28th December 2011

Hope you all had a great Christmas. it was a lot warmer than last year. It was minus 15 degrees and all our pipes had frozen. We had to carry all the water from the house to the animals. It was exhausting.

This year it's the opposite there is too much water! The pigs are walking in muddy soup, so I decided to build a new pig house in a paddock we haven't yet used.

It only took a couple of hours and I am really pleased with result. The pigs are very happy

Leonie and Cliff came to stay with us for a few days and they fell in love with Rosie s last puppy. We were so delighted they wanted her as they will spoil her and really look after her. I think they are going to call her Tiger Daisy.

The Parson gang have turned up to stay at Sutton Mawr for the New Year. They came last year, there are 14 of them and a few dogs.

17th December 2011

Sorry for not blogging this week. Its been manic and my camera is on the blink.

Martyn my very patient nieghbour has been up to rearrange my balls and also light them up. The christmas tree now looks lovely.

We were visited by the Lyon family for the third time this year. Scott their middle son wanted his birthday down on the farm. So they spent the day clearing up all the sheds and yards. It was a messy business but their all helped out.  The animals were all very happy.

They are now fully qualified egg collectors, as they did it all on their own and no breakages..

9th December 2011

The puppies are very mobile! The little monkeys are running all over the place. Aunty Dora is taking her role very seriously.

Sarah Clarke revisited Sutton mawr for a treat, and fell in love with the puppies...

Jessie our last pregnant cow has had a massive red bull calf, which we are going to call Rudolf.

All the cows and their calves are doing really well....

5th December 2011

Our very patiant and helpful nieghbour was at hand to assist in the erection of the Christmas tree.  It was up in no time ....

and before I knew what was happening I was putting on the decorations.

I have been informed by "the boss" that I have put my big balls at the top and it should be the other way round.  We are going to have to rearrange the balls and  install the lights.  I will have to talk nicely to our nieghbour, to do a return visit with his big machine.

The whole process was overlooked by our guests Douglas Hughes and Sandra Martin, who stayed in the cottage, they came down to see the rugby. They had a lovely time, and enjoyed seeing the puppies

3rd December 2011

We got our Christmas tree today, it's massive and its going to to look spectacular in the courtyard. But we are going to need at least 3 strong men to put it up, we are hoping to put it up tomorrow and decorate it. Watch this space.

The puppies are seriously cute...

They are now mobile.

Full tonight with fans going to the rugby. However we do have a french family who have come down from Kent to pick up a new puppy. They have brought a parrot with them. Our first parrot to stay at Sutton Mawr. His name is Charlie. It is his first time to Wales

Trio had her third calf on Tuesday. Its a bull calf and going to call it Moses. Photos tomorrow

27th November 2011

This week we went to the Red Lion pub in Pendoylan. This pub has been closed due to renovation. We had a lovely meal. Large burgers served on rustic oak platters. Vicci had a ribeye steak which she thought was one of the best she had ever had, which is quite an accolade.

It has been finished in a typical gastro style. The staff were very friendly. Worth a visit.

Went shooting with the Nicholls family in Wiltshire had a great day out.  Lovely weather and fabulous birds. Having pan fried pheasant breasts Monday night, can not wait.

Puppies are growing at the rate of knots! Will take lots of photos of them mid week. They do look like miniature Holstein diary cows.

Two more calves due soon from Jessie and Trio. We tagged all the calves . They look so silly with these massive yellow tags in their ears, but its required by law.

The berries are out on the Holly bushes. Xmas is coming!.

I have got to get a tree for the courtyard, last year I got a 25ft tree for half price as its was damaged. A week after I erected it the top 3ft fell off!.Try and do better this time

A mate of mine down in Pembrokeshire delivered two large bags of fallen apples. The pigs have loved them.

22nd November 2011

As promised I have taken a few photos of the puppies.  The small boy has been taken by the Renwick family. It has been named Marvic!  Sounds like a comic book character, but it is in fact make out of our names Mark and Vicci. We are very touched.

Here is Marvic with his new mum....

This is the biggest of the 3 puppies... She has slightly longer hair than the other two.

She was the first to open her eyes.. she has started moving about, it will not be long till she is running around, making a nuisance of herself.

This is also a girl. She has  black patches on both eyes, the rest is white. Really unusual markings, very striking.

This is tiny Marvic, the only boy.  We have to make sure he gets his milk every day, as his two big sisters would have it all!