Click here for the diary for 2001 and for 2003.

Note for new readers: Tom is the diarist's cat, and Biscuit (Bix) and Moss are the dogs.

2002
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

January 2002

1 January Very cold this morning, with a hard frost, but no wind. The chickens' water was completely frozen, so I gave them some fresh. But I've noticed that they peck the snow that is still on the ground in their run, so perhaps they're getting moisture from that. Saw two buzzards sitting on posts along the A37.
2 January Another frost this morning, but an amazing sky could be seen from Chick's Field at about 8am. It was covered in pale blue and pink stripes, quite hard to describe, but fascinating to see. However, it only lasted till the sun rose over Wardon Hill. Biscuit was in a silly mood this afternoon, chasing and bullying Willow, Lou's dog, all round the cricket pitch. Found a dead bee in Dirty Lane: it had a gingery-red abdomen base.
3 January Milder this morning, but still snow lying in sheltered places. A brilliant sky, very red and dramatic. Cleaned the hens out and found five eggs: they've started laying at last. I'll now check for eggs every day.
4 January Mild, dark and damp weather, with some drizzle this afternoon. Tom is spending most of his days indoors at the moment. I don't know whether he's busy hunting at night or just plain lazy! No eggs today. A very noisy robin was singing at the top of Legg's track. I suppose he was claiming his territory. The semi-tame crow that seems to have taken Fore Street as his home is still hopping about.
5 January Damp, mild and misty, very sticky underfoot whilst walking the dogs. They had a lovely time hunting for rabbits in the bramble thickets at the back of Barr Hill. Tom had left me a mouse's head, tail and one leg, all in a neat line, in the back hall this morning.
6 January Mild and drizzly again. I've made a temporary extension to the chicken-run so that they can pick over some grass, as their run is too muddy.
7 January Mild and very dark this morning. The dogs were rabbiting at the back of Leggs/Ladymead: lots of running about, but no rabbits caught! Saw another dead bee this afternoon, but this was a really large bumble-type bee, by the phonebox. Lots of noisy blue tits and great tits about, as well as the friendly crow.
8 January Dark and mild again, but a very cold wind, a lazy wind that goes right through you! Eggs again today. I think it's my light Sussex that has started laying, but I'm not certain.
9 January A nice sky this morning and yet quite misty in places. Biscuit fell badly this afternoon while running and couldn't get up. Eventually she got to her feet, but her hind legs were very wobbly, so I walked her home very slowly. I can only assume she was not in pain, as she didn't whine or cry. Another egg today.
10 January Mist in the valley this morning, giving everything quite a magical feeling. Biscuit is a lot brighter this morning, but not quite 100%. I have raised her foodbowl up off the floor on a block of wood, so that she doesn't strain herself stretching down to feed.
11 January A slight frost this morning. The sunrise was a picture: the sun was not orange, but a deep red colour as it rose over Wardon Hill. Two eggs today, so I think another hen has started to lay. The snipe are still around at the western edge of the village. Biscuit is still improving, but she is still not completely better.
12 January Again a slight frost, but at the same time quite misty with an easterly wind. Saw a pair of swans flying north behind Leggs/Ladymead. Tom has brought me another dead Jenny wren!
13 January Wet, misty and mild this morning. Saw a small brown bird in the reeds below Barr Hill. The dogs flushed it out, and it flew off towards the cricket pitch. After looking in my bird book I think it might have been a water rail.
14 January Mild and damp, but brighter this morning. Tom had killed another bird in the back hall overnight. There were feathers everywhere, but no sign of a corpse, so hopefully he ate it rather than just killing it. Found some common earthballs (Scleroderma citrinum) in Dirty Lane: their season is normally late summer to early winter.
15 January The UK is now officially foot-and-mouth free, as Northumberland has finally been given the all-clear. However, there are still stock movement restrictions in some areas, and exports of meat and livestock are still not allowed.
Mild and clear this morning after a very foggy night. The friendly crow has died. I don't know whether it was hit by a car, or just sick, but it was on the Campbells' wall looking very dead today!
16 January Mild and dry today. Moss is limping slightly, and after a look at her back left foot I've discovered she has skinned her main pad. So I'll have to take care how and where I walk her for some time till it heals properly. Saw a redwing in the field next to St Blaize.
17 January Wet, dark and horrible this morning. Took the dogs out extra early, and it was still quite dark and raining hard. In Chick's Field the dogs disturbed a medium-sized badger and chased it towards the Campbells' paddock. When it reached the hedge it stopped and rounded on them both, standing its ground. I yelled at the dogs, as a badger could quite easily damage them severely, and thankfully they both moved away from it, and it took the opportunity to dive into the hedge. Hopefully they will learn to steer clear of badgers in the future!
18 January Frosty with a thick fog this morning, which thank goodness lifted around mid morning. Blowing a storm and pouring down by late afternoon with a dense fog as well: horrible!
19 January Mild, wet and windy this morning, with a watery-yellow sunrise. Noticed a lot of catkins and pussy-willow in flower, especially driving past the water-meadows towards Dorchester. Four eggs today!
20 January Gusting strong winds and rain making it very dark this morning. Both dogs very lively, like puppies, with the wind up their tails. There must be a burst pipe on Barr Hill as water is pouring off the field and into Back Lane in a torrent.
21 January Dark, damp and very windy today, but the dogs were slightly calmer. Tom is getting very stroppy if he isn't fed quickly enough: he has taken to biting me on the ankles, calves or feet!
22 January Bright and fine, without the wind of the past few days. I noticed the birds singing like on a spring day. Lots of rabbits about today, probably because of the better weather: the dogs had fun flushing them out of the hedges. I have a problem with my chickens: the Wyandotte bantams that I bought as a hen and cock have turned out to be two cockbirds, so I will have to get rid of one of them! I'd had my suspicions for a while, but this morning I caught them both crowing.
23 January The wind and rain are back with a vengeance! The chicken run is turning into a quagmire. I'm keeping a close eye on the Pekin bantam's feet: they are feathered and susceptible o problems during wet weather.
24 January Dry and colder this morning, but still very wet underfoot. A peculiar sunrise, almost like an alien-type thing coming over Wardon Hill, very strange oval-shaped sun of a buttercup yellow colour. Today I decided to extend the chicken run, so it is now half as large again. The hens loved it: they were soon scratching about in the fresh ground. It was lovely to see them so happy and busy.
25 January Wet, dark, soggy and miserable, but the chickens seem very happy! When I let them out this morning, they ran to the new piece of ground, scratching about straight away, ignoring the food I had put out for them.
26 January Very strong gusting wind and rain all day. The chickens are starting to look quite miserable with all the rain. Lots of debris on the roads, with a few trees blown down around the area, and a lot of surface water in the fields and on roads. Tom knows where he is best off and remained curled up asleep for most of the day.
27 January Wet and misty, but not so windy this morning. The pond behind Legg's is beginning to fill up, and there is a small stream in the field behind Barr Hill. A taxi driver stopped me in the street at around 8am, while I was taking the dogs out, and asked where Evershot station was! I told him where it was and also that it had been closed in the late 1950s.
28 January Windy, but a dry sunny day. Saw a rainbow this morning. Tom is back in hunting mode: I woke to find the head, back end and entrails of a rat in the back hall. By 9am he had also brought me a rabbit! Lots of catkins out all over the place, and a few snowdrops, but no sign of primroses yet.
29 January Drizzly, misty and mild, slowly turning to rain as the day progressed. Lots of birdsong to be heard: spring must be on its way!
30 January Wet and windy again: the ground is really sodden. The dip by the gateway between Dirty Lane and Girt Lane fields is starting to fill with water. Saw a white egret by the mill at Grimstone.
31 January Wet and windy again. If this keeps up my chickens will need webbed feet! Tom is catching a rabbit a day at the moment, so I'm not having to feed him much. There are some lambs in the paddock next to the cricket pitch looking very sorry for themselves in this weather.

