Rescuing a turkey and making a new flyscreen

One of the attractions here at Fairfields Farm is the opportunity to meet some of their

Friendly Kune Kune piglets 

animals and fowl. As well as a lovely pond with geese, the aforementioned ducks, and some coots/moorhens (we're not sure which), there is also a small fishing lake and between the two is a wide grass path with enclosures either side. We wandered along yesterday afternoon in the sunshine and saw various chickens, peacocks and turkeys, Pygmy goats, brown sheep, shetland ponies and a much bigger palomino pony, and Kune Kune pigs. These pigs are apparently a particularly friendly breed and we were delighted when three piglets came enthusiastically rushing over to meet us as we approached. They do have very wiry coats though so weren't very enticing to stroke and lost interest when they realised we had no food for them! We also saw a vividly striped dragonfly that stayed perfectly still long enough for Dave to get the great photo below.

My turkey rescue was of a young white feathered bird which had somehow managed to get out onto the path. It was anxiously running back and forth trying to get back through the wire, but without the ability, or perhaps the sense, to fly back over. Dave has previously kept chickens so knows the theory of catching birds! We slowly moved in from opposite sides and I managed to catch it and help it back over the fence. The episode reminded me of one time years ago when our cat had brought a starling in and let it go. The poor bird was hiding behind the toilet pedestal and I had to retrieve and lift it to the open bathroom window from which it flew away with a happy chirrup.

Also on an animal related note, I walked into Eastbourne yesterday - four-ish miles in about an hour and a quarter - partly for some last minute shopping and partly to see my friend Kerry's new shop. She has recently taken over a unit in the Enterprise Centre (behind Eastbourne station) and opened Grand Wagglys pet shop. There's lots of equipment and toys for dogs, cats and other pets. If you're passing, pop in and say hello!

C and H Fabrics was another stop off yesterday for some white velcro to complete my new homemade flyscreen for the door. I was inspired by one I saw on a nearby caravan when we stayed at Tavira in February. It was a curtain of pale chiffon-like material with glittering gold threads running through it which looked great as they caught the sun. Unfortunately, when I tried to get a similar fabric, it was surprisingly expensive and needed to be ordered in. I hadn't left enough time for that but was lucky to spot the right sized offcut of a Manhattan design net curtain for just £2! I've hemmed the two rough sides and sewn velcro along the top. The other side of the velcro is self-adhesive and is now stuck across Bailey's wall above the doorframe. The pack was £3.69 so we now have a flyscreen for the door for jyst £5.69 and a couple of hours' work. As the only one on the official Bailey parts website is nearly £200, I'm pretty pleased with that! It does need a bit more weight at the bottom so I might try and fing some nice beads in Spain and maybe embroider it with simple designs like the Indalo Man.

Vivid dragonfly