. . . and on her head, she has a LEAF!

That came into my head earlier on when I was hoiking out a box of paperwork which lurks, out of side, on the bottom shelf of the little shallow wall table which is at the far end of the sofa.  Something was poking out from beneath it, and I know the girls have been pursuing meeces (well, bank voles and shrews normally) under the sofa so my first thought was, "Oh drat, a mouse's tail . . ." Cautiously I drew it out - to find a dessicated Sycamore leaf which had come in from outside with a mouthful of mouse.  The title comes from when us four childhood friends were all about 12 - me, Trish, Rosie and Big Lin (height, not waistline!) - were having a "fashion show" in Rosie's bedroom.  It was Big Lin who said it and we were in hysterics.  Gosh, SUCH a long long time ago now . . . Rosie, this will bring back memories for you, that's for sure . . .

Tam, Rosie and I did a little walk up through the grounds of the Big House, and then up the snowy hill to the pine tree where the Red Kite perches.  We had to be careful not to tread in any tyre tracks as those had impacted into ice, but it was fine anywhere else and some of the lane had thawed. This was the view across to the hills between Rhayader and Llandod.

Snow-pencilled branches.

Tam and Rosie, who was snuggled up in a Merino wool wrap.

In the grounds of the Big House.  As you can see, not a great deal of snow, but enough to be worrying when it was falling.  It's thawed on the slopes today and is just on the colder hill tops now.

Hazel catkins already set . . .

I have been feeling better today and made a pan of Minestrone soup, another loaf (half and half with Wholemeal flour) and stewed up some apples.

I have also been on the phone a lot, sorting out a Council Tax Payment (not going on Direct Debit until the next financial year), ordering a replacement recycyling bin (plastics), and making enquiries as to WHY the Land Registry has gotten in touch with us to let us know that someone has put in an Application on Tycelyn . . .  My first thought was that the people who used to live here had done something sneaky as they were, shall we say, possessing of A Reputation in these parts.  It transpires out that it was something closer to home and a case of the drawing of a piece of retained land someone is trying to tie in with their property and a boundary line has just crossed into ours.  It will be confirmed tomorrow as I have spoken to the person concerned.  All I can say is, I was very relieved that Tam had set it up that we are contacted by the Land Registry if any application or similar involves our property.  For all we know, the Dodgy People could have put in for planning permission and the first we would know of it is when a digger arrived!  As we have the two triangles of land either end of our garden (plus the half an acre of woodland), it is possible.

So, that took up a good bit of the day, but we have still had lots of fun with Rosie, who has now, at not quite 8 mths, decided that crawling is for babies and clever babies go straight to stand and walk!  She has been pulling herself up on my coffee tables and has had a lovely game with the coasters on the small one (which have to be chomped!) and now everything on the table tops had had to be removed or put out of reach!  Tam said, goodness, that's a whole new ball game that she didn't expect to be happening for a good while yet!  

We have been binge watching Our Farm Next Door, which is about the derelict farmhouse that the Yorkshire Shepherdess (Amanda Owen) is doing up, along with her family and husband Clive, who she is now estranged from (well, in the bedroom anyway).  They are doing everything the proper way with lime mortar and plaster and the original HUGE (I am talking shaped and graded paving slabs here) stone slabbed roof.  30 tons and more of it!  She will be having an old fashioned range in too, I think.  Can't wait to see the finished home.

Right, this won't do.  Tam's trying to get Rosie off to sleep - trying to wrestle her into her sleeping bag was bad enough, but then she was crawling all round the bed!