tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90696423812576771272024-03-13T05:24:34.357+00:00Watermill Cottages Blog... as you relax and revitalise ... Five comfy old stone cottages, for a self-catering holiday away from it all on the gentle green banks of a shallow, splashing trout stream in over thirteen acres by an eighteenth-century former watermill. Dog-friendly, just a mile inland from Blackpool Sands, Slapton Sands, the South Devon Coastal Path and beautiful Start Bay, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-57493221673424443052015-08-13T16:57:00.003+01:002015-08-14T15:06:49.400+01:00Nature red in tooth and claw ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7C9whPvxUT2QIePv9HZzl9Xr2nU0FIAgvaERPidpFHVYr3iUNcTSL3aRi2shdSwIlp_MAlhSmWYCbkk8J18ZC5e9ZzRrcEvo5ui0LvDJfnRdFDK1528vhkWjVb7NIQ5GRcUdx94u3UA/s1600/Kingfisher+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7C9whPvxUT2QIePv9HZzl9Xr2nU0FIAgvaERPidpFHVYr3iUNcTSL3aRi2shdSwIlp_MAlhSmWYCbkk8J18ZC5e9ZzRrcEvo5ui0LvDJfnRdFDK1528vhkWjVb7NIQ5GRcUdx94u3UA/s320/Kingfisher+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">August brings us sunshine and smiles in the stream... and it also brings us the results of nature going about her quiet business.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This week, a tale of two watery juveniles who met their death, a kingfisher and an otter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Guests on holiday at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a> found the body of a beautiful kingfisher. This year we've all been seeing them whizz up and down the stream, so fast, it seemed impossible that anything could stop them. Its body wasn't damaged, just the tip of its beak was bent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We stood amazed at the biilliance of its plumage, stroking its darting, iridescent, gleaming, turquiose-blue and gasping at the burnt orange contrast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The same day, other guests found half a body of an otter at the edge of the stream in the valley. Again, they've been heard and seen all season. What would kill an otter? When we went to look nature had taken over and the carcass was gone - foxes, badgers, crows feasting as they tidied.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I rang Slapton Ley Field Centre and spoke to Nick Binnie, Reserve Officer, who gave me a fuller picture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There were three likely causes of the otter death. Perhaps a juvenile otter had strayed into the territory of the Gara Brook otter family and had not picked up the scent of the spraint. Spraint is how otters mark their territory - and they defend it viciously.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Or it had died of illness. Or perhaps a female otter had given birth to three kits. Nick told me that a female can only raise two kits to adulthood; if she attemtps to raise three they all die. So she waits until they are juveniles and then makes a decision which to abandon.... which is the weakest... This is the most likely cause of death. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nick asked me a few questions about the kingfisher. 'Does it have a white tip to its beak? if it does, then it's a juvenule.' I looked, and yes, it did have a white beak tip. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">'The problem is, as with human juveniles, they have a taste for speed but are not yet experienced enough to navigate fully so there's more likelihood of them crashing into things like windows and dying.' </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">His other option, that perhaps a sparrow hawk had taken it and had been disturbed before plucking it, and had dropped it, seemed unlikely as there were no wounds to the body.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0CzgGvr9LGJQiHU9kockMRiiJKCzcfDjwcb0KfjyAl6UsyJoXmdH59oVnf5gKPt2fDMBkaszlS5og4pxK-H7CVZDPYic3PM-V2OVvO48Mq7fBjShWsl9gahBYWASdE0KJI06ZMu3bT0/s1600/Kingfisher+1+sml.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0CzgGvr9LGJQiHU9kockMRiiJKCzcfDjwcb0KfjyAl6UsyJoXmdH59oVnf5gKPt2fDMBkaszlS5og4pxK-H7CVZDPYic3PM-V2OVvO48Mq7fBjShWsl9gahBYWASdE0KJI06ZMu3bT0/s200/Kingfisher+1+sml.jpg" width="166" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So now we know... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> ... yet In animal classification, 'Halcyon' is the genus for kingfishers. A word that also means 'happy, joyful, carefree', as in the halcyon days of childhood. It comes from the Greek word for a bird which in legend is linked to the kingfisher. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The legend says that the bird nested on the sea in winter, which it
calmed in order to lay its eggs on a floating nest. It meant that the ancients expected two weeks of calm
weather around the winter solstice. This is why we use 'halcyon' as a term for peace or calmness as well as joyful and carefree.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I can see why a bird of such beauty inspired legends and words. It seems apt that it lived in our beautiful, peaceful and carefree valley. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span> </span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Higher North Mill, Hansel, nr Slapton, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 0LN50.317255852469046 -3.651929822229021750.314720852469044 -3.6569723222290218 50.319790852469048 -3.6468873222290217tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-14833384799370544272015-06-05T14:04:00.003+01:002015-06-05T16:33:55.161+01:00Harry's holidays...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2MJdZI-xhqcJSNFWFQJ1xWdlfLFoYTi-4JY9EWER7f7q6WnULvuQDV8s5IZPqpAANOfzuTXgO2n7qcQs6wztnCHjjBVQVVdWYJ1NR9JDHv3clJVibgES8dX5L5IMoErYdvGHBPcU1eE/s1600/Harry+May+2015+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2MJdZI-xhqcJSNFWFQJ1xWdlfLFoYTi-4JY9EWER7f7q6WnULvuQDV8s5IZPqpAANOfzuTXgO2n7qcQs6wztnCHjjBVQVVdWYJ1NR9JDHv3clJVibgES8dX5L5IMoErYdvGHBPcU1eE/s200/Harry+May+2015+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> A grand old man, Harry is 14 and has spent every Whit week for nine years at Watermill Cottages. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDISmDR-KFzHsAkiXKPO13Fv847W8PqTovgKg_aphpOKMZYq2u_VsDGnicuuukq6LXcnJvKQSXv3U8MN8I2d1mruiJeGIsaZk75JgyibuLhUPb8dtRpccjxZbUlmgdVNOR1MD4m24rpXg/s1600/Harry+May+2015+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDISmDR-KFzHsAkiXKPO13Fv847W8PqTovgKg_aphpOKMZYq2u_VsDGnicuuukq6LXcnJvKQSXv3U8MN8I2d1mruiJeGIsaZk75JgyibuLhUPb8dtRpccjxZbUlmgdVNOR1MD4m24rpXg/s200/Harry+May+2015+4.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And although his back legs are not too steady these days, and though sleep is almost, not quite, but almost, more important than food </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">- he is a Labrador after all -</span> he always goes for his morning and evening amble down to the stream to cool his paws, sniff the air and catch the breeze.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirox7_T9RRD9sBjpY5yaYTRls1srJbp7rbZjX_-9mKbhc0xnlM9Q5Yp-I_D8LIYuYV0s9T5IqxMKI1SkK_XLhn0g2wrhVha5EqqOBIPYtMd_C8EqMMxDmihYhQYiI10joTsF1ToMV9it4/s1600/Harry+May+2015+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirox7_T9RRD9sBjpY5yaYTRls1srJbp7rbZjX_-9mKbhc0xnlM9Q5Yp-I_D8LIYuYV0s9T5IqxMKI1SkK_XLhn0g2wrhVha5EqqOBIPYtMd_C8EqMMxDmihYhQYiI10joTsF1ToMV9it4/s200/Harry+May+2015+3.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG7ShQ_p2__2-DCDrjh84W-gUW2T8A8qbYndL2EFnOsS65_24gfTFizNXrQKzFYfMjIqoje20FmiNvrvqO1VnzQ7G2gsaf0F-kwM9ALnuZtpvN6LMq30Aq0jI_Rp8odGXVEoMophjulQ/s1600/Harry+May+2015+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG7ShQ_p2__2-DCDrjh84W-gUW2T8A8qbYndL2EFnOsS65_24gfTFizNXrQKzFYfMjIqoje20FmiNvrvqO1VnzQ7G2gsaf0F-kwM9ALnuZtpvN6LMq30Aq0jI_Rp8odGXVEoMophjulQ/s200/Harry+May+2015+1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> He loves scents and knows them well here, he's at home in <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-barley.htm" target="_blank">Barleycorn Cottage</a> where he's stayed every year for nine years. It matters, as his eyes don't see too well now. His nose tells him who we all are!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As you can't teach an old dog new tricks, </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Harry needs help g</span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">etting out of the stream</span></span>. Out for him is <b>always</b> up on to the grass. It most certainly is <b>NOT</b> up a plank of wood, onto a flat rock and then onto the lawn</span>.<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">'Honestly, </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">who do they think I am!' </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">gruffed Harry,</span> </span> as he deftly removed a burnt sausage from beside the bbq.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVr0C9sK9BEeV1bz8cXy1TwjuJR3vSlCEIkqA8WvE93Zl0_S3yycURcTCgFmJuVO1PrMjitNoCho0mmRwNRzOINqWc82FmP1sH10hjZjS_JZZZQpcVy-_H929PXhM1-XGR0xptly-yXM/s1600/Harry+%2526+Jonny+May+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVr0C9sK9BEeV1bz8cXy1TwjuJR3vSlCEIkqA8WvE93Zl0_S3yycURcTCgFmJuVO1PrMjitNoCho0mmRwNRzOINqWc82FmP1sH10hjZjS_JZZZQpcVy-_H929PXhM1-XGR0xptly-yXM/s200/Harry+%2526+Jonny+May+2015.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Hansel, nr Slapton, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 0LN50.317228449466015 -3.651629414819353850.314693449466013 -3.6566719148193538 50.319763449466016 -3.6465869148193537tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-74896431153346737012015-05-24T19:10:00.000+01:002015-05-24T19:10:07.785+01:00The Times recommends Watermill Cottages 23 May 2015<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4WXqnQ67lW-hd1iMDVWXYlZI48k8DPsJFBSHTN6QxQLEM5A4YJMDNFYINdmg9PMTimI0Ei8mSRj3zmcfWvWpHbLtVuJKeqMKCY1LO6Pd3ZQoAyrzJbGMqZor75AZvQ7YtSo2RvAcqsQ/s1600/May+Times+Article.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4WXqnQ67lW-hd1iMDVWXYlZI48k8DPsJFBSHTN6QxQLEM5A4YJMDNFYINdmg9PMTimI0Ei8mSRj3zmcfWvWpHbLtVuJKeqMKCY1LO6Pd3ZQoAyrzJbGMqZor75AZvQ7YtSo2RvAcqsQ/s400/May+Times+Article.