Sunny Sufflolk

Leiston Chapel ... that was!

 We headed back to Suffolk by way of a couple of nights at the farm in Cumbria

Sitting down at the beck with Poppy

And a spot of lunch with some lovely people we sat for last time we were here in Lower Dunsforth.  It was great to catch up and compare notes about how life has changed post Covid.

Next we were expected at a sit in Melton, near Aldeburgh.  We would be hanging out with a gem of a 6mth old lurcher pup, one of our favourite breeds!

Butter wouldn't melt! Ha!

Tess is a first dog for this family of three young boys and their parents.  She was such a delightful wee character and we quickly bonded with her.

There was still something of a heat wave going on in this part of the country so we walked her early in the mornings and later in the evenings.  

In between times we just hung out enjoying each others company.

This was a large one acre property which gave plenty of space for either chasing balls or posing for photos.

Waiting for breakfast

Best friends forever

We had family come for lunch and friends call in for a cuppa.  A few workmen called in for some pre-arranged odd jobs and James managed a spot of fishing in the river.  There were always plenty of people and other dogs on the riverbank to keep our pup totally enthralled.  She is a very sociable young lady.

Next we moved about 20mins up the road to a regular sit of ours in Leiston.  Here, we were to hang out with Gail and her chicken friends.

Leona hatching an escape plan!

Gail saying it's time for a walk

Gail loves her walks, whether at the beach or through the fields and we were more than happy to oblige twice a day.

Leiston Chapel, on the way to Minsmere

Looking for seagulls to chase

A happy girl!

We always enjoy fishing around here and this time was no exception.  

Thorpness

Sea bass and Dover sole

Nothing quite like fresh fish for dinner!!!

We also picked some early blackberries from the hedgerows and made yummy banana and blackberry loaf and blackberry crumble.

Back to James' parents in Bury St Edmunds to prepare for our flights to New Zealand.  It has been a whirlwind visit with a few lovely sits sprinkled in, friends and family to catch up with and were off again .......

Bonny Scotland - July 2022

Kirkcudbright

We love Scotland!  So when an opportunity of a housesit in Borgue, Dumfries & Galloway, came up, we grabbed it.  Fortuitously, the sit coincided with a summer heatwave in the south of the UK so it turned out to be the best time to head north.

We passed by the farm in Drybeck on the way through and caught up with these ones.

Reg and Poppy were pleased to see us

Arriving in Scotland, we soon settled in with our gorgeous and fun charges.

9mth old Border Terrier, Hettie
such a joy

Roscoe, our first ever Red Labrador, a very
steady character

Peggy, a typical active and lively Springer

Brothers from the same mother,
Pip and Posy

Roscoe and Peggy were extremely well trained to the whistle which made them really easy to walk off-leash .... and Hettie just did what they did, so for such a young girl she was super easy too.

In the fields

We spent lots of time at the nearby beach playing in the waves and chasing balls.

Being so close to the coast we trotted out a couple of times to fish from the rocks catching the odd dogfish and not much else, but we never mind an opportunity to sit by the water wherever we are.

The sea also presented an opportunity for staying cool, even though we were only reaching temperatures in the mid twenties where we were, unlike the mid to late thirties down in Suffolk!

Peggy found her own way of keeing cool

At the house, we were busy picking and preparing fruit from the garden for the freezer, making gooseberry crumble for the family's return and generally relaxing a playing with the crew.

Cheers Pip

It really is such a joy when the cats and dogs get on so well together

Although we all know who's the boss here!

The obligatory wrangling of the crew for the scenic shot is always a bit of a laugh

What a wonderful and rugged coastline.  We will certainly be back at some stage .....