Tag: cows

The Round Up

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With some assistance from the Head Gardener, I made more encouraging progress on weeding the Back Drive this afternoon.

Later, Becky and Ian arrived to stay for a few days.

In my post Quads, of 3rd March, I wrote ‘Louisa has fond memories of sleeping on the sofa so she could set the alarm to go off at 5 a.m. without disturbing the rest of us. She would then go to the farm next door, round up the cattle on the farmer’s quad bike, assist with the milking, and bring back warm milk for breakfast.’

I must have risen with her on 22nd August 1992, because I have now found negatives to prove it.

Louisa and Geoff Carruthers rounding up cow 1

They show Louisa, guided by farmer Geoff Carruthers, rounding up a recalcitrant cow;

Louisa on quad bike 3
Louisa on quad bike 2
Louisa on quad bike 1

Louisa driving the quad,

Louisa rounding up cow 2
Louisa rounding up cow 1

and Louisa rounding up on her own. Not a moment too soon for the cow in the header picture.

View from Towcett 8.92

The farm was at Towcett, near Penrith. This was a view from our holiday cottage.

This evening Jackie produced a fine roast lamb dinner for the four of us. In addition to tender lamb and tasty gravy we enjoyed roast potatoes and parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, carrots, spring greens, and cauliflower. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and Ian and I drank an enjoyable Corbieres.2015.

During our conversation we learned that Matthew has recorded all 30 episodes of the classic TV comedy series ‘Steptoe and Son’ from the 1960s and ’70s. This hed me exploring YouTube. Here is an act of extreme dirtiness:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7MqB8YkNh4&w=560&h=315]

Before Gaeddren

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A wet day has its compensations. Firstly, it waters Jackie’s newest planting well. Secondly, it forces her to take a rest. And thirdly? It enables me to delve into my photographic archives and scan samples to my Apple. Today I returned to the colour negatives of the 1983 holiday in North Wales.

Becky 1983 1

Here is Becky outside the farmhouse where we stayed, in the fields of which

Matthew, Becky, Sam, and cows 1983 2Matthew, Becky, Sam and cow 1983 1

she joined Matthew, Sam, and several obliging cows.

Slate mine disused 1983 1Clouds over slate mine disused 1983 1Clouds over disused slate mine 2

Here are some more photos of the disused slate mine, converted to black and white images.

Sam 1983 1

Sam turns to spur me on up the track beside the house,

Landscape 1983 2

beneath which patchwork quilted landscapes are draped.

As has been mentioned before, this holiday was taken before our friends Ann and Don had completed the refurbishment and conversion of Gaeddren, their house in Cerrigydrudion where we were to enjoy further good times in North Wales.

Scrap metal 1983 1Scrap metal 1983 2Scrap metal 1983 3 Scrap metal 1983 4

On this occasion, somewhere near the village, we came across a scrap metal yard, where dead cars of varying hues rusted away among the corpses of domestic appliances.

This evening, for dinner, Jackie produced chicken marinaded in honey and mustard; sweet potato, crisp carrots and cauliflower; and a juicy melange of onions, leeks,tomatoes, and peppers; accompanied by a slice of egg paratha brought back from Lal Quilla yesterday. A egg custard tart was to follow. The Cook drank Hoegaarden and I finished the fleurie.