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The Times recommends Watermill Cottages</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Times, to our delighted surprise, recommended us in its Travel Doctor column on Saturday May 23 2015. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Watermill Cottages' 20 acres of rural coastal retreat near Slapton Sands beach in South Devon's AONB is perfect for families of all ages and sizes with plenty of dogs!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was in the Weekend Section, which luckily Andy at Strete General Stores held for us on Sunday morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Times quoted prices for May half-term 2016 for Rose, Quack and Barleycorn Cottages - the same price as 2015 - <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/availability.htm" target="_blank">prices and availability</a> for 2015 are on this link. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For 2016 prices and availability please call us on 01803 770219 or email <u>christine@watermillcottages.co.uk</u> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Word has got out! </span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages. Higher North Mill, Hansel, Dartmouth, S Devon TQ6 0LN50.31698182172785 -3.651586499475115550.314446821727849 -3.6566289994751155 50.319516821727852 -3.6465439994751154tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-51614801636468881742015-04-01T14:00:00.000+01:002015-04-01T14:00:21.412+01:00April news - new field, ducklings, lamb report<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ENcaBKKEDXsHru2dwuQOkfkUrEtCFStHIFJeiJyL8kVP_bfXwn3_Zfknd9v2V2ZLl-pp6YsaDzXhlqDimFRJFLhJ3-V0yFNLMSkI5xMXFN-vJ_WC28nj3lXXOXqxGvVwjA46qudsCTA/s1600/1+4+15+duckling+first.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ENcaBKKEDXsHru2dwuQOkfkUrEtCFStHIFJeiJyL8kVP_bfXwn3_Zfknd9v2V2ZLl-pp6YsaDzXhlqDimFRJFLhJ3-V0yFNLMSkI5xMXFN-vJ_WC28nj3lXXOXqxGvVwjA46qudsCTA/s1600/1+4+15+duckling+first.jpg" height="141" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>April the first and it's not a joke</b> - this morning two bright yellow ducklings for Dark Green Duck, our first of the spring. Mrs Duckel, the grey and white duck, looks on from her own nest - she has three weeks to go.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj912xbtNB8abuYOGd4IiFJ0fRQa9r3uUoI5iQ-ZWHECfuE_mkdY2TRFyskuGAV9KlQ1z4-j-Nh9Uj9Mcv_tNwQIEmmxYFONXevC1CEh29PqXUUV1wh13OxYZVE-HSaLKleyBimDGSFZL4/s1600/sunset+Feb+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj912xbtNB8abuYOGd4IiFJ0fRQa9r3uUoI5iQ-ZWHECfuE_mkdY2TRFyskuGAV9KlQ1z4-j-Nh9Uj9Mcv_tNwQIEmmxYFONXevC1CEh29PqXUUV1wh13OxYZVE-HSaLKleyBimDGSFZL4/s1600/sunset+Feb+5.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Field with a View</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We've recently added a six acre meadow for your enjoyment at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages </a>- it's at the top of the lane and has stunning views over Start Bay to the lighthouse at Start Point. It's great for sunsets (and eclipses) too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We're planning a campfire place and rustic seating so it'll be the perfect spot for family picnics and sundowners, never mind watercolours, photography, kite-flying (it catches the breeze), and rolling down the slope. It's a healthy stroll with the delight of walking down hill home to your cottage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Sheep Report</b> Matilda is thriving (still on bottles), here she is with the cuckoo lamb from last year and Jesse the friendly Jacob ram who eats from your hand</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Cuckoo lamb, Jesse ram and Matilda </span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Jesse</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span></span><br />Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Hansel, Dartmouth, Devon, UK50.317146240362113 -3.651629414819353850.31461174036211 -3.6566719148193538 50.319680740362116 -3.6465869148193537tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-30103221190330013072015-02-28T14:19:00.003+00:002015-02-28T14:28:14.190+00:00Bottte Feeding Matilda the Lamb<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Matilda's mum only has half a working udder so we're bottle feeding
Matilda twice a day at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a> smallholding and teaching her to eat lamb food... She comes
running and bouncing when you call her name... why does bottle feeding a
lamb make everyone so happy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Teaching Matilda to eat solids is not easy - she is easily distracted and likes to jump for joy... the Belted Galloways, last year's calves, are not impressed... Matilda was born in mid-February, she's thriving we're happy to report. She's in the sheep shed at the moment but shall soon be in the field next to the kitchen garden, behind <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-barley.htm" target="_blank">Barleycorn Cottage</a>, where there's plenty of fresh grass for a growing lamb and her mum.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #38761d;">checking out the 'Hentrance'</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #38761d;">John's mobile hen house ...</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> A New Year and a new move for the chickens at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a> ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">John has spent a few winter weeks in his workshop happily building a new mobile home for the hens. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yesterday they took a first look round.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's compact, warm, easy to clean (detachable roof and rear nesting boxes with lid), has light-sensitive door closing, and best of all, it's on wheels.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The plan is to involve the hens in weeding and prepping the kitchen garden. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We'll move them over the lane and use electric fencing to keep them safe from fabulous and very friendly Mr Fox as they weed, fertilise and dig over some of <span style="background-color: #38761d;"></span>the ground.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Happy faces all round (except for Mr F) and scrummy eggs and veg too.</span><br />
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<br />Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Slapton, Devon, UK50.317283255456296 -3.651715245507830350.314748255456294 -3.6567577455078304 50.3198182554563 -3.6466727455078303tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-15412511389210383222014-08-02T14:37:00.001+01:002014-08-02T14:37:22.246+01:00new calf - a Little White Bull<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HGrUksBarrqdzKvW6p0p_xLzTZtlaS6G0XbpVEbzIKPOOOSbf25AyA5HXINoCby3bXakafH6KqXXImmN0K_WcEfz-60hNqCr-7QtOjYfP-mg4l5izBVk1oI5PvvwQE6MojqFX5nDTGU/s1600/July+Calf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HGrUksBarrqdzKvW6p0p_xLzTZtlaS6G0XbpVEbzIKPOOOSbf25AyA5HXINoCby3bXakafH6KqXXImmN0K_WcEfz-60hNqCr-7QtOjYfP-mg4l5izBVk1oI5PvvwQE6MojqFX5nDTGU/s1600/July+Calf.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Welcome to our newest arrival, a happy healthy little white bull calf born ten days ago</span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Mum and calf doing well in this long fabulous Devon summer sunshine at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages rural coastal retreat</a></span>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now, what shall we call him? Any ideas? </span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Hansel, Slapton, Dartmouth Devon Devon, UK50.317283255456296 -3.651843991540545250.314748255456294 -3.6568864915405452 50.3198182554563 -3.6468014915405451tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-12001282173414330732014-04-14T18:35:00.003+01:002014-04-14T18:35:56.236+01:00ten rescued ducklings<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">'There are ducklings all over the lawn, quick come and help' so we ran to the rescue ith buckets, fishing nets, wellies and anything we could find... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A mallard had nested in a clump of pampas grass by the bridge,and her ducklings were leggily darting down the bank into the stream and being washed away. they pooled in the eddies by the lawn, ran to the grass then back into th stream as we approached them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The flow under the bridge was too strong for them to swim back upstream to their mum who called them to join her and the few duckling who'd entered the river well above the bridge.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvwqQxg6cmVfCJLWWW-QtYLMOa6PQI5hkfcv_AmcbtYTMM2BTw-eSGguxasL946inn5lCiqoed9FccV0PKpG4507ez_iOrvrKeU6q9syVcis8qiLW1wIn9gq-t6mN2GumH7wJRPvlits/s1600/mallards3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvwqQxg6cmVfCJLWWW-QtYLMOa6PQI5hkfcv_AmcbtYTMM2BTw-eSGguxasL946inn5lCiqoed9FccV0PKpG4507ez_iOrvrKeU6q9syVcis8qiLW1wIn9gq-t6mN2GumH7wJRPvlits/s1600/mallards3.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We collected ten of them and put them in an open-topped box where we hoped thier mum might join them and encourage them out. She didn't. So John rigged up the poultry heat lamp in the chickenarium he built for hen chicks last year and we made a warm nesting box at one end with a dog-bowl pool and food at the other. They were there for a week before the whole construction was sodden - </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">mallards ducklings love to splash!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">They're now in the dog kennel with a heat lamp and a large baking tray pool in the sunshine - it doesn't matter how wet everything there gets. We crush corn and pellets for them, give them grass too. They are thriving! And very fast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A few more weeks of heat lamps and they can join the muscovies and ducklings. So far so good.... </span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's spring at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a>!