June 2024

3rd

Today. having signed a Secure Tenancy Agreement I am no longer homeless, for the first day in very long, traumatising, and at times life threatening twenty years. I have waited to be rehoused residing in emergency accommodation, a flat located in Hawick since November 2022; and from today I now have a place I can make my home.

2nd

We had planned to rest this Sunday, but we both set to work on weeding our Kitchen Garden.

White butterfly with black markings on its wings, delicately perched atop a small, light purple flower. The butterfly and flower are nestled amongst vibrant green foliage, suggesting a natural, outdoor setting. The focus is sharp on the butterfly, creating a contrast against the slightly blurred background of leaves and grasses.

The garden was overgrown with dock leaves, nettles, cleavers and another unknown weed, it took us two hours to complete the job; then we set about sowing seeds.

Panoramic view of a rural landscape on a bright, sunny day. The foreground features a vegetable garden with various plants growing, including what appears to be potatoes and other leafy greens. A person is visible tending to the garden. Behind the garden is a farmhouse, an old barn, and a large black plastic-covered structure, possibly a temporary shelter or greenhouse. The background includes rolling green hills under a vibrant blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds. The overall impression is one of a working farm or homestead, conveying a sense of rural life and self-sufficiency.

Several potato plants from last year are growing again, and carrot, turnip and parsnip have flowered and will be shortly going to seed.

Close-up of a single stalk of bright yellow mustard flowers. The flowers are in various stages of bloom, some fully open, others still buds. The background is blurred but shows a lush green garden. Small insects are visible on some of the flowers. The overall impression is one of vibrant springtime growth.
Close-up view of a harvested root vegetable, possibly a parsnip or similar, still partially embedded in the soil. The root is dirty and shows signs of having been recently pulled from the ground. The surrounding environment is a garden bed with various weeds and grasses. The focus is primarily on the root vegetable itself.
Close-up view of a flowering plant. The plant has bright green, vibrant leaves and multiple small, round clusters of bright yellow-green flowers forming an umbel. The background is blurred, focusing attention on the plant's details. The overall impression is one of freshness and vibrancy.
Freshly tilled section of garden soil, divided into rows by thin green strings. Wooden stakes mark the boundaries of the plot. The area is enclosed by chicken wire fencing, behind which is a dark tarp and a stone wall. Some sparse weeds and grass are visible in the soil, and a small white label is stuck in the ground near the fence. The background includes a grassy hillside and some trees under a partly cloudy sky.
Three seed packets lying on a wooden surface. The packets are for runner beans (Scarlet Emperor), broccoli (Burbank F1), and beetroot (Red Ace F1). The photo appears to be taken in a domestic setting, possibly a kitchen, suggesting preparation for gardening or planting. The focus is on the seed packets themselves, highlighting the varieties and their descriptions. There is no particular narrative or emotional expression beyond the simple depiction of gardening supplies. The moral is implicitly about the cycle of life and the act of nurturing, as is associated with gardening and planting seeds.
Charlie's hand gently placing a seed potato into the ground. The potato is already sprouting. The soil is dark and rich, with bits of organic matter visible. The overall impression is one of gardening and the beginning of the growing season.

This year we're planting beetroot, runner beans, onion, broccoli, and potatoes, allotting space to grow spinach and a culinary herb garden. BTW we've a Common rider scarecrow.

Small vegetable garden plot, enclosed by a low wooden fence and situated against a stone wall. The plot contains freshly tilled dark soil, young vegetable plants (some in buckets), and weeds. Beyond the fence, a rolling green hillside dotted with sheep and trees stretches to a distant horizon under a partly cloudy sky. The overall impression is of a rural, perhaps somewhat isolated, setting.

The cade lambs were cooling down within the shadow of Woodburn farm house.

Six young lambs lying on the ground near a stone building. The lambs are light-coloured, mostly white with a hint of gray, and appear to be resting. They are situated near a door and some discarded building materials. The overall setting suggests a rural or farm environment.

With our Kitchen garden weeded and seeds sown, we pulled out and lit our barbecue; and enjoyed sizzling chicken, mushroom, pepper and bacon roast spits.

I am not used to cooking barbecues, a steep learning curve for me having been vegetarian / vegan for thirty years; but Charlie seems to like my outdoor cooking.

Two men shearing a black sheep in a rural setting. One man is kneeling and using shears to cut the sheep's wool, while the other man stands nearby, seemingly observing. The background features farm buildings, fields, and a stone wall, reinforcing the agricultural context. The scene suggests a typical day of farm work.

During the evening we visited a friend, Charlie sheared one of his Hebridean sheep and two of our sheep, Teeswater and Zwartble Mother ewes.

Charlie and another man shearing a sheep in a rural setting. The man is kneeling and actively shearing the sheep, while Charlie stands nearby, observing. The sheep is lying on the ground, with a significant amount of its fleece already removed. The scene is outdoors, with grassy fields and a wooden fence visible in the background.

