Quiet Time

Sometimes there's a long gap between Blogs because I'm too busy to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) and sometimes it's because there's not much happening. It's not that we're sitting around twiddling our thumbs and doing nothing (fat chance of that); but that we're just doing the usual stuff.

After missing Cartmel Show so we could start silaging, we finished on the Saturday. On the Sunday James and family loaded up their and roof box to bursting point and set off on their holiday. After a day at Thomas Land (highly recommended for young boys) they set up camp in Norfolk. No luxury caravan for them, but genuine canvas.

We still have some grass to get in, plus oats which were undersown with grass. So as ever we're weather watching. The first half of September looks to be a busy month, with our almost-local show at Grayrigg, Westmorland Show and The Dairy Event. All fitted round the normal farm work. Watch this space for more news.

And finally, to show that the sun does sometimes shine in Cumbria, here's a photo taken at a wedding we went to on Saturday - a wonderful sunny day sandwiched between two wet ones.

Only a string of numbers . . . .

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If you remember as you eat your lunch (and you're not too busy driving a tractor), just after half past twelve, for one second only, the date/time will equal

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(12:34:56 7/8/9)

Conflict of interests

Today we should have been at Cartmel Show. I'm not sure how long we've been showing there (certainly before we were married in 1970) and have never missed. In 2001 when the show was cancelled because of FMD we entered the photographic version. But we have been watching the weather and waiting for a few dry days, and keeping in touch with our contractor. He's now at the farm before us on his list and it hasn't rained since yesterday. So today instead of showing off our cows at the show we are mowing and getting the pit ready for second cut.

Hopefully next year the weather will fall in line with our schedule

Is this it?

Have we missed the summer? I know we had the hot weather in June, and hopefully got some good silage (though maybe it was too hot and it wilted too quickly), but since then it seems to have been the all too familiar drizzle interspersed with heavy showers.

We're in the contractor's queue for second cut and are anxiously watching weather forecasts (always believing the most optimistic) hoping for 2 or 3 settled days.

Putting a positive spin on the bad weather it meant we could grab a couple of days away in the caravan. Having left it until the last minute (the day before) we were severely restricted in our choice of site and ended up at Bury! Not in the middle of the allegedly famous market, but on the edge of town in the middle of a country park. It was a lovely site, clean, green and with steam trains passing by at the weekends.

But never again will I navigate a car and caravan through urban motorways and fast flowing traffic that knew when to get into the right lane. Two days of almost relaxation between two journeys not designed for a passenger of a nervous disposition.

A Long Day

The alarms went off just after four yesterday morning - even the cows were still asleep when Henry went to get them in. By 6 they were milked and back out in the field, and an hour later the calves were fed, farmers had finished a hasty breakfast and we were ready to set of for Penrith Show with two trailers of Strickley stock.

Access to the field was just and so OK (heavy rain the day before) but stewards kept on top of it with copious applications of wood chippings. And as the day went on and the sun shone and shone the ground dried up

As usual there was a good turnout from the Dairy Shorthorn breeders (9 of them bringing 38 animals between them). There's always a good entry for the calf classes as the main Shorthorn classes are followed by the North of England Calf Show. We hadn't taken any calves this year, but 6 cows and heifers. James is writing a full report of all the winners, but here are the Strickley highlights -

Heifer in calf

1st Strickley Athena 3

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Cow in calf

1st Strickley Annabella 117

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Cow in milk

2nd Strickley Dairymaid 2

3rd Strickley Starlet 90

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Group of 3

1st Strickley group

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By half past four we were back home and getting the cows in for milking (at least the cars with trailers were, the car with "foot passengers" was still queued waiting to get out of the car park).

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We finished the evening with a take-away and a few glasses of fizzy pop to celebrate a good day (and our 39th Wedding Anniversary) and by 9.30 gave up the struggle to stay awake and went to bed.

What's the connection?

What's the connection between The Great Yorkshire Show and Leonard Cohen?

The answer - 14th July.

I have been a fan of Leonard Cohen's since my college days in the Sixties. I've put up with a fair amount of ridicule from people who don't understand, but gradually the music seeps unnoticed into your consciousness, and I've caught Henry (almost) singing along to tracks in the car. I never thought I would get the chance to see him in concert (last year the tour dates clashed with Henry on crutches), and I always held back from suggesting buying tickets for something that was really just for me. But a couple of months ago I took the plunge and bought almost the last two seats at Liverpool Arena. For a few hours I was happy and full of anticipation, until we realised it was the same day as the Great Yorkshire - at which James was judging. Back to earth with a shattering bump. Cows need milking. Milking needs at least one farmer. Concert too far away to go after milking. So, tickets sold and dreams put aside.

But tonight will be Leonard Cohen night at Strickley. I have the DVD "Live in London"; so I'm taking the phone off the hook, dimming the lights and imagining what might have been.

Gazebos on the move

Yesterday Old Hutton Pre School had their Summer Outing to Strickley. As Chris's birthday was earlier in the week, this was followed by a party at Wellbank. Mindful of the searing heat we've been having, James and Michelle put up a Gazebo in the garden - decked out with balloons and bunting.

A sudden torrential downpour prompted a taxi run in the Land Rover down to the wood to bring everyone back up. But meanwhile - where's the Gazebo?
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