</span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Hansel, Slapton, Dartmouth Devon, UK50.31698182172785 -3.652187314294451450.314446821727849 -3.6572298142944515 50.319516821727852 -3.6471448142944514tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-89967184794452689652014-02-03T16:48:00.000+00:002014-02-03T17:29:25.416+00:00February - walk round Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Oh what a beautiful day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For weeks, I've been meaning to walk round the National Nature Reserve (NNR) just down the lane from <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages </a>at Slapton Ley and today was the day, with the first spring birdcalls in the air and a beaming sun.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Slapton Ley towards Torcross</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A fabulously crammed fresh crab sandwich and a cuppa at The Start Bay Inn at Torcross for lunch then a walk round the Ley - the colours, my goodness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And as I rounded a dip in th path at the edge of the lapping Ley, nine young swans preening - I couldn't believe my luck. Some of the young from last year - 2013 was such a good swan year.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">view from hide at Ireland Wood</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The view from the hide at Ireland Bay, round the walk from the bridge on the Slapton road is magnificent - looking over reed beds to Ireland Farm which was evacuated in preparation for Operation Tiger in 1943, a rehearsal for the D-Day Landings in World War Two. The inhabitants didn't ever return.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">boats beached at Slapton Ley</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">first celandine</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">over the ring seat to the monument </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">commemorating Operation Tiger</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) the Reserve is managed by Slapton Ley Field Centre and is home to otters, birdlife, butterflies, including bitterns, Cetti's warbler and kingfishers. The Gara brook that runs through the garden and valley of Watermill Cottages feeds the Higher Ley, which is why we take so much care of our land.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Hansel nr Slapton, Dartmouth Devon50.31678999926914 -3.651758160852068650.315522499269143 -3.6542796608520685 50.318057499269138 -3.6492366608520688tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-53938825050078360422014-01-20T14:05:00.000+00:002014-01-20T14:34:46.463+00:00January = Brunch on the beach at Blackpool Sands!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Every picture tells a story so I've kept the words to a minimum... </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcDiC4TS88tHBRLfOrutoxgk5DRVtpn5jjjxD1B5xGReq2S6PeYmw2MUzxNGQp0Nx-4y_UDAETtnkH9476AVViNRFfmEyR8h4J0ochiEe2vgmqItWp3JsHD5mr1Ab3RVw8mVI1_UOUKc/s1600/Bsands+Venus+n+beach+Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWliiUtUz9n7kmu1WNBkdE_17SpKCXj0_ojAeIt0Lj4hh6piTqZ5dn4wdZmSFR_mzLkvvHGfdKP3SmgjNiTazevvRyLgE1LLmX7GS-_y6J9ZUQJ-Ce5lTCxq34AiWRklEch-S9bYs-nk/s1600/B+Sands+Jan+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWliiUtUz9n7kmu1WNBkdE_17SpKCXj0_ojAeIt0Lj4hh6piTqZ5dn4wdZmSFR_mzLkvvHGfdKP3SmgjNiTazevvRyLgE1LLmX7GS-_y6J9ZUQJ-Ce5lTCxq34AiWRklEch-S9bYs-nk/s1600/B+Sands+Jan+3.jpg" height="156" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">... a bright blue sky, sun dripping onto waves which were tipping onto beach... kids, dogs (because it's winter and you can... from the end of March you can't), smiles, walks...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">... and a delicious bacon bap with local bacon and organic tea out of the breeze and in the sun at Venus Beach Café...</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fBY0J2TOExnmHxIieMuJVKNm51c-BAvXDCKvd_ssO8xMaABD-p431I2jYQ1xIWa8f8O2XK63a1Y76TJ0eALoE8Jy_5QS2-lgh5hFyi-2oPBrDZX7x7pFU6UAGmEOqiYgcQNSXrzPfsY/s1600/B+Sands+Jan+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fBY0J2TOExnmHxIieMuJVKNm51c-BAvXDCKvd_ssO8xMaABD-p431I2jYQ1xIWa8f8O2XK63a1Y76TJ0eALoE8Jy_5QS2-lgh5hFyi-2oPBrDZX7x7pFU6UAGmEOqiYgcQNSXrzPfsY/s1600/B+Sands+Jan+7.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvMch5nf0i4_GS1deyJ2vXOPkoaUY96WDXppl-B8SLZiqP1A04Z5y4cvuy4kr5bdfYN74saUws6BHDRcgv9M04KafR0ILht9nOzPp_DC8hpjc0G5-d6jypZOOmSWMGcS99O2DrtO8os0/s1600/B+Sands+Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvMch5nf0i4_GS1deyJ2vXOPkoaUY96WDXppl-B8SLZiqP1A04Z5y4cvuy4kr5bdfYN74saUws6BHDRcgv9M04KafR0ILht9nOzPp_DC8hpjc0G5-d6jypZOOmSWMGcS99O2DrtO8os0/s1600/B+Sands+Jan.jpg" height="152" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Venus Beach Cafe at Blackpool Sands</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I felt like I'd been away on holiday - and I live here! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWN8EVO8VZ2e6KeEekV6_r0UOtviZXpQV8uaQ5z4k0PZvNLWEi-vi02J6urFkOyQ6tXi1wsHDqjXywzHCcdgEgy46Z52kvKB_zrpBWaS5cO0Kw71Fnl98q9bnSdWVr30xtU2gePUWZns/s1600/heliotrope.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWN8EVO8VZ2e6KeEekV6_r0UOtviZXpQV8uaQ5z4k0PZvNLWEi-vi02J6urFkOyQ6tXi1wsHDqjXywzHCcdgEgy46Z52kvKB_zrpBWaS5cO0Kw71Fnl98q9bnSdWVr30xtU2gePUWZns/s1600/heliotrope.jpg" height="200" width="167" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpKv5ihXYXKREu_2Q0Vwr5QHxgeCKtQ5DoikFv84EssWriN3xo0bscohqPkurlV_bNq7sU64ZrqwN8A2mC7gdTEUwFF5Jz3JVPhNIdhLwNe-bWRI5NUlrFAn-2EfXJm4iomKXYnxMRNY/s1600/snowdrops+sml.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpKv5ihXYXKREu_2Q0Vwr5QHxgeCKtQ5DoikFv84EssWriN3xo0bscohqPkurlV_bNq7sU64ZrqwN8A2mC7gdTEUwFF5Jz3JVPhNIdhLwNe-bWRI5NUlrFAn-2EfXJm4iomKXYnxMRNY/s1600/snowdrops+sml.jpg" height="200" width="153" /></a>I saw our first snowdrop in flower last week, several more this week, and the wild heliotrope is blooming in great pink tufts of flowerheads all over. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Green flames of harts tongue ferns and fans of more usual ferns sway in the woods, bulbs are rising fast and hazel catkins lengthen as quickly as the daylight does. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfU2kF8REwJ2spRUDVafvulNcdBDKGVDOvIQahXDSV1zndT-eHrpmq1ADv-vy50LwcjnjunNDgCeBxlqupT_HX-e5lv0B_vtQtcfEpRvtvQgCMG7hK3Z9x_Eb34Crio8PmA6ICTCO3-KI/s1600/primroses+sml.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfU2kF8REwJ2spRUDVafvulNcdBDKGVDOvIQahXDSV1zndT-eHrpmq1ADv-vy50LwcjnjunNDgCeBxlqupT_HX-e5lv0B_vtQtcfEpRvtvQgCMG7hK3Z9x_Eb34Crio8PmA6ICTCO3-KI/s1600/primroses+sml.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Primroses stud the verges and I'm on the hunt for the first early violets. In the wetlands there's a slight scent of wild garlic underfoot as the new growth surges. Old trees glow with pale almost luminous lichen - a sure sign of the purity of the air here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The first cyclamen are in flower in Rose Cottage's lawn. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So far we've had very little wintry weather at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a> and the beautiful South Hams - blustery storms have wind-pruned some big old trees which have fallen fortunately and opened up new vistas, as well as offering new logs to harvest for the cottage woodburners. As some of the fallen trees are dead they'll season quickly once John has cleared them with his favourite hobby tools of quad bike, winch and electric chainsaw. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbjeuXgP2B7EdZ3D-QWv81W9E7qrYvqHaXoI5S_JuKNM6bBEnsKlNDxMl3O52MNPTw2bb6YSzSjkMnNJNN-5zTRR4uitMb5agt3uSqOxOMUDB6EBNasAl_ejUhemPSdkrlySjdJF9t34/s1600/cyclamen+rose+gdn+Jan.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbjeuXgP2B7EdZ3D-QWv81W9E7qrYvqHaXoI5S_JuKNM6bBEnsKlNDxMl3O52MNPTw2bb6YSzSjkMnNJNN-5zTRR4uitMb5agt3uSqOxOMUDB6EBNasAl_ejUhemPSdkrlySjdJF9t34/s1600/cyclamen+rose+gdn+Jan.jpg" height="200" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">cyclamen in <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-rose.htm" target="_blank">Rose Cottage</a> lawn</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">An odd ground frost and that's it so far. Marigolds and roses from last summer are still in flower, the Gara has stayed in its bed despite the storms and spring is already showing off her new clothes in the valley.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our Muscovy ducks know it too - several are laying already - and I've seen camellias in flower in Slapton village.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A lovely time for <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages.htm" target="_blank">re-energising in a cosy old stone cottage</a> with the sap rising all around you and the slanting light showing the muscles of the land. Hedges are being trimmed before the birds nest and a few very early lambs are about. The beautiful South Devon Coast and Coast Path are so dramatic at this time of year. Come for a refreshing few days or stay longer and really let the spring seep into your bones! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jXy8y4pxpA7eLmtTUgltkyW2EOX7bxaEMAhXC3hXz4e4Ojf9XHhviW_yd0sWia-ntbJ1_5_aolPcwp2q1CrsalekKj-NHiM7rhHYNkMQDZRkrKCrFJFwvYNiraqiElW7Aged1G5dXus/s1600/fern+unfolding.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jXy8y4pxpA7eLmtTUgltkyW2EOX7bxaEMAhXC3hXz4e4Ojf9XHhviW_yd0sWia-ntbJ1_5_aolPcwp2q1CrsalekKj-NHiM7rhHYNkMQDZRkrKCrFJFwvYNiraqiElW7Aged1G5dXus/s1600/fern+unfolding.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We've decided to hold our prices for 2014 so they're the same as 2013 and still include all logs for the woodburner, electricity and bedlinen - a three night weekend short break for two people is just £245 until Easter. Come during the week and it's four nights for the price of three for two people. