Anne Marie Hamilton writes about life at Wood Farm.

The Hunts Post: Anne Marie Hamilton on the farm in Hail Weston.Anne Marie Hamilton on the farm in Hail Weston. (Image: Newsquest)

One of my favourite Christmas pictures is a photograph that I received from a girlfriend a couple of years ago.

It seems that their family kitten decided that the fairy on top of the Christmas tree was extremely boring – and that giving a cat top billing would be a far better plan.

No sooner was the thought in her head, then up the tree she went!

The photograph caused great amusement in our house when we saw it as it is typical cat behaviour.

In the past we have dressed the lower branches of our tree with unbreakable baubles as Hippo, our old farm cat, could not resist playing with them.

Dottie, our current farm cat, and Fred, our young terrier, have still not reached a truce and agreed to share the kitchen together.

Although we are working on the problem, at present Fred is restricted to the kitchen and Dottie reigns supreme in the rest of the house.

Unfortunately, Dottie has an insatiable curiosity, and a penchant for mischief.

If we are in the farm office, she climbs all over the desks, walks across the computer keyboard and makes off with any biros that she can spirit away.

We have lost dozens since she came to live with us and, as we have only rediscovered two in total, can only imagine that she is running a black market in pens on the internet.

Our Christmas tree normally stands in the centre of the house, near the stairs, and I know that Dottie won’t be able to resist the temptation to enjoy it to the full.

Glittering baubles, tinsel, lights – and all easily accessible – pure cat heaven!

So, do I put up the tree now and hope that her fascination with it will evaporate before Christmas, or delay until Christmas Eve when there are other people around to protect it and keep Dottie out of trouble? It’s a dilemma!

A happy and peaceful Christmas to you all.