Winter returns

I returned home from work at 8.15am. The Northerly wind was gale force and the accompanying rain almost horizontal!, and as I parked the Belingo, the turkey house roof sailed gracefully out over the field!
Boris and Gloria were still sat quietly in their coop when I checked and remained there until I had retrieved the roof and re attached it safely. I was soaked to the skin and frozen when I had finished the repairs, but got a whole lot wetter by the time everyone had been fed and watered. The pigs darted out of the old duck house to scoff their meal for the shortest of periods then squealing in horror at the weather nosedived back into the warmth of their straw bed.

The old duck house looked so cosy that I almost climbed in with them (would you believe that both pigs are located somewhere under the straw in the picture above!) I dragged myself back to the cottage and lay on the couch for a while with four dogs on top of me......all of them acting as organic hot water bottles!

This afternoon a woman rang in relation to my hen care teaching poster. She was in fact more interested in buying some hens rather then in learning how to look after them, but I have a feeling that she'll buy the grey bantam chicks (centre)

Jail

The last remaining buff cockerel is a handsome beast. I am still waiting to re home him and today I have decided to place him in his own quarters. The six females he has been housed with, are looking rather, erm shall we say,,,,ravaged to say the least! Extensive sexual advances has stripped poor Lily of most of her back feathers, and Poor Elizabeth, Shelley and to a lesser extent Sorrel, Violet and the young Kate Winslett are all looking , well, rather exhausted!
I tried to put the cockerel in with the older male Buffs Clover and Poppy, but he was almost killed for his sins, so today the poor chap has been relegated to the nursery coop which is empty until the ducklings arrive in a couple of weeks time.

Pottering today, the weather has changed , it remains dull and cold as the North Westerly wind has increased.....Working tonight!

A thought

I suppose you couldn't find two women that were poles apart more than Natasha Richardson and Jade Goody. One, was a talented, upper middle class, intelligent actress hailing from a dynasty of extraordinary artists, the other, a battling guttersnipe of a girl who despite her dreadful family actually made something out of herself.

Two women, two mothers and two premature deaths, the only thing that people should be feeling now, is how sad this double tragedy actually is and for once I think that Fleet Street and the media has realised that this is the way to go.

Celebrating the life of Natasha Richardson is easy, being more balanced about Jade is a harder task to complete, especially as the tabloid press is totally responsible for her "car crash" relationship with celebrity.

I have seen too many people die prematurely at my place of work, the sadness of losing someone that is loved and cherished is terrible to witness, it was obvious that Jade was loved by her family and friends just as much as Natasha was. Perhaps the realisation of this fact, may mean that some of Fleet Street may hang their heads in a brief show of shame as they may reflect upon how a bright girl from the wrong side of the tracks was given too much press

Last of the Mohicans-

Saturday night in...Chris away dancing....bottle of wine...and one of my favourite Movies ever on DVD.
The last of the Mohicans has one of the best battle scenes ever filmed for a movie.......edge of the seat job

Strictly Ballroom

For those that don't know, Chris used to be a professional dancer in a former life. He still has a passion for the odd twinkle toed moment, so he has been greatly looking forward to a glittery dance in Liverpool's famous St George's Hall this evening. Janet (my twin sister) and he have been going to dance classes with my elder sister Ann and husband , Tim for the past few months, and all seem to have been bitten by the ballroom bug BIG STYLE!, so finally, they have decked themselves out in their evening wear, buffed themselves until shiny, and with a group of like minded despots (and with a picnic basket full of gin and tonic and nibbles) off they have gone for a evening of saucy rumba-ing and cha,cha, cha-ing !

I don't mind at all, in fact I have gained a great deal of vicarious pleasure by their new hobby. All of them looked lovely when I dropped Chris off earlier!

From left to right- Sister Ann,Tim, twin sister Janet and Chris

Chicken course

tee hee....

Sun Burn in March

Firstly I must apologise for the boring content of this blog...........sometimes I do forget just how mundane my life may seem to those not excited by the prospect of finding a turkey egg in their duck house or by planting a row of root vegetables in a perfect line! I can be interesting....honest!
Often my days can merge into one steady stream of chores and routines, and whilst I love the pace and rhythm of time passing, others may find the whole story , well, bloody boring!

I have made most of the glorious weather today and have bordered my raspberry bushes with chicken wire as well as planting out broad beans,parsnips,turnip, asparagus and peas. The dogs have spent the day with me yet again- Maddie and George gallivanting with the poultry and pigs and William and Meg tied up to the Belingo's bumper. After an age William finally managed to grab a passing hen, but was so shocked my her show of aggression (it was Mildred Pierce) he backed off quick sticks. The fine weather also relaxed him and Meg somewhat and believe it or not

I have got a mild sunburn! and it is only the first day of spring today

Dimming the lights of Broadway

I think that the Broadway tradition of dimming the marquees of the New York theatres in tribute to the death of a respected actor must be of some small comfort to the family of actress Natasha Richardson.
Her film work has been rather sporadic, but I was interested to read of her long and much lauded theatre career.
Her premature death is terribly sad