winter work

So, the last of the cows are in the byre for the winter, a week or two earlier than last year.
We had a good few weeks o' weather at the begining of November but the ground was still fairly wet and churned up as you can see here.
This is Lizzie putting out a few beetpulp nuts onto the silage as a little treat for the last of the heifers. The picture was taken a couple of days before they were finally put into the byre and mighty happy they were when we took them down the hill to join the other cattle inside.
This picture was taken at about three in the afternoon but, as you can see the light's fast fading. Since then, of course, we've had some pretty rough weather - high winds and torrential rain- as you'd expect at this time of the year in the far north.
I love the byre, first thing in the morning especially. The cows seem so peaceful and content; warm dry and well fed. There is nothing which makes you feel as calm and peaceful in yourself, as a cow's breath.

Craft Fair

Here's Lizzie with our little 'shop' at the craft fair; two and a half days of greeting old friends and making new.
At the back of the picture you can see one of Lizzie's lovely felt hangings; motifs taken from pictish carved stones. This one is of motifs found in Shetland, do you see in the middle there, that's the Old Scatness bear.
I think that this might have been the best Clickamin Craft Fair yet. It was run in conjunction with the Shetland Food Fair so a pretty marvelous showcase for the delights of the Old Rock.
After the frantic weeks of the run up to the craft fair it seems quite strange not to be sewing but we're having a peerie break just now, taking in the last of the cows, battening down for the winter; but we will be back to making felt when I get back from a couple of days on the mainland. Next stop Christmas.

November

Meanwhile, in a galaxy far far away, another month clunks into the bucket of eternity... and we are flat out on preparation for the Great Clickamin Craft Fair starting on November 11th.

I say flat out but that of course means I start sewing at about 2pm after I've fed the fowl and the cows and wandered around the Hillhead and the Knowes pocking things with a stick and musing my muses. Lovely day so a lot of that.

Half the cows are back in the byre now and the rest will be soon. The last of the calves will be going off to the marts on saturday.

The bull with his seven heifers should be o.k. outside until after the craft fair. At the moment they seem to be happy staying way up on the hill; they can just be made out in silhouette on the skyline- if I can count the eight of them as I drive up the track it means that I don't have to climb up to check on them!
Right, I've set myself the target of finishing five rabbits before bed so I'd better make some coffee and sew!
TTFN