The winner is.....

And the winner is.........Number 5, Laume ! Congratulations!! (and you need to contact me with your address, so I can post your painting to you)

And this is the reason I have been busy the last couple of days.
Last Thursday was Chagford Pony Sales, (which I have written about in previous years HERE).
As always, I went down for a look. It was pretty depressing - lovely foals, hardly any buyers. This little fellow above is from our local herd - born on Meldon, the hill which runs down into the village. I had noticed him over the summer, and liked him, and he caught my eye again in the sales pens. I had deliberately left my wallet at home, and resolutely not registered a buyers number, so I couldn't be tempted. He came through the ring early, and I watched without bidding. Not a hand went up, not one, and he was run out of the ring unsold. Colt after colt went through, nobody wanted them. Those colts can't run back out on the moor, and the plain truth is that they are worth more at the slaughterhouse than in the sales ring. I couldn't bear to think of him ending up there this week, so I went round and asked the farmer what he wanted for him. So here I am, £15 poorer, with a large, plain, big boned colt in my stable.
I know it was the right thing to do ;-)

Giveaway Time!

"Chalk Hare - Summer"
6 x 4 inches watercolour painting


So, it's Giveaway time! I'd like to say a HUGE thankyou to everyone who follows this blog. As promised I have a little original painting to offer up in a draw. In fact, you have the choice of either of these chalk hares - summer or winter. All you have to do is leave a comment saying which one you would prefer to win. I will draw all names out of a hat ( or maybe the Random Number Generator) once comments have closed on Sunday night (17th October) at 9pm UK time. Good luck ;-)

"Chalk Hare - Winter"
6 x 4 inches original painting

And as we strolled through the meadow last night in the evening sun, the ponies shone in the golden light. Sandpiper is the colour of a polished conker!

Beetlejuice, guardian of the Pumpkin hoard.

I have still been so busy harvesting that I have little time for much else. The cats have been doing their best to help too! We have had a fantastic crop of pumpkins and squashes this year, our best ever, and they taste heavenly. Our favourites have proved to be the Crown Prince - I like to cook squash in savoury dishes rather than sweet, and this has the perfect flavour and texture for roasting ( or currying, or making into soup .......).

The quince tree, too, is weighed down with more fruit than we have ever known it to bear. I LOVE quince, despite the fiddly preparation and am madly trying to make it into marmalade, or stew it for the freezer, as it doesn't keep too well.

Which brings me to the exciting bit! My followers have reached the 500 mark, and I think this deserves a celebration! So I am going to have a little giveaway on the next post, just as soon as I have finished a little original I am working on. I think you will like it, so keep watching for the chance to win it :)