February 2002

1 February The wind has risen in strength, with the forecasters saying that it's going to get worse, gusting up to 80mph. I think Mussolini, my Polish bantam, has started laying, as I'm now getting more small eggs. Tom brought me a bird.
2 February The forecasters were right: the wind is unbelievable, lots of debris about, but luckily, so far, our electric has not been affected. Moss caught a rabbit across the fields this morning. It was only a young one and so confirms an old ferreting friend's belief that rabbits breed all year long.
3 February Wet, windy, dark and horrid. The whole country is being battered by extremely stormy weather. However, it does seem to be slightly better here today.
4 February Windy again this morning, but so far no rain. Saw my first wild primrose of the year this morning, the flower just beginning to open. The fishing forecast changes as from noon. The sea area Finisterre will be no longer: it is to be renamed Fitzroy. Rain again!
5 February Blustery, but dry this morning. The ground is waterlogged after all the rain lately, and there is some localised flooding. Noticed that the ramsons (wild garlic) are starting to shoot through. There are also some fungi which I will have to pick and bring home to identify.
6 February A beautiful spring day: bright, sunny and dry, but with a strong wind. The poor sheep that were in the paddock by the cricket pitch are now on Barr Hill and the surrounding fields. I hope they don't get footrot as the ground is completely waterlogged there.
7 February Back to wind and rain: it is also a bit colder. I've got myself some more wire so I can make another chickenrun. That way I can rest one run whilst the hens are in the other, and then swap them as and when necessary.
8 February Windy and wet and foggy: hopefully the wind will blow the fog away. Lots of snowdrops around in the hedges, and the primroses at Melplash are already flowering. Tom presented me with a starling.
9 February A beautiful day: spring is definitely on its way. No rain all day. I got the second chickenrun made, and the chickens moved in, so they are happier with lots of fresh ground.
10 February A lovely morning: no wind and dry. Someone had been in my garden overnight and let the chickens out. Luckily they were all fine and had not got out of the garden itself. I hate to think what might have happened if there had been a fox about.
11 February Back to strong winds and rain today, but the dogs enjoyed it, especially Moss: she gets very puppy-like in stormy weather.
12 February Dry and still this morning, but it didn't last, with rain coming in later. Tom had made an awful mess in the back hall with a bird: feathers everywhere. I have lots of primulas flowering and also my Christmas rose or white hellebore. There are some celandines flowering around the village.
13 February Dry again this morning and beautifully sunny, but as usual it didn't last, and by the afternoon it was raining. Tom has been at it again: this time it was a weasel which he brought back alive and dropped in the back hall. Saw some blackthorn flowering on the way to Dorchester. My spare cockbird has gone to a new home. Hopefully the hens won't miss him.
14 February A nice spring day with no rain at all! Sunshine nearly all day, though quite cold, but lovely all the same. No repeat performance from Tom, thank goodness.
15 February Quite a hard frost this morning, but a lovely sunny clear day. Saw lots of buzzards along the line of the Frome river beyond Summer Lane field.
16 February Another frost, clear early on, but around 7:45am a very thick fog came down which happily cleared to brilliant sunshine by 9:00am. Started pruning my rambling and climbing roses.
17 February Cold and very foggy this morning, with no sign of the sun burning it off. The dogs both disappeared in the fog, so I checked their usual haunt, and there they were, digging out what looked like a new badger sett, so I pulled them both away. There is some frog spawn down the waterworks area.
18 February Dry and bright, after overnight rain. Lots of buzzards about again, even over the village. Started clearing the veg patch of buttercup and stonecrop ready for digging. Pruned some more of the roses.
19 February Dry and cold, turning rather dull as the day went on. Put my first early potatoes to chit: I'm trying a variety called Rocket. The chickens are becoming friendly and really quite tame, following me about!
20 February Dry and windy this morning after a wet and stormy night. Bought a couple of blackcurrant bushes at the farmers' market: I have put them in alongside the chicken run. Hopefully, in a couple of years, they will hide the chicken mesh and provide plenty of fruit. Storms and high winds this afternoon and evening.
21 February A slight frost this morning, but nice and still. There are a couple of slates in the backyard, from our neighbour's roof.
22 February Thinking Day. The strong wind is back, and it looks like rain. The chickens are really scratching about in their new run, rooting around under all the reed-like plants.
23 February Windy and showery, and getting colder. Tom is going through a lazy patch again, not bothering to go outside during the day at all. The local farmers are all busily 'top dressing' or fertilizing their grass fields.
24 February Dry and still this morning, with a slight frost. The chickens laid five eggs between them yesterday, making the week's tally 25 eggs: not bad from six hens! Especially as two of the bantams are ornamental ones. Noticed that the thrush is back, he or she, singing in the mornings sitting in the hawthorn.
25 February Mild and wet today, with some mist blowing in from the south. Noticed some violets flowering on the bank on West Hill, both white and pale purple. I started work on moving my garden gate today and managed to concrete in a new post. After a few nasty incidents with the chickens and my garden fence, I decided that moving it to where it is visible from the house was the only answer.
26 February Dry to start off with: a lovely rainbow over Girt Farm way, but rain and storms soon arrived. A large ash has come down in the village. I managed to finish my garden gate and fence today, despite the weather, and got back indoors just as the thunder started.
27 February Very peculiar weather: one minute a beautiful spring day, the next we were in the middle of a blizzard. This kept on happening all day! The swans are gathering again at the water-meadows on the outskirts of Dorchester.
28 February The end of the month already: it's gone really quickly. Tom is back in rabbit-catching mode, having caught and eaten two today. Picked some wild garlic leaves and used them in a pasta recipe! Lovely mild garlic flavours. Planted some broad beans and dug in some chicken manure in the veg patch.

March 2002

1 March A cold, frosty, but bright morning. Finished pruning my roses today, but I still have to tie some of them up. Saw some red campion flowering in Dirty Lane: it doesn't normally flower until May or June.
2 March A hard frost: I had to break the ice on the chickens' water, but a glorious day. Lots of birdsong: a real feel of spring. Tom dropped a live mouse in the back hall, but I managed to rescue it and release it in the garden without him seeing.
3 March Milder today, with a lovely sunny start, but it soon clouded over. Tied up the rambling roses, so hopefully they will remain secure till late summer.
4 March Another beautiful spring day, lots of birdsong and not a cloud to be seen first thing. Tom fetched another live rabbit home and kept playing with it in the back hall. I had to intervene and finish it off, as it was badly injured, and I doubt it would have survived if I'd tried to release it in the fields.
5 March Dry, bright and mild this morning. A large flock of snipe in the grass next to Girt Lane: there must have been around 50 of them. Tom had another little rabbit, but didn't bring it indoors. Instead he ate in on the lawn, watched by Moss. Put in a white currant bush and a new honeysuckle.
6 March A dry day, but with a very cold wind. Took the dogs round Dirty Lane: it's reasonably clear and starting to dry up. The bluebells are pushing up through, and there are quite a lot of primroses flowering.
7 March A beautiful sunny morning and very mild. Lots of snipe again at the top of the field by Girt Lane. Found some unusual fungi, but once I looked in my book it was easy to identify: Disciotis venosa, only appearing in spring and poisonous. Mowed the grass for the first time this year, dug some more of the veg patch and put in a row of early (?) peas.
8 March Dry, but dull this morning. Lots of buzzards about, flying very high up. Changed the blanket in one of the dogs' beds, as it was beyond repair or washing, and Biscuit refused to get out, revelling in her lovely new bed!
9 March A very cold, strong wind with a few showers of rain today: saw a bright rainbow this morning. Tom caught and ate two small rabbits, so I've no need to feed him today. Keeping a close eye on my cockerel Sage, as he has developed some black spots on his comb.
10 March A strong south-westerly wind and some showers. Sage is his normal self today, bossing the hens about, crowing and generally strutting his stuff, but still has his black spots.
11 March Damp this morning after a lot of overnight rain and threatening more. Farmers flying about all over the place with rollers and chain-harrows. Tom's still catching rabbits.
12 March Peculiar weather this morning: a slight frost in patches, but also a very heavy dew. Saw the family of long-tailed tits in the fields beyond Ladymead. I've watched them over a period of years, and it's lovely to know they're still about. Saw the white egret in the watermeadows near Dorchester.
13 March A very strong north-easterly following heavy overnight rain: a lot colder today. Tom came in soaked to the skin: he looked as if he'd been swimming! The hedges around the village are just beginning to green-up, and the wild garlic is fully up, but not yet ready to flower.
14 March No frost this morning, but a bitingly cold wind which stayed all day. Tom is busy with the rabbits again. I know he had at least one, which he brought into the toilet, but looking at the size of him this evening I think he must have had another.
15 March Damp and showery all day, but a lot milder, without the cold wind of yesterday. Planted two redcurrants next to the chicken run, so now I have all the varieties of soft fruit that I want: raspberries, black-, white- and redcurrants.
16 March Mild and damp this morning and very soggy underfoot. The chickens are starting to trample and scratch the grass away. Saw three geese flying over the west end of the village this morning. I've looked in my bird book, but can't identify what sort they were, as they were completely white underneath, wings, body and neck, with a few blackish marks on their heads.
17 March Very wet underfoot and threatening more rain. Saw a lone wood anemone flowering under the beech trees at Girt Lane crossroads. I think I may have solved the problem of the chickens' black spots. There are nettles in their run, and they don't seem to like them. Perhaps nettle stings have caused the spots.
18 March Rain, rain and more rain! Disgusting, horrible weather: even the dogs didn't appear to enjoy their morning walk. Biscuit looked very sorry for herself after only about five minutes. Once at home I had to thoroughly towel both the dogs, which I don't have to do very often. I think the chickenhouse roof has sprung a leak!
19 March Drier today, but very soggy underfoot, quite still and mild. The chickenhouse roof is leaking, so I will have to find the materials to mend it. This evening, as I went to shut in the chickens, they were all still out, which is unusual. The next thing I knew, Tom appeared from inside the chickenhouse, strutting along as if it was his home! As soon as he had left the house, the chickens filed in quite happily.
20 March Dry this morning, but rain during the day. Noticed lots of violets, primroses and celandines flowering: perhaps I only noticed them because the day was so grim that I wanted to find something cheery in it! My montana clematis is leafing-up and beginning to produce buds.
21 March A damp, drizzly start to the day, but it turned out lovely. I mended the chickenhouse roof with some roofing felt, so hopefully it won't leak any more. Coming back from Yetminster, around noon, I counted eight buzzards riding thermals above Hazel's Farm. Lots of wood anemones flowering in the verges near Yetminster. The first day of Spring!
22 March A nice Spring morning, very mild. The sheep have been moved from the west end of the village, and yet the electric fence is still turned on in the field where they were! Saw a peacock butterfly on the chickenhouse roof.
23 March A foggy, but mild start to the day. The fog cleared, but it stayed cloudy all day. I have changed my morning dog-walking route as there are horses in Chick's Field and also still on Barr Hill.
24 March A beautiful morning. The dogs put up a lot of rabbits and had a lot of exercise. Walked down the track from Girt Lane towards Chelborough this afternoon. The banks were covered in wild flowers: primroses, celandines, saxifrage, anemones, barren strawberry, violets, brooklime, bluebells, ground ivy, to name but a few.
25 March Another nice morning. Saw the geese/swans fly over the village again, honking as they flew. I let the chickens into their old run, and they raced over to the wall and started digging and scratching away immediately. They have not eaten their food today, so I presume they found plenty in the old run.
26 March Yet another fine morning: the ground is drying up nicely. I have put in some onion sets and my first early potatoes. Had a lovely walk this afternoon: rabbits everywhere, which wore the dogs out. I took them down to the waterworks on the way back, and they both jumped into the stream to cool off.
27 March Bright and fine again, but a definite frost. Saw the geese flying over again: if they are the same ones, they must be starting to nest in the area somewhere. I didn't put the chickens in till 7pm, just as it was going completely dark: the evenings are really drawing out now.
28 March Maundy Thursday. Cold, but bright and clear this morning, warming up a lot as the day went on. Spent a lot of time in the garden, digging, weeding, transplanting, and sowing. In the new garden I've put in three twisted hazel cuttings from my mum's garden which I hope will take.
29 March Another frosty morning, but not a cloud in the sky! Beautiful and sunny from first thing throughout the day. Saw two wasps: very early for them to be about. Tonight Moss, Biscuit and Tom discovered a hedgehog in the back garden, close to our backdoor. I hope it doesn't know about the catflap!
30 March Cold, but lovely and bright again: hardly a cloud in the sky all day. I took some primroses and double celandines out of the garden to help decorate the church for Easter. The inside and outside of the church is looking very Spring-like, with daffodils and primroses and all sorts of other Spring flowers. The Queen Mother has died.
31 March Woke to rain and cloud, but the birds were still singing. I'm glad I got the grass mown yesterday. Pekin, one of my bantams, appears a bit under the weather: nothing I can put my finger on, but I'll keep an eye on her over the next few days.

