Sunday 14 February 2010

Red sky at night...



Today has been one of those days when you just can't stop until it gets dark, and then drop in a heap, exhausted, carried away with the enthusiasm of perhaps the first spring-like day. The early cloud cleared leaving a clear blue sky with a slight cold edge to the breeze, but not enough to deter morning coffee outside with just a jumper on.

I'd begun the day draining the two water butts, and re-levelling their platforms as they had tilted slightly. That was followed by dismantling the two hen houses and moving them to the bonfire, as I'd installed the hen palace yesterday with the assistance of our neighbour Rich, and his muscular sons. Tonight we had to put all 16 hens into the palace by hand, one by one as they didn't realise it was for them! Sorry Jayne, we didn't use the sedan chair method, which was disappointing, firstly because it was more a case of brute force which I don't excel in, and secondly because I couldn't use the blog title that I'd already thought up yesterday, based on the early 90's hit by the group James: "oh sedan, oh sedan, sedan next to me..."

Then I took delivery of more hay bales and had to manhandle them up to the shed.

Sessions of halter training yesterday and today, with another attempt at Minnies toe-nails - she was having none of it, kicking like a mule. She spat away from me, into the wind, and I caught its return journey - but at least it had become a fine spray by that point! Last year I thought she had become tetchy due to pregnancy, but this year she's not taken so there's no excuse. I then spent a while just working her around the pen trying to earn her confidence - to be continued...

Then it was time to stack the recent delivery of logs - I've saved the roofs of the hen houses for re-cycling over the log stack - to be continued...

Then spotting a spectacular sunset, I ran up the field with my camera and noticed Pelachuta still wearing her head collar - oops.

Now it's back to the day job - I've been summoned for jury service, and being a self-employed one-man practice , have to finish off committments by the end of the week.

Sunday 7 February 2010

Chiropodists assistant kicked by client...

It's been quite a productive day today. First off, Vitamin ADE paste all round. Pela has decided she likes it and stood enviously as the others had theirs. Moira needed persuading, so I had to call in reinforcements in the shape of Mrs. Smallholder - I think I cricked my neck trying to hold Moiras head still and get the gun in her mouth - the trouble with the paste dispenser is that your trigger hand ends up so far away from the business end, that it's like holding a machine gun with one hand, and she ends up with at least one squirt on her face!

After a break for everyone to settle down, it was toenail time. Mostly well behaved, though Autumn Gold thought she should kush, which of course was no help, and Minnie was having none of it, the worst bit being Mrs. Smallholder taking a kick on the leg which swelled up and bruised. I'll have to have another go with Minnie another time.

In the afternoon it was halter training - I moved the hurdles up next to the 'orchard' paddock for haltering-up, and used the paddock as a small training ring - it's like a treat paddock, so they are 'happy' to go in on the lead rope.

Mrs. Smallholder has bought a hen 'palace', so we've been preparing a base for it, and now I need to rally three more strong men to carry it, like a sedan chair across the garden and into the alotment - we've had an assortment of home-made hen houses, so the deluxe model has been well-earned.

After yesterdays sunshine, it's been dull here all day, but at least it was dry - what the weather-forecasters call 'quiet' I think -

Friday 5 February 2010

Futurity ON

Hooray, the Futurity is on! Far better to tackle the "issues" head on rather than shrivel within ourselves. Now to find some accommodation.

Much as I love rock music, currently enjoying Popstar Opera star - what voices!