Bodacious The Cat Shepherd

It's not every day you get to meet celebrities but recently, I finally made my acquaintance with a fabulous feline, who is a veritable star within the Facebook and Twitter communities. With several thousand followers and his own website, Bodacious the Cat Shepherd is, well, a cat who, along with his human, oversees a flock of the wonderful rare breed Zwartbles sheep in beautiful rural Ireland.

I first got to know about Bodacious when some years ago, I linked with his human on Twitter, but that is a story for another blog post. Instantly, his character appealed. What with that 'take me seriously or else' look, this fluffy cat had a way of captivating his audience whilst giving the low-down on the daily sheepy activities. Forget the A-list celebs social media tantrums - this is a C-list celeb who has also been known to tweet a strop or two when he hasn't had his daily fresh egg.

It was a beautiful early autumn day when I visited the Kilkenny farm, and whilst I was initially greeted by some wonderful canines, I wondered when Bodacious might deign to put in an appearance for this English human. We had probably wandered the farm for around an hour and a half before his human said "There he is" pointing to a corner of the farmyard from the far side of the field we were in. Suddenly a little flutter of excitement ran through me (Yes! I know, for a cat!) As we walked over, he put on the typical 'look-at-meee' greeting...for his human, it certainly wasn't for me!

Knowing that I was keen to capture a few shots of this big little star, his human paid a quick visit to the hen house and returned with a handful of fresh eggs.

Oh yes! His eggs and didn't he make it known he wanted...

Up on his hind legs with a loud meeow - give me!

However, it wasn't yet time for his treat, as there was a photo shoot to do first. And for once he wasn't going to be the centre of attention as this photo shoot was to be for his human. I'm not sure if he appreciated me engaging with his human for this time, when really, all he wanted was his egg.

The photo shoot completed, his human invited me back to the cosy farmhouse kitchen for a welcome bowl of soup, heated up by the Aga. On one of the counter tops, and looking even more cosy was Bodacious's fellow feline Marley, snuggled into a special cat-sized Zwartbles blanket. She looked really happy and content and quietly rested whilst we enjoyed the soup and a chat.

However, we had not long finished when Bodacious hopped up onto the kitchen chair and gave me the kind of hard stare as if to say "You are distracting my human from giving me my egg"

Oh dear!!
It still wasn't time for his treat as now it was time to go and feed the Zwartbles rams in the orchard.

Here, we met Ovenmitt, the third feline resident, along with Bear, a lovely and very lively young dog. It was a case of hey guys, time for a family portrait...if you would just stay still for a moment please Bear!

Ovenmitt is quite used to having his picture taken and even has a trick...

Feed time over and we made our way back to the kitchen where Marley was still resting in her Zwartbles blanket.

Sadly, it was time for me to leave and I had had a purrfectly wonderful afternoon with Bodacious the Cat Shepherd, his human and all the wonderful animals that lived in this beautiful corner of Ireland. I was delighted to come away with lovely memories, and a bag of my favourite Worcester Permain apples picked fresh from the tree - delicious!

And finally, his patience would be rewarded. Bodacious could have his delicious egg.

My thanks to Suzanna for her hospitality and a wonderful afternoon.

Reportage Roundup - March

Saturday 19th March

Chris Baker - founder of B.R.A.V.E

March roared in like a lion with over 300 motorbikes joining 'The Bomb Run' charity ride from Coggeshall to Carver Barracks in Wimbish, to raise funds for B.R.A.V.E.  Bikers Respect All Veterans Equally
Chris Baker, a former Royal Engineer, who became paralysed after suffering injuries when his military vehicle was hit by an IED, founded the organisation which raises funds to be shared around various military charities.

The ride was led by Chris on his special Harley trike, and riders from all over the region roared onto the windswept airfield behind him for a group photograph in front of some of the military vehicles stationed at the barracks.

Give us a wave! Just some of the bikers for the group photograph.

The all-important charity patch, to sew onto the riders cut-offs.

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Saturday 19th March

Follow the instructions for the treasure hunt.

By contrast, the gentle pastime of an Easter Treasure hunt, took place at Thaxted URC, where children were given a booklet of clues, to help their in search for letters hidden around the church. Once these had been collected and re-arranged to form an Easter greeting, families were invited to sit back and enjoy tea and cakes in the newly opened-up community space within the church.
View the gallery

Hunt the letters.

Cakes and organ pipes. The new community space opened up after removal of pews.

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Saturday 26th March

Hunt the bunny - hiding in the pak choi bed.

Continuing in the treasure hunt theme, Saffron Walden County High School Farm Club held their open day on a cold and dreary Easter Eve. This didn't deter masses of families arriving for the indoor barn activities, in an attempt to dodge the unpredictable weather. Once again, clues were provided to guide the young visitors to the hiding bunnies.

All the usual farm animals were there for visitors to become acquainted with - Dexter cattle, goats, sheep, guinea pigs, ferrets...
There was some reserve when encountering this constantly wriggling mustelids but thankfully all children went home with all of their fingers, although the farm club crew-member had nicely scratched hands (and a smelly sweatshirt!) Despite their odorous faults, I do have rather a soft spot for ferrets myself.

