Clucking chickens

Over the six months I've had my chickens I've begun to understand their language better, such as quick but quiet clucking is impatience (how long are you going to take getting that gate open to give us our food) and slower clucking is contentment (just keep digging to reveal all those lovely worms).

So when I heard quick and loud clucking with head raised I knew it meant alarm or puzzlement. This was as I was about to add kitchen waste to the latest compost heap Wednesday morning. Thought they'd seen Mr Ratty for a moment, but then I noticed this little field mouse huddled in a corner. I carried him to safety outside my plot but by the afternoon he’d gone to mouse heaven. Think he was a youngster who'd not survived the cold night.

It's been over a week since my last post… been busy setting up son-in law Chris' carpentry web site. Click here to view the site. Other than a couple of days working I've been chipping away at getting all the raised beds dug over ready for the winter frost, which has arrived early this year. Even had snow not too far away, at least a couple of months early!

Apart from that I've been tending the crops growing... leeks, brussel sprouts, lettuce, onions, garlic, and asparagus. Also got some flowers growing... hollyhocks, foxgloves, canterbury bells, and wallflowers.

The inside of the shed is a right mess at present. With frost forecast for Monday I spent most of my time on Sunday digging up, transporting and potting up all the frost hardy plants from our garden. Can hardly get into the shed now.

It was my birthday yesterday and mid afternoon Becky and Beth came around with the grandchildren, all full of noise and commotion.

I drew a picture to stick on the door as a welcome as shown here. They scoffed a load of my birthday cake