /><br /><br /><a></a><br /></p>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-82477303362377649052009-02-20T20:28:00.003+00:002009-02-20T20:54:22.652+00:00Chickens, Gardening and Springfever!!The last couple of days, while I've had a week off (Ihave such a great job, that means I get all the school holidays off!) I have been doing a bit of gardening. I thought it was time time to tackle my overgrown borders before everything starts growing in again. Trouble is the soil is terrible, it is practically pure clay. It makes digging it twice as hard as other soil. Every fork full weighs a ton, it sticks to the fork and mostly stays in large clumps. In about a total of five hours digging I have dug over and weeded such a small amount. <br /><br />It does look amazing though, it lifts the whole look of the garden. I've dug in well rotted chicken and rabbit litter and tried to convince the girls not to feed all my precious worms to the chickens. I am hoping the more compost I dig in the better the soil will get, but I am also guessing it will take some time.<br /><br />The weather has been quite good for the last couple of days and I am hoping it will stay dry for a while so I can get some more done before I go back to work. The chickens have had a great time digging in the freshly uncovered earth and compost and the cats have been enjoying the sunshine. I think they are starting to feel spring in the air. Little clumps of snowdrops are appearing and everyone seems to have a bounce in their step.<br /><br />I am also glad it is mild at the moment for an entirely different reason. We didn't have a cat flap, so hubby made a whole in the 'dining room' wall, lined it will tiles and attached a cat flap to the outside. Now, seeing as how he's a builder it was never quite finished. (Anyone who's been married to a builder knows that they don't finish their own house!) But it was perfectly operational and did a good job..... until one of next doors big fluffy cats decided to visit. She came through the cat flap but before she could get out of the tunnel into the dining room she met Harley. Harley was non too impressed and expressed his disapproval of the uninvited guest as only disgruntled cats can. Mocha attempted a hasty retreat and being a rather large puss with a lot of excess fluff, must have got caught up. She ripped the cat flap off and the tiles all collapsed. I now have a cat hole!!. They love it!! Much quicker when you are being chased by your brother!! Stretch (our neighbour) has promised to fix it for us, but for now at least it is mild and dry!Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-82222202387190073242009-02-19T22:37:00.005+00:002009-02-19T23:04:57.959+00:00THE Riding LessonAt last, the day came when the girls could get their bums back in the saddle. Because they haven't ridden for about two years and we're going to a new riding school, they are starting out back on the lead rein.<br /><br />Here they are listening intently to their instructions:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304643323040610162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZ3g_0H7t3I/AAAAAAAAAT8/gVcWGpq3p2M/s320/Riding+Lesson+012.JPG" border="0" /><br />It was wonderful that they were the only ones in the class, you can imagine what their old classes must have been like with 15 or so kids in one small indoor school. Just look at the space they had and the attention from their instructor.<br /><br />Trouble is on the left and Jedi on the right:<br /><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZ3hAIPG6HI/AAAAAAAAAUE/JMNh0sWRhgQ/s1600-h/Riding+Lesson+015.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304643328439412850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZ3hAIPG6HI/AAAAAAAAAUE/JMNh0sWRhgQ/s320/Riding+Lesson+015.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Trouble struggled a bit to keep her reins short enough and when she asked her pony to stop by sitting deep in the saddle and reducing movement, he ignored her (at first) and she ended up with her hands round her ears!! After a while he started to listen and she did a great job.</p><p>Jedi tries so very hard to sit up straight she sometimes becomes a bit stiff so in rising trot she sometimes leans forward and ends up with her bum sticking out!! (Sorry Jedi, if you read this :P) But after a bit of relaxing in sitting trot she soon got it whipped.</p><p>I think they did great, two years is a long time in the life of small people. Next time they are booked in for half an hour stable management too. Trouble needs a bit of confidence on the ground, I guess that's the problem with being so small, everything else is so darn big!!</p><p>This is Jedi's Dougle:</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304643681731576722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZ3hUsWhg5I/AAAAAAAAAUs/7Z7KawPxWJs/s320/Riding+Lesson+016.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>This is Trouble's Dougle:</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304643676650265730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZ3hUZbC3II/AAAAAAAAAUk/zwrCj5eBLBo/s320/Riding+Lesson+017.