View the gallery

"If I stroke it, will I keep my fingers?!"

Am I pretty or what?!

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Monday 28th March

Sponsor a duck.

From furry wrigglers to yellow swimmers. Easter Monday brought the crowds out for the 1st Rayne Scouts annual duck race. These quackers, some of them veterans of many races, were assigned to hopeful custodians and over 1,000 ducks were released into a fast flowing River Brain. Storm Katie had just passed through and so the trailing wind helped to rush the bobbing bath-mates along to the finish in swift time, with the crowds keenly following on alongside the river bank.

View the gallery

Under starters orders. Over 1,000 yellow ducks waiting to float away.

Crossing the finish line - come in no.1000, you are the winner.

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As March came in like a lion, so it had to go out like a lamb, and just to oblige, one of the four-week-old farm club lambs provided a cheeky baa!

 

Stroud Farmers' Market

Window of Cornflower & Calico

Unlike our first visit to Glasgow the other week, Stroud in Gloucestershire is a place we have been to many times and also have a connection with, as both friends and family live in this hilly town on the edge of the Cotswolds. It had dawned on us recently, that several years had whizzed by since out last visit, so a timely invite from our old college friends was a welcome reason to make a weekend break of it.

It is always a culinary delight when visiting these particular friends, as the lady of the house has the ability to rustle up the most amazing meals in front of our eyes with what appears to be the absolute minimum of effort. As we sat catching up on the past few years, eggs benedict, on a bed of chard fresh picked from the allotment, was produced from scratch, and just as a lunch-time snack. Delicious! So it comes as no surprise that our friends are also huge fans of the multi-award winning Stroud Farmers' Market that takes place each Saturday in the streets surrounding Cornhill Market Place.

It was a bitterly cold wind that whooshed us down the steep hill into the town, with the two men making straight for the calorie-laden Pippin Doughnuts stall, (oh, if only!) followed by an interested mooch towards the Artisan Baker, where I was delighted to find (one) gluten-free loaf available.
"The rest have already been snapped up this morning" said the girl.
This must surely say something?!

Following this gluten free discovery, I made it my quest to see what else I could find. Funky Falafel clearly advertised their gluten-free products, and the Hinton Marsh Farm had gluten-free sausages.
"Only the plain GF ones today. Usually we rotate all the other flavours in turn"
I took a pack of the plain ones and having had them for tea last night, I can say they were truly delicious.

For the non-meat eaters there were plenty of wonderful vegetables available...

...as well as vegetarian options, often doubling with dairy-free and gluten-free.
As the men were indulging in the calorie laden doughnuts and cheeses, I was opting for these comparatively healthy and interesting gluten-free options, with products from both the Veggie Deli and Saira's South Asian Savouries having passed the 'ok for me' test!

Back to the off-limits but delicious looking home made pork pies from the Stowe Herd Farm (oh, if only!)...

...and a colourful array of local vegetables from Duncan Paget & Co...

...and hidden away at Hobbs House Bakery, these happy little chaps!

On a morning where sharp rain showers punctuated the sunshine and the bitter wind whipped the awning covers into the faces of the passing shoppers, it certainly didn't seem to deter the masses coming out to visit this veritable congregation of culinary delights (and indeed, other products too). For those of us with dietary requirements, I'm pleased to say there was plenty of choice here, which is reassuring to see.

With our bulging bags wafting their delicious aromas, we began the long climb back up the steep hill, stopping off along the way for a reviving cuppa in front of the fire at the Bisley House Bar.
What a delightful way of spending a Saturday morning.




(Thanks to all for allowing me to take photos)

Llama Surprise

We've probably all seen llamas in a zoo but today I was quite surprised to find them in the rural backwaters of East Sussex, having been commandeered to go with himself as a spare pair of hands on a job of his, and before ending up on a follow-up progress shoot.

The farm has a whole herd of these haughty camelids, who greeted me and my camera with quizzical indigence. These two were in the process of being brushed and prepared  to receive visitors, and I wasn't that visitor.

They certainly weren't too keen to be seen during their preparations and frequently gave me the down-the-nose stare that their camel relations are expert at giving. Their heritage was also apparent when checking out their feet.  

Finally here were two llamas, ready to go trekking with the excited visitors, who were just arriving by car.

Forget ponies to keep the kids occupied these summer holidays. It appears you can take yourself off on a trek where you walk alongside these woolly characters.

Different!

Hmmm, think I might just stick with mutt as my walking companion though!

Artisan Farming

What a pleasure it was to come across this beautiful mix of wheat and borage whilst out on our walk last night.

Normal Service Resumed

Now that I am back at my normal computer, I can start to properly edit the images I took during my latest visit to West Cork. Whilst there, I did manage some editing of a fashion on my relocated, old, slow, G4 Mac with an off-cast flat screen. This is actually a considerable upgrade from the old iBook I had been using and filling my hand-luggage with each trip. So, whilst it is frustrating hitting the 'go' button and having time to go and make a cup of tea during the wait, it is not half as frustrating as the screen. As I have left my 'good' screen coupled with the replacement Mac Pro, it was a case of finding a spare screen to leave with the G4. The only one available was an old Sony, once used by my better half, but discarded due to 'the odd colours'. Nothing that a bit of careful setting up couldn't sort out - or so I thought.