April 2002

1 April All Fools Day. A bright if slightly damp start today. Took the dogs around common ground, and they had a lovely time flushing out rabbits all over the place. Mist and drizzle by noon which stayed into the evening. Pekin still looking a bit off colour.
2 April Cooler, but clear this morning. Rabbits around all over the place again. Spent some time with the hens again today. Pekin seems happy enough: perhaps her being 'off colour' was just my imagination. Planted a weigela in the new garden, so I now have three differently coloured ones. Had a terrific thunder storm around 9pm: very loud and moving quite slowly as it stayed overhead for quite some time.
3 April Dry after last night's rain, but a bit overcast. Noticed the pair of buzzards again between Girt lane and Dirty Lane. I think they may be nesting in an old oak tree that's covered in ivy in the hedge line.
4 April A beautiful start to the day: cooler, and with a slight mist, but the sun shining through it. Planted some sugar peas, radish, rocket and pot marigolds. I also tried to get rid of all my dandelions.
5 April Another lovely start to the morning, and it turned into a beautiful day. Saw eight buzzards over the fields beyond Summer Lane. I was given a secondhand chicken house today, which I've reassembled in the run. It has a proper nestbox, a pair of roosts and a side vent, made by Hebditches of Martock. Now the hens are going to be really spoilt!
6 April Fine and clear this morning, but there was a very cold easterly wind. Biscuit is still confined to barracks because of her back leg. She appears to have pulled a muscle, or damaged a tendon, so I'm just letting her have gentle exercise.
7 April Another bright morning, but with a raw wind. Went to an auction at Cosmore and bought two lavender Belgian 'de Anvers' hens. There were all sorts of birds there, and guineapigs, rabbits, ferrets and cages for all sorts of stock.
8 April Cold, but bright with quite a hard frost this morning. The new hens seem to be settling in well, and Sage, my cockerel, is as proud as proud can be! The slowworm at the bottom of the garden is back. Saw a kestrel over Summer Lane field. Took Biscuit out for a gentle walk.
9 April A slight frost today, but a bright cloudless sky. Noticed that the goldfinches are back: they were sitting in the hawthorn bush in the garden. It's the Queen Mother's funeral today. Went logging this evening and came back with a good load, but also with some hollow pieces of wood which I'm going to plant up with flowers.
10 April Cloudy and cold with a strong NE wind. Saw one of the geese again this morning, flying over the deer park. Let my two new hens out with the rest after clipping their wings. Saw a skylark in the field beyond Summer Lane. I had fun putting the chickens in tonight: the two new birds didn't want to go in the house, and one was roosting in the honeysuckle.
11 April Cold, but bright, turning into another lovely day. Planted up some runner beans into tubs to get them started. I think I will use the kids' old climbing frame to grow them up this year. The new chickens still wary of the house at night: hopefully they will get over this.
12 April Frosty, but beautifully clear. Drove across the Somerset levels and noticed how much more advanced everything was: the willows, oaks and montana clematis, etc. The slowworm has a mate: they were both basking in the sun today.
13 April Yet another lovely morning: the farmers will be crying out for rain soon. Saw some wild ducks this morning and a pair of buzzards in the dead ash by the cricket pitch. The day got colder and colder as it went on, but no rain yet.
14 April Dry and still with a lot of cloud. Someone's busy in a tractor drilling maize in Common Ground. The hunt's horses in Chick's Field are stripping the bark from the 'hanging' tree. Lots of cuckoo-flower flowering in the fields behind Ladymeade, and the ransoms (wild garlic) are beginning to flower as well. Tom was in the henhouse this evening as I went to put the new hens to bed! Slight drizzle.
15 April A slight frost, but a lovely clear sky with constant sunshine all day. Saw the pair of buzzards near the cricket pitch again. It looks as if all the maize fields around the village are seeded. Planted out some sweetpeas and put some slug pellets around them. I don't like doing it, but I've lost so many to slugs before, and pellets seem to be the only thing that works in my garden.
16 April Another frost, but a very bright, still morning. A hot-air balloon was hovering over the village as I let the chickens out. It took over an hour to pass over the village as I presume it couldn't find any wind to blow it! Saw the first housemartin of the year this evening at Uphall.
17 April A slight frost, but a nice morning all the same. Lots of rabbits about, and the buzzards again. I started treating the garden fence and chicken houses with wood preserver, but had to stop as it started to rain.
18 April A bright dry morning, but it soon turned to hail and rain showers. Saw some more housemartins. A farmer on the outskirts of Sherborne has already started silaging. Went down to the waterworks with the dogs: it is beautiful at the moment with no end of wild flowers blooming.
19 April A lovely bright start to the day. Managed to get the chickenhouse completely covered with one coat of wood preserver, but I think it will need another. Moved my stone sink troughs nearer the house, but I've not decided what to plant in them yet. Saw a hare in the field beyond Summer Lane.
20 April Wet and mild today. Lots of rabbits about. Found a pigeon's egg on Dirty Lane. My clematis, Rubens montana, is just starting to bloom. Planted out some pansy plugs into my sinks.
21 April Very mild and dry, but I think it rained during the night. Saw the wild geese this morning and also a lone drake mallard. Coming out of Beaminster this afternoon I saw 16 buzzards flying around together by Whitcombe. They were all quite low and very easy to identify.
22 April Damp and a bit misty, but clearing as the day goes on. Heard a cuckoo for the first time this year. Pekin, one of my hens, is off-colour and is not eating, though she is drinking.
23 April St George's Day. Very foggy and damp this morning. Pekin seems a little better today: she has been preening herself and eating. The cuckoo has been calling on and off all day. Lots of dewy cobwebs: they're so pretty covered in dew.
24 April Another foggy morning: I managed to lose my bearings in Summer Lane field! The sun burned the fog off by lunchtime. Took a long walk down to the waterworks and beyond to look at the bluebells. What an amazing sight, and the smell was quite overpowering. Put up a hare, but it must have realised it was in no danger as it just casually lolloped away.
25 April Cloudy and fine with no fog. The wild flowers are really coming into their own now, and you can't fail to notice them. Tom is at it again, catching young rabbits like there's no tomorrow! Yesterday I rescued one and took it to Barr Hill, but today he killed and ate two.
26 April Pouring down and a very strong cold wind. Lots of tops blown off the trees and bits of new leaves everywhere.Glad I got the garden mown yesterday! Saw three kestrels between Evershot and Dorchester.
27 April Wet again, but only showers really. Saw a rainbow over Girt Lane. The hens all seem really happy at the moment: Pekin is better, and one of the D'Anvers, that had a weepy eye, appears to be getting on well now.
28 April Watery-looking sky this morning, which is threatening showers. The new grass leys by St Blaize have been flattened by the wind and rain. I found a broken egg in the chickenhouse when I let them out, so I cleared it away so the hens don't get a taste for them: a nasty vice!
29 April Wet and windy: a really nasty morning. Thankfully it improved as the day went on. I've started reading a book that a friend from Cumbria sent me, Foot and Mouth, Heart and Soul. It's a collection of personal accounts of the F&M outbreak. It has moved me to tears and made me realise how lucky Dorset was to escape the epidemic.
30 April Wild, wet and very windy. Not a rabbit in sight as I walked the dogs this morning. The hens had a quick feed and then scurried back into their house. Saw a few swallows around the village. Wormed the dogs and Tom: what a battle it was getting him done!

