Cold but dry week and Carol singing

As I mentioned last week on Thursday we went Carol Singing around the village farms. We all met at the village hall with our cars. Previous years there have only been a handful of singers, but this year, there were 7 cars full of carol singers. We started at one end of the village and then worked our way back to the A171 then to Tranmire, followed by the farms along the A171, then back to Brian and Jackie's for supper. There was one hairy moment, going to one of the farms at Tranmire, up a steep drive, one of the cars very nearly went over the edge when we were leaving, trying to do a 3 point turn!!!!
At Brian and Jackie's we had to sing for our supper, there was only one carol to sing, While Sheppard's watch their flocks by night to the tune of On Ilkley Moor b'tat. Well what else do you expect from Yorkshire Carol Singers!!!! It was a good night, there was plenty of food and alcohol to lubricate the old vocal cords. We finally got to be at 1 o'clock, not good when the alarm goes off at 5am for me to go to work!!!!!
This week the weather has been cold but dry so Tim has been able to rattle on with the fencing in the wooded area, it's not been easy as he's had to cut the lower branches off the conifer hedge to get the wire in place as well as cut back a very badly rotten hawthorn hedge. There's just the other side to stretch a wire along and fit a new gate, which has been ordered, then we will be able to put some sheep in to keep the grass down.
This weekend we finally cut the conifer hedge between the yard and the wooded area, to 4ft high. It's something we've been wanting to do for some time and what a difference it's made, the winter sun is now able to shine on the house and yard. There were 6 trailer loads of conifer hedge and once we got the fire going, there is very little of the conifer left.
With this cold weather the ewes are going through a bale of hay a day and looking at their paddocks it's time to move them, a job for next weekend when we take Hector and Charlie out. Charlie has covered all but 4 0f the Wiltshire Horn ewes, it's tempting to leave him in with them, but as it is we'll be lambing up to the end May, if we leave him in much longer than next weekend, we'll be lambing in June!!! We'll let the ewes have access to the common land, which has a good growth of grass on it. We'll also give them access to the barn for shelter, it will make feeding them easier and it will get the ewes used to the barn in readiness for lambing.
We will try and have a restful Christmas Day, but we'll still have all the animals to feed, water and hay to check and to be honest, if it's a mild and dry day, it's tempting to be outside working.
All that remains to say is to wish you all a Happy Christmas and I'll post as usual next weekend.