For Chris

With Chris away, the normal cottage routine has changed albeit  subtly.

Meg, the most nervous of the animals has felt this change and has been more clingy than she normally is, and has followed my every move like the proverbial shadow.

This morning I took her outside with me for breakfast and we shared a bagel and watched the field together.

It was not raining, which made a nice change.

I am typing this as we sit there together to remind Chris of home.... I think he is feeling the distance between Australia and Trelawnyd....despite his job, he never really likes being away from home

Since George had a bout of salmonella, I have kept all of the dogs well away from the field, so it was the first time the ewes have had the opportunity to meet any of the house dogs.

Both walked up to their usual 5 feet away and gave Meg the once over, stamping their hooves sharply in the grass as they did so.

I have noticed this behaviour when Albert stalks the field, and hope that if a fox does indeed turns up during the day, the sheep will face it off in a similar fashion.

We sat there and watched the geese who with the turkey stag Bingley had gone over to the gate to challenge Pippa and her dogs as they passed by. The geese bowed their heads noisily and Bingley rattled his feathers. They never tire of doing this, and must repeat the behaviour a thousand times a day.

The "Black Eyed Peas" slink away from the main flock and disappear into the long grass. I have noticed that all new hens do this when they first arrive. They spend time of the peripheries of field, out of harm's way, like bullied schoolboys hiding in the playground. In a week or so's time they will pluck up enough confidence to join in the feeding time scrums, and will fight for the titbits with the rest of them.

The blind Cogburn crows lustily from his sunny spot in his enclosure and the field cockerels answer him as the Aylesbury ducks bicker together nearby. One of the Aylesbury ducks is indeed a large drake, and is a huge bugger. I am contemplating having him for Christmas dinner, which may please Chris.

He loves eating duck.

We Will see.

I need to utilise the dryness of the morning really.

Eight coops need cleaning and I am overdue with collecting the last of the raspberries

But as Meg seems to be enjoying herself

I think we shall sit here a little longer and watch the world go by