Once into the settings, I found that the red and blue channel were adjustable but the green channel actually did have nothing to declare by being impossible to adjust. This left the screen with a rather strange colour cast that fluctuated according to how long it had been turned on. I fast came to the conclusion that this was not going to be a permanent option for a computer used predominantly for photographic and design work. A replacement is to be found and I will gladly confirm that the screen does indeed have 'odd colour'.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate my good screen, with a clear sharp image, that also has a regular liason with a Colormunki. The above image was one that I chose to work on whilst away, but needed a total overhaul before it would even see the light of another computer screen. However, with a re-jig back here, I can post it with confidence now.

Looking back on the images from the past few days, it is clear that they are rather odd in places, and for that I do apologise, but I am also pleased to announce that normal service has now been resumed.



(My thanks must go to the neighbouring beef farmer who kindly allowed me to tag behind him one morning so I could fulfil the last part of my documentary study, before pulling it together for the summer show.)

Countdown to Cambridge Open Studios 2011

Today I joined with my fellow Cambridge Open Studio artists, in a gathering that heralded the start of the run-up for our annual event. This is where over 200 multi-disciplined artists, in and around Cambridge, open up their studios for anyone to visit during four weekends in July.

I will be re-opening my doors for Cambridge Open Studios, as I did in 2010, this time in:

'West to East'

Days in the life of West Cork

From mist...

...to glorious sunshine

I will be bringing aspects of West Cork, to here in East Anglia, with a particular focus on the changes that are happening in rural life there.

There will be documentary photography on the lives of the dairy and cattle farmers who live and work there, along with graphic book arts, giving an insight into what makes this part of Ireland so attractive.

To those who visited my Open Studios last year, thank you and I hope you might choose to visit me again this year. To those who know nothing of Open Studios, click on the yellow Open Studios link above to find out more.

Over the next few months, I will be posting regular progress updates here on my blog (as well as my other photographic rovings) and if you are interested, you can sign in as a follower to receive these updates. Alternatively, you can dip into my blog at your leisure, but either way, I would be happy to answer any questions you have about Open Studios.

New Life

What a day! I have been progressing with the planned documentary work, starting with a chat to a young, beef cattle farmer, who despite currently having to run the farm alone and look after a toddler, he has the most refreshing cheery disposition. His wife has just spent the last few days sitting up in hospital with their poorly baby daughter, and yet he still has a smile on his face and declares that farming is the best life. People with this sort of outlook on life deserve to succeed and I wish him and his young family well.

Dropping by the dairy farmer again this morning, he pointed out a young heifer who's first calf would be born within the next few hours and I was hoping that I might be fortunate enough to be there for this new arrival. To kill time, I spent lunchtime photographing the wide variety of birds visiting the nearby strand. In half an hour I spotted two types of gull and the hooded crows that are always present as well as a rock pipit, oyster catcher, pied wagtail, sandpiper, redshank and a shag with its prominent breeding season crest. In the same half hour there were three other bizarre visitors. Firstly a power-walking lady who sent all the birds up into the air in a flurry as she marched from one end of the strand to the other - six times. Then a man who drove up as close to the strand as possible, off-loaded a wheelbarrow and shovel, then proceeded to fill the barrow with sand before re-loading it into the back of his van. Finally, an elderly man who also drove up as close to the strand as possible before selecting a carrier-bag full of stones with these also ending up in the back of his car. Too many interruptions for my liking, so time for me to move on.

Returning later to check the progress of the heifer I, and more so, the farmer had been surprised to find the arrival had happened sooner than expected for this first-time mum. We had both missed it. For me, it is sad as I am running out of time to catch one of these special moments. For the farmer, it is only the beginning of this annual rural cycle, with just one more new life.

Boys in Wooly Coats

Whilst still on things bovine, I thought you might like to see a lovely young fella. He was one from a herd of Galloways I photographed last August. They are farmed organically by a friend of ours in Ireland and I understand that they are much more trouble-free than some of the other traditionally farmed breeds. Being hardy, they can easily tolerate the harshness of the weather that we, and unusually, the Irish have experienced this winter. Able to live off poor ground, the mothers calve easily, have abundant milk and the breed produces wonderful beef. Sounds perfect. I have to say, I was particularly taken by their lovely wooly coats and curly hair-dos though.

So, why so much interest in cattle? Well, I began a documentary project last year, focusing on the changes in dairy/cattle farming in a particular corner of Ireland. These changes have happend in less than a generation and will have implications for many generations to come. I am keen to capture some of this remaining lifestyle before it disappears completely as well as photographing the moves forward, such as that, our friend has made.

Having a number of photographic forays already in the bag, I still have several trips planned to continue with this project. I will endeavour to keep you up-dated with progress although I guess this project will be on-going, with the end difficult to define. However, I hope to be able to share the results with you when I bring the Galloways together with the other bovine encounters, later this summer, in a documentary photographic show.