February 2025

27th

Sitting in a field adjacent to Borthwick Brea, I endeavoured to capture a photograph of a nesting heron. I managed to capture a single image of the bird before it was startled and took flight.⁣

Grey heron in flight against a clear blue sky. The heron is positioned slightly off-centre, appearing to be approaching or departing from a cluster of evergreen trees. The trees are dark green and fill the lower half of the frame, providing a strong contrast against the bright blue sky. The overall impression is one of serenity and natural beauty.
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The scaled frame is above, and I've cropped and scaled it below. Left-clicking enlarges the images.

Grey heron in flight against a clear blue sky. The heron's wings are spread wide, and it appears to be descending or approaching a pine tree visible in the lower right of the frame. The overall impression is one of wildlife in its natural habitat.
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The heron didn't come back after an hour. I would appreciate a small seat and perhaps a flask of sweet tea, as it is uncomfortable to sit on damp grass. While waiting, I took additional photos.

White passenger jet aeroplane flying high in a clear, bright blue sky. A contrail, the vapour trail left by the plane's engines, is clearly visible extending down from the aircraft. The overall impression is one of vastness and travel.

The other day (24th) I walked to Borthwick Brae to capture a photograph of the Heron; however, I discovered that I had abandoned my memory card in my laptop. Consequently, I returned today to capture the image.

Hawk in flight against a clear blue sky. The hawk is centrally positioned and relatively small in the frame, emphasizing the vastness of the sky. The overall impression is one of freedom and serenity.
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Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) in flight against a clear blue sky. The bird is centrally positioned and is silhouetted against the bright sky. The focus is sharply on the bird.
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During the years of traumatising extremities of weather, I never ceased to be fond of the great outdoors. I enjoyed being outside, as much as potentially sharing my pictures with you.

Pheasant partially hidden in tall, dry grass. The pheasant's head, neck, and part of its body are visible, displaying its distinctive plumage of browns, reds, and iridescent greens. The background is primarily composed of the tall, dry grasses that obscure much of the bird.

I retreated to the roadside, where I was backed off by a fence, in an attempt to blend my grey jacket with the tarmac of the road, after spooking the heron. In the background, Woodburn is visible.

Leonie wearing a grey sweater and a pink beanie, sitting in a grassy field and taking a photograph with a camera mounted on a tripod. The background features a pastoral landscape with rolling green hills, a partly cloudy sky, and a road. The overall impression is one of peaceful outdoor photography in a serene rural setting.
Remote control on my Apple Watch enabling me to take a self portrait.

The heron must have been frightened because the roadside behind me had been occupied by road workers patching potholes thirty minutes prior.

Close-up view of a wire fence knot, with a blurred background of a truck driving on a road in a rural setting under a bright blue sky. The focus is sharply on the wire knot and the background is out of focus, suggesting a deliberate artistic choice to highlight the texture and detail of the fence. The overall impression is one of a simple, everyday scene observed through a specific, limited perspective.

I've seen two mother ewes give birth to three lambs. A Blackface cross had one lamb and a Zwartble cross had two. Both lambs were born on their own.

A ewe and her newborn lamb in a barn. The ewe is mostly light brown, while the lamb is a light tan colour. Both sheep are standing on straw bedding inside a wooden pen or enclosure. The overall impression is one of new life and the warmth of a farmyard setting.

I can't stand the things the villagers say to each other about me, so I'm using lambing as a good excuse to avoid being in Ancrum today.

26th

I am wearing gloves to handle the lambs because I dislike blood and slime; it's gore and terrible. Charlies left me with the lambing to go to work.

A ewe (a female sheep) nuzzling her newborn lamb, which is lying on a bed of straw. The lamb is still wet and covered in some amniotic fluid. The overall scene depicts a tender moment of maternal bonding immediately after birth.

Lately, mother ewes have been leaving their lambs by the ring feeder.

A ewe tending to her newborn lamb lying on a bed of hay in a barn stall. The lamb is still wet and covered in blood from birth. Another lamb is visible in the background. The scene depicts a raw and immediate moment of life and birth within an agricultural setting.

