Summer Has Arrived, Hemlock, and Orange Cars Are Like Buses!

 SUMMER HAS ARRIVED!!!!!  Finally the North Wind has been chased out by a beautiful warm Southerly Breeze, blowing in hot air from Spain. Oh its fantastic. Today reached 28c.  Time to have the boots and fleece surgically removed. Actually that happened 2 weeks ago and my white legs were released on the general public. I am literally basking in it.  The summer has of course brought out the Horse Flies and on a good note, the Butterflies.(If You Know, You Know).  The dog then found a host of fleas to live on her!  We tried Frontline, Baths, Powder, Flea Collar.  Nope Nothing worked.  We had to go to the Vet (cue horror music and screams).

We have a Belgian Malinois.  They are reactive at the best of times and fierce...ly loyal. We signed up with the local vet as she has not been to Vet since her first jabs, when she was just a tiny Maligator.  Now she is 32kg of pure muscle.  We explained she is wary of strangers, and duly arrived for the last appointment of the day, with said Horror in a Muzzle.  We started ok.  She barged behind the reception desk to have a love-in with the Receptionist.  Then surprise surprise a dog came out of the Vet Room.  Freya normally likes other dogs, but muzzled, on a leash, in a room...tooo much. She lunged. We were quickly ushered in, and the Vet firmly behind his desk, said she looked in fine health, was a good weight and was happy to prescribe the Flea Tablets.  We were nearly home and dry........He suddenly stood up and came towards me.  Freya went from most chilled to guard dog in a split second and lunged for the Vet.  He banged his leg really hard getting back behind his desk. The upshot now is if we have to take her in for any kind of physical examination, she has to be sedated.  I was very dissapointed as I have known him for years as a very good Vet.  But having already witnessed her reacting, and having been told she was reactive, I thought he should have stayed put, or at least got up and moved in very small stages. 

Anyway....Lets talk Hemlock.  There has been a lot in the Horsey Press recently about the difference between Hemlock and Cow Parsley. Basically Hemlock is poisonous and Cow Parsley is a nice snack for your Horsey.  We seem to have a lot of Hemlock about this year, probably due to the non-stop April Rain. So how do you recognise it?  Well its tall, has purple splodges on its stem and stinks like a load of musty old mice!  It exudes evil from every pore.  Meanwhile Cow Parsley is dainty and pretty, and smells a bit herby. We have a lot of Hemlock this year. We also have Deadly Nightshade which we leave because its pretty.  The horses never touch either.  They will eat around a small Ragwort plant. Trust your horse to know whats good for it and what isn't.  After all they have survived in the wild for Millennium. 

Hemlock, a nasty tall stinky plant.  This specimen is over 6 foot tall.

Nice Pretty little Cow Parsley - Smells good enough to eat.

And now we must talk about Orange Cars.  We all know why.  Everyone doing the Top Barn Treasure Hunt has been obsessed with them.  Not as Obsessed as seeing an Eddie Stobart Lorry ( rarer than a Unicorn Pube), or a Butterfly (plentiful now its warmed up, but somewhat fluttery) or a Bird on a Wire (that may only be me). But Yes an Orange Car is somewhat rare. After many hours spent with Charlie in the Hill Field which overlooks the road, I can confirm Grey/Silver is the most common colour car. I can also confirm the most common cars here in deepest darkest Suffolk are Land Rovers or Ford Rangers. There are NO buses. Or Police Cars.  The only crime here is the Marriage between Brother and Sister (and no local cop is going to book their own parents).  I have been hoping for a bicycle or 2, maybe strapped to a Camper on its way to the beach, or an Ice Cream Van. But no.  Today while innocently hanging around filming passing cars (Is that Illegal?), like the Bus that never comes, suddenly 3 (YES THREE), Orange cars came by!!!!!

So far I have 25 treasures ( though I may have made some of them.....like the Drystone Wall I built).  I didn't go for the Mega Challenge of 50 Treasures because I knew some were impossible.  Especially on a not quite ridden pony, and the dodgy lungs I own that stop me walking too far.  So I have my legit 10 Treasures plus a few more.  And only 2.9 miles to complete by Friday.  We have finished our Agility Competitions, so apart from Tuesday (all day hospital with Mum) and Wednesday ( almost all day Hair appointment with Mum) we have 3 days to complete our miles.  And I would really like to add a Thatched Cottage and Pond to our Treasures.  They are only half a mile down the lane......But since the bottom of the driveway has been 'upgraded' Charlie thinks monsters live there.

So if anyone is available Monday, Thursday or Friday to come for a walk down the lane with me (Shetland Pony provided) I would be most grateful. If you bring a pushbike that would be great.  If you turn up in an Ice Cream Van, followed by The Police............Wow....You get unlimited riding on Charlie.