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And don't forget we welcome dogs and are flexible on number. Picturesque, comfy, cosy eighteenth century stone <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages.htm" target="_blank">self-catering cottages</a> round an historic watermill, private gardens and thirteen acres of unspoilt coastal valley to enjoy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_hsgA7OKJxRiieOaHyFI6_oEHoVoeyIxvsvu3zTX2Mfp4VAKNQVZhbJz8olQ4GwZwOXICHlm1mrBCZv-8d97m2D3knfyXJq5YCFAVmryfnFYA1OzrNsFMiwx9zbYz2gCDG59ySYAI8s/s1600/ivy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_hsgA7OKJxRiieOaHyFI6_oEHoVoeyIxvsvu3zTX2Mfp4VAKNQVZhbJz8olQ4GwZwOXICHlm1mrBCZv-8d97m2D3knfyXJq5YCFAVmryfnFYA1OzrNsFMiwx9zbYz2gCDG59ySYAI8s/s1600/ivy.jpg" height="200" width="182" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABSJmKG1U0P6akVAOXr0I0VojaDxYL7-NE5WARrufGvNCq8tokHQwf9KtrNyEY8fKUsjw09-Aud9f73EzONqkmATlCZwkTwOZmKhJfdaliyNWxhgRL8URti_F_BzuyQaClLLcBSHHxp8/s1600/euphorbia.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Call Christine on 01803 770219 or <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/contact.htm" target="_blank">email us </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Higher North Mill, Hansel, Slapton, Dartmouth Devon, UK50.316735192710205 -3.651886906884783550.311665692710207 -3.6619719068847836 50.3218046927102 -3.6418019068847833tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-62454612531433261402013-11-13T19:17:00.000+00:002013-11-13T19:18:52.198+00:00Eel-friendly eelectricity!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><div align="LEFT">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We are delighted to say that the EA has approved the screen already in place at Watermill Cottages for the water turbine and declared we are eel friendly. So the electricity we generate for our house and for <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-barley.htm" target="_blank">Barleycorn Cottage</a> really is <span style="color: #38761d;">eel-ectricity</span>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here in the <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Gara Valley</a> we're lucky enough to have a thriving eel population, as this year's EA fish survey showed, as well as an equally thriving otter population for whom eels are a fast food. The Slapton Ley Field Centre have told us that most female glass eels drift into the Severn Estuary whilst most male glass eels drift around the south coast. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our eels enter Slapton Ley through the overflow at Torcross before making their way as elvers upstream to mature, which takes several years. They then transform from yellow eels to silver eels to make their way back to the Sargasso Sea to mate. if they fail to reach the sea then they transform back into yellow eels and wait for the next year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There was much excitement in summer and early autumn as many eels were visible from the bridge and lawns at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a>.</span><br />
<br />To help raise awareness of eels here's some information from The Environment Agency website - they are quite extraordinary creatures, long-lived and at ease in salt and fresh water.<br />
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<strong><u>Eel facts from The Environment Agency</u></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Eel numbers have dropped since the 1980s to very low levels across Europe. As a result European regulations are now in place requiring action by all European member states to <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">reverse this decline. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Legislation comes into force on January 1 2015 to protect eels and their diminishing habitats. This includes having all weirs, turbines and abstraction areas checked by The Environment Agency (EA) for eel-friendliness, and installing expensive screens if required.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Why the eel decline?</strong> The EA says it's not caused by one problem alone, but it's a complicated picture. Over-fishing in some parts of Europe, parasites, climate change, pollutants such as pesticides and heavy metals probably all have parts to play. One of the most likely causes is the huge decrease in available habitat for eels in our freshwater rivers, canals, lakes and tidal estuaries. Since the Second World War, we have drained lowland rivers, straightened channels and created modern flood defence barriers. This sort of water management reduces suitable habitat and makes it difficult for eel to move freely through our rivers.</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The eel is a famous international marine traveller completing only part of its life cycle in freshwaters or coastal areas, where it is fished for by both rod and net. Spawning has not been observed, but it is believed to take place in the spring, deep in the Sargasso Sea, between Bermuda and the Bahamas.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Larvae and glass eel </span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Maturing females, although their eggs have not been collected, are reported to contain up to 10 million eggs. The eggs develop into a 'leaf-like' larva called a ‘leptocephalus’ It was originally thought that these larvae took three years to migrate from the Sargasso Sea to the European coast but, recent studies suggest that the journey may take as little as 12 months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When the larvae reach the continental shelf they change into what is called the 'glass eel' stage before continuing with their migration. In the British Isles, from around May, once temperatures have reached about ten degrees Celsius, the glass eel make their migration from the estuaries into freshwater.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once the glass eel develop pigmentation they are referred to as <strong>'<span style="color: black;">elver' </span></strong>and are very similar in shape to the adult eel. To facilitate their passage through the estuary and into rivers they use the tidal currents, migrating upstream on the flood tide. During the ebb tide they move out of the current towards the bank side to prevent being washed out to sea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In fresh water the eel lives on or near the bottom, often digging into the gravel, and migrates slowly upstream. During this period they are generally referred to as yellow eel. Moving further upstream eel become fewer and more dispersed. Eel in the upper reaches of river systems are generally fewer and they tend to be much larger than in the lower reaches. In the lower reaches the populations have a higher proportion of males, which contrasts with the upper reaches where females predominate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Silver eel </strong></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Male eel stay in freshwater for between 7 and 12 years, maturing at an average length of about 36cm. Females stay between 9 to 20 years and mature at a larger average size of about 50cm, though eel can grow larger reaching up to 1 metre in length and live as long as 40 years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When the fish mature they change to a blue/silvery colour and migrate seaward during the autumn, usually during dark stormy nights.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Species - Eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.)</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Weight</strong> - rarely 2.3kg (5lb), very few over 3.2kg (7lb)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Length</strong> - rarely exceed 100cm</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Age</strong> - maximum recorded 40 years</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Location</strong> - estuaries and freshwater</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Behaviour</strong> - catadromous</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Preferred habitat</strong> - slow-flowing, deep water, sand, silt and weed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Feeding</strong> - May-October, most active at night, forage in debris</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Natural food</strong> - crustacea, worms, small fish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Maturity</strong> - 8-15 years</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Spawning</strong> - Sargasso Sea at depth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Migratory habits</strong> - August-December, adults migrate to sea; February-May, glass eel arrive at coastal waters; May-September elvers migrate upstream </span><br />
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Predators - pike, eel, fish-eating birds, otters</h4>
Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Strete, Devon, UK50.3166529827533 -3.6532172825561750.314118482753294 -3.6582597825561702 50.3191874827533 -3.64817478255617tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-50973425883484772712013-10-16T20:13:00.003+01:002013-10-16T20:13:31.717+01:00Slow Nature Wild Words ... Fri 15 Nov – Sun 17 Nov 2013... A rural writing retreat <br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Slow Nature Wild Words<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4JQuHNg11o1Wzaj1l53LwQ0o6Uiz6dxuba2RCnVQcW7vd1lcZBKrtYDh9Rx_8LAcoHg-qrliNrBY335HQ51dE3bl94fL-L_Fy9Qb8wzrzxXjott_thBT1g4khI_42Gw_DnequrS5nMI/s1600/rural+valley+web.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4JQuHNg11o1Wzaj1l53LwQ0o6Uiz6dxuba2RCnVQcW7vd1lcZBKrtYDh9Rx_8LAcoHg-qrliNrBY335HQ51dE3bl94fL-L_Fy9Qb8wzrzxXjott_thBT1g4khI_42Gw_DnequrS5nMI/s200/rural+valley+web.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The Gara Valley</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fri 15 Nov – Sun 17 Nov 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A residential rural writing weekend in the heart of the unspoilt Gara Valley in south Devon close to Slapton Sands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Exploring our natural processes of creation and writing in response to our felt sense of nature in thirteen acres of unspoilt coastal valley that’s virtually untouched by the modern world. Far from the madding crowd away from the white noise of TV, mobiles and WiFi, time and space to attune to natural rhythms.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">James Crowden inspiring words as we walk the byways of the Gara Valley</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">new ways of creative expression through the resonance of woods, winds, walks and water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">footscapes, landscapes, soundscapes, wordscapes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">space to unearth lost, found, forgotten, new & old rhythms</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">sessions on raw & found materials, creating across disciplines, collaborative writing…</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">nourishment for creativity, body, spirit and soul</span></li>