The lambs have been fed and the mother ewe is in a pen with water and hay. Charlie will finish the rest when he gets home from work.

A ewe tending to her newborn lamb in a straw-filled pen. The lamb is still wet and covered in its amniotic fluid. The ewe is licking the lamb, a sign of maternal care and bonding. There is some blood visible from the ewe's recent delivery, which is a normal part of the birthing process. The overall scene conveys the tender moment of a new life beginning.

Thanks to my Apple Watch, I am now following a productive exercise regime, I've also cut out chocolate and pastries from my daily diet.

Serene twilight scene over a body of water. The sky is dominated by a dramatic display of dark, brooding clouds, punctuated by a sliver of warm, colourful light near the horizon suggesting either sunrise or sunset. Silhouetted evergreen trees flank the scene, emphasising the darkness and stillness of the landscape. A single, small light, possibly a star or planet, is visible in the upper portion of the frame, adding to the feeling of vastness and tranquillity. The overall mood is peaceful but slightly melancholic, with a contrast between the darkness of the land and the vibrant yet subdued colours of the sky.

Charlie arrived from work and escorted me on a trip to observe a serene forest sunset. He goes above and beyond to demonstrate his concern for my mental well-being.

25th

I accompanied Charlie to retrieve lambing supplies.

Dark-coloured pickup truck with its tailgate down, parked in a farmyard. The truck bed contains some hay or straw. The background includes farm buildings, agricultural machinery, and a partly cloudy sky. The view is framed by a partially open doorway or gate.
Charlie standing in a large agricultural building, likely a grain store. He's holding a red bucket and an orange shovel. Behind him is a large pile of grain or similar agricultural product, and several large sacks of fertiliser are stacked near him. The overall impression is one of agricultural work or storage.

They know our camera is there because the ewe lambed last night behind the ringfeeder.

A ewe and her two newborn lambs in a wooden pen filled with straw. The ewe is light brown with a number marked on its side, and the lambs are lighter in colour. The scene depicts a typical farm setting, focused on the new life of the lambs.

Poly tunnel feeding time for mother ewes in lamb.

Livestock pen filled with sheep. The sheep are various shades of light brown, tan and dark brown, their wool long and thick. They are standing in straw and are closely packed together within wooden barriers. A tarp covers the top of the structure.

The length of it.

Panoramic image shows the interior of a barn, specifically a sheep pen. The space is dimly lit and features sheep and lambs huddled together in wooden pens. Hay is scattered on the floor and piled high in a circular feeder. A temporary plastic covering appears to extend the roof-line of the barn. The background is slightly visible, showing a rural setting with a house and possibly other farm buildings. The overall impression is one of a rustic, working farm environment.

Less than one day old.

Young, light-coloured lamb standing in a dimly lit barn stall filled with hay. The lamb is looking directly at the camera, with its large ears visible. Other sheep are partially visible in the background, also within the confines of the wooden structure. The overall impression is one of a farm setting, possibly a lambing season.

Tired and emotional today after uploading a Bethune diary post; I'll be glad to fall asleep in a few hours time.

24th

After a few days of stormy weather, it's finally sunny today. On my way to the poly tunnel, I saw that a rainbow had formed over Borthwick Brae.

Vibrant rainbow arches across the scene, its colours partially obscured by the overcast conditions, suggesting a recent rainfall. The landscape is gently rolling hills dotted with farm buildings, trees, and grazing sheep, creating a tranquil yet somewhat sombre atmosphere. The contrast between the vibrant rainbow and the subdued colours of the landscape creates a visually compelling scene. The overall feeling is one of quiet beauty and perhaps a sense of hope or renewal following a storm.

Just this morning, a mother ewe got separated from her two lambs. Charlie put the mother ewe back in a pen and said, "She forgot to be a mother." Later that day, she seemed happy to be with her lambs.

Dark-coloured sheep lying down in a wooden enclosure filled with hay. Two newborn lambs are nestled beside the ewe; one lamb is light-coloured with a reddish mark, and the other is dark-coloured like its mother. The mother sheep appears relaxed and content.

