Here they are on Saturday afternoon waiting for the mums to be shorn and the babies let back into the field - they are pedigree Swaledale sheep more used to being up on the 'tops' and very flighty down here at only seven hundred feet.

Of course, as is usually the case, the moment they lost their coats the rain set in and today it is cold (fifteen) and very wet.   I thank my lucky stars that the farmer recently bought me a tumble drier because the last few weeks any drying of washing outdoors would have been impossible.  And this weather is set to last until the middle of August (when will we get the haymaking done?)

It is a limited post today because I have a sore finger which makes typing difficult.   After putting up with a red and swollen middle finger for the past week I finally went to the doctor this morning.  I have an infection under the nail and he has put me on a course of antibiotics for a week.   Not sure which is worse - the indigestion caused by the antibiotics or the sore finger.   But it does hurt to type with it.   So I will sign off.