Candy and foal--an update.

The foal was bottle fed for a couple of days, then, through the heavy horse world grapevine, word of the predicament had been spread and a warm-blood mare, who had had her foal put down, was located and brought to the farm. She immediately adopted the orphan who suckled enthusiastically but, sadly, after another couple of days, the foal seemed to weaken and did not recover. She died last week.
But that is not the end of the whole episode. Apparently, when my brother and the vet went to put Candy, the mare, out of her misery, they decided to give her till the morning to see how she was as she had deteriorated no farther. In the morning my brother really expected her to be lying dead.........but no!.....the discharge from her nostrils had ceased and she seemed marginally better. So she had a reprieve. Last night we saw her far over the field, not looking exactly in the pink but raising her head when she heard a noise and she is eating, albeit not voraciously,and moving about, and seems to be slowly gaining strength. The vets are puzzled as the symptoms were very similar to that of the dreaded grass sickness, but not exactly so.
Here's hoping she keeps on improving.

Shortlived Blossom around the Village

This is my favourite, the apple blossom, which blooms by the side of one of my dog walking tracks.

These 4 photos are of the ornamental cherry trees in and around the village. The blossom was abundant and beautiful but only lasted about 2 weeks. It looked lovely in the warmer days we had last week but is now more or less gone from the trees and collecting in corners like confetti in the aftermath of a wedding.

The few warm days we had, miraculously coinciding with the weekend of dog shows seems like a distant memory now as we are experiencing bitter winds and even showers of hail and sleet, with some thunder thrown in.

I'll say it again, as my granny and mother used to say, "Ne'er cast a cloot 'er May (or The May(blossom)) be oot!"

It's back to woolly jumpers and body warmers for me.

A week-end of dog shows.

The judge, Liz Anderson (Northlyte) cuts the cake at the 50th anniversary Championship show of the Scottish Papillon Club.

Spencer came home with an armful of prizes after winning Best Veteran in Show, but none of my other dogs were placed.

What a difference a day makes (and a different judge!) On the Sunday Swallow (Meerwings The Swallow Tale by Pyatshaw) won the Reserve Bitch Challenge Certificate at the Scottish Kennel Club Championship Show.

Young Maisie,(Craigaber Timewatch) won the Minor Puppy Bitch class at the S. K.C.

Spencer, (Pyatshaw White Heat) after winning Best Veteran at the Scottish Papillon Club Championship Show on Saturday.

The weekend started for me on Friday when I had volunteered to be an Assistant Steward at one of the days of the SKC. I have never done this before and was quite nervous about the whole thing. However I had merely to give out the prize cards but was able to see what the job involved---keeping calm with a clear head and an eye on detail. The cardinal sin is to record an incorrect number on the prize sheet.

Will I do it again?.......probably!

My Skywatch Friday Photo

Summer has come (suddenly) to Perthshire, Scotland, after what I can only describe as the shortest Spring I can remember.....and the coldest, longest winter!

We've reached the dizzy height, temperature-wise, of 19 degrees celsius here today.This colourful sky came at the end of a sunny day as I looked out of my back door.

To see some more beautiful skies from around the world click here.

The Demise of Perth Auction Mart.

This is all that remains and it too will soon be gone to make way for yet another supermarket in Perth.

This used to be the venue for Perthshire Canine Club shows, not particularly liked by many people because it smelled of animals! Funny, that!

So this is, yet again, another dog show venue gone. Since it closed we've been to Perth dog shows at the Racecourse and the Ice Rink.

That is the second Perth Market I can remember closing. The first one in the centre of the city is now also a supermarket.

The world famous Perth Bull Sales are now conducted farther west in Stirling!

Tragic News.

I've just had the sad news that Candy, the Clydesdale who foaled on Saturday, has Grass Sickness, that mysterious equine illness for which there is, as yet, no cure, and is to be put down shortly. The foal, who seems to be quite healthy, has been taken away to be hand fed in the meantime, while the search starts for a foster mother. I hope it is soon as the youngster has to be fed every hour and I know how sapping it is to hand rear pups, who are not fed every hour. It goes without saying that the whole family is totally gutted.
Never a truer saying than "Them that have stock must bear losses".

