Spring catch up

This lovely Turtledove has been around for the last couple of days, the first one of the year, and the earliest record:

These beautiful but now scarce birds always remind me of some verses in Song of Songs in the Bible:

"Behold, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone,
The flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come
And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in the land"

After such a wild winter, the warmth of the sun, the sound of bird song and the sight of the spring flowers is particularly welcome!

The spring season is well under way and has required a transition to a slightly different rhythm and pace of life.....we have been lambing for 5 weeks now and there are just 10 ewes left to lamb, while more than 400 lambs are spread over various pastures from the mountain to the west.
As the lambs grow and the days warm up, groups of lambs can be seen chasing each other along the cloddiau or lying contentedly asleep in the sun!

Calving began with a very slow start with only one calf in the first two weeks of April - followed by four in one day on wednesday!
A new  bull was transported on to the island yesterday; a very large and handsome Welsh Black called Gwynfor...

 He couldn't quite turn around in the horse box, but managed to reverse in the end!

He trotted up the track to the north end, in pursuit of his new ladies...

...who seemed quite pleased to meet him!

Meanwhile, we said goodbye to the old bull, Samson, who went off on the return boat:

The polytunnel has been planted with new potatoes. tomatoes, peas and salad crops...

Rachel has been busy sowing herbs and salad in her keyhole garden...

and some winter willow projects have begun to sprout!

Once again, we have planted plenty of spuds in Cae Gwennyn; hopefully they will be as successful as last year and provide both a source of new potatoes for visitors in the summer and a supply to store for next winter.

The craft shop is up and running, having been re-stocked with products made over-winter:
Baskets...

Rushwork...

Felting...

Weaving...

Rugs...

and photographs...

 Many of these can also be found on a new website I've put up, specifically to sell wool rugs, and willow work:
www.bardseywillowandwool.co.uk

The cafe has also been fairly busy over the last week.

I cant leave out the geese and the goats!!
Here is mother goose with 6 new goslings:

and Eira and Morwenna enjoying the sun!

Happy Easter to all! :)