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>Sorry about the blurry pics, it was lunch time and they weren't really interested in posing!! And this fella here just wanted to kill anyone who came near his dinner!!!! </p><p></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304643335298882914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZ3hAhyiHWI/AAAAAAAAAUc/SzEJosC0sZM/s320/Riding+Lesson+019.JPG" border="0" /></p><p></p><p>So we went home for our own, all full of smiles.</p>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-29745816041333584462009-02-19T01:18:00.007+00:002009-02-19T18:28:20.356+00:00Bethddusuit's Recommended ReadI have decided to give a shout out to all my favourite bloggers so Thursday is going to become;<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304315836409314626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZy3JlWn_UI/AAAAAAAAAT0/_qnDsl34cQU/s320/004.JPG" border="0" /> <p>I am going to go through my reading list, from top to bottom, and each Thursday write about one blog. I do have quite a few, so it may take a while, but I hope you enjoy maybe finding new blogs and finding out what amuses me! So without further fuss or bother I present you with the first blog in my list;<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://aviewfromthegreenbarn.blogspot.com/">A View From The Green Barn</a></p><p></p><p>A View From The Green Barn is written by Don, an elementary school teacher from Michigan. He lives and writes from his little farm, surrounded by chickens, woods and wonderful scenery. Don always posts the most amazing photos of the farm, chickens and other beautiful things, and I enjoy looking at these as much as catching up with hatchings, gardening plans, bread making and general goings on. Don is a friendly chap who always makes the effort to respond to comments on his blog and to leave comments for others. I'n not sure how he has the time though, what with all his fans!</p><p>So, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Don for a fanscinating blog and for all the kind comments he has left for me. So why don't you pop on over to Michigan, visit <a href="http://aviewfromthegreenbarn.blogspot.com/">Don</a> and say Hi.Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-60575244449507476352009-02-19T00:19:00.004+00:002009-02-19T00:31:05.881+00:00SaddlesickOh dear, that actually sounds like I'm sick of the saddle but it's actually meant to be like the exact opposite, like homesick! Oh well. The girls have their riding lesson tomorrow, thank God! They have been quite unbearable this week. They have been wearing all their gear around the house and Trouble's scooter has become an interesting, if rather skinny, silver pony!! I'm looking forward to it too, I can't wait to see them back in the saddle, it will be worth the money I've spent already this week, honest! I will be taking my camera, which reminds me; I must put new batteries in, and am hoping to get some great shots.<br /><br />The trouble is I'm bloody jealous! The more all this goes on, the more need I feel to get back in the saddle. It hasn't been too bad up to now, the road that passes the end of the drive is not suitable for horses and poor old Blue is too old anyway. But now all this talk has started, and I know the girls will be riding, the need to ride again is growing.<br /><br />Also, just to fuel it, while I was perusing the ABC Wednesday posts I stumbled across this <a href="http://uthappytrails.blogspot.com/">blog</a>. Janie and Steve in Utah have some beautiful horses and the most wonderful countryside to explore, all from the back of their trusty companions. Boooooo! Not fair. Hmmmph. I'm going off to sulk.Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-72328427683719967452009-02-18T21:45:00.006+00:002009-02-18T22:36:25.155+00:00ABC Wednesday - EI thought I'd do something a little different this week. So this weeks letter, E, is for Elbow!!!<br /><br /><br />The elbow is a complex joint which forms a hinge or <i><u>ginglymus</u></i>. What a great word!!<br /><br />The elbow is where three bones, the <i><u>humerous</u></i> (upper arm bone), <i><u>ulna</u></i> and <i><u>radius</u></i> (the lower arm bones) meet.<br /><br />The nobbly bit on the outside of your elbow is actually part of the <i>ulna</i> bone called the <i><u>Olecranon</u></i>.<br /><br />When you hit your <i><u>funny bone</u></i> the sensation you feel is actually irritation of the <i><u>ulna nerve</u></i> which is the largest unprotected (by bone or muscle) nerve in the body. It runs from your shoulder all the way down to the tip of your little finger.<br /><br />This useful info was sourced from <a href="http://www.wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia</a>.<br /><br /><br />Other '<i>interesting</i>' facts about elbows;<br /><br />It is physically impossible to lick your own elbow.<br /><br />The length between the inside of your wrist and the inside of your elbow is roughly the same as the length of your foot!! Looks huge, but try it, it works!<br /><br />This info came from a file in my head labelled '<i><u>Weird and Useless Information</u></i>!'