<li><a href="http://slownaturewildwords.wordpress.com/slow-nature-wild-words-programme/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Full programme</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> here</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A room of one’s own in shared old stone cottages that are part of an historic 18th Century former watermill at </span><a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Watermill Cottages</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, Hansel, nr Slapton, Dartmouth, South Devon TQ6 0LN. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoC__EMS0rqAvdQ0jwQYARPF6H5r5CE7cHpizD-DyL9qcN2MiyTcoCIDPgBk9ztLRNNKcR_iELOpIOvIWVWyRDwF6A8zyE0o0Kt9-T8NsuFBRnqRbaqooxdrroSZx_zSmgo02iU-FB4RA/s1600/Watermill_Cottages%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoC__EMS0rqAvdQ0jwQYARPF6H5r5CE7cHpizD-DyL9qcN2MiyTcoCIDPgBk9ztLRNNKcR_iELOpIOvIWVWyRDwF6A8zyE0o0Kt9-T8NsuFBRnqRbaqooxdrroSZx_zSmgo02iU-FB4RA/s200/Watermill_Cottages%5B1%5D.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Watermill Cottages</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Click the link for full details of the <a href="http://slownaturewildwords.wordpress.com/location/" target="_blank">glorious setting at Watermill Cottages in the Gara Valley.</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just 12 places. Residential, two days and nights, all food, accommodation and tuition – £169.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Check-in 15:00 Friday and checkout by 18:00 Sunday - or stay longer if your fancy takes you, just ask.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://slownaturewildwords.wordpress.com/biographies/" target="_blank">Biographies here</a> for leaders and facilitators.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">To book or for more information please email </span><a href="mailto:christine@watermillcottages.co.uk"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">christine@watermillcottages.co.uk</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> or call Christine on 01803 770219</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br />Or take a look at <span style="color: #38761d;"><a href="http://slownaturewildwords.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Slow Nature WIld Words</a></span> website <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jDd-fWGfd0zxL1XJH_h-OrLGTLaBwhJItZMEYRpo9T7YQqe1AH3N59GZsR7aq5Uz9q0yl4oNomD7Rc5qe3fS-HjfVSsA1ZvdFSi7zAkl8TWO8D1rNQm5P3KYL14UK3JTGWjXBivAR9k/s1600/Higher+North+Mill+web+small.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jDd-fWGfd0zxL1XJH_h-OrLGTLaBwhJItZMEYRpo9T7YQqe1AH3N59GZsR7aq5Uz9q0yl4oNomD7Rc5qe3fS-HjfVSsA1ZvdFSi7zAkl8TWO8D1rNQm5P3KYL14UK3JTGWjXBivAR9k/s200/Higher+North+Mill+web+small.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Higher North Mill</span></td></tr>
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<strong>A Left Bank event with Watermill Cottages</strong></div>
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Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-58640022636020486492013-10-16T19:21:00.002+01:002013-10-16T19:23:36.445+01:00Dartmouth Food Festival 25-27 October 2013<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQ95vxOFfDLWLuUf6rot5q1fbTKTwrclAsAxiubr1Zk-T49Ap8B_cioPufbESW170INHF6q45NA0iXNcdXZvUD0jpXoOEYm92EcQGXALsXlblgiCYTigDmfH2FDep0AMTkzop0iu0idU/s1600/toms+n+cucs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQ95vxOFfDLWLuUf6rot5q1fbTKTwrclAsAxiubr1Zk-T49Ap8B_cioPufbESW170INHF6q45NA0iXNcdXZvUD0jpXoOEYm92EcQGXALsXlblgiCYTigDmfH2FDep0AMTkzop0iu0idU/s200/toms+n+cucs.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="userContent"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> oh yes! From Friday 25 October to Sunday 27th October a feast by the tidal Dart in Dartmouth, its restaurants and yacht clubs.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">Food stalls, cookery demos, dining events showcasing the best that the Dartmouth area and south west can offer, including with renowned </span><span class="userContent">Dartmouth chef Mitch Tonks</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLB5W6kYyHza_VuiTYfvPmWapOX_NoxKJBoh5QYLxsEhp6R-pNkZ1Fk98F6YJmxF3p9DMNBMsohyphenhyphent5VpqEV_sLrMcnNRKGSSwZwatJiLwNhrUvSv-_jErMVtFbSOP-k7H1KZKEOplHjug/s1600/tomato+harvest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLB5W6kYyHza_VuiTYfvPmWapOX_NoxKJBoh5QYLxsEhp6R-pNkZ1Fk98F6YJmxF3p9DMNBMsohyphenhyphent5VpqEV_sLrMcnNRKGSSwZwatJiLwNhrUvSv-_jErMVtFbSOP-k7H1KZKEOplHjug/s200/tomato+harvest.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here are some of the highlights - </span><a href="http://www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20&Itemid=39" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">the full festival programme</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> has all the juicy detail.</span><br />
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<span class="userContent"><a href="http://www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com/images/stories/2013/words.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Eat Your Words</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A Series of In-Conversations with Food and Cookery Writers at Dartmouth Yacht Club on the South</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></strong><br />
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<span class="userContent"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How do you explain to a reader what a tender, juicy leg of lamb tastes like, or describe the aroma of a crisp, dry glass of Riesling? How do you use words to communicate such sensory experiences? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBtBk0hdLFDWvGtylil4FDEpaJaKh99MQZp3hN5OmT16EmNqHeBHa2D5KTTiC41vcBVLLhazgYKnvG3Bu-uZTEs4FF_Vd6h6wnyY8bodKUCxMHe1mIzCN-6X2_eLBdi8w5pMBIMi9U58/s1600/redcurrants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWBtBk0hdLFDWvGtylil4FDEpaJaKh99MQZp3hN5OmT16EmNqHeBHa2D5KTTiC41vcBVLLhazgYKnvG3Bu-uZTEs4FF_Vd6h6wnyY8bodKUCxMHe1mIzCN-6X2_eLBdi8w5pMBIMi9U58/s200/redcurrants.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Food and wine are some of the most difficult subjects to write about, but have also produced some of our richest writing. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Listen<strong> </strong>to<strong> </strong></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">renowned food and cookery writers and experts in their fields chat about why food writing matters, why we all love to read it, and what we really write about when we write about food</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com/images/stories/2013/Drinks_Tastings_and_Seminars.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Drinks Tastings and Seminars</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> featuring local wines, beers and ciders</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com/images/stories/2013/Hands_on_Workshops.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Workshops with Manna from Devon cookery school</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> how to dress a crab, cook a perfect steak, decorate cupcakes and more</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIk4UgHRKeKpB2mI15wL1jPRmQJPJi_MjxxdpZTnaAjJUI4GZ4vNmDURuh97idYXe-Vs2jidaXigjnajaTDhm_A6nMDrMHm4NOBke89YD-u7nDAJDjr-NomM2mLcg6XtTi8RLCa4VkoqU/s1600/apples+sml.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIk4UgHRKeKpB2mI15wL1jPRmQJPJi_MjxxdpZTnaAjJUI4GZ4vNmDURuh97idYXe-Vs2jidaXigjnajaTDhm_A6nMDrMHm4NOBke89YD-u7nDAJDjr-NomM2mLcg6XtTi8RLCa4VkoqU/s200/apples+sml.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sERcVsWqh-qBmQD0k5cKkLnuXc0br077mDInTB7Gy-bhMq-WNhNSxcwcUTfwGx1V4uN4sRe_0yrSjDM06ZYuqx7lu5zBqTjbT_YNfSuRj_wrnXly_jPbx0ZsH-yvV3ahc9SbmJUSmFc/s1600/apples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sERcVsWqh-qBmQD0k5cKkLnuXc0br077mDInTB7Gy-bhMq-WNhNSxcwcUTfwGx1V4uN4sRe_0yrSjDM06ZYuqx7lu5zBqTjbT_YNfSuRj_wrnXly_jPbx0ZsH-yvV3ahc9SbmJUSmFc/s200/apples.jpg" width="148" /></a><span class="userContent"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stay at </span><a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Watermill Cottages</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, enjoy the food fest and press apples with us on Sunday afternoon (27th October), we've hired the huge oak apple press from Orchardlink - fresh-pressed apple juice straight from the press.</span><br /><br /> </span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Hansel, Dartmouth, Devon, UK50.316735192710205 -3.652659383081072550.3142006927102 -3.6577018830810726 50.319269692710208 -3.6476168830810725tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-55780987884347042702013-10-07T15:46:00.001+01:002013-10-07T15:48:24.789+01:00Watermill Cottages on Tripadvisor<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And we've joined Tripadvisor (as well as facebook and twitter) ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">We're <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g2137438-d3929132-r175301563-Watermill_Cottages-Slapton_Devon_England.html#REVIEWS" target="_blank">listed as Watermill Cottages, Slapton, Devon</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> if you'd like to have a look or write anything, and so far we have 11 reviews. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here's a couple of them...</span><br />
