I had a phone call this morning from my son to tell me that I was on the TV as we spoke.  Just caught the end of it and I haven't seen this full version before.   I'd better explain..... I was a contestant in Come Dine With Me.   I was there under the name of Liz Beckerley ( which is my maiden name and the name I still use for my legal work).  We had a brilliant time filming this.  So many laughs.  I look back on it very fondly.    The episodes are on YouTube or you can catch them on 4OD, series 12, the Vale of Glamorgan episode.

After a huge amount of debate as to what breed of dog we were going to have and then another debate as to what to name her, we finally brought Charlie home on Tuesday.  She's a gorgeous tibetan terrier puppy, all white with a cute little patch over one of her eyes, just like a pirate.   When a new puppy joins you, along with the excitement, there is always a tiny bit of trepidation.   Let's face it, there's all that toilet trainging and tibetan terriers are known for separation anxiety.  However, I have to say that she is a delight.    She is absolutely wonderful and we are all enjoying her so much. She has a lovely, happy personailty and is interested in everything, especially our chickens, who don't quite know what to make of her.  She already knows her name, coming bounding over to us excitedly when she hears her name.     Despite being just a baby, it would seem that this little girl is very clever.        

Another Welsh artist Kathleen Minten creates beautiful Green Man sculptures and much much more.   She is selling them on her website, Spirit of the Green Man.  Why not take a look.

Just over a year ago, a lady e-mailed me, asking if I wanted to see a photograph of her highland cow.   Minutes later, a photograph of a gorgeous, quirky looking higland heifer landed in my e-mail box.   I knew instantly that she was going to be my next cow painting.  That young heifer became my highland cow painting, "Heather."  

A few days ago, that same lady e-mailed me again with an updated photograph of Heather.   Her real life name is Caitlin of Tiffiels and she's just been named Supreme Champion at the Royal Norfolk Show.  Well, I always knew that she was lovely but now it's official.  Well done Caitlina 1sr of tiffield and thank you Tracy for sending me her photo

My lovely young friend Katie Morgan who we so sadly lost on 21st January, 2012, aged just 18 years old.    Katie was a beautiful young girl, whose lovliness was inside and out.   A gentle, unassuming soul with a ready smile and happy nature, Katie loved animals and dreamt of becoming a freelance animal photographer.   Her photographs were astonishingly good, indistinguishable from that of a professional and I was always asking her to let me paint them.  Of course, Katie always said "yes" and would e-mail photographs to me.

She was a very competent horse rider and like me, really enjoyed the thrill of a fast ride.  I never got from A to B more quickly than when I rode out with Katie.

It hasn't quite sunk in yet that somebody so beautiful, young, bright and talented has been taken from us.   Katie, I'll miss seeing your lovely face.   My heart aches. 

Meningitis UK .........so worth supporting.

I am so lucky to have my very own chicken models right here.  We can sit for ages staring out of the window, just looking at them.   We often have discussions as to which one is the most lovely, etc., etc.

That makes Lucy, our light sussex chicken spring to mind.   She becomes broody every year.   When this first happened, we kept taking her off the nest, trying to break the broodiness.  But this never worked and she ended up on that nest throughout the summer.   By early Autumn, she had become very scrawny and was in very bad condition.

The next year we had a plan.   A spare "nursery" chicken coup was prepared and as soon as the broodiness started, in she went.  We bought some fertilised eggs and there she sat for 21 days in her trance, waiting for them to pip.   She has since proved herself to be the most fantastic mother.     

She's just finished bringing up her second little batch.   Her babies, now as big as her, still hug her side, not forgetting that she's still mum.