<br /><br /><br />Scientists have discovered that Octopuses and Squid have the ability to form 'part-time' elbows to help them eat. Strange but <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12357211/">true</a>!<br /><br />And that came from a random google search for '<i>elbows</i>'.<br /><br /><br /><br />Hope you've enjoyed discovering more about your elbows!! To read more interesting ABC Wednesday posts from around the world please visit <a href="http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/">here</a>.Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-83470833171916480652009-02-16T19:47:00.004+00:002009-02-16T20:10:27.281+00:00What a shame horses don't poo money!First, I have been asked by Jedi to let you know that she has started blogging again. Her first attempt at blogging was a bit slack but she's decided to give to another go, so please drop over to <a href="http://www.houseofjedi.blogspot.com">House of Jedi</a> and say Hi.<br /><br />Anyway, on to horse poo. When we lived down in Somerset the girls started having riding lessons, they were doing ok but the groups were so big they just didn't seem to move on. I promised them when we moved here they could start again. Finally, over a year later I have found a riding school that looks really promising. At <a href="http://www.bradnant.com/index.php">Bradnant Equestrian Centre</a> they will be having lessons with just the two of them in the group, so hopefully they will improve quickly. They can do stable management classes which I think is great, teaches them a bit more respect for the animal when they have to do some of the work to look after them, not just hopping on for half an hour then leaving them in someone else's hands. There is also the chance to get involved with Pony Club which is something I'd really like them to do.<br /><br />It must be two years since any of us have ridden so inevitably the girls have grown enormously. Trouble fits into Jedi's old stuff but seeing as Jedi hasn't stopped growing since we moved here and is now catching me up at speed, she has grown out of everything. So I spent yesterday evening on Ebay, bought her some beautiful <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220355054048">muckers</a> (I always ride in Muckers, I think they are so comfy) a new silk (well velvet!) for my/our hat, cos the old one has disintegrated, and a pair of chaps for me. All this talk of riding has made me desperate to get back into it. I can only go so long without my bum in the saddle and I get sad!<br /><br />Then today we accidently went to 'just look' at our local countryside store, and bought Trouble some gorgeous little lilac gloves and Jedi some new jodhpurs! And all this is before we get to paying for the lessons!!! Oh well, it's my own fault I guess for wanting them to ride in the first place, but at least my parents only had to pay for one!<br /><br />I think I am going to have to offer myself up for exercising again. That's what I have done for the last few years, just helped out other people with their horses. Can't afford my own yet...... one day.....Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-89635288790293923102009-02-10T21:43:00.011+00:002009-02-10T23:02:31.717+00:00ABC Wednesday - DD is for Dancing.<br /><br />These pictures are from my wedding, there was lots of dancing.<br /><br />Oh, and D is for Dress!! I love my wedding dress. I go to the wardrobe sometimes, just to look at it!!<br /><br />The first dance, all together now..... aahhhhhh!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH9IGWBGOI/AAAAAAAAASw/_LFvCihHg6Q/s1600-h/DSCF0090.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH9IGWBGOI/AAAAAAAAASw/_LFvCihHg6Q/s320/DSCF0090.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301296551975524578" /></a><br /><br />Lots of people dancing. I love the ghostly appearance of this photo.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH8iBHor1I/AAAAAAAAASo/x8fBT7bNoOo/s1600-h/DSCF0196.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH8iBHor1I/AAAAAAAAASo/x8fBT7bNoOo/s320/DSCF0196.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301295897737998162" /></a><br /><br />And traditional Cypriot dancing, lucky man all those women at his feet!<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH8CuUJIvI/AAAAAAAAASg/jBa8aB-mPjU/s1600-h/DSCF0169.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH8CuUJIvI/AAAAAAAAASg/jBa8aB-mPjU/s320/DSCF0169.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301295360114238194" /></a><br /><br />But best of all the traditional Greek money dance. We had been living together for a while and didn't really want presents so we decided on this dance, where guests pin money to the bride's dress. It helped towards the honeymoon. And of course, plate smashing!!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH7Og48PoI/AAAAAAAAASY/be-VZ3ujMFI/s1600-h/DSCF0123.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH7Og48PoI/AAAAAAAAASY/be-VZ3ujMFI/s320/DSCF0123.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301294463157288578" /></a><br /><br />And the result of all that dancing? Discarded shoes!!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH-2Q0HjNI/AAAAAAAAAS4/XC0ZzGzz2X4/s1600-h/DSCF0188.