Digging docks, Number 8 gets stuck and trouble...

We are digging docks at Wallace field. The only way to be sure you get rid of them is to dig out the whole root. The tiniest scrap and a new plant will spring from it. Thankfully Riverfield is quite soft after the recent rain so the new docks that have come up after the recent cut for hay are pretty easy to get out. We manage a trailer full before moving on to another task. Its hard work but not so bad with the sun shinning.

The hen house needs cleaning at Willowford. The hens are very vocal about the intrusion but they will be happy when it is done. A fair few spiders have left some very old webs too which are catching nothing but dust, so I sweep these out too, nice clean house.

Number 8 has got stuck on the wrong side of the wall. Hadrians wall runs right through Willowford and one of the pets has got onto the public path side and is stuck. I have come to investigate the plaintive baaing and find Number 8 on wall (no respect for history these sheep) looking over the edge with trepidation. I try and encourage him to jump down, after all he got up there somehow, but he isn’t keen. Eventually I climb up myself and we jump down together, he just needed a little push. He follows me around in gratitude, sneaking into the yard, where he is not allowed and discovering all the lovely tasty potted plants on display, yum yum! I have to shoo him out and shut the gate which amuses the B+B guests no end. Glad to entertain.

When I arrive at Wallace field there is a lamb in trouble. It has injured itself somehow and it scratching itself on the wire at the edge of the field, I suspect it also has a fly infestation. This is a problem as I am on my own today and don’t even have a dog with me. This lamb needs to be seen to. I spend quite a lot of time making a path from the field to the pens to herd them in, now it’s just a case of getting them to go where I want them. No easy task. When there is a few people its relatively easy to get the sheep headed in the right direction, but on your own… after running around after them for some time, yelling increasingly rude words I become somewhat dejected and take a rest in the middle of the field. Time to consult. Liam at Willowford suggests using the quad bike, and beeping the horn a lot. After some great effort this works and I manage to get them in the pens. Newly named ‘Trouble’ the lamb has some kind of sore on its back and this has indeed attracted flies. If you have never seen a Sheep that’s been struck by flies believe me there are few things quite so horrible. The poor thing wasn’t complaining either, if it happened to a person we would scream bloody murder. Anyhow, I sorted out the maggots and brought the lamb back to Houghton so we can get the vet to look at the sore on its back. She was looking much perkier by the weekend but its best to get it looked at just in case.