MRS DOWN'S DIARY

"THIS will be the first year I have ever known the cows to be out on Bonfire Night," John said. Out, but staying in their fields we hope. Although our village is only tiny, more of a hamlet than a village, three new families already have brushwood and rubbish piled high in their gardens ready for the big night.

They all know that we have stock and feed inside in the barns but several of the families have ponies and all have dogs. So, overall, they are considerate and just put on a short show for their immediate family.

The straw is not as vulnerable as it was in past years when we stacked everything under a Dutch barn, and many of the big bales are stored well inland in the fields they were harvested from.

Still, it pays to check all the extinguishers are full and the hosepipes connected up.

Two of our dogs, thelabrador and spaniel, are not at all bothered by loud bangs. Indeed, if it is gunfire, they positively revel in them. But Nell, our sheepdog, and Bud, the Jack Russell, are both very timid about gunshots, fireworks, thunder and lightning.

Unless Nell is secured in the house or back of the Land Rover she becomes extremely distressed and once got severely kicked when she took refuge in the foldyard with the cows.

Yesterday, when we returned from the meal after a shoot, it was already dark and some pre-Bonfire Night fireworks had been set off. No Nell in her kennel at home. We found her cowering in the poultry hut with some very irate chickens. That will put them off laying for a week.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette November 14