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.