At the merest whisper of the word 'walk' a seemingly comatose Terrier is instantly awake and ready for action, walk is obviously a word that filters through the deepest sleep. A good walk around the farm checking to see what is going on is just what is needed. It's the time of year when a lot of growing is taking place and at times the speed of growth of the Wheat and Barley is so great that if you stand and stare you would think you would see it growing upwards.
The long Dyke is full of reeds that are are providing cover for the ducklings and hopefully there is plenty of food in the water and on the banks, the water level is good because of all the rain and the land drains that are over two metres down are running straight into the water.
So far this year there's no sight of House Martins or Swallows after their long journey from sub-Sahara Africa. For the last two years there's been a sighting on April 21 and 22 respectively but this year all we have seen are the Swifts so we'll keep watching the sky and the roosting points on overhead wires.
Strangely we haven't seen a frog, Toad or Newt in any of the Dykes, so where have they gone, normally there are hundreds but this year the small waterways are barren.
The Cowslip season is coming to an end and with the abundance of the cheerful little plants it should be a bumper crop of seed to boost the crop next year.
The old rusting steel of discarded farm machinery is still there in the orchard gently rusting and weathering away and potato trays that were once used for chatting potatoes prior to planting are stacked in barns along with the bushel boxes that were once used to transport harvested apples and pears to market. These potato trays in an old wartime Nissen hut provide a roost for Doves, Little Owls and Barn Owls,
All of these places are simply a paradise for Lucie, our Jack Russell Terrier, everything has to be sniffed and checked out, she's caught rats here before and no doubt she will again and the hunt will be continued this evening on the next walk over the farmland and through the orchards.