Noisy neighbours and perfect mornings

Lambing is over!  Farmer Ian has finally put out the last ewes with their lambs, and the cattle in their various guises (cows, calves, heifers, steers etc) are out and rampaging...what a joyful sight to see them making the most of the sun.  One sheep has yet to lamb - and she's going to have to do it outside.  So now the sheds are almost quiet - not quite, but almost - tame lambs.

Stampede!

These two have been pen-mates all winter, and are inseparable.

The only downside to having the cattle in 13-Acres is that sometimes they are noisy neighbours.  I do not appreciate a forced and very poor rendition of Clark's Trumpet Voluntary at 2am, thank you very much.

We cock our snoots to you and your lack of appreciation of fine music.

Sheep have been on the move up the hill to summer grazing.

Perhaps Mike is overdoing it for a single unimpressed ewe?

Ned - getting to grips with this herding malarky.

Ned has been enjoying himself with his new-found Sonny-inspired quad-bike obsession, and while not a huge amount of help yet with the sheep, he is slowly getting the idea.  He has also been making friends.

Ned and Fern, on a play-date.

Ned and Scout...the former unimpressed that the latter will be coming to live with us (yes, you read that right...)

I'll leave you with a perfect morning.  We are moving ewes and lambs up to Raceground, the sun is warming our backs, the hedges and meadows smell sweet, and there is not a soul around. Classic FM is playing the exquisite second movement of Leopold Kozeluch's Piano Concerto 6 in C Major over my phone, with yellowhammers and skylarks taking counterpoint. Most of Devon has disappeared under low lying clouds. I will lovingly hold this memory, nurture it, and save it for a rainy day.

Ned wonders why we are dawdling...