Sheep, keep your dog on a short lead

Now, I may have joked about this a little while ago, the syntax that is, definitely not the sentiment. But this week, it's deadly serious. It's lambing season in Surrey and five pregnant sheep have been killed in Tadworth, following dog attacks. Read the story here.

Please, please dog walkers, we are so fortunate to be able to ramble through Surrey's farms, but I know our local farmer can be rather fierce (a quite rightly so) if he sees dogs off lead near his sheep. A couple of years ago, this happened on The Farm near to us. Two sheep were badly injured, though thankfully did survive, but it did mean a lot of people looking around to work out whose dogs had done it (not mine!). And it meant that we felt unable to walk on the farm for quite a while.

Shackleford Woods, Lesley Beeton

So we started walking in the woods instead and as you know, it is probably my favourite place to walk. Last evening we saw Izzy and Chiton, two blue Weimaraners who we tried to walk with last year, but my boys were a bit too spirited for their rather laid back temperament. Still, we had a nice chat, and all agreed that the longer days are very pleasant. We also saw a suspicious looking work van and I hope I'm not going to find a new load of fly-tipping when I go there tonight. I mean, just what would you sit there for, if not to wait for the last dog walker to leave and then fly-tip? Beware : I have taken your car registration and I will be looking for you!

Invasive rhododendron, Lesley Beeton

The other thing we noticed on Sunday evening is that the invasive rhododendron, removed en masse by the countryside ranger last autumn has stealthily returned. I personally don't mind it, especially in flower, but I do understand that it can't be allowed to take hold again. 

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