Troupers

Ripley drinking

There is something rather valiant about ducklings. Two days old already, and they are bouncing around with an optimistic excitement which is totally endearing. I have spent long warm periods in the sun, head in the hen house body in the duck enclosure watching the little comedians eat,sleep, and clamber all over the benign sweetie that is Blanche, who seems to take everything they have to subject her to and more.

Blanche and Newt

From Left to Right Hudson,Vasquez,Newt,Dallas,Ripley and Hicks

I promise not to saturate the blog with pictures of fluffy chicks too much, but please indulge my paternal pride for at least a couple of days....!

3 More ducklings

After a night shift, it was great to open up the hen hut to see another three bouncing baby ducks flapping around doting mother Blanche. Keeping to the Aliens theme, the last three have been christened Hudson,Hicks and Vasquez

and we may have one more making the grand total seven, as the last egg is "rocking" but not pipping as yet. I have placed that last egg in the incubator.

Finally I am a daddy

A day early the first of the ducklings have arrived. Tied up in a messy ball, Ripley, Newt and Dallas finally arrived mid afternoon. Another two may look like they are following on, so filling the hut with chick crumbs, a shallow water feeder and plenty of wood chippings we have left Blanche to get on with motherhood...

Keeping busy

Rows of seedlings are carpeting the allotment. Beetroot,parsnips,potatoes,beans,and all of the wild flowers and gladiolis are all showing now in a sudden burst of growth, no doubt just before the late frosts which will occur in May.

"Courage Camille!"

I would never make a farmer. I get too emotionally involved with my animals. This morning is a case in point. Ducklings are due tomorrow, and this morning three have chipped their way through the shells and are pipping away to themselves. As you can tell from the snatched photo, you can hardly see the tiny "breath holes", but they are there, and underneath there seems to be healthy and very much alive babies.

The journey out of the shell can take another 24 hours, and sods law means that I am working tonight.......can the old nerves take the strain? can the ducklings survive their ordeal? will Blanche cope with webbed feet?

watch this space

39....going on.....................................

No, not overtly depressed as he leaves his thirties, just reading his Birthday books when I got busy planting courgettes,the sweet pea wall and more radish.
We are off for a meal later.
No news from Blanche's eggs as yet, still tap tap tapping away to themselves..........

Tapping............

Blanche's eggs are tapping away to themselves, when I checked them at teatime. That means that some of the ducklings have started their "internal pip", where they chip through a membrane into the airsac in the fat end of the egg.

Up to 2 days later, the ducklings can start their "external pip", which is the start of the hatching into the real world, which sounds an extremely long time to me for such a delicate creature.

My nerves are still jangling at the thought of it all

Friends

Sheffield from the top of Coles (John Lewis)



A few days off in Dronfield and Sheffield has been a real tonic. Wednesday night I caught up with Kathryn. We cooked a meal, drank spritzers and chatted all night,which was about bloody time.
Thursday morning I drove to Sheffield and had breakfast in Waitrose down Ecclesall Road ( A real treat). I love Waitrose, can't afford to shop there, but love it,love it,love it, and there was something quite attractive about a store with everything razor straight and in obsessonal order.

Bought Chris some last minute Birthday gifts at Coles, then went to the Millennium Gallery and Winter Gardens for a mooch around. There was a continental market along Fargate which was well worth a stroll around and just had time to buy some cheap garden plants before driving to the Northern General Hospital to catch up with friend Sarah.who is the matron there.

It has been nearly three years since I actually left Spinal Injuries, and I have never re visited my old place of work. That was a conscious decision on my part. Friends I knew I would keep in touch with, but I sort of thought that once I finished 16 years in Spines, the separation from the unit and collegues and staff would be final. Anyhow my intention of sneaking in and out like a thief in the night, didn't quite work as time and time again I was caught by a familiar face and a barrage of questions. The whole thing was very flattering and just a little moving.at times as I got a hug here and a surprise greeting there. Of course there was a couple of characters that snubbed me -one Charge nurse I thought I knew well went out of his way to be unfriendly, which intrigued me ( I forced him to shake my hand and talk to me which was a little naughty of me), but generally my one and only re visit was an unexpectedly nice experience.

Above The peace gardens (Sheffield City Centre).& The Winter Gardens (right)

Later in the afternoon, I met up with Bev and Maisie for coffee then on to friend Joy across the city before shooting back to Sheffield City centre for my regular catch up with Jane and best friend Mike.in old faithful All Bar One. As usual we gossiped and laughed until late, and it was a great end to a busy but satisfying day.

Got back to hand feeding Blanche at 1030 am this morning and found myself walking a set of hyperactive dogs at 11. The best of both worlds.