It has been a bit like an episode from Animal Hospital here this week.  First of all one of our two remaining hens, Bertha, became poorly.  At 3 years she was old for the type of hen she was, so it was not surprising that when we went to put them away on Wednesday evening we found she'd gone on to the great hen house in the sky.  So we're down to one hen, which is not fair on the remaining hen as they really are sociable creatures.  We debated about rehoming her, but eventually decided that we would order more hens.  We have two black rocks and two bluebelles coming soon.  I'm very excited!

When we were out for a walk on Wednesday, we crossed the burn which runs alongside our property.  Normally this burn is one we have to jump across to avoid wet feet (or stomp through in wellies) but because we've had so little rain there is very little water in the burn right now.



Just after we'd crossed the burn Peggy started to sniff around a section of the burn hidden by a hazel tree which has grown across it.  I thought she was just hunting for a mouse, as she often does when out walking, but she wouldn't come when we called her.  Stevan went to investigate, and he found that her nose didn't fail her and she had found a lamb pinned down in the burn after getting trapped under the hazel tree.  With some difficulty we managed to haul her out the burn - fortunately the water levels were very low otherwise she probably would have drowned.    We looked around for Mum, but all the sheep had been moved on to other grazings, so we had no choice but to bring her home with us.  She had been lying with her front legs buckled under her, and so she had no support or strength in those legs which gave way under her when she tried to stand on them.

 



We dried her as best we could so she wouldn't catch pneumonia, and then left a message with the crofter whose lamb we thought she was, and tried to get her to eat something.  She wasn't keen, but we let her be for a while in a quiet place and when we came back to check on her she wasn't able to stand, but was starting to graze which was a good sign.  Before long her owner came to fetch her, and it transpired that she was an orphan lamb who had been in an enclosure but she'd escaped, so obviously she is an adventurous soul.  I'm just pleased Peggy has such a good nose for spotting animals in trouble.  It was Peggy who found the abandoned otter cub a few years back too.  She has a very clever nose.

I'm slowly recovering after the hectic time at Woolfest.  I've done some updates on the website, so if you were after a shawl pin or some stitch markers, these have now been restocked.  I have also restocked all the Na Dannsairean in all weights of Aran, DK an 4ply.  There will be more 4ply coming as I dye it, but if there is a colour you were particularly after please get in touch.  I am also offering the Au Pale Silk Merino 4ply for pre order.  This is the colour which has been used by Romi Hill (www.designsbyromi.com) in her new design, Terpsichore (Ravelry link).   There will be a short delay before posting this shade if you order it, as I will be dyeing to order.