Sheepses in Spring 2015

I used to work with a Chinese girl, Sharon.  She spoke, like other English-as-a-second-language speakers I met in China, a little like Gollum.  She used to say monthses, and I wonder if she would have also said sheepses.

Anyway, the only place the neighbour's sheep can get some shelter, is the south side of my property under the shadow of either the hedge or garage.  At the moment, their paddock is full of sheep and lambs.  Speaking to him the day before yesterday when it was quite hot, he was happy we hadn't seen any thunder storms, as the latter kills lambs.

Sheepses and lambses

Guard chickens

My chickens have taken to perching on my roadside gate.  Normally, they'll work their way down there after being let out of the coop in the morning, grazing grass tips, insects or whatever it is they eat.  Then they'll sit on the gate for ten minutes before making their way back.

Today they sat there for over half an hour.  Thankfully they don't go any further, but that's likely because they want to stay within roaming distance of the coop.  Or because there are hawks that fly over, occasionally.

Looking from the paddock out to the roadside gate:

Looking in from the roadside gate to the paddock:

The neighbour pulled up as I was taking the roadside photo.  I'm surprised neither she, nor the kids, have seen them perching there.  She also mentioned that she's never eaten a bought egg in her life, and the only ones she's ever eaten have been free range home dropped.

Rabbits

Rabbits. They're a pest, and I already accredit gnawing on my fruit trees to them. I saw my first one a few weeks ago now, when I was out running and almost home. And putting a labelled sign on my currant bushes, I noticed this baby rabbit sitting a metre away. 

A baby rabbit just sitting there

At first I thought I might have stood on it, as the ground had seemed pretty lumpy walking over there from the direction the rabbit was in. And the rabbit just sat there for about half an hour. But having walked over there every day to water the plants, the ground is just lumpy. Fact is, I would notice if I stood on it.

When I bought my first fruit trees I asked if I should buy sleeves for them, to protect them from rabbits and possums and what-not. The lady in the store said "nah" and some other nonsense about possums jumping four metres. But now that every so often more and more trees are being gnawed on, I've got a cunning plan to avoid paying for tree protectors like the sleeves.