I know I have mentioned it before, but I am a great fan of our local radio statio - Clare FM. In a county with a population of less than 150,000 they regularly manage to attract 70,000 listeners in industry surveys. They must be doing something right!
Of course the local adverts - often made by the owners or staff of the business concerned - are a great source of amusement. We are currently being entertained by the ad for a local ferry operator offering tickets on "legendary" cruises on board their "majestic" vessel beneath the Cliffs of Moher (which are majestic) where passengers will be able to see "thousands of rare birds" including the "world famous Puffin".
Guess there is no broadcasting or advertising standards oversight!
Thursday 13 May 2010
Our first wet day!
Stuck inside for a lot of the day as we had our first significant rain since we got back three weeks ago - we've spent most of that time outside getting things ready for vegetables, geese, pigs and hens.
The raised beds are finished and hopefully there will be no more ground frost so we can start planting out next week. Keith offered me topsoil for free - only problem was moving it 500 yds from his land to ours. After I finished moving 15 barrowloads, I was ready for a soak in a hot bath!
Had to concrete part of the shed floor for the geese pen and patch the inside of the walls before I could start on the woodwork. Have almost completed the front of the pen and planning to pick up the wire mesh for the top panels tomorrow. The goslings are already in Keith's barn under heating lamps and should be ready to move over here in the next week or so. Meanwhile, our landlord has got his electrician rewiring the shed and the joiner will be fitting new doors tomorrow.
We found the old stone chicken house hidden under the scrub and brambles and have managed to clean it out and get it sealed and vermin proof. Just need to replace the woodwork and it should be ready for hens next month.
Linda found time to replant the flower borders and the front of the house is looking very attractive. By the time the new doors on the shed are fitted and painted it will be time for a new picture!
We have also been on a couple of walks on the Burren to see the spring flowers but everything is much later this year because it has been so cold. Last year the farmers were complaining that they had to keep the cows inside because it was too wet - this year they are complaining because it's too dry and the grass hasn't grown enough.
The sheep did a good job on the paddock - just need to cut down some of the reeds and the docks and we will be ready for the geese. Unfortunately we lost one of the ewes - not sure what happened - she just lay down one afternoon and didn't get up again - she died before the Vet could get to her. Keeping the lambs inside the fence provided us with regular exercise as they crawled under, pushed through or jumped over the electric wires. Strange that it always seemed to be the little black lamb which was the ringleader!
So we are now waiting to see whether our flock of geese will arrive before Molly the donkey has her foal which is also due very soon.
The raised beds are finished and hopefully there will be no more ground frost so we can start planting out next week. Keith offered me topsoil for free - only problem was moving it 500 yds from his land to ours. After I finished moving 15 barrowloads, I was ready for a soak in a hot bath!
Had to concrete part of the shed floor for the geese pen and patch the inside of the walls before I could start on the woodwork. Have almost completed the front of the pen and planning to pick up the wire mesh for the top panels tomorrow. The goslings are already in Keith's barn under heating lamps and should be ready to move over here in the next week or so. Meanwhile, our landlord has got his electrician rewiring the shed and the joiner will be fitting new doors tomorrow.
We found the old stone chicken house hidden under the scrub and brambles and have managed to clean it out and get it sealed and vermin proof. Just need to replace the woodwork and it should be ready for hens next month.
Linda found time to replant the flower borders and the front of the house is looking very attractive. By the time the new doors on the shed are fitted and painted it will be time for a new picture!
We have also been on a couple of walks on the Burren to see the spring flowers but everything is much later this year because it has been so cold. Last year the farmers were complaining that they had to keep the cows inside because it was too wet - this year they are complaining because it's too dry and the grass hasn't grown enough.
The sheep did a good job on the paddock - just need to cut down some of the reeds and the docks and we will be ready for the geese. Unfortunately we lost one of the ewes - not sure what happened - she just lay down one afternoon and didn't get up again - she died before the Vet could get to her. Keeping the lambs inside the fence provided us with regular exercise as they crawled under, pushed through or jumped over the electric wires. Strange that it always seemed to be the little black lamb which was the ringleader!
So we are now waiting to see whether our flock of geese will arrive before Molly the donkey has her foal which is also due very soon.
Sunday 2 May 2010
A busy week
Sunday morning sitting listening to Eoin O'Neill on Clare FM - seems like we never left.
We have 6 sheep and 7 lambs on the paddock getting the grass and weeds under control - they managed to escape on the first afternoon into a neighbouring field and we had to run some additional electric fencing to keep them in - Linda still counts them everytime she goes out - just to check!
Veg patch is coming along well - have cleared about 16 sqm of weeds and nettles and built one of the raised beds - hope to finish the second one tomorrow and get the top soil delivered this week. Keith provided me with a load of matured manure for this year and - after I helped with the mucking out yesterday -brought up two loads of fresh stuff so I am ready for next year. Luckily we have plenty of space away from the house!
Even managed to plant up a couple of trays of seeds so that we will have something to put in the beds. Told one of the neighbours that I was planning to grow some beetroot - he said he prefers it out of the jar!
Celebrations on Thursday when the Irish car passed its NCT test - legal on the road for another 2 years. Got knocked back first time because one of the seatbelts was jammed, but luckily it was only a toffee jammed in the catch.
We even managed time for a couple of concerts at Glor in Ennis: saw the Kilfenora Ceili Band again - a year on from their centenary concert; and then caught Martin Hayes, Peadar O Riada and Caoimin O Raghallaigh launching their new album "Triur sa Draghean" - a great evening.
In addition to the cuckoos and swallows, we have been joined by all the wee birds which appreciate the feeders being serviced again. The Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Great Tits were the first to arrive but they are being joined by others each day.
Off for a walk around Black Head this afternoon -we went to Eagle Rock last week and found that many of the spring flowers have started to bloom - hope to see more today.
We have 6 sheep and 7 lambs on the paddock getting the grass and weeds under control - they managed to escape on the first afternoon into a neighbouring field and we had to run some additional electric fencing to keep them in - Linda still counts them everytime she goes out - just to check!
Veg patch is coming along well - have cleared about 16 sqm of weeds and nettles and built one of the raised beds - hope to finish the second one tomorrow and get the top soil delivered this week. Keith provided me with a load of matured manure for this year and - after I helped with the mucking out yesterday -brought up two loads of fresh stuff so I am ready for next year. Luckily we have plenty of space away from the house!
Even managed to plant up a couple of trays of seeds so that we will have something to put in the beds. Told one of the neighbours that I was planning to grow some beetroot - he said he prefers it out of the jar!
Celebrations on Thursday when the Irish car passed its NCT test - legal on the road for another 2 years. Got knocked back first time because one of the seatbelts was jammed, but luckily it was only a toffee jammed in the catch.
We even managed time for a couple of concerts at Glor in Ennis: saw the Kilfenora Ceili Band again - a year on from their centenary concert; and then caught Martin Hayes, Peadar O Riada and Caoimin O Raghallaigh launching their new album "Triur sa Draghean" - a great evening.
In addition to the cuckoos and swallows, we have been joined by all the wee birds which appreciate the feeders being serviced again. The Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Great Tits were the first to arrive but they are being joined by others each day.
Off for a walk around Black Head this afternoon -we went to Eagle Rock last week and found that many of the spring flowers have started to bloom - hope to see more today.
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