Charlie taught our friend how to shear, he was eager to learn; despite being bothered by an onslaught of midges; the breeze is a blessing this time of year within the Craik Forest.

1st

A lamb has died at grass keep, squashed, we suspect the mother ewe of sitting on this lamb. We packed sheep welfare equipment into our truck, and drove to Selkirk grass keep to collect the dead lamb.

Deceased lamb lying in a grassy field, near a wire fence. The lamb appears to have suffered a head injury, indicated by blood visible on its face. The overall scene is somber and suggests the lamb died violently or unexpectedly.

We arrived to find the lambs eyes had gone, red lines falling over the lambs face were high in contrast to the back drop of pale cream wool. How could the lamb bleed so much if it were not alive when the eyes were taken out I asked.

Dead sheep lying in a grassy field. The sheep's head is heavily bloodied, indicating a violent death. A green ear tag is visible.

I'd read that the birds wait for a while after a animal dies before they feed from it, but Charlie said this lambs was still warm, when the lamb was found.

Charlie carefully placing a deceased lamb into a burlap sack. The lamb's fleece is visible. The setting is a rural, grassy area with a wooden fence in the background. The overall mood is somber and evokes a sense of loss associated with farming and animal husbandry.

The day was warm, Charlie was worried about the smell from the lamb decaying in the boot of our truck; as I thought about potential flies homing in.

Dark-grey Land Rover parked on a narrow country lane, its rear door open to reveal several yellow sacks inside. The lane is lined with lush green trees and foliage. A rustic wooden fence with moss is visible on the left, and a discarded white sack lies on the grass beside it. The overall scene suggests a rural, possibly agricultural, setting, with the vehicle likely used for transporting goods or supplies.

Tomorrow we'll call out the knacker man to fetch the dead lamb from Woodburn, he drives a red and white lorry with a red and black bull logo, uncanny. Charlie opened the field gate and beckoned ewes and lambs with lamb pellets, they are attracted by the crumple sound of the plastic bag.

Panoramic view of a sunny day on a farm. A man is shearing a sheep in a grassy field, surrounded by trees and a wooden fence. The sky is clear blue with a few clouds. Other farm buildings and possibly other animals are visible in the background. The overall scene evokes a sense of rural life and agricultural work.

Only half the flock came to feed, most of the lambs were duly suspicious, irony for us as we wanted to worm these lambs for fluke. I took lots of shearing footage in portrait view but this Linux video editor does not want to resize and render in a viewable website format. On the way to Denholm, passing a horse box we watched a farmer bailing silage.

There was a Common Riding gathering at Denholm village green; but why should we bother with that I thought, we're English.

Charlie sitting in the driver's seat of a blue tractor. He is wearing a plaid shirt and jeans. He appears to be middle-aged and has glasses. The tractor is modern and clean. The image is taken from a low angle, looking up at the man and the tractor. The sky is bright blue and sunny. The overall impression is one of a sunny day and a hard-working farmer.

This afternoon I accompanied Charlie to his work place, today we are driving a tractor through the fields, turning silage.

Leonie from behind, wearing a beige knit hat with a pompom, a black top, and a teal layered skirt. She's opening or closing a metal farm gate in a grassy field. A portion of a red piece of farm machinery is visible in the bottom left corner. The overall impression is of a rural scene, possibly depicting a farmer or someone working on a farm.

He struggled with the silage turner, having to return to the farm yard twice before fixing the problem. The first field took forty-five minutes to turn, the second thirty minutes, in-between these two fields Charlie fed the coos whilst I took photographs.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow ( Passer montanus) nestled in a crack in a rough grey stone wall. The sparrow is facing to the left of the frame, and its brown and rufous plumage is clearly visible against the stone. The background is entirely composed of the textured stone wall.
Small brown bird, possibly a sparrow, perched inside a crevice in a stone wall. The bird appears to be resting or taking a break, and the overall tone is one of quiet observation.

Whilst waiting for Charlie I noticed the Common riding on the hillside, presumably the Denholm ride out, riding near Rubis Law, out hunting English people on horse back.

Large group of people on horseback gathered in a grassy field. They appear to be participating in some kind of equestrian event or gathering, possibly a hunt or a trail ride, given their attire and the distribution across the field. The riders are wearing similar light-coloured clothing. The setting is rural, with a background of lush green trees.

Fy, Fa and fum,
I smell the blood of an Englishman

Thomas Nashe, Haue with You to Saffron-Walden, 1596.

Returning to Hawick we noticed the Common riding had gathered at Hornshole to celebrate the slaughter of English men in their sleep; Charlie stated he found the event distasteful; witnessing the "dark tourism" spectacle twisted my stomach. We enjoyed fish and chips from Tony's fish bar in Burnfoot, then crashed out as if we'd been drugged. Charlie had to travelled twenty miles after 10pm to feed the sheep, he was so tired when he returned; I was sprawled on the bed.