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SZH-2Q0HjNI/AAAAAAAAAS4/XC0ZzGzz2X4/s320/DSCF0188.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301298444571741394" /></a><br /><br />To join in with ABC Wednesday please visit <a href="http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/">here</a>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-37344308886173688922009-02-07T21:56:00.004+00:002009-02-07T22:09:35.719+00:00Yay! I got to play at last!Thankfully the snow is still here today and I got to play with the kids in the snow. The in-laws didn't make it but Hubby did, so with Buzzards calling and soaring above us, we all headed up on the field behind the house. Armed with a sheet of good strong, black plastic and wrapped up like Michelin men we trudged our way up to the top of the field, only to throw ourselves back down again. <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SY4FCOybyDI/AAAAAAAAAR4/RUjZCyMSDJI/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SY4FCOybyDI/AAAAAAAAAR4/RUjZCyMSDJI/s320/003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300179347349162034" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SY4FDnLp5mI/AAAAAAAAASA/NlAo1FE_L8U/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SY4FDnLp5mI/AAAAAAAAASA/NlAo1FE_L8U/s320/004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300179371077264994" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SY4FDzVQEPI/AAAAAAAAASI/oiS6-AlcqZQ/s1600-h/011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SY4FDzVQEPI/AAAAAAAAASI/oiS6-AlcqZQ/s320/011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300179374338740466" /></a><br /><br />I haven't had so much fun with my kids for ages!!Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-11261535338427707142009-02-05T22:40:00.005+00:002009-02-05T23:01:07.934+00:00Silly Snow or Silly Schools?My girls finally got a day of school today. The descision was made yesterday, by Powys County Council, to close all of it's schools. (Powys covers a huge area!) We were due a really heavy snow fall and I guess they were staying on the safe side. Today they were looking a little red-faced, we had no where near the forecast amount of snow. In fact it didn't really start snowing until after lunch.<br /><br />I called the kids from work at lunch time. I had left strict instructions that if it started snowing hard they had to go out in it. I mean that's half the fun isn't it? Playing in the snow with it falling all about you. When I rang they informed me it was snowing quite hard so I asked if they had been out in it like I had said. Apparantly it was too cold. I informed them that is was no excuse and that I expected to find two perfectly formed snow girls waiting for me when I got home! They weren't overly impressed.<br /><br />I was glad of the snow today though, our drive had become lethal where the car tyres had packed the snow down. I performed the new version of Dancing on Ice as I went to work this morning! The inch we had this afternoon just provided enough for me to get back up it when I returned home!<br /><br />Anyway, I'm hoping we won't get any more snow, my father in law and his mum are due to come up for the weekend. And of course hubby is coming home. Jedi has spent a lot of time working on an amazing walnut and coffee cake and I am sure it will be well appreciated, well I hope so, considering the mess she left behind. She makes amazing cakes but the devestation is pretty amazing too!!<br /><br />I'll leave you with a couple more snowy pictures;<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYtuzVV00II/AAAAAAAAARQ/0hV5qmdve5c/s1600-h/006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYtuzVV00II/AAAAAAAAARQ/0hV5qmdve5c/s320/006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299451214712590466" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYtuzdakRDI/AAAAAAAAARI/YTaVIJ_fL5E/s1600-h/005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYtuzdakRDI/AAAAAAAAARI/YTaVIJ_fL5E/s320/005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299451216879961138" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYtuy9CvwoI/AAAAAAAAARA/C4JUumLvbBY/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYtuy9CvwoI/AAAAAAAAARA/C4JUumLvbBY/s320/004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299451208190116482" /></a>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-82627927463253341892009-02-03T22:43:00.004+00:002009-02-03T22:53:04.946+00:00ABC Wednesday - CC is for cows. Aren't they cute?<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYjI5T9_X9I/AAAAAAAAAQw/KKNyBY_gC_k/s1600-h/P1010015.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYjI5T9_X9I/AAAAAAAAAQw/KKNyBY_gC_k/s320/P1010015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298705848539766738" /></a><br /><br />I love their inquisitiveness and the way they can stick their tongues up their nose!!<br /><br /><br />This fellow, Ringo, is the nicest, most friendly bull I have ever met. He turns himself sideways to the gate so you can give him a scratch!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYjJlVR0Y8I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/ahwfzCFRuoA/s1600-h/SP_A0076.