May
1 May Bright, clear and, best of all, dry this morning! As I went to let the chickens out I caught Tom lying in wait under the old chickenhouse. As sparrows landed for a feed, he would race out to catch them. Cut some hazel for peasticks in the veg patch. Then spent the rest of the day attacking the vastly overgrown hedge in the new garden: hard work, but very satisfying.
2 May A beautiful morning, and it continued through the day. Saw four slowworms at the bottom of the garden, one by itself and three intertwined, one of which was a darker colour than the others. Had another go at the hedge in the garden and managed to remove the roots of the Japanese knotweed. The hens are on form: I collected six eggs!
3 May Bright, sunny and breezy, but a few showers later on. The slowworms were about again, so I think they must be quite settled. Lucky me, as their staple diet is the slug! Still no sign of our bat yet: I must check last year's diary to see when he first appeared then.
4 May Another lovely day: some cloud, but on the whole very summery. Heard and then saw the cuckoo this morning. Tom has had (and eaten) two rabbits. I've thinned out my first sowing of radishes and retied some of my rambling roses.
5 May Sunny and clear, with a heavy dew. Discovered a buzzard's nest. Had a large bonfire to get rid of all the overgrown hedge waste. Went to the poultry auction at 'Revels'. Didn't buy anything, but saw some interesting hens.
6 May Very damp, with a misty drizzle that turned to rain. The dogs put up a deer near St Blaize, but it was far too wily for them. Nevertheless they got a lot of exercise this morning.
7 May Drizzly and misty this morning, but it cleared later. Wormed Pekin: she has been scouring a lot, so the vet recommended worming her. Managed to get a cheap wooden picnic table: I treated it with wood preserver and erected it in the new garden, so I can sit and watch the chickens. Two out of the three contorted hazel cuttings appear to have died, but the other one is thriving.
8 May Misty, but dry, with the sun burning the mist off later. Strolled down to the cricket pitch with the dogs this afternoon. Lots of wild flowers blooming round the pitch and in Dirty Lane.
9 May A fine morning. The Estate have moved some cows and calves into a field near St Blaize, along with a beautiful, stocky red bull: I think it's a Devon Ruby, but I'm not certain. It's lovely to see them all together in one field.
10 May Another nice morning. I was met down the garden path by Tom with yet another rabbit! The chickens appear to be happy, and Pekin is perking up and is almost her old self. The slowworms are still to be seen, basking in the sun at the bottom of the garden.
11 May A fine morning, but a bit cloudy. Planted some cucumbers, a variety designed for pickling, and my french beans. I also mowed the grass as rain is forecast in the next day or two. Lots of flies about, not houseflies, but funny long black ones, hanging in the air all over the place.
12 May Dry, bright and warm. Not what was forecast: altogether a lovely day. Got stuck in and tackled some more of the garden hedge, this time working on the height of it.
13 May Rain before seven, fine before eleven? Well, not today! Continual rain, with only a couple of brief breaks from it all day. Tom spent most of the day indoors, and the chickens looked pathetic with wet, scraggy feathers. However the dogs took no notice of the rain, too busy looking for rabbits. Pulled a tick off Tom.
14 May A lot brighter this morning, and dry! That didn't last: showers during the morning, brightening by the afternoon. As Pekin recovered so well after worming, I've decided to worm all the hens as a precaution. The vets supplied me with enough 'Panacur' to do them all for £2. Spent this afternoon catching and worming hens, cleaning out and putting fresh bedding in the nest box.
15 May Windy, but dry. Moss charged around like a mad dog. The Estate have moved the stone water trough from the middle of the field next to Girt Lane and repositioned it by the hedge adjoining the deer park. Took Moss for her annual booster jab at the vets: she behaved like a total wimp!
16 May A fantastic morning, very warm. Lots of starlings around in the fields this morning, making a lot of noise. Tom's tally for the day: one fully grown female squirrel and one tiny rabbit. The temperature soared as the day progressed, the best of the year so far. A law has been passed in Europe that tractor drivers must not work for more than 7 hours in every 24 because of vibrations. Don't these people understand farming?
17 May Very humid all day, following rumblings of thunder through the night. Intermittent showers throughout the day. Watched the Estate put some more cows and calves out with the others. Also in the small paddock there is an old cow with three tiny Angus-cross calves.
18 May Colder and less humid. One of the new calves, with the cows, is looking very sorry for itself, standing alone hunchbacked. Rescued a tiny rabbit from Tom and put it out of the way on Barr Hill.
19 May Cooler again and quite windy. The calf is still looking ill and is again all alone. I have been given some bedding plants for the garden, so I will have to sort out where to put them.
20 May 2002 Chilly and breezy. All the cows and calves looking very content and happy. The Angus-cross calves were charging about as if they were playing 'tag'. One of my chickens dropped dead today: I don't know why, so I feel quite upset as I'd like to hope that I'd notice if any of my animals were ill. On a brighter note, the bat is back in the yard tonight.
21 May 2002 Fine this morning, but pouring by early afternoon. Stood and watched the buzzard sitting on its nest. I wonder if she has eggs. I'll keep a watch and see what happens. All the flowers in the garden are getting really battered by the wind and rain.
22 May 2002 Wet and very windy. The rain cleared by midday, but not the very strong winds.
23 May 2002 Wind and showers again, but managed to start potting up my hanging baskets. The Estate have moved the cows and calves and the bull into the fields behind Ladymead. Tom presented me with a squirrel: I think he must have found a drey.
24 May 2002 Again very blustery, with some quite heavy showers. I've had to put down Freda, one of my Sussex hens. She had gone downhill rapidly in the last couple of days, possibly with Marek's disease. The dogs put up a hare in the fields beyond Summer Lane. It made off towards Fortunes Wood.
25 May 2002 A bright, sunny, but windy morning, but it soon clouded over, bringing heavy showers. Summer Lane field has been cut and picked up for silage, ahead of being used as a carpark for tomorrow's street fair. Pulled a tick off Moss.
26 May 2002 Showery all day, which was a shame for the street fair. The foodhall (village hall) had some interesting stalls, and the classic cars were great.Tom's been busy catching rabbits again. A lovely sky this evening, with a full moon shining brightly.
27 May 2002 Heavy showers, interspersed with bright sunshine. The ash trees are finally out in full leaf, and a lot of other trees are flowering: perhaps it's because of the wet weather. The garden is taking a battering, but my pink fir apples and french beans are coming up.
28 May 2002 Rain, rain, rain all day. The hens spent most of the day in their house, and Tom spent in the dogs' basket, only popping out once to reappear with a tiny rabbit, not worth catching.
29 May 2002 Dry this morning, but threatening more rain, with showers later. Tom still catching rabbits at an alarming rate. My rambling rose, Albertine, is in full flower.
30 May 2002 Showery again. Some farmers are struggling with silaging, but others are waiting for better weather. Pekin has died: she has been off-colour and losing weight for a long time.
31 May 2002 Dry, warm and sunny (at last) all day. Managed to mow the garden. Saw a baby grass snake in a neighbour's garden. Biscuit has slit her ear open on some barbed wire, exactly the same place and field as Moss last year! Tom has been at it again: the rabbit population must be falling!

June
1 June 2002 A beautiful start to the month: brilliant sun all day, without a cloud in the sky. Biscuit's ear is healing quite well: I've taken the dressing off, and it's drying out nicely. Got a collar from the vets to stop her scratching it, but I've not yet had to use it. I stood in the backyard for a while tonight watching our bat flying around after insects.
2 June 2002 Another lovel bright morning. The Estate have mowed all the grass between Dirty Lane and Girt Lane and picked up two of the fields for silage. I disinfected the chicken house with Jeyes Fluid and deloused all the chickens.
3 June 2002 The sky looked very threatening this morning and got worse as the day went on: rain, mist and wind. All the grass is now picked up, and there are a few corpses lying around, mice, voles and moles, probably flattened by tractor wheels.
4 June 2002 Nicer weather today, quite hot really. Removed a lot of plants out of the border, ready for erecting the garden shed. I also had to move the log pile. Pulled yet another tick off Moss: it was just inside her ear.
5 June 2002 Quite bright this morning, but very muggy. Finished putting up the shed and renewed some of the roofing felt. Biscuit found a mouse nest while out across the fields, which she quickly demolished. Started treating the shed with wood preserver, but it started raining!
6 June 2002 Damp, drizzly, misty and still muggy today. Tom caught a rabbit early today and stirred the dogs up. Removed a tick from the side of Moss's mouth. For the first time since they started laying I've not had any eggs from the hens.
7 June 2002 Wet and muggy, quite heavy rain, brightening up in the afternoon. The chickens laid today. Tom is back catching rabbits. Put some more wood preservative on the shed.
8 June 2002 Dry this morning, but very dark and muggy: on and off drizzle throughout the day. Tom was sat in the garden with another cat, both of them sharing a rabbit! Finally finished the second coat of preservative on the shed. The dogs could scent a hare in the field beyond Summer Lane, but it had already gone.
9 June 2002 Very wet this morning, but still a lot of rabbits about, mainly in the lee of the wind and rain. Brightening in the afternoon, but with very menacing moody skies.
10 June 2002 Dry early on, but soon turning to heavy showers. The hedgerows are really pretty at the moment with lots of dog-roses and honeysuckle in full flower. I also spied herb robert, clovers, vetches, sweet woodruff, buttercups, cow parsley, field campion, wild strawberry, scarlet pimpernel, forget-me-nots and comfrey. I potted up my standard bay, as it was in need of a larger pot.
11 June 2002 Rain on and off all day. Cleared the grass from around the bottom of my fruit canes and berries. Pulled the Japanese knotweed for the umpteenth time. Walked round Dirty Lane: it's very wet underfoot, and the cricket pitch is sodden. Planted – well, sowed – various different types of lettuce and some spring onions.
12 June 2002 Fine this morning, but quite cloudy. Started potting up my tomatoes and trying to decide where to plant a Moroccan broom: I've already put one next to the shed. Perhaps I'll put the other by the chicken runs. Five eggs today, including one from Tiddler.
13 June 2002 Not raining this morning, but the air felt really damp. Moss managed to cut a pad on her front-near foot. She was running after a rabbit over very stony ground. It keeps bleeding, but doesn't seem to worry her. I've puffed some wound powder on it.
14 June 2002 Thick wet fog. I could only see about 50 yards around me. The ground must be saturated as there are pools of water lying around, just like during a wet winter! Farmers must be struggling to get their silage done: the big heavy machinery must be rutting up the ground.
15 June 2002 A bright warm start to the day. Watched a buzzard picking at something in the field next to St Blaize. Managed to mow the garden and strim the lower chicken run before the weather deteriorated.
16 June 2002 Very thick fog again. The dogs stayed close to me this morning as if they didn't want to get lost. Do animals lose their bearings in fog, like humans? Tom left us one and a half mice in the back hall and later a pile of feathers, remarkably like a chaffinch. Watched a nuthatch by Moorfields sitting on a rotten stump picking at some sort of food. Stood at the backdoor around 10pm and watched a pair of bats flying around the backyard. They appeared to be playing chase: perhaps a mating ritual? The first time we've had two bats around since living here.
17 June 2002 Misty with poor visibility again. Lots of fungi about: common inkcaps coprinus atramentarius, also coprinus niveus, fairy ring champignon and others I couldn't identify. The orchids at the cricket pitch are in full flower, one plant sporting seven flowering heads.
18 June 2002 A beautiful bright morning, just as June should be. Got some paving slabs from Wardon Hill nursery to lay by the shed door and put in some steps leading up across the bank. Saw a flycatcher.
19 June 2002 The best day of the year so far, very hot and sunny all day with little cloud to speak of. The honeysuckle scent hung in the air this evening: a wonderful smell.
20 June 2002 Another bright morning, but not as hot as yesterday, clouding over by late afternoon. Tom is still catching rabbits and apparently was seen, by a friend, stalking a pheasant last night! I hope he doesn't get a taste for them or he might start stalking my chickens.
21 June 2002 Midsummers Day, the summer solstice. Not that you'd know: woke to a light mist and drizzle! A young hare has been run over on the western edge of the village: a shame, but at least there must be breeding pairs around. Tom had another rabbit. Biscuit managed to rip her near hind leg this afternoon, but I don't know where or how!
22 June 2002 A brighter start today. The dogs charged around like mad things this morning as there were lots of rabbits about. Biscuit was quite unconcerned about her leg, but when she is resting she does lick it a lot. Tom left me a chaffinch today.
23 June 2002 Hot and sunny this morning. Got back from walking the dogs to find Tom staring at a couple of edging blocks up the garden path. He stayed there staring most of the morning: I can only assume that a mouse was in the gap between the blocks. Had a great spotted woodpecker sitting on a fencepost in the garden this morning: I only really noticed it because of the noise it was making.
24 June 2002 A beautiful summer's day, really hot with hardly a cloud in the sky. Saw a snake this morning in the maize field next to Holway Lane. It moved too quickly into the bottom of the hedge for me to identify it properly. Stood in the yard at Moorfields and watched a pair of flycatchers catching food for their nesting young.
25 June 2002 Another lovely day, but a bit cloudier. Tom had two rabbits and a bird, so I've not had to feed him. The orchids at the cricket pitch are still in flower. Tiddler (Belgian d'Anvers bantam) is laying eggs at an alarming rate: three in four days.
26 June 2002 A cloudless sky this morning and very warm. The radishes I sowed earlier this month are up, as is the rocket, but no sign of the spring onions or fancy lettuces. Saw two dragonflies in the field beyond Summer Lane, both black and yellow in colour. Sat in the back garden around 4:15pm, heard a commotion in the hawthorn and turned to look just in time to see a kestrel fly off with a live sparrow.
27 June 2002 Hot, sunny and dry again. Mowed the grass again: the new garden is looking really quite good, but I'll have to trim the chicken runs as they don't seem able to keep on top of the grass. Tom is still getting rabbits: I hardly have to feed him at all.
28 June 2002 Dry and bright, but with a chilly wind making it feel colder today. Started to weed the border, but my back hurt, so I've stopped.
29 June 2002 Bright and sunny early on, but soon clouding over. Managed to rig up a washing line in the garden as the laundry maid in the kitchen is less efficient if we let the Raeburn go out overnight in the hot weather. Found a half-eaten slowworm in the garden.
30 June 2002 Cloudy, but dry this morning. Saw some Russula fungi under the beech trees at Girt crossroads.

