A day for a mackintosh

Annie takes a milk break

Low pressure brought a blustery start to the day today but Little Annie had her new coat to keep her warm no matter what the weather did. We were strictly supervised by Lizzie, of course, as the we dressed the squirming foal in her natty little jacket, for the first time. Her little coat measures three feet precisely along the length - to put it into perspective Sooty takes a six feet six inch rug!

The grass has suddenly shot away this week and already the seed heads are starting to erupt in rippling swathes along the verges and across the fields. This evening as we brought the horses in i watched a party of sparrows picking the fresh seeds already, clinging to the swaying grasses, balancing like fearless, feathered acrobats, in perfect harmony with the breeze. And life in the creeper is hotting up here too, with a discreet cheeping announcing the hatch of several broods in the ivy, on the front of our home, while the starlings above the Stable door from the dining room, upstairs, have reached a demanding strident pitch, with parents racing backwards and forwards to meet their needs - definitely suffering from executive stress!