December

1 – Took my horse Yasoo to the “Dick Vet” large animal hospital in Edinburgh. We have been treating his very sore eye for several days but it was not improving. Felt sad leaving him but know he is in the right place.

4 – Decorators at our holiday cottage. It is being painted throughout.

7 – Yasoo is responding well to treatment. His eye is much better. With no horse to ride, took the bike and the collies to check the sheep.

9 – A lovely day, weather-wise. Attended a funeral in the beautiful old church at Kirknewton (well worth a visit) and noticed blossom in full flower in the churchyard.

After a while without a name we have now christened the ‘wild’ calf Red.

10 – Collected Yasoo from Edinburgh. He seemed glad to be back in his own stable with Star, the pony, next door for company.

The ‘wild’ calf is becoming more used to people. Until now she has been in an isolated pen, with high sides, so she couldn’t jump out. Now that she is quieter we have moved her into a pen beside Minnie. They can ‘chat’ through the rails.

17 – Collies were on good behaviour this morning for our camera debut. Charles Bowden, author of “The Last Shepherds”, had been commissioned by the Northumberland National Park Authority to make a short film depicting life in the park. We were filmed going around the in-bye sheep, with me on a quad bike and them on foot. We were quite different subject material for cameraman, Simon, who had just recently worked on the new “Band Aid 20” video.

21 – Shortest Day. Always look forward to this because from now on the nights slowly begin to pull out. Cheviot is white with snow. Johnny sorted lambs feeding on ‘the brek’. This is the word we use to describe the fenced areas of grazing on the turnips and kale. When one area is eaten off, another ‘brek’ is set using an electric fence. In this way the crop is grazed efficiently and nothing is wasted. Put about 200 lambs inside, they will get barley and hay. The remainder went back to ‘the brek’

Barn owls are much in evidence. One flew out of a shed in the yard when Johnny went to shut a banging door. Another was seen at the Hill Cottage. It flew out of the coal house and is perhaps the same bird that was there at this time last year.

24 – Christmas Eve. Last minute food shopping, also coarse mix for the calves and feed for Yasoo and Star.

25 – Christmas Day. Up 5a.m. put turkey into the oven. Always love going down the yard on Christmas morning and wishing the animals in my care ‘Happy Christmas’. Just like the Nativity Stable but without the baby.  Good walk with the dogs to Brough Law fort then along the hill. Very cold, a blustery north westerly wind.

28 – Out riding on Fawdon Hill. Watched the cattle stampede towards the feeders when they heard the tractor bringing their silage rations. Cows always look so ungainly at a gallop!