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYjJlVR0Y8I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/ahwfzCFRuoA/s320/SP_A0076.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298706604805612482" /></a><br /><br />And where would we be without them?<br /><br />For more info on ABC Wednesday, and to join in please visit <a href="http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/2009/02/c-is-for-community.html">here</a>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-50295122247578833942009-02-02T20:39:00.004+00:002009-02-02T20:46:20.531+00:00Snow funUnfortunately not enough snow for the kids to stay home from school yet, but it has snowed gently, but steadily since yesterday afternoon. Actually I can't remember the last time it snowed for so long without stopping. Apparantly we are expecting more tonight so there is hope yet!<br /><br />This was taken about half ten this morning, you can see the chickens morphing through the duck stage into penguins!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYda9uO5JgI/AAAAAAAAAQo/-f0U7Vs7ykM/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYda9uO5JgI/AAAAAAAAAQo/-f0U7Vs7ykM/s320/004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298303503053694466" /></a><br /><br />These are the snow angels that the girls made when we finally got home this evening.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYda9Z2sWBI/AAAAAAAAAQg/VA0fbT-TmLk/s1600-h/009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYda9Z2sWBI/AAAAAAAAAQg/VA0fbT-TmLk/s320/009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298303497583482898" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYda9GF-62I/AAAAAAAAAQY/E7uhpmww0cM/s1600-h/008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BBT_wtX5zd0/SYda9GF-62I/AAAAAAAAAQY/E7uhpmww0cM/s320/008.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298303492278905698" /></a>Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-50272918466540802682009-01-29T10:20:00.005+00:002009-01-29T10:47:14.892+00:00Photographers, Eggs, Fancy Dress and Cow's Feet!I am getting all over-excited now! My friend <a href="http://www.brianphipps.net/">Brian Phipps</a>, see last post, has promised to come up and visit. We've done a deal, if I show him some cool places he'll lend me a camera and teach me a few things! Who got the better deal I wonder?<br /><br />Also <a href="http://www.deedoodywildlife.co.uk/index.html">Dee Doody</a> has promised to take me out in March to look for the new Kite nesting sites in the woods near my house!! How bloody lucky am I to have amazing friends like these.<br /><br />After a rocky start to the year I am at last getting a few things to look forward to.<br /><br />I have also been invited to a fancy dress Valentine's do at my cousin's pub. It's meant to be a couple thing, you know, dressing up as famous couples. But Hubby will probably be in Scotland, so I was wracking my brain trying to think of who I could go as. I finally decided to go as Lorena Bobbit, 'cos I don't think her husband would accompany her anywhere after that!! I have ordered a plastic knife and, ahem.., a little something else from the internet, and await my unmarked package!! I haven't had a proper night out since before Christmas so am really looking forward to it.<br /><br />I have had some interesting eggs this week. One of the youngsters who has finally come into lay is laying decidedly pointy shaped eggs! They are really long and thin! I guess when they fill out a bit they will be decent size eggs but for now they do look a little strange!<br /><br />All I need now is some decent weather so I can get outside and start getting the garden ship shape and take some more photos.<br /><br />I just thought of something that Trouble said the other day, that made me smile;<br /><br />I had been talking to the girls about some of the things that go into our food that we don't expect. I asked my youngest if she knew that Marshmallows had cow's hooves in them. (Well gelatine anyway, which comes from cows' hooves, so close enough!) The reaction I got wasn't really what I expected! <br /><br />'Don't be ridiculous mum, cows feet are crunchy!Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5806938596595047880.post-8413903393228966602009-01-28T23:14:00.005+00:002009-01-28T23:31:34.131+00:00ABC Wednesday - B Two!!!Just thought I'd use the opportunity to reintroduce a friend off mine. So B is also for Brian Phipps. He's an old school friend and we go way back. Nowadays he's a wildlife photographer and a bloody good one at that. He's done a fair few magazine articles and the like and is becoming pretty well known. He specialises in British Wildlife and travels all over the UK for his shots.<br /><br />Check out his website <a href="http://www.brianphipps.net/">here</a>, and take a look at his work. He sells prints and cards etc, so if you see anything you like you can treat yourself, or someone else to some of his pics.<br /><br />So go check him out :)Buddhist in Traininghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326966921134472700noreply@blogger.com0