Today, the lambs were sitting and nursing from their mother ewes. We haven't had any new lambs in twenty-four hours, but the ewes are getting colossal, uncomfortable, and panting. Elderly Herdwick is picking on other ewes. She will soon be auctioned off at Longtown, and if she's not in lamb, she will be cast.

Tranquil river scene under a bright, sunny sky. A gently curving river flows through a pastoral landscape of rolling green hills and sparse vegetation. The sun is prominent in the sky, partially obscured by fluffy white clouds. The foreground shows dry, windswept grasses along the riverbank. The overall impression is one of peace and natural beauty.

I went for a walk along Borthwick Water this afternoon to get some much-needed exercise.

Panoramic view of a rural landscape under a bright, sunny sky. The foreground shows a field of dry, brown grass with patches of green and some standing water. A wooden fence runs along the left side. In the mid-ground, a shallow, flooded area is visible. The background features gently rolling hills, some sparsely wooded.
Panoramic view of a tranquil river scene on a sunny day. The river meanders through a gently rolling landscape of grassy fields and sparse woodland under a bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. The sunlight is bright, casting reflections on the calm water.
Panoramic view of a serene river scene on a bright, sunny day. The river meanders through a gently rolling landscape of grassy fields and sparsely wooded hills under a mostly clear blue sky with scattered fluffy white clouds. The sun is visible in the sky. The overall impression is one of peace and tranquillity.

Returning to Woodburn.

Rural road stretching towards a distant hilly landscape under a dramatic, partly cloudy sky. The road is relatively narrow and shows signs of wear, with some potholes visible. The roadside features a fence separating the road from a grassy field with some puddles, suggesting recent rain. In the distance, low hills and a line of trees are visible. The overall mood is somewhat bleak yet peaceful, with a contrast between the dark road and the lighter sky.

Exercising is extremely beneficial for individuals who are experiencing mental health issues.

Mother ewe and her three newborn lambs nestled together in a straw-filled pen inside a barn or shed. The ewe is light brown, with a woolly coat, and stands over her lambs. Two of the lambs are visible, lying close to their mother, while a third is partially obscured. The lambs' coats are still wet and appear light in colour, typical of newly-born sheep.

Penned.

Mother ewe and her two newborn lambs inside a wooden enclosure filled with straw. The ewe is light brown, and the lambs are white. The ewe appears to be looking directly at the camera. The overall feeling is one of new life and farm animal husbandry.

I came back to Woodburn after my walk to discover that a mother ewe had given birth to twins.

23rd

Your body thinks chocolate is bad and can't stand it any longer; stomach cramps tell you to stop eating chocolate. After our trip to Hawick, we went back to the farmhouse and took care of the new lambs. All of their tails were docked, and all the male lambs were castrated.

Leonie holding a box of Aseptic Rubber Rings for castrating and tailing lambs. The box features a picture of two lambs lying in grass. The background suggests a farm setting. The overall content depicts a common agricultural practice.

The orange colouration of their fleece is iodine, which is used to disinfect their belly button from infection.⁣

Charlie applying a metal clamp to the genitalia of a lamb. The lamb's hind legs are spread apart, and its fleece is light-coloured with some reddish-brown staining around its rear. The person is wearing dark clothing, and the background is a rustic wooden structure with straw on the ground. The overall impression is of a farm animal husbandry procedure, likely castration.

When lambs are very young, the docking and castrating procedure is minimally painful and takes less than a minute per lamb.

Charlie holding a newborn black lamb, between pincers is an elastic band used to castrate the lamb. The overall impression is one of routine farm work, focusing on the care of a newborn animals.
Charlie gently holding a newborn lamb in his lap inside a barn. He's using a tool to likely apply a tail tag or perform a similar procedure on the lamb’s tail. The lamb is predominantly light-coloured with dark markings, and other lambs are visible in the background within a pen. The overall scene depicts the everyday work and care involved in raising livestock.

Furthermore, each lamb was assigned a number that corresponded to its mother ewe, as the pens will be amalgamated to facilitate the penning of additional mother ewes.