April 10, 2026 by Mike Madden
Silence Of The Lambs
Country Life
We have inherited a new friend, a farmer from Bradwell. His name is Simon, and he takes really good care of his animals, admitting that he sometimes gets too attached to them to send them to market. It is lambing season, so we went over to see the newborns.
Over a cup of tea, Simon described some of the problems that can happen, particularly when triplets are involved. Sometimes, the vet has to reach inside the ewe and decapitate the lamb to save the mother. He also had an “ugly” sheep that he had to put in a harness because of all manner of problems including a prolapse. The storybook image of lambs gambolling in a field was shattered.
I certainly won’t be going back when the calves start to appear.
They didn’t chop my head off
Al Fresco Or Al Freezing?
Spring has certainly been in the air, and over a three day period I fired up the pizza oven, heating it to 100, 200 and then 300 degrees. The results were succulent chicken, juicy burgers and sausages. Fantastic for March.
I also got my bike out, and went to Whaley Bridge on my first outing for quite some time. The following day I went a bit further, reaching Buxworth, and I considered a trip to Marple down the canal. A day later, it snowed. Bike has gone away again and pizza oven is back under wraps. Well, it is only March!
Sally Strikes Again
In the kitchen, Sally made a cup of tea. At least, I think it was tea. I wasn’t quite sure. What do you think?
Answers On A Postcard
I tried my hand at a new cake. Sticky toffee cake with toffee sauce (and toffee buttercream) is probably too much toffee for me. I’ll get some feedback from my “tasters”, and see what might need changing for future editions.
Sticky Toffee What?
Sticky Toffee Cake with Toffee Sauce
A Poem
Refund? You’ll Have To Wait
I have gradually been receiving refunds from the ill-fated trip to Dubai. Its annoying that when you pay, the money leaves your account immediately, but for a refund you have to wait 10 business days or more. Something is not right – I might get Zac on the case.
Bertha’s Bar
I have been spending a lot of time up at Whaley Bridge Cricket Club, not actually doing anything, but letting people in to do jobs and arranging furniture. We have been creating “Bertha’s Bar”, a unique setting for enjoying a drink at the picturesque cricket ground. We may even open midweek as well the more traditional Saturday afternoon! Friday afternoons may be set aside for coffee and cake, or perhaps something a little stronger!
Call in for a beer at Bertha’s Bar
The Patter Of Tiny Hooves
I can now announce that Star Of Lady M is in foal to Starman. She was originally thought not to have become pregnant, then it turned out she was. We got scans at 14 and 28 days which confirmed the pregnancy. Last week we got a 45 day scan, which confirmed that we can look forward to a foal in January 2027. However, the scans have not been without incident. At 42 days the vet could not detect her uterus. Fortunately, three days later all was well.
Shannon And Back
We decided to visit Star in Ireland, and booked a whistlestop day trip via Shannon. Manchester Airport is interesting at the moment. You get to Terminal 3 and various signs point you in different directions, including one that points towards a solid wall. After a while we figured out that we had to go to Terminal 1 and make our way through there to security. Sally was the bearer of a lemon drizzle cake in an Emma Bridgewater tin (don’t worry , she didn’t bake the cake, I did). That somehow set off an inspection at security, with the staff admitting that they had not inspected a lemon drizzle cake before. It could have got considerably worse, as Sally left the bag carrying the cake on a table. If I hadn’t picked it up it could have been quarantined and destroyed as a suspicious package.
Its A Long Way To Tipperary
We drove to Tipperary where we met Luke. After transferring to his car we then drove to Coolmore, where there are so many great stallions. We saw Churchill, Camille Pisarro, Australia, Auguste Rodin and many more. For me, Little Big Bear stood out, and when we consider Star’s next cover he would be close to the top of my list. Of course, we raced against him when he won the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.
Some of the amazing stallions at Coolmore
Birthplace Of Champions
The weather was kind, and we spent more than an hour on the hallowed ground of Coolmore. Afterwards, we drove to Mount Coote, from where Luke drove us to a nearby farm that currently houses Star Of Lady M. She was pleased to see us, perhaps because we brought Polos. She still loves a scratch, and she was happy to walk up and down just outside her field. However, she was happiest when she was back with her companions, four other mares and a nanny.
Star Of Lady M loving life at Mount Coote
Hopefully, she will continue to thrive in the idyllic Golden Vale, and we will see her again later in the year.
In the meantime, we still have this to remind us of her…
Homeward Bound
We returned to Mount Coote and had tea and more lemon drizzle which, purely by coincidence, Tabitha had made for us. All too soon we headed back to Shannon airport, where I managed to fit in a Guinness before the flight home.
When in Rome…
It was a long and tiring day, but well worth it. Next up in the equine world is a trip to Newmarket for the breeze ups, mainly to see Star Of Lady M’s full brother perform.
Coming Soon…
I am considering another syndicate for the 2027 season, with an option to buy in from as little as £100.
All details can be found at the following link – please feel free to fill in the questionnaire with no obligation at this stage.
You can read the previous edition here:-