July
1 July 2002 Wet and miserable, and quite cold. Picked some mangetout from the garden. Not a very good crop coming: none of the vegetables seem to be doing very well.
2 July 2002 Damp and dark, threatening more rain. Took the dogs down the waterworks lane for a change. Lots of spotted orchids flowering and some stinkhorn fungus atarting to emerge.
3 July 2002 Dry this morning after very heavy rain in the night: the ground is really quite sodden again. The farmers are beginning to 'top' the grazing fields, cutting all the docks, nettles and thistles down. The Estate have been busy strimming the grass around the Tanyard.
4 July 2002 Brighter and a lot warmer: actually dared to hang the washing outside! Tom caught a collared dove, leaving me just a pair of wings and feet. Moss rolled in a field that had slurry on it, so I had to bath her and give her a good grooming afterwards.
5 July 2002 Wet and muggy after overnight rain. Tom had left a young rat in the bathroom: thankfully it was dead. Sat in the kitchen and watched a tiny spider throw itself from the sink to one of the kitchen chairs. It must have come in on some roses I'd cut from the garden. It's fascinating the way they spin lines and appear to just launch themselves into space!
6 July 2002 Dry this morning, but very wet underfoot. Pulled a tick off one of the dogs. Tom left a dead rat on the bathroom floor. Only one bat flying round at night now.
7 July 2002 Damp and misty and very mild, almost muggy. The dogs got covered in grass seed across the fields: there is a lot of Yorkshire fog and foxtail grass in full seed. The blackberries are starting to show their fruit, as are the blackthorn bushes and horsechestnuts.
8 July 2002 Heavy drizzle which turned to rain that didn't stop all day: the air was very close and muggy. Saw a green woodpecker flying across the paddock on the deerpark drive. I've seen some flycatchers at the common, but not in our garden so far this year.
9 July 2002 Heavy solid rain nearly all day. The fields were awash, and the dogs didn't seem to enjoy their morning walk at all! A large limb broke off an ash tree in the village, probably from the weight of the water on the leaves. It was part of a big rookery, so at dusk the crows were making a lot of noise wondering where their nests had gone!
10 July 2002 A beautiful summer morning, just as it should be for July. The grass needs mowing, but it's still too wet today.
I wrote too soon: it's now raining again! Is this global warming beginning to take effect?
11 July 2002 Fine for most of the day, but also some drizzle. The foxgloves and lupins in the garden are nearly over, and the giant poppies too. But the daylilies and other poppies will soon be blooming.
12 July 2002 Hot, but quite muggy today, with a couple of drizzly spells. A small working party have been getting the village cricket pitch prepared. Walked the dogs round Dirty Lane and stood for ages admiring a young buzzard.
13 July 2002 Lovely hot sunny day. Cleaned out the spare chickenhouse and disinfected it ready for some new arrivals.Managed to burn most of the garden rubbish on a bonfire, but still couldn't get the Japanese knotweed roots to burn.
14 July 2002 Misty morning: hopefully the sun will burn it off. Saw a bullfinch in the Tanyard. It turned out incredibly hot: Tom spent most of the day lounging under next door's Japanese knotweed.
15 July 2002 Another sunny hot day. Woke to find Tom with a rather large rabbit in the backyard. Picked up two new chicks: they're around 12 weeks old, but I don't know what sex they are. Hopefully they'll both be hens!
16 July 2002 Hot, but cloudy and more likely to thunder or rain as the air is quite heavy. The two new chicks are settling in well: Sage, the cockerel, is in his element and doesn't know which way to turn!
17 July 2002 Quite close today: lots of cloud around, but it stayed dry.Drove to Bridport and saw a lot of buzzards en route. Noticed that much of the maize has got to a certain height and then stopped growing. Possibly it needs some bright sunshine to give it a boost.
18 July 2002 Warm and sunny. Pulled up my pea crop and harvested the few peas thst had developed: not a good year for my veg! Dug half of the 'Rocket' potatoes up: lots of them and a fair size, but sadly very wormy.
19 July 2002 Another beautiful morning. Watched a buzzard sitting in the fir trees in Chick's field. Then it lifted its wings, caught the wind and was off, soaring up and away across towards the deer park. There are so many buzzards about,and the young must be starting to fly as you can often hear them 'mewing'.
20 July 2002 Cooler, but still dry this morning. Took the dogs on their usual early walk and found that the fields between Girt Lane and Dirty Lane had been plastered with dung. The dogs thought it was a lovely treat and rolled around in it: I'm sure they grinned as they did it!
21 July 2002 Cooler and quite cloudy. Moss's coat is shining like jet after her thorough shampooing yesterday! Tom has left me some feathers and a pair of claws in the back hall.
29 July 2002 Hot, hot, hot, starting very misty, but soon burning off and turning to brilliant sunshine. The dogs are not enjoying the heat, especially Moss, being black, and Tom has become very lethargic. Lots of buzzard mews to be heard around the village. There are also a whole family of green woodpeckers.
30 July 2002 Not so warm this morning: clear and very heavy with thunderstorms forecast. My new chicks are growing well and by day are running with the other hens, going back to their own run and house at night. Tom has caught a flycatcher!
31 July 2002 Cooler again, but no sign of the thunderstorms other areas have had. Tom has left a little shrew in the backyard that is black in colour. I almost mistook it for a young mole at first because it is so dark. The Estate have been putting more dung on the fields: the whole village is smelling very pungent!
The rain came, and how!

August
1 August 2002 Very wet underfoot after yesterday's downpour, but clear skies and a very hot day again. Discovered that the weight of the rain had caused both my sumach and part of the old lilacs to split. Spent most of the day tidying the garden up and pruning the hawthorn. The Estate are still spreading dung.
2 August 2002 Fine start this morning, but a lot of dark clouds passing during the day: no rain, however. The Estate have ploughed all three fields between Dirty Lane and Girt Lane that had been plastered with dung. The field beyond Summer Lane also has some dung on it, and the dogs had a great time rolling in it. One of my hens laid an egg no bigger than 2cm in length. Strange, as all of them have been laying since the Spring!
3 August 2002 Clear blue skies this morning. The buzzards were flying and mewing a lot as I let the chickens out. I've started to pull up the broad beans as I harvest them, as they have nearly come to an end. Dug some 'Pink Fir Apple' potatoes to have with our supper: delicious!
4 August 2002 Very overcast and threatening rain. The buzzards are making a lot of noise again. Perhaps the parents are trying to 'push out' the young to get them to be independent? The blackberries in the hedges are starting to swell.
5 August 2002 Lots of rain during the night and very muggy and misty this morning. The air was heavy all day, making me feel very lethargic. More rain this afternoon. The new chicks are nearly fully feathered now, and I'm starting to think that one of them is a cockerel.
6 August 2002 Slightly misty, but dry this morning, the sun soon burning off the mist. Tom caught a blackbird, but we managed to rescue it, and it flew off. He then came back with a dove which he put down in the back hall, but luckily that flew out the door to safety! Put the chicks in the main henhouse with the other hens for the first time this evening.
7 August 2002 A bright hot morning. Lots of buzzards about again. There are sheep at the back of Leggs Ladymeade, so those fields are out of use for dog-walking. Got caught in some torrential rain this afternoon while walking the dogs.
8 August 2002 Very wet underfoot, but no rain yet today. Noticed that the wild damsons and sloes are coming along nicely in the hedgerows. The new chicks have got used to going into the main henhouse at night, so I don't have to persuade them any more!
9 August 2002 Drizzling, but mild again. The ground is saturated like Autumn or Winter. Pulled some of my carrots to have at tea-time: not really carrot-shaped, but so much tastier than shop produce. More heavy rain this afternoon. The dogs played hide and seek in the maize!
10 August 2002 Cooler, but dry so far! Tom has left another shrew by the back door. The dogs found something very smelly across the fields today and rolled in it, so I had to bath them both. Lots of housemartins sitting on electric wires: I hope they're not thinking of flying off already.
11 August 2002 Bright and dry so far, but a lot of cloud is coming over from the west. Found a damselfly sitting on the grass in Chick's Field. It was about 4in across the wingspan, with a similar body length. Rain and heavy drizzle by midday, but it cleared into a sunny evening.
12 August 2002 A beautiful morning, turning into the best day of the month so far. Biscuit, my old lurcher, is not well: she didn't even raise her head off her bed this morning, and her temperature is up. The vet thinks she has gastroenteritis, so it's no food for 24hrs, a shot of antibiotic and as much water as she wants.
13 August 2002 Colder this morning, but still dry. Biscuit is a lot brighter and, after her second visit to the vets, is now allowed to eat a light diet and has a course of antibiotics to take. Found some caterpillars in Chick's Field which I think will turn into peacock butterflies.
14 August 2002 A heavy dew this morning, but nice and bright. Biscuit came for a walk this morning and is almost back to normal, charging about with Moss and scouring the hedgerows for rabbits. Saw a rabbit in the field beyond Summer Lane with myxomatosis, so the disease will probably increase in the area until late Autumn, when it will just seem to stop. It's transmitted by rabbit fleas and also, mechanically, by thistles.
15 August 2002 Very bright sun this morning, not a cloud to be seen and already getting hot: a proper August morning. The chickens have made their own dustbath alongside the stone wall in their run and are using it often in this hot weather. Luckily they also have a lot shade because of the large shrubs in the run.
16 August 2002 Another morning like yesterday. Lots of buzzards around again, both to be seen and heard. Still picking my sweetpeas: I've had loads of them this year. It's lovely to have fresh flowers in the house each day.
17 August 2002 Bright first thing, with a strong warm wind, but it soon clouded over and became colder. Biscuit is completely better and is now behaving like a puppy rather than the eleven-year-old that she is. Noticed that the squirrels have started picking and eating the hazelnuts close to West Hill Farmhouse.
18 August 2002 Heavy, misty drizzle, gradually stopping, but still very muggy. Lots of seagulls sitting on the ploughed and harrowed fields to the west of the village. The afternoon brightened up, and we went off to Corscombe to watch the cricket. Evershot lost.
19 August 2002 A mild morning, but not a bad day, all told. Found lots of fungi appearing both in fields and in scrubby places under the trees at Girt crossroads: some russulas and various forms of coprinus. Tom caught the smallest mouse I've ever seen today and made a lot of noise showing it off to me.
20 August 2002 Bright, but cool today: some cloud, but a few sunny spells as well. Bought two new hens today: a Black Plymouth Rock and a speckled hen, a cross-breed. The Plymouth Rock will probably end up being called 'Evil', as she is very feisty, and the speckled one 'Shadow'. She is very calm and friendly, and quite pale in colour.
21 August 2002 Slightly overcast, but soon turning into a nice day. The new hens are settling well: one has even laid an egg, so the change of home obviously has not upset her. Went to West Bay this evening and saw two large 'tipper' boats being used to help with the new harbour scheme.
22 August 2002 Another lovely day, but not quite as hot as yesterday. Moss and Biscuit are behaving like a pair of puppies, playing tug-o'-war with an old dressing-gown belt. Separated the chickens into two flocks, the two new ones with the two chicks and the rest in the other run.
23 August 2002 A bright clear morning. Tom is back in 'killer' mode, bringing in a succession of assorted vermin. The dogs had fun working the hedges this morning, flushing out pheasant poults and rabbits. A big storm this afternoon, with lightning and thunder, and I was told an inch of rain fell in the two hours it lasted.
24 August 2002 A beautiful morning, but I got very wet walking the dogs because the grass was soaking. Glad to notice that our bat is still around in the dusk of evening.
25 August 2002 A cloudy cool morning that doesn't look very promising. The hens are all settled well, and the new four in the lower run are beginning to stay together as a flock. Lots of wagtails about in the reseeded fields between Girt Lane and Dirty Lane.
26 August 2002 A glorious morning, very bright, but with quite a sharp wind. Biscuit spied a buzzard eating a rabbit, so she chased it off the rabbit and then picked the rabbit up and fled with it. She wouldn't let me take it off her, and so as it was obviously fresh I let her eat it.
27 August 2002 Another bright morning and very still with no wind. Tom caught a pigeon and left just the wings and feet for me to clear up. I tidied up the willow arbour over the garden bench and found that finally the honeysuckle has begun to intertwine with it.
28 August 2002 Beautiful weather again: no clouds in the sky at all. Starting picking my 'tumbler' tomatoes. The dogs are behaving like a pair of puppies again, play-fighting and wrestling each other. Perhaps they use up all their energy in the cool mornings and evenings as they just sleep through the midday heat.
29 August 2002 Nice weather, but signs of a change with more cloud about. Spent some time getting rid of ivy, pruning my weigela and other overhanging shrubs in the lower chickenrun. By the time I've got all the way round, pruning and trimming, I'll have a bonfire heap the size of a small mountain!
30 August 2002 Very misty and drizzly this morning, but still mild. The mist hung around most of the day, turning to heavy rain in the evening. The chickens are still laying well, especially 'Evil', but Tiddler is not looking very happy: she stays away from the others a lot, looking quite hunched up.
31 August 2002 Very wet underfoot after last night's rain, but a lot brighter this morning. Lots of fungi have appeared overnight, and there is a large bracket fungus on the oaktree at the top of Summer Lane which I want to identify.

