Just tell me this, how the hell can one become lame all day from getting a severe cramp in one’s ankle in the middle of the night. Last night I woke up with a bad cramp in my right leg going down to that lump on the side of your foot. It was a cramp that meant you have to get out of bed and walk around once you get your foot back on the floor, tedious in the extreme. And it was still sore in bed. It was still painful getting out of bed in the morning and having a bath, and it is damn well still sore now!! And then I managed to trip over as well, however being a consummate professional I did not let go of the falcon on my fist but did end with grazes on one knee. The third physical injury was a small puncture in my thumb from Casper – the ‘white bird’ when we coped his beak, not a large hole and pretty insignificant, but niggling now as I type!

The pruning went well, and prolific in terms of stuff to get rid of, a great deal of it, and I have been feeling guilty because I am teaching, not dragging tons of brush to the fire. However I am definitely the best at the final clear up! The place is looking very pruned! I did stand up for a couple of trees, but gave the chop to another that was not destined to go this time. We have some planting to do that is for sure, so anyone with flowering perennials, let me know, I have holes to fill!

The falcons almost all got flown early and did well, it was a lovely morning. The second last enclosure got concreted, and Labrador pawed as well – blame Indigo who did a good job on footprints! Only one to go and then we start the timber framing. The course went well, we covered more training and flying, casting a bird, coping three of them and doing talons as well, more flying and a walk with a Harris who did not catch anything, but that is par for the course in falconry, ended up with a cup of tea in the house and talking about food and emergency supplies.

All in all a nice day weather wise, a lot done and only one more day this week for pruning, and one next week. I think apart from being lame, I feel that we have achieved today!

Plus Sue has knitted Sedge a new coat for the cold weather coming next week, its colourful!! But I am SURE he will appreciate it next week when the weather gets cold, Won't he??? He does not like the cold!! Although I suspect that Acer is going to make sure that it does not stay this smart for long!!