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<u><span style="color: #0066cc; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Quack, quack, quack!”</strong></span></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span class="rate rate_s s50"><u><span style="color: #0066cc;"><img alt="5 of 5 stars" class="sprite-ratings" content="5.0" src="http://c1.tacdn.com/img2/x.gif" /></span></u> </span><span class="ratingDate">Reviewed 2 September 2013 </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">'Me, my Mum and dog stayed stayed in Quack cottage for 5 days and had the most wonderful time. The cottages are in such a rural setting but not too far away (driving distance) from lots of beautiful towns and beaches (some dog friendly all year). <br />We were welcomed by lovely Jade, gorgeous cake and dog treats and flowers from the garden too. We felt so welcome and what a great start to our holiday.<br />The cottage is equipped with everything we needed and more. The garden is massive with the lovely ducks saying hello everyday!<br />It was a welcome break from the internet, tele and mobile phones and we thoroughly enjoyed cooking, knitting and chatting the nights away!</span> '<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><strong>“Down the rabbit hole”</strong></span></div>
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<span class="rate rate_s s50"><img alt="5 of 5 stars" class="sprite-ratings" content="5.0" src="http://c1.tacdn.com/img2/x.gif" /> </span><span class="ratingDate">Reviewed 12 May 2013 </span> </div>
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'Remember how Alice goes down a rabbit hole in Wonderland and finds a magical place unlike any other? Well, when we go to Watermill Cottages (twice so far in one year and another in the planning), we feel it is a bit like that. No wifi, no TV, no traffic noise. Just the rush of the stream and the birdsong, the animals and silence. This is the kind of place that inspired WH Davies to write his poem, Leisure... "What is this world if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare..." Here, we slough off the dry skin of the 'real world' and bask in the bliss of how things used to be and should be. From the great fish and chips in Slapton, to the farm shop with real, hung, beef, the Pig's Nose pub where you can help yourself to knitting needles and wool after a bracing coastal walk. Beware. If you ever visit Watermill Cottages, you may get addicted....</div>
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<span class="tipBody">“All cottages are great, but Crownwheel is closest to the water, Quack has the cutest name and garden, Rose has the highest terrace and Barleycorn is closest to the mill itself.”</span> '<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Thank you for your kind words everyone ...</span></div>
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Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Higher North Mill, Slapton, Dartmouth, Devon, UK50.317009224873054 -3.652401891015642850.314474224873052 -3.6574443910156429 50.319544224873056 -3.6473593910156428tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-67903179197491008322013-10-06T19:01:00.002+01:002013-10-06T19:11:38.066+01:00Perfect October short walk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Oh what a beautiful day!</strong></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Perfect October Indian Summer, and a perfect Devon walk from Slapton to Torcross, along the beach there and along the shore of Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve on the way back.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgez1Sl2yvGyKvXn80V09uxCalexErpQGQNO6pu_kU0j3KPfutA_fovXNJzG3lhQulpvrylw0TA3lisd819A7Wou5FcCnZg6Ab2Y8osLEHP0btPm5zpjV7Yh3tKNzYspx2NOHWUyjxLfRI/s1600/Slapton+Ley+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgez1Sl2yvGyKvXn80V09uxCalexErpQGQNO6pu_kU0j3KPfutA_fovXNJzG3lhQulpvrylw0TA3lisd819A7Wou5FcCnZg6Ab2Y8osLEHP0btPm5zpjV7Yh3tKNzYspx2NOHWUyjxLfRI/s200/Slapton+Ley+sign.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The contrast of crunching on pebbles with silently padding over rich, reedy, soft loam; salt sea and musty marsh edge with reeds whispering in softer waves than at the shoreline. Cicadas still in the grasses ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was hot and sunny, a breeze to refresh but not to chill, and the sloping October afternoon light gifted fabulous colours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And just a five-seven minute drive from the valley tranquillity of </span><a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Watermill Cottages</span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">. The Gara Brook runs through our land and feeds into the Higher Ley, which is why we're so careful about what happens to our water and land.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Higher Ley</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Lower Ley</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is a level walk apart from the slight slope from the free Slapton Park and Walk car park, on the right as you leave the village and head to the sea, and is beach/shingle one side so not great for pushing wheels of any kind. There are loos at the memorial car park five minutes from Slapton and at Torcross which has a village shop, tea rooms, restaurant & pub. And the tank of course... and a seat with a view over the Ley by the Slapton Ley sign - this is another nature-rich diversion.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Start Bay towards Strete Gate and Dartmouth</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This walk forms a short stretch of the South West Coast path - you can continue beyond Torcross, over the crest to Beesands and Britannia on the beach fish shack/café and The Cricket Inn (dogs welcome in the bar). Or the other way, to Strete and Dartmouth - the bus route here runs regularly through the day so it's easy to go one way (it doesn't reach Beesands...).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Or you can walk a long loop from Watermill Cottages, up the 4WD track between <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-quack.htm" target="_blank">Quack Cottage</a> and <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-rose.htm" target="_blank">Rose Cottage</a> behind it, via Strete, the beach and Slapton. Good refreshments on the way!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And the whole length of Slapton Sands from the flowery, grassier end at Strete Gate to the narrower beach at Torcross is dog-friendly all year round, all 3 1/4 miles of it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You can see why it's designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Ley, sea and Torcross</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k167A6B9Q71-AU88iHDsIXoTIIBQgp5TNYCEEo3Gd-a_lKmcoEoYpANVfgkfrcXTIJi94K2LG3EOwGI1lbKezC6NNaWTS8vbdRUuTAbvyzg4tM-TByLcaHgKZa7x27p13IocQ9rHwbo/s1600/dogs+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k167A6B9Q71-AU88iHDsIXoTIIBQgp5TNYCEEo3Gd-a_lKmcoEoYpANVfgkfrcXTIJi94K2LG3EOwGI1lbKezC6NNaWTS8vbdRUuTAbvyzg4tM-TByLcaHgKZa7x27p13IocQ9rHwbo/s200/dogs+beach.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-49266819580030568312013-09-03T13:27:00.004+01:002013-09-03T14:03:59.982+01:00R.I.P. Specs ... Obituary<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRBQttWHyx2Zf7yEQtGiNRMLAa0VEs-8BQapS3QJsacPMKqk37TCao0f3w13mhxQ41Yepoal3n1mpf9hMTNLjOM6Uw8f7uDHiOnlo8RTf9f2NRsdgijcOiV7q9-HRrDHMYzoGFMcHflg/s1600/Specs+spring+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRBQttWHyx2Zf7yEQtGiNRMLAa0VEs-8BQapS3QJsacPMKqk37TCao0f3w13mhxQ41Yepoal3n1mpf9hMTNLjOM6Uw8f7uDHiOnlo8RTf9f2NRsdgijcOiV7q9-HRrDHMYzoGFMcHflg/s320/Specs+spring+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Specs in spring 2013</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sadly, Specs our big old grand daddy Muscovy drake went downstream and into eternity in August. He was very old and had struggled to maintain his rightful place at the peak of the pecking order for some time - John had to help him out with the aid of a gentle broom in the spring battles with the new boys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He was named 'Specs' because he looked like he was wearing red glasses. He needed them really, as this year he lost the sight in one eye. It only added to his allure with the ladies, a charming wink still won them over. During the summer, we noticed he was missing his landings - a few scrabbles up the netting meant he made some ungainly entrances to dinner. But when he very publicly missed the fence at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-quack.htm" target="_blank">Quack Cottage</a> and fell into the garden we knew he was not long for this valley.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTRGyS8cNLlkZ8kDquU4bnKmumyrYyIVFNr7T8_WTtyAsLECFCat9ElQsHQvpjAeBQffwXbwsaqx7zWO_6EZQlk0YA4hnHKWHO2izjVr-6x6fwGDLWaD_-P1NRTOe8WA5_cfpgIgh6So/s1600/ducks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTRGyS8cNLlkZ8kDquU4bnKmumyrYyIVFNr7T8_WTtyAsLECFCat9ElQsHQvpjAeBQffwXbwsaqx7zWO_6EZQlk0YA4hnHKWHO2izjVr-6x6fwGDLWaD_-P1NRTOe8WA5_cfpgIgh6So/s200/ducks.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He's been our emblem for years, standing his ground with all doggies great and small and unfazed by most. Specs was already here and senior when John and I arrived five years ago and luckily he took to us quickly. Corn played a big part in his choice of 'friendships'.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBUo9tCZ6lvS2oARYD6uIgmF0pzNoTLR5SzBWiVh38KM5KsPO0j3TLr2aBZJ51iouA3eUdYZXzV_wBbc5b8OyC3Z0PrEp_G0CI6efRZa-1Z_D9Lr1IMCXGAhbWUgwJjASn_F8m4oeY3U/s1600/2013+fist+duckling+trio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBUo9tCZ6lvS2oARYD6uIgmF0pzNoTLR5SzBWiVh38KM5KsPO0j3TLr2aBZJ51iouA3eUdYZXzV_wBbc5b8OyC3Z0PrEp_G0CI6efRZa-1Z_D9Lr1IMCXGAhbWUgwJjASn_F8m4oeY3U/s200/2013+fist+duckling+trio.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">His progeny clearly go marching on ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Hail, Specs ....</span><br />
