We have some new puppies!

In amongst a very hectic week with Graham visiting primary schools around Moray, and me having to do a bit more animal work, our Golden Retriever has had her puppies! She had seven but the first and the last ones died. So we have five beautiful little things growing very rapidly.The first puppy was stuck so we took Holly to the vets and he injected something to help her get it out. Then she had one in the consulting room, one in the waiting room and one in the car! Finally we got her home and she had the rest in relative peace.

Spring is trying to arrive here's a picture of our first crocus. The weather is wet and windy the storm thats hit the rest of the country is hitting us, but isn't as bad as many of the winds we get here...but it is very wet!

Clearing up the garden ready for the new year

Just getting the vegetable plot ready with a little help from the sheep.

Well finding time to do this isn't easy but I will write a little just to get things started.
A usual day will start about 6.30am as I wake up with the baby and feed him whilst trying to clear up from the night before . I take the dogs out and Graham get the kids up while I make their lunches. I clear up inside the house whilst Graham feeds all the hungry faces outside and gives them a quick clear out[Most the clearing out of pens is done on a Saturday morning.
My four year old Jacob gets up late and I take him to play group and get back to have a break and meeting with Graham to decide on the days events. We check the diary and move on with whatever throughout the day. This may include Graham writing,business paperwork,my drawing,making soaps or balms, ringing suppliers,organising show dates,workshops,updating the websites,checking email,promotion work in any area of the business and of course trying to find any grant or otherwise to keep us afloat. Most of the work with animals we try to do on a Saturday, we collect eggs of course each day and any animals for slaughter usually go Mon or Tuesday. Their may be time required to milk the cow, clip the sheeps wool or feet, and repair all the fencing that has been damaged by animals or the weather in the summer and autumn.
The weather here does take its toll, heavy rain and winds damage fences and move fence posts as the ground gets so wet, the pink walls of our croft need doing every couple of years worn down by the salt spray winds. Preparation of the garden is kept to a minimum during winter as its so wet but usually Graham plants trees this time of year .We speak with schools to organise visits and Graham practices his
presentations and his music regularly. The children are back by 3.30pm and of course our little boy has to come back from playgroup at 12.00. Regular feeds for the baby by whoever is least busy, and lunch are also squeezed in. Of course homework, we always sit down to dinner with kids no matter how busy we are. Then maybe some transporting of children to different places groups [scouts,cubs,critters club etc] or friends houses . Feed the animals again[no not the children] Take it in turns to carry on with work while the other helps tidy up and gets the children to bed. Depending on dead lines more work in the evening till 11pm ish and sometimes we even watch some tele.......phew! But then again no day is quite the same and if one of us is ill
it can quickly get ...serious. I'll talk more soon Rebecca

How we manage to do it all?

Hi, My name is Rebecca and I live and work on a croft in Scotland. We often get asked how we manage to keep things together and over the next few weeks I hope to let you know...sometimes we're not sure ourselves! There are seven of us here my husband Graham, our children ; Jordan,Gaby,Zach.Jacob and Joshua and of course me.
We own a few animals to; Horses, cows,sheep.pigs,turkeys,geese,chickens,ducks,doves,cats,dogs and I'm sure a few hidden extra's!
I am an Equestrian artist, animal portrait artist, and children's book illustrator, I run a small business making specialised natural skin balms and buffalo milk soap, look after the children and animals and occassionally do some relief teaching assistant work.
My husband also looks after the animals and children and looks after most of the paperwork and computer stuff. He's author of children's books, a story teller, and a musician. He tends our vegetable and herb gardens too when he has a minute. Anyway together with our children we enjoy ourselves ...most of the time here on our croft.