Lambs, kids and granny squares.

We had a relaxing sort of Bank Holiday Weekend. Saturday was a visiting day and on Sunday we had expected showers but had lovely sunny weather-if a little breezy.

We went to Ripley near Harrogate. It is a lovely little village with a castle and grounds, church, village hall and post office and shop. The village shop sells delicious Ice Cream and there is also small farm called Birchwood Old Farmyard. For just £3.50 you can go into the tiny farmyard with pens and stalls not touched for decades. There are some animals to pet and the staff are ever so friendly.

There were different types of sheep and lambs.

My favourite were the day old kids. Still wobbly on their legs but very inquisitive.
There were shire horses and piglets. Chickens and goslings. A sheep dog and rabbits. Last year one of their broody hens lay on and reared some pheasant chicks this year the same hen was keeping an eye on four beautiful ducklings, she was looking after her charges well and keeping the lambs from getting too close. I am not sure what will happen when they need to learn to swim!
I got to cuddle a lamb, she was so soft and fell asleep while I rubbed her ear.

They also have a barn they call the museum. It is full to the brim of all things to do with farming from days gone by. They have a room above made up like the rooms in a farmhouse with beautiful old cooking utensils and rocking chairs, patchwork quilts and a granny square blanket, lanterns and tin baths, old oxo tins and wooden spoons.
We then went for a walk around the castle gardens. The formal garden was a bit sad looking as the tulips had finished and too early for the bedding plants. Inside the orangery we had better luck. Lots of exotic looking plants and flowers.
And then a walk in the park lands. The woods had a carpet of blue. At last I had found the bluebells.
Today I finished the granny squares. I just have to figure out how to crochet them together now! I hope you all had a good May Bank Holiday weekend. And guess what, there is another one at the end of the month!