September
1 September 2002 A beautiful morning, clear and bright, with a slight wind from the north-east. Saw a hot-air balloon coming from the same direction, which as I walked the dogs got closer and closer. It dipped down very low across new grass leys and had to turn its burners on to pass Girt crossroads. As it did this the dogs became very panicky and took off, fleeing as fast as they could. Luckily they came back when I called them, but I had to put Biscuit, my old lurcher, on her lead as she was clearly terrified of this enormous whooshing monster.
2 September 2002 Another nice morning, but there is an autumnal feel about it. This evening I walked the dogs down from Girt Lane and watched a pair of young buzzards eyeing up some rabbits nervously foraging close under a hedge. Eventually the rabbits ran into the hedge, and the buzzards flew off to an ash tree close by, possibly to wait for the rabbits to return.
3 September 2002 Misty and chilly, gradually deteriorating to rain by mid afternoon. The ivy trunk that I cut on my holly bush must have been the only trunk: all the ivy is now dying, giving the holly a chance to survive as it appeared to be really struggling.
4 September 2002 Muggy, misty and wet underfoot after last night's rain. The sheep have gone from behind Legg's, and so I took the dogs out there this afternoon. Lots of young pheasants about and a large patch of brooklime in flower behind Barr Hill.
5 September 2002 A nice autumn morning. Lots of pheasants about, again at the back of Legg's. Noticed the buzzards were watching them again. More fungi popping up all over the place.
6 September 2002 Another good morning, but with a slight nip in the air. The ram that I'm looking after for a friend managed to get out. But after a bit of work extending the electric fence he is back in his paddock and hopefully unable to escape!
7 September 2002 Beautifully sunny and bright, but a heavy dew. Another hot-air balloon was about when I walked the dogs this morning, but thankfully a long way off, and the dogs didn't notice it. Tom is catching a lot of mice.
8 September 2002 Bright and fine. The sloes at the footpath entrance to Chicks Field are beginning to soften, so they will soon be ready for picking. Lots of good-sized blackberries about. The ram has stayed put in his paddock, but gives me a filthy look every time I check on him!
9 September 2002 Pouring with really heavy rain. Most of the drains in the street are starting to block with silt and early autumn leaves. Tom has stayed indoors all day: he obviously doesn't like hunting in wet weather.
10 September 2002 Fine again after yesterday's downpour. Swanage got it a lot worse than us, though, with quite severe flooding after nearly 5 inches of rain in 24hrs. Tom is back out hunting, presenting me with a squirrel this evening.
11 September 2002 Warm and bright today. Tom left a mole for me this morning, outside in the backyard next to last night's squirrel. The hens are starting to moult: at least, I hope that's what it is, as they are losing feathers at an alarming rate.
12 September 2002 Very hot: I think we are having an 'Indian Summer'. The hens' laying average is dropping, as are their feathers. There must be something I can use all their feathers for: it seems such a waste. Tom is back catching mice again.
13 September 2002 A beautiful morning: not a cloud in the sky. Biscuit and Moss are behaving like a pair of puppies, play-fighting and chasing each other around. Managed to mow the grass as it had got quite long again.
14 September 2002 Bright and clear, but quite chilly: typical autumn. Went and looked for sloes across the fields, found some absolute beauties and picked them. There are now sheep eating off the new ley next to Girt crossroads.
15 September 2002 Peculiar weather this morning, a northerly wind having driven the dew away, but quite thick high cloud. Lots of pheasants at the back of Legg's again. Speckles, my Speckled Sussex hen, is now almost completely bald through moulting and looks very peculiar.
16 September 2002 A beauty of a morning, cloudless, sunny and clear, really warm for the time of year. Moss got so hot from running this morning that she had to soak herself in a water trough. Pruned the rest of the raspberry canes this afternoon.
17 September 2002 Bright and fine again, but not nearly as warm. The dogs chased a rabbit in the maize on the south side of Holway Lane. I had to walk around the perimeter as the footpath has been completely seeded over and is impossible to find.
18 September 2002 Dry and fine, with lots of very heavy dew. Buffy is now moulting, and Speckles is quite bald, so I've increased the bedding in the henhouse for a bit of warmth. Heard a loud tapping in an old oak tree next to Barr Hill, and after looking for ages I spied a nuthatch hammering away at a dead branch.
19 September 2002 Dry, but quite dark and overcast this morning. Finally managed to prune my clematis on the fence bordering our neighbours': better late than never! The hens are now running as one flock: hopefully Sage, my year-old cockerel, will not pick on the young cock too much. The sparrows seem to be gathering around the chicken runs a lot. There must have been over 40 of them there today waiting to glean the chickens' corn.
20 September 2002 Wet, dark and horrid. The 'Indian Summer' seems to have come to an end. Watched a handful of seagulls flying over from the south.Tom is still catching mice at a rate of knots. All the hens are getting along well.
21 September 2002 Bright and dry this morning, turning very sunny and warm. One of my new 'point-of-lay' hens has started laying shell-less eggs. I've increased the grit I'm feeding, but it's still happening. Hopefully she will eventually lay proper eggs. Pruned the rosemary, rue and mint and cut down my fennel in the garden.
22 September 2002 Another promising start to the day: clear and fine, but chilly. The new hen has finally laid a proper egg, shell and all! It's a bit small and somewhat lumpy, but it's a proper egg. The bat is still flying around the back of the house at dusk.
23 September 2002 A nice morning, but with a very heavy dew and a strong chill. Heard the stags 'roaring' for the first time this autumn, so the rut must have begun. We have started lighting the fire in the evenings to keep off the chill night air.
24 September 2002 Dry and clear: lots of crisp leaves underfoot. A number of different fungi popping up all over the place, but no field mushrooms as yet. Spent some time this afternoon tidying up the veg patch and digging out buttercups, nettles and what was left of the sweetpeas.
25 September 2002 A glorious morning with bright sun, but looking from the top of Chick's Field Yeovil and Sherborne were hidden in mist. Heard more stags roaring and bellowing this morning, and then this evening the does were screaming.
26 September 2002 Another nice morning and still no rain. Spent a while tidying up the veg patch and the borders. Went logging at a friend's farm and spent quite a while looking at various fungi that had formed on the beech logs: porcelain fungus, jews ears and coral spot fungus, to name a few.
27 September 2002 Not so bright today and a bit colder. No sign of the swallows: I'm wondering if they have flown. Speckles is beginning to sprout new feathers and looks most peculiar. The nights are really drawing in now and getting quite chill.
28 September 2002 Bright and dry, but very chilly. Later it warmed up considerably. Spent a while in the new garden burning my bonfire and watching buzzards on the thermals overhead. Botht the dogs were with me, and before long Tom turned up as well, but decided to remain sitting in the chicken run.
29 September 2002 Another beautiful morning with bright sunshine and only a slight breeze. I saw some swallows flying very high this morning, so they haven't flown yet. Cut down the buddleia in the new garden. Speckles, one of my hens, caught a slowworm this afternoon and was chased all round the run by the other hens.
30 September 2002 A bright morning, if a bit chilly. Walked to the cricket pitch this afternoon with the dogs and was stunned by the amount of blackberries about. Saw a large dragonfly on the pitch and also heard the nuthatch tapping away.