<br />Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 0LN, UK50.3153102 -3.651028600000017850.2950302 -3.6913691000000179 50.3355902 -3.6106881000000177tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-44366561051905948662013-08-04T13:58:00.000+01:002013-08-04T13:59:03.666+01:00Tikka Chicken Grows Up - Meet Rita and Ora<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhmPzUsZBbHi8twWHSRg3lIvLUIQ34rNpciSxQmrdCEU2fgJInlNBtUfW474GHKkaS1v_H0LrgCpuUt7yHW-I7a8sw1eY5nd33h0VXleqcKDtIeqQl_ZvZ3LQHGSeSXZ7YVCKppdSu5Y/s1600/Tikka+CHicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhmPzUsZBbHi8twWHSRg3lIvLUIQ34rNpciSxQmrdCEU2fgJInlNBtUfW474GHKkaS1v_H0LrgCpuUt7yHW-I7a8sw1eY5nd33h0VXleqcKDtIeqQl_ZvZ3LQHGSeSXZ7YVCKppdSu5Y/s200/Tikka+CHicken.jpg" width="178" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Tikka Chicken</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well, Tikka the chick who hatched at Easter at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a>, has turned into a handsome cockerel with a splendid plumey tail just like his Dad, The Red Admiral. Tikka's Mum is a white Leghorn (pronounced L'gorn, looks like a cartoon road runner) called Marigold because she looks like she's got a rubber glove on her head. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWegHAwadOAuoPagaS3e5DKGoMwi6ZGm6ZI0Q6-d3oLnuqbrI-zIq41iyXLQ9An4vGu5lbMFDljuvgaSlIJ1J35oNG_7rvgSu4FSb6PQkPHXmEO2-l1AM6PyhoGi66_Z5ijVnXevmwCU/s1600/Tikka+%2526+Marigold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWegHAwadOAuoPagaS3e5DKGoMwi6ZGm6ZI0Q6-d3oLnuqbrI-zIq41iyXLQ9An4vGu5lbMFDljuvgaSlIJ1J35oNG_7rvgSu4FSb6PQkPHXmEO2-l1AM6PyhoGi66_Z5ijVnXevmwCU/s200/Tikka+%2526+Marigold.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Marigold, Mum, and Tikka</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Tikka has turned out to have the Rhode Island Red russet breast which is speckled with soft grey; his magnificent tail, is pure grey. His voice is breaking, producing rather squeaky cock-crows which are increasing in consistency and decreasing in warble.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFao7kglhYZWVg_MMsth5wQ7bz-rjqQJgaOFy9nYENMaxdgeuCTefTd9qDgecCcTylJaQ-o2tPexgSZYnRcswix3ZS3G6kjrcntj-SvKJcmFhzv5Hw-kiGFrglVzENomJYwJaNPewVXk/s1600/Big+Red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFao7kglhYZWVg_MMsth5wQ7bz-rjqQJgaOFy9nYENMaxdgeuCTefTd9qDgecCcTylJaQ-o2tPexgSZYnRcswix3ZS3G6kjrcntj-SvKJcmFhzv5Hw-kiGFrglVzENomJYwJaNPewVXk/s200/Big+Red.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The Red Admiral</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As Tikka hatched in a duck nest and was raised by us (we didn't want the duck to leave her eggs; hens take 21 days and Muscovy ducks 34 days to hatch) we found some two day old chicks to keep him company so he was socialised as a chicken not a human. They are pretty tame and still come running when I call them, and RonnieBarker and The Other One will happily let me cuddle them and enjoy perching on my wellies. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBbDMtEwzP0gisvBXGlO7sEAjGhTFOVS_2OP-RX4WZOa80L3bN7AaASJOZGDLIvuqhmSsDusz8mkYECXq82MVWqosMq_5xCp2pbKnve3IUV6QLqmZjCYV_gF5jRkB-CpbktVOOJsDkmM/s1600/Versarchie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBbDMtEwzP0gisvBXGlO7sEAjGhTFOVS_2OP-RX4WZOa80L3bN7AaASJOZGDLIvuqhmSsDusz8mkYECXq82MVWqosMq_5xCp2pbKnve3IUV6QLqmZjCYV_gF5jRkB-CpbktVOOJsDkmM/s200/Versarchie.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Versarchie</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Of the four chicks we bought, Versarchie with the fabulous feathers is a cockerel, Pingu is a hen and RonnieBarker and The Other One we're not sure about yet. If they start laying eggs before the end of the month then I'll be right about my hunch that they're girls... The Red Admiral has done some tango around them so I'm going with his sense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We think RB and TOO are Australorps, Versarchie (we don't want a copyright issue do we) has some Wyandotte in there and Pingu - who knows, though all possibly have some Bantam in there somewhere as they're small. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVal4eZU150OqLDsq46ccbIr0GSi_GaFFI3gFBbbHDV5qgNepTHlNCIEU9sMzXBC8Atp9zbqn8UGcquWV3ODXKgklzG9Nz38P1c_0T3NToko3M76cD5fXiftawM1ZjlkUmaUD2DRVm51w/s1600/Rita+%2526+Ora+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVal4eZU150OqLDsq46ccbIr0GSi_GaFFI3gFBbbHDV5qgNepTHlNCIEU9sMzXBC8Atp9zbqn8UGcquWV3ODXKgklzG9Nz38P1c_0T3NToko3M76cD5fXiftawM1ZjlkUmaUD2DRVm51w/s200/Rita+%2526+Ora+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Rita and Ora</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A few weeks ago, Rita the Buff Orpington, hatched a couple of chicks though one was too weak and died when its yolk sac food had run out as it couldn't eat. The survivor is a feisty auburn chick which is just beginning to grow adult feathers. It's with Rita in the fruit cage which we're using as a broody coop as it's netted to stop overhead predator attacks.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3Khh5GXuNeU5W63lokHhiKAs6Z5RvG1cqAtacgsojogKphyphenhyphenYrxEjwxk9fLVaiBeQIc1WqMd3F1ODy9btxkMt83SCkXymxevhaB4-4UJV0bGzvdUJDbv-1JkrSeovzYiaeNGJ4l8Q87k/s1600/Rita+and+Ora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3Khh5GXuNeU5W63lokHhiKAs6Z5RvG1cqAtacgsojogKphyphenhyphenYrxEjwxk9fLVaiBeQIc1WqMd3F1ODy9btxkMt83SCkXymxevhaB4-4UJV0bGzvdUJDbv-1JkrSeovzYiaeNGJ4l8Q87k/s200/Rita+and+Ora.jpg" width="195" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">No sign yet of a plumey tail like The Red Admiral, dad again, so I'm really hoping this one's a girl, as some of my other hens are getting a bit old and don't lay as often. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We've called the chick 'Ora' thanks to Megan in <a href="http://quack%20cottage/" target="_blank">Quack Cottage</a> who informed me there's a pop star called Rita Ora... fancy! I like to think it alludes to her golden colouring ... </span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages. Higher North Mill, Slapton, Dartmouth, Devon, UK50.317255852469046 -3.650384869836443650.314720852469044 -3.6554273698364437 50.319790852469048 -3.6453423698364436tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-73669480035456342182013-08-04T13:11:00.000+01:002013-08-04T13:11:48.406+01:00Glow worms in the lane<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They're back! Glow worms spotted at dusk last week and this week outside <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-rose.htm" target="_blank">Rose Cottage</a> in the four wheel drive track. Last year, they appeared in the sage bush outside the old mill house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Like everything else in nature this year, they're a bit later than usual and we're so glad to see them </span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Higher North Mill, Slapton, Dartmouth, South Devon, UK50.317392867247278 -3.650814023278826450.314858367247275 -3.6558565232788265 50.319927367247281 -3.6457715232788264tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-57518564638071121132013-07-03T19:51:00.002+01:002013-07-03T20:00:17.034+01:00 We're generating our own electricity now the water turbine is live!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_aAUid7iYKfBjKJVC9UzKJBtY355evhO5B8j-4PdzXUfBDkowfa9HXiUkYO4hwpkj96lhQk8mUGkmBWW0b4-7n_ke4fWt8tU8SahihoCA7pd6bueUa42XfryscJ8GLpD-TolUaCENLY/s1400/s8304829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_aAUid7iYKfBjKJVC9UzKJBtY355evhO5B8j-4PdzXUfBDkowfa9HXiUkYO4hwpkj96lhQk8mUGkmBWW0b4-7n_ke4fWt8tU8SahihoCA7pd6bueUa42XfryscJ8GLpD-TolUaCENLY/s1400/s8304829.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The Turbine Shed</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well, we've overcome floods, high water and manufacturing delays and at last our new replacement water turbine is generating power at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We're generating enough power to run our house and</span><a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-barley.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Barleycorn Cottage</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> which has an 'Everhot' Aga-style electric range designed to run on self-generated power. Excess power is exported to the grid - a 'Wattson' meter shows us how much power we're generating and whether it's being used here or exported. We're trying to use as much as we can on site as it's more economic.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjYtmTDxlMmXn7e9UAJYgWFnyTD6Tr1ippCgjD0cy3DCJ1sf7AveYkJ_kYmZ45km_OiKxG9XpB6K4bxY5Fb7fp1JMErRumouhW7gQAO-K0IwgMzCYIEtowqCWsNz2q0STBbh9KCv99rA/s226/bridgebyleat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjYtmTDxlMmXn7e9UAJYgWFnyTD6Tr1ippCgjD0cy3DCJ1sf7AveYkJ_kYmZ45km_OiKxG9XpB6K4bxY5Fb7fp1JMErRumouhW7gQAO-K0IwgMzCYIEtowqCWsNz2q0STBbh9KCv99rA/s226/bridgebyleat.jpg" height="200" width="120" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The old mill leat which used to channel water to the long-gone waterwheel now channels water to the forbay from where it is fed by pipes to the turbine. It is so lovely to see the water flowing along the leat and trout making the most of a new shady place to swim. And to hear the conversation, it is a real chatter, as it runs over the old leat stones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">To stroll from <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-crownwheel.htm" target="_blank">Crownwheel Cottage</a> over the plank bridge and along the short track between the leat and the stream through the woods is a delight to the senses - deciduous woods, water gurgling, wildflowers, and dappled sunlight. The bench by the weir, made from a fallen tree pulled from the stream, offers a place to rest and nourish your spirit, it is so relaxing there.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsKxFIyFF8F1UoffyJAWeVrpN1dgHxAI2r3JFZ017y4a6ZA2IUxfCjt3Tl3IadPAJ3FD5nPlpd-vh6qs94mJOAE4RADugdADK8-XufTeeEdrdz3rlJNH8RPkbHHWfrMvBNvh_sb9RxLQ/s640/woodland+walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsKxFIyFF8F1UoffyJAWeVrpN1dgHxAI2r3JFZ017y4a6ZA2IUxfCjt3Tl3IadPAJ3FD5nPlpd-vh6qs94mJOAE4RADugdADK8-XufTeeEdrdz3rlJNH8RPkbHHWfrMvBNvh_sb9RxLQ/s640/woodland+walk.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So once again, the old mill is in production, not corn but electricity. A few steps closer to being self-sufficient and living more sustainably, harvesting the power of what flows naturally. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Power to the people, as John says!