Pictures for Janet

Jess and Meg- the hostility between the two bitches seems to have settled down somewhat, when all 5 dogs crowded into the back of the belingo. Janet and Ned seem to be training Jess very well, so a free for all with our "bash street kids" is her opportunity to act like an idiot

I love this photo. Jess is watching a squirrel, while William seems to be hamming it up for the camera. the Scotties are galloping into the distance

The treat for the day was for William and Jess to sit in the front seat and on the dashboard when were on egg delivery

Learning curves

The worst thing about learning a new skill is the mistakes you make along the way. Incubating ducklings seems to be much more complicated than some of the literature indicates (especially literature that accompanies the do-it-simply incubators), and although we had one hatching this morning, the poor little chap died after a few hours. I don't want to learn this new skill at the expense of little lives, however I do feel a bit better after discussing the "issues" with the knowledgeable amateurs on various "poultry forums" on the Internet.
So a humidity thermometer has been ordered, some more duck eggs have been purchased too, and supported with some pragmatic and friendly advice, I am venturing into the breach once more

No body does it better......

Blanche has sat like this for 23.45 hours. I have had to bodily lift her free of the duck eggs and literally throw her out of the house for a ten minute feed, water and poo, before she angrily stalked back to her eggs.
Hopefully a broody hen will be the answer to the the convalutto incubator disaster we are experiencing.. Still no peeping or hatching at the moment and its almost Friday, so things again don't look good.Poor little buggers.

Managed to ring Mike tonight in between duckling watch. Having a hard time with his poorly mum, it was good to catch up but sometimes I feel pretty impotent with friends' problems when I am so far away.Sometimes you just need to be there with a pint of star and a sympathetic shoulder.

arrrhhhhhhhh!

I have made myself go out for most of the day as I have been watching the incubator far too much for signs of life. No "pipping" at the moment, but the ever informative "Practical poultry forum" says that they can start just hours before a hatch. The forum also slags off my type of incubator ( saying that humidity levels are all wrong) so what do I do? I have chanced a quick candle of one egg and thought I saw some movement, but my nerves are all over the place. I have decided not to mist the eggs ( yet again) and leave well alone....so am off out to do some shopping and walk to the dogs...........
How do expectant parents cope?.I am wrung out

Allotment day

For those that do not enjoy news of vegetables,poultry and general country news should look away now, as after a rather wet morning I have spent the day planting up red cabbage,kos lettuce,spinach,main crop potatoes,broad beans and the remaining herbs.

Rabbit proof netting covers everything, which is a bind, but at least it's all done.. I have moved Blanche and her eggs (I actually moved them all in situ) into the big hen house so the main flock have their sleeping quarter back.

It feels like spring today, as my parsnips,onions,shallots and early sown broad beans are all showing in the allotment, and the dark soil is tinting a subtle shade of green.

Blue bells are coming out on the gop (top pic) which add to the feeling of spring.

No "peeping" as yet from the duck eggs.....I have checked the temperature of the incubator with an independent thermometer........everything seems ok.....my nerves are shot to pieces

From his cold dead hand

1924-2008.........now you have the chance...........

Stellet licht

Stellet licht (2007) (Silent Light) was a bloody hard slog. Beautiful visuals ( namely a Jaw-dropping opening shot -- a six-minute-long time-lapse image of a night time sky slowly giving way to dawn and then full-fledged daybreak ) are impressive but the story of a Latin American Mennonite community and the adulterous relationship of one arable farmer in particular was terribly tedious to say the least. Director Carlos Reygadas does like his Long, long,long shots and when you have seen one three minute shot of a barn, or a farmhouse in the snow, you have seen them all.

The beautiful cinematography ( including some wonderful Norman Rockwell-ish portrait studies of the isolated farming community) was just not enough to hold the audience attention, and several of them (like Hazel and I ) actually walked out before the end.

Duck news

Been busy today.The poultry empire is growing nicely, as this afternoon I have set up the final duck and (hopefully) goose enclosure and house, ready for the potential (!!!!!) arrival of the new ducklings. Batch two , (which are due early next month) have been arranged beautifully in the smallest coop by Blanche, who has sat steady on them all day, only popping out once to stuff her face with food and have the largest and most offensive crap in the history of Trelawnyd hens.(apparently large messy craps are a sign of getting broody!)
The batch of eggs in the incubator have had their last humidification and turns, and now will be left for fate and nature to take its course.
Risking sounding like a real old poof ( or even worse a middle aged square) I have baked a flan for Peter and Tracey instead of buying the baby a fluffy bunny,- my thinking is old fashioned:- that a new baby would leave you exhausted and not bothered with home cooked food so I will deliver that tomorrow on the egg delivery and Jess walking run.
Off out now to earth up my potatoes.....