October
1 October 2002 A damp misty start to the day, gradually deteriorating to steady rain from midday onwards. Some farmers on the Dorset/Somerset border have started harvesting their maize. Tom caught a sparrow in the chicken run. Sheep are now in Chick's Field.
2 October 2002 A truly autumnal morning, with mist in the valleys and sunshine above them. Mussolini, my Polish bantam, appears to have stopped laying, so only Shadow and Evil are in lay: both of them produce brown eggs. The swallows are still around, as is the bat.
3 October 2002 Bright and dry, but with a heavy dew, turning into another nice day. The sun wasn't strong enough to dry the dew to let me mow the grass, so that will have to wait. Noticed that the grapes on my vine have suddenly started to ripen.
4 October 2002 Another beautiful autumnal morning, with mist in the valleys and a heavy dew. Lots of big spiders' webs clearly visible, with 'jewels' of dew, on gates, hung between tall blades of grass and in the hedges.
5 October 2002 Bright and sunny, and quite mild. As I sat in the garden this morning, watching the sparrows pinching the chickens' corn, I saw a jay fly from Back Lane, across the garden towards Fore Street. I could also hear the green woodpecker somewhere.
6 October 2002 Lovely again, bright, clear, dry with a slight dew. The mole has returned to the garden, turning up soil from the bank which is spilling on to the path. Lots of mackerel are being caught at West Bay, unusually large amounts for the last fortnight apparently.
7 October 2002 Bright again, but getting chillier. Found two field mushrooms, the first on Estate land for many years. The hens are beginning to stop laying, presumably because of the shortening daylight.
8 October 2002 How much longer will this weather go on? It's lovely once again and still no sign of rain. Spent most of the afternoon 'logging', fetching home loads of sawn ash and stocking it ready for the winter. No sign of the swallows, swifts or house martins: they must finally have flown.
9 October 2002 Dry and a bit misty with a cold breeze. I planted 50 daffodils in the new garden, along the front of the lower chicken run and around the lilac bushes. The ground is very dry: we need some rain soon.
10 October 2002 Cold again, but still no rain. The Estate are busily harvesting the maize, probably trying to get it all in before the weather breaks, and cutting the field side of the hedges. The sheep in Chick's Field have been moved on to one of the new leys next to St Blaize. Spent another afternoon logging: satisfying work, especially once you have finished stacking the logs and you can see your stockpile of wood.
11 October 2002 Dry and chilly with a lot of cloud. Heard unusual birdcalls when I let the chickens out, so I stopped to see what it was and saw a whole colony of longtailed tits. I've never seen them right in the village before. Rain, finally, in the evening and through the night.
12 October 2002. Cold, but bright after last night's rain. More sheep have appeared at the back of Legg's. Found some more field mushrooms. Lots of garden spiders about near to the back of the house, building large strong webs all over the place, seemingly overnight. Saw a spotted woodpecker in the field beyond Summer Lane.
13 October 2002 Wet and dark, but very still. Found some more field mushrooms this morning. The dogs didn't mind the rain, but I got soaked. The hens spent most of the day hiding in their houses.
14 October 2002 Cold, but dry after a stormy night, brightening up into a nice autumn day. Tom left me a mouse head and gall bladder in the back hall. Tried to light the bonfire, but it was too wet. Made a large batch of mincemeat ready for Christmas.
15 October 2002 Pouring with rain and blowing a gale, but the dogs didn't seem to mind one bit. The chickens were quite reluctant to come out for their morning feed. Fore Street had a torrent flowing down it from West Hill, with the drains quickly blocking because of all the leaves.
16 October 2002 A nice still dry sunny morning after yesterday's storm. The only sign of rain and wind is all the debris left on the road: sand, grit, gravel and leaves. Tom is catching mice again, two so far today.
17 October 2002 Cold, but dry and fine. Lots of crows circling about, and one or two magpies. The sheep are being moved around all the different leys as they're getting stirred up very quickly now that they wet. Lay in the bath listening to an owl outside the window.
18 October 2002 Dry and fine again, but getting very cold. My new cockerel is getting very stroppy, so I think the cooking pot is not far away! He is avoiding the other cock, Sage, but is being vicious towards the other hens. Lit the front room fire early because of the cold.
19 October 2002 A hard frost, the first this autumn: a beautiful clear sunny morning. Had a lovely walk over Barr Hill and the fields at the back of Ladymeade (Legg's). Lots of small birds in the garden: wrens, robins, sparrows, blue tits, great tits and longtailed tits, chaffinches and a very cheeky magpie. Finally managed to cut down the annoying hawthorn bush which was blocking a lot of light from the top chicken run.
20 October 2002 Blustery winds, but mild and damp. Watched some crows being blown across the skies, caught out by the wind. Lots of bright red berries on the holly bushes around the village. A lot of the blackberries have gone 'over' now, falling off the bushes or turning to a mouldy ball.
21 October 2002 Dark, but mild, with gusting winds and showers. My bonfire in the garden is still glowing red among the ashes despite all the rain of last night. Tom caught two mice and a rabbit today.
22 October 2002 Horrible, pouring rain, gusting wind and getting colder. Spent some time trying to identify various bugs, vermin and butterflies that I've seen over the summer or that Tom has caught. The funny little browny/grey mice that Tom has caught lately are actually either field or bank voles, with small unnoticeable ears and extremely small tails. The caterpillar I found in the summer trying to cross Fore Street was an elephant hawkmoth.
23 October 2002 Lovely weather, back to a dry bright, but cold morning, just as autumn should be. The bright orangey red sun threw an incredible light on the drying oak leaves, making them look like gold. Lots of pheasants in the fields behind Leggs (Ladymeade).
24 October 2002 Frosty, dry and bright. The sheep from Chick's Field have moved to Summer Lane Field. Tom has been catching a rabbit a day for the last few days. Walked down the waterworks with the dogs this afternoon, and I could smell a stinkhorn fungus, but couldn't see it anywhere.
25 October 2002 Quite stormy and threatening rain, but not cold. Mussolini, my Pekin bantam, looks a sorry state having lost most of the feathers on her head and a lot elsewhere! Lots of heavy showers this evening.
26 October 2002 Dry and sunny, with no sign of more rain - yet. Mowed the garden, possibly for the last time this year. Potted up all my outdoor pelargoniums and brought them indoors for the winter. Tom caught more mice: the population must be dwindling!
27 October 2002 Very stormy, but we have been warned by the met. office for the last few days. Some slates have been blown off roofs in the village, and a few small branches are lying around. We appear to have got off lightly compared with other parts of the country: the storm is being likened to the one in 1987.
28 October 2002 A lovely bright clear morning and very calm. Watched a squirrel leaping through some hazel branches opposite West Hill Farmhouse. Common Ground, having had its maize harvested, is now being ploughed, unusually though up and down the hill, not across it. It will be interesting to see how much water runs off it, with how much topsoil, if it rains.
29 October 2002 Cloudy, but dry and still. The birds have started attacking the ripe berries on our hollybush. Got my Christmas puddings and cake made. Spent some time gathering up leaves in the chicken runs.
30 October 2002 Thick, thick fog, barely 100 yards visibility. The Albertine rambling rose is flowering again, not like a full summer bloom, but over a dozen rosebuds are opening out. At this rate I will have no holly berries left by the weekend, the birds are stripping them so quickly.
31 October 2002 Another murky morning, but not quite as bad as yesterday. The holly berries are still vanishing! Gave the henhouses a good autumn cleaning, changing all the bedding in the nest boxes and checking for any leaks in the roofing, etc. Carved a pumpkin for the children and cooked up the waste for the chickens, who must have thought all their Christmases had come at once, the way they devoured it!