</span>Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Higher North Mill, Hansel, Strete, Dartmouth Devon, UK, TQ6 0LN50.317118837295908 -3.651693787835711250.315851337295911 -3.654215287835711 50.318386337295905 -3.6491722878357113tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-52791406782392115062013-05-12T11:18:00.000+01:002013-05-12T11:20:09.931+01:00Devon Restaurant Month is June!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Special offers this June at many of Devon's leading restaurants - have a look at </span><a href="http://www.devonrestaurantmonth.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Devon Restaurant Month website</span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> for deals, discounts and taster menus whilst you're staying at </span><a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Watermill Cottages</span></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" height="212" src="http://www.devonrestaurantmonth.co.uk/cmsAdmin/uploads/thumb/Blackpool-Sands.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Blackpool Sands - Venus Café every Thursday night in June (6, 13, 20, 27), Devon organic 28-day-aged grass-fed sirloin steak with half a Start Bay lobster at the special price £19.99 per person. Booking essential.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.devonrestaurantmonth.co.uk/cmsAdmin/uploads/thumb/gararock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="214" src="http://www.devonrestaurantmonth.co.uk/cmsAdmin/uploads/thumb/gararock.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gara Rock Restaurant offer is 20-23 June</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Local to Watermill Cottages are Waterside Bistro in Totnes, the White Hart at Dartington (in the beautiful grounds of 13th Century Dartington Hall) , Venus Café at Blackpool Sands, Gara Rock Restaurant (dog-friendly, on the Coast Path too) and The Old Market House</span> Brixham.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<br />Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Hansel, nr Slapton, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 0LN, UK50.3153102 -3.651028600000017850.2950302 -3.6913691000000179 50.3355902 -3.6106881000000177tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-14496934718052307702013-04-18T10:28:00.004+01:002013-04-18T10:38:27.770+01:00Chick, chick, chick, chicken....<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">two day old chick, Tikka</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Chicks...</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well, <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-barley.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a> has a new arrival! A chick called Tikka. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When we were away recently Marigold chicken (so-called because she looks like she's got an inflated rubber glove on her head) laid a little white egg in the nest of a sitting Muscovy duck. We watched to see what would happen, and ten days ago, I heard a cheeping and pecking and saw a tiny beak through a hole in Marigold's egg.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hatching ...</td></tr>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Great excitement with everyone here, as we all had a go at holding it to keep it warm until I put in a punnet on the Aga where it hatched as I cheeped encouragement as cooked dinner. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As Muscovies take 35 days to hatch and chickens just 21 we wanted the duck to sit on her eggs to the end and not abandon them for one rogue hen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">John made a cage with a heat lamp and we were advised to find it some friends or it would grow up to be anti-social and with the wrong species-patterning. It instantly recognised my voice for instance and still comes running when I call it - strange being a surrogate hen.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hatched ...</td></tr>
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Eventually, last Sunday we found some 2-3 day old chicks, and brought four back where we spent an evening enjoying a live 'David Attenborough' experience in poultry behaviour - one side of their box is perspex so we can watch them, and oddly, they can watch us. They're currently in the sitting room so we can check their water and feed easily.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our own chicken, a Rhode Island Red/ Leghorn cross, we've called Tikka as it's quite russety. It now looks like a raptor beside the younger ones but they grow so quickly and already have wing feathers sprouting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Watch this space for more news - please let them be hens not cockerels!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Swallows....</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The swallows have returned to <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a>! I was digging some worms in the kitchen garden yesterday to see how our few-day old chicks would react to real meat (as they've been hatched in an incubator or Aga I'm having to teach them certain basic life skills) and I heard a new bird call above the long-tailed tits, grey wagtails and blackbirds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yes! I looked up and swooping above me were swallows, forked tails printed on blue sky. They're back! It's really spring! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We'll be checking over the weekend to see for the return of the usual pair that nests in the porch at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages-barley.htm" target="_blank">Barleycorn Cottage's</a> front door.</span><br />
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Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Higher North Mill, Hansel, Slapton, Devon, UK50.316997067231078 -3.651752471923828150.315729567231081 -3.654273971923828 50.318264567231076 -3.6492309719238283tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-49482383243583685192013-03-27T18:54:00.000+00:002013-03-27T18:54:31.561+00:0020% off Woodlands Family Theme Park when you book onlineWoodlands Family Theme Park, near Dartmouth, is close to Watermill Cottages and a great place to take the kids if the weather isn't kind.<br />
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There are all kinds of rides and attractions including a zoo farm and lots of water activities as well as cafes and restaurants.<br />
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Get 20% off ticket prices by booking online at <a href="http://www.woodlandspark.com/book-online">http://www.woodlandspark.com/book-online</a><br />
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Woodlands is open from now until November 3 2013.<br />
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Have fun! <br />
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Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-72380167288553867162013-03-06T16:04:00.000+00:002013-03-06T16:09:35.102+00:00First twin lambs at Watermill Cottages!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 259px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 657px;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">first lamb of spring at <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/cottages.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a> - we called him Lambo ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">... he arrived in the Gara Valley on Sunday morning and had a bit of a struggle to start drinking as he couldn't suck very strongly. Jade had to milk the ewe and hand feed him so he digested the vital first mouthfuls. One he started though there was no stopping him.</span> </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchzQcNsbxj7AbKvphCQj0EYb30Amxg3fxOMl8HsgLvluH8CYUetucDFLWxPieUIKnyx5gjs6JOSdBDMW9xP7Oor-pQAvXCNDQCyB9BRDQWg8jZ49JFEKKCgIq3uQxF_hBRdIlEV8IDso/s1600/Lamb+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> This afternoon, the second birth - twins this time! The ewes are</span><a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Lleyn sheep</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and the ram is Jade's Jacob ram Jessie, hence they're little black lambs. One has a patch of white curly hair. They were up and suckling immediately. Eighteen ewes to go...</span></div>
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Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Hansel, Slapton, Dartmouth, Devon, UK50.316914857727035 -3.651752471923828150.314379857727033 -3.6567949719238282 50.319449857727037 -3.6467099719238281tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069642381257677127.post-89783210582496561552013-02-24T17:06:00.000+00:002013-02-24T17:06:04.770+00:00Watermill Cottages - now on Facebook and Twitter<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our five peaceful, dog-friendly self-catering cottages <a href="http://www.watermillcottages.co.uk/about.htm" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages</a> are now on Facebook and Twitter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yes, we've finally joined so we can share more about what's happening with the cottages and land, post pictures of this unique & beautiful coastal valley, keep you up to date with our smallholding and how we're trying to live more sustainably.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Local news, stories, offers and events around Slapton, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and the South Hams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You can find out about last-minute offers, follow what's happening, show your family and friends where you went on holiday. We promise lots of photo galleries and not too many words!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/watermillcottages" target="_blank">Watermill Cottages on Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/wtrmillcottages" target="_blank">follow Watermill Cottages on Twitter</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thank you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />Watermill Cottageshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15139447530912303600noreply@blogger.com0Watermill Cottages, Hansel, Slapton,Dartmouth, Devon, UK50.31698182172785 -3.651801076196306950.314446821727849 -3.656843576196307 50.319516821727852 -3.6467585761963068