The Return of Spring.

Did it ever really appear in the first place? Yesterday, however, the sun shone and it was warm enough for short sleeves!

Tass enjoys a stretch out on the slabs.

while Swallow prefers a seat

Roley just sits and thinks

but some boys will be boys and go for a drink!

A Clydesdale Foal.

She arrived, unaided, yesterday afternoon. If only all births were at such a convenient time!

Here she is shown at about 2 hours old. What a view from the "Labour Suite"!

The fulfillment of a dream--well, almost!

We'd driven over to the farm, impatient for the arrival of the Clydesdale foal. "No, nothing yet, but I'll take you up to see the mares. They're at the top of the field, the only thing is, the pick-up is being repaired so do you think your car will go up there?" Chic muttered something under his breath. Best not knowing what! But we did make it, with some spinning of tyres and sliding about.

Big brother with his two Clydesdale mares, Candy and Amy.

A fed-up mare-in-waiting, Candy, now three weeks overdue.

The car has an easier time on the downward journey.

This rather bleary photograph is of the Clydesdale and his owner who won 1st prize for harness and decorations at the Scottish Highland Show several years ago. (The photo was taken of the photo behind glass.) The old fella sold these decorations to my brother who had been looking for a set for several years. They were all carefully stored, packed in boxes and he said it had taken him five months to make them out of wire and wool and some dressmaking bits and bobs.

Some unadorned harness, the huge collar or "brechum" as we called it (I only ever heard the word and have never seen it written so spelling is dubious), and the haimes, which are fastened around it, are hanging. (Disregard the pink elephants flying up the wall!)

A front view if the cart saddle with the decorations placed in position for the photo.

A closer view of the saddle decorations.

These are only ever used for show purposes. We didn't ask what he'd paid for them, nor were we told. I wonder if his wife knows!!

My brother has always loved his heavy horses and was born too late to work them on the farm when young. Tractors were becoming more common then, but now he hopes to have the complete outfit, horse and harness, for demonstrations at local agricultural shows.

The eagerly awaited foal should have everything ready for him/her when the time comes.

The Bare Bones.

Funny the things you see in a farm workshop among the tools and oil drums!.........probably belonged to a Blackface tup.

Remember The Cat?

This is the warlike creature who attacked the dogs. Just look at the length of those legs! I'll swear they extend to almost 3 times that length when provoked!

The photo was taken through a window!...just in case...............

OK, I know it's not exactly a tiger or a leopard but it's still fairly vicious and best avoided.

Our Day at "The National"

I had only taken Maisie and Swallow. Maisie was entered in Minor Puppy Bitch and The Puppy Stakes but we never made the stakes as it was being judged while I was showing Swallow in Limit Bitch and by the time I had hurried over to the stakes ring the short list had been drawn. It's always a lottery entering classes other than those for the Breed as, invariably, they are taking place at the same time in some other part of the showground.
Maisie, Craigaber Timewatch, did me proud by being placed 2nd in her class. Swallow, Meerwings The Swallow Tale by Pyatshaw, made the short-list but failed to be placed in the end. The judge was Miss Ann Sommerfield.

Maisie.

Swallow.

Birmingham National Championship Show and some photos.

Best Puppy Bitch and Best Puppy in Breed, Papplewick Pretty in Pink at Adinaken, shown by Jennifer Smith and Owned by mother Kathy.

Post Graduate Bitch winner, Calajoy Could She Be Magic (Mrs J Joyce)

Another Scottish bitch, Calajoy Silver Lining, (Mrs J. Joyce) VHC in Open Bitch.

A rare lemon and white, Cheryldene Xotique, (Miss & Mrs Lockett), Reserve in Open bitch.

Denemore Life of Reilly for Cantoverde, (Miss Lanson) unplaced in Minor Puppy Dog.

Waiting at the ringside Swe/ Dan/Fin/Jap Ch Candygold Trademark (Miss Gross), VHC in Open Dog.

1st in Limit Dog, Burghbridge UR Solid Gold Skyvana (Bartram)

Temelora Sun Dancer at Hollrexia (Dembiniok), unplaced in Open Dog.