November
1 November 2002 Damp and misty, soon turning to heavy showers which lifted the mist. Tom has obviously had a rabbit as he waddled in, barely able to walk, slumping on the floor to sleep it off. Three cock pheasants were roosting in the garden as I shut the chickens up for the night.
2 November 2002 Heavy rain with some mist, but very mild. Saw the green woodpecker this morning. Thick fog descended by mid afternoon. The dogs took no notice of the fireworks in the village this evening.
3 November 2002 Bright and dry, but very wet underfoot. The small stream at the bottom of Barr Hill has returned. Lots of pigeons about under the oak trees: I wonder if they eat the acorns.
4 November 2002 Dry, bright and very still after the past blustery weather. Tried to plant my crocus corms, but the ground is far too wet, and I think they might rot. The birds have stopped picking at the holly berries.
5 November 2002 Damp and drizzly, but very mild again, mist coming in as the day progressed. Tiddler, my Belgian d'Anvers bantam, has problems with her good eye now. I'm afraid she may have to be put down if she becomes completely blind.
6 November 2002 Very wet, continual rain for most of the day, but luckily no mist. Lots of small varieties of fungi have started appearing on Barr Hill: I shall have to try and identify some of them. Tiddler has worsened overnight, so I have put her out of her misery.
7 November 2002 A beautiful bright dry morning with quite a chilly wind. The temperature is lowering to the seasonal norm. Managed to walk right round Dirty Lane despite it being very wet underfoot and part of the path, before the cricket pitch entrance, being blocked by a fallen ash limb.
8 November 2002 Raining again, but no mist or fog as the wind is beginning to gust. The fungi on Barr Hill are mainly wax caps: the meadow wax cap and blackening wax cap are two that I've managed to identify. Elsewhere, in Chick's Field, there are some varieties of panaeolus, but as all of them are so similar I can't work out quite which sort they are.
9 November 2002 Not raining yet, but threatening to. Found some amethyst deceiver (Laccaria amethystea) today. They are supposed to be edible and are starting to appear in supermarkets' 'wild' mushroom packs, but so far I've not tried them. The chickens all decided to get on top of their house today. Quite a funny sight: shame I didn't have a camera on me!
10 November 2002 Raining again and very misty, but really very mild. The chickens should be getting webbed feet to cope with the slushiness of their runs. So far today Tom has brought me a house-mouse and a vole! The rain certainly hasn't put him off hunting.
11 November 2002 Remembrance Day. A bright sunny morning, but turning to heavy rain by early afternoon. Tom is still in hunting mode, catching more mice and voles today. The Rambling Rector rose has become detached from the pergola and lilac bush, so I must find time to tie it back.
12 November 2002 Pouring with rain again this morning: there is quite a pool of water at the top of one of the new leys, between Dirty Lane and Girt Lane, and a visible stream of water crossing the field below Girt Lane crossroads. Lots of peculiar fungi again, many different sorts.
13 November 2002 Drier this morning and colder. Lots of floods between Evershot and Dorchester. The hens are beginning to look fed up with the wet, so I fed them some sweetcorn for a treat. Very heavy rain this evening and through the night.
14 November 2002 Bright and sunny: debris from the rain of last night lying all over the main street. Watched a pair of buzzards just sitting in the middle of a field. Biscuit, my old lurcher, caught a rabbit with severe myxomatosis. The crater in Summer Lane field is flooded, something I've not seen in 20 years of living in Evershot. Moss spent an enjoyable time haring backwards and forwards through the water.
15 November 2002 Wet again. The leaves are blocking the drains in the street, causing flooding at the Common and down West Hill. Took the dogs out at the back of Leggs (Ladymeade) and met Tom hunting rabbits.
16 November 2002 Misty and damp. Lots of fungi in Chick's Field. The badgers have been busy in the new leys scratching around for food. Drove to Dorchester: lots of flooding on the road and fields from Grimstone all the way to Dorchester. Counted 16 swans on the watermeadows.
17 November 2002 Damp and drizzly, with a bit of low mist. Watched a bluetit pecking at the render of next-door's wall. I think I'll have to separate my two cock birds, not because they're fighting, but Sage, my little Wyandotte cock, is picking on and bullying the younger, but much larger one (no name yet!).
18 November 2002 Bright, still and dry, with a light mist lingering in the valleys. Biscuit and Moss are both in a very playful mood, teasing each other and chasing around like puppies.
19 November 2002 Dry at the moment, and I walked the dogs without getting wet, but the sky looks threatening. Loads of fungi about again: rusulas, wax caps, shaggy pholiota, Liberty caps and a variety of coprinus (ink caps), but no more field mushrooms.
20 November 2002 Back to rain again with some low cloud. Lots of localised flooding, and the fields are completely waterlogged. The new leys at the west end of the village are starting to turn yellow, either through being waterlogged or because of leaching.
21 November 2002 Wet again, but no mist. A type of puffball, Lycoperdon family, has appeared in Chick's Field. The poor hens are starting to look really fed up: perhaps I should put a feed bowl in each house so they can stay out of the rain. My Polish bantam is getting her crown pecked again.
22 November 2002 This is getting tedious: rain again, along with some hail as well! Watched a pheasant walk along the high pavement and into the garden of the post office, strutting along like he was out for an afternoon stroll. Saw a rainbow in a brief respite from the rain.
23 November 2002 Thunder and lightning very early this morning, followed by showers all day. Tom caught a very large female rat: it's the time of year for them to be looking for a winter home. Biscuit, my old lurcher, is quite lame on her front left, so I shall have to keep a close eye on her for a couple of days.
24 November 2002 Showers again, but fewer and lighter. Walked through the deer park and saw a pair of red stags fighting, with a group of hinds watching. Lots of fungi in rings in the deer park and higher corn park.
25 November 2002 Foggy, but soon burning off to a bright sunny morning. Saw a pair of nuthatches by the Common. Walking Biscuit only once a day seems to be paying off, as her limp has gone.
26 November 2002 Windy, but as yet dry. Tom has caught two moles in two days: they must be having to find higher ground or risk being flooded out! Spoke too soon: rain again this afternoon. My young cock bird is nearly twice the size of the hens, but is still not putting on any meat.
27 November 2002 Stormy and very dark with gusting wind. Lots of deer at the west end of the village, in the park adjoining the new leys. The stags look magnificent, strutting about with their ladies.
28 November 2002 Rain again: I'm thinking of building an ark! Finally the last leaves have fallen from the grapevine, so I will be able to prune it properly following the right lines, even if it is a little late.
29 November 2002 Dry, bright and chilly: much more seasonal. Walked down to the cricket pitch this afternoon and noticed that a lot of the brambles in Dirty Lane are flowering. Tom caught another mole.
30 November 2002 A very red sky this morning, and then mist lowered quickly, only to disappear just as fast. Lots of small birds around, wrens, tits, sparrows etc, and at the Common I saw a pair of nuthatches again.

December
1 December 2002 Wet early on. The hens were quite reluctant to come out this morning: they seem to be as fed up with the rain as everyone else.
2 December 2002 Dry, but with a very cold wind. Saw some birds which could have been redstarts or thrushes, but they flew away too quickly for me to identify. Took the dogs out to Summer Lane field and nearly sank: the ground is the wettest I've ever known it.
3 December 2002 Breezy, but dry, with the temperature getting lower. Spent some time in the garden planting crocuses and pruning back large clumps of ivy on top of the bakery garden wall. Despite ending up with an enormous pile of ivy to burn, I've only managed to clear about 4ft of wall.
4 December 2002 Very wet this morning, but clearing to a bright though chilly day. Saw a few cormorants amongst the swans at the watermeadows by Dorchester. Tom caught another vole and a housemouse.
5 December 2002 Not quite cold enough for a frost this morning, but more seasonal: bright and dry. Was pleasantly surprised to find that the footpath entrance at the bottom of Chick's Field has had a 'make-over'. Not only have steps been cut into the steep muddy bank, but also a handrail has been installed.
6 December 2002 Cold and dark, with a threatening sky. Coming back from walking the dogs this morning I met Tom in Back Lane. He stopped what he was doing, greeted and fussed around the dogs, and then followed us home. My robin has been around a lot in the garden today, possibly looking for extra food because of the cold.
7 December 2002 Very dark again, cold and damp with a strong easterly wind. The snipe are back at the western edge of the village. One of my clematis, 'Freckles', is in full flower.
8 December 2002 Cold and dark, the wind still from the east. Saw the snipe again this morning, a group of about 10. They're are hard to count because of the way they jink.
9 December 2002 Colder again, but dry. Not only is one of my clematis in flower, but also one of the ramblers is producing a few small flowers. Tom caught a large vole again. Saw my little robin in the chickenrun, looking very fluffed up against the cold, so I've started putting out a little feed for him on top of the chicken house.
10 December 2002 Freezing: all the hens' drinkers are frozen solid, so I've had to move them inside their houses. A few small snow flurries, but only enough to dust the ground. All the wild birds are looking around for food, possibly taken by surprise by the extreme cold.
11 December 2002 Slightly warmer and not much ice, but dark and windy, making it feel much colder than it really is. The hens spent most of today in their houses, but they are still laying eggs despite the weather. Tom spent most of the day in front of the fire!
12 December 2002 Milder, dark and wet: back to misty foggy weather. We have a bluetit coming to the back of the house looking for the feeder that we put out other years: I must get some wild bird feed and rehang the feeder.
13 December 2002 Wet, dark, mild and miserable. Walked out across the field beyond Summer Lane this afternoon and saw a dead sheep in the next field, below Golden Cross. Dark very early again this evening: roll on the 21st when the days will start to get longer again!
14 December 2002 The weather is becoming quite depressing: damp, dank and dark with no sign of a nice hard frost or bright spell. Tom has been after voles again, proudly bringing them up the garden path along with great tufts of grass which I presume he rips up as he catches them.
15 December 2002 Very dark and damp again! Heavy drizzle. Some peculiar little orange fungi growing near the hedge in the new ley by Girt Lane.
16 December 2002 Windy and cold. Drove across the Levels in Somerset, and it looked so bleak: quite depressing. My primroses in the back garden are putting up buds and so will be flowering for Christmas. (They are true primroses, not primulas!)
17 December 2002 Very cold: quite a frost, ice on the hens' water, so I will have to move the drinkers inside the henhouses to thaw them out. Fed the robin again: he's getting quite cheeky, coming very close to me.
18 December 2002 Another frost and quite a strong wind making it feel even colder. The dogs had fun rabbiting in the hedgerows this morning. Tom is eating us out of house and home: I presume he's not catching much at the moment.
19 December 2002 Milder and damp with a slight breeze. My holly tree was almost completely stripped of berries a month or more ago, but the few that remain I shall leave for the birds anyway, as it doesn't seem fair to cut them to decorate the house. The robin is getting even more friendly.
20 December 2002 Extremely dark this morning, and very mild and muggy. The chickens didn't want to come out. Moss found the scent of a fox and then chased it in Chick's Field. She eventually came back with a big grin on her face.
21 December 2002 Misty and mild after last night's very thick fog.The small puffball fungi in Chick's Field have just about finished their cycle and send up clouds of spores if you poke them. A strong smell of F.Y.M. around the village: someone must be slurrying. Heavy rain this evening.
22 December 2002 Very mild, but clear and dry. No sign of my robin this morning. Tom caught two voles again today. There must have been a large population of them this year.
23 December 2002 Mild, but windy and turning to a heavy drizzle which eventually became heavy rain. My white rambler rose is still flowering on the trellis, and the primroses are starting to open.
24 December 2002 Mild again, but with a southwesterly wind. Three eggs today, so either Buffy or Speckles must have begun to lay again after their moult. Watched what I think was a cormorant fly over the village this afternoon. Rain again this evening.
25 December 2002 Very mild with a bit of drizzle. My robin has returned in the new garden, so I shall keep putting a bit of corn on top of one of the fence posts for him. Moss ran around like a mad thing this morning and then threw herself into a watertrough to cool off!
26 December 2002 Slightly colder today, but mainly because of the strong wind. Speckles is the hen that has started laying again. Tom kept well away today: he's very wary of visitors, and we had a house full.
27 December 2002 Damp and dark: still no sign of a sunny winter's day.The hens' runs are completely saturated. I have now got two different rambling roses blooming, along with pot marigolds in the veg patch and primroses in the border!
28 December 2002 Very dark again this morning. Caught, killed, plucked and dressed the young cock bird. Sadly he was getting overbullied by all the hens and Sage, and nobody wants a cockerel as a pet. Heavy rain in the late evening.
29 December 2002 Dark and misty with a slight drizzle. The dogs had a whale of a time hunting rabbits in the hedges this morning. Now that I've only one cockerel, I am going to put all the hens into one house at night. It took a bit of time and patience, but eventually they all went in together tonight.
30 December 2002 Very very dark and misty, turning to pouring rain. The dogs and I got completely soaked this morning. Tom appears to be very nervous all of a sudden, as if he's had a fright. All the hens went in tonight without my having to round them up.
31 December 2002 Dark again, but reasonably dry, apart, of course, from underfoot! Tom still very jumpy, and also his catflap is broken, which doesn't help. The dogs had another good time working the hedges for rabbits, but not catching any. Biscuit shredded her right ear, but not badly, and Moss cut one of her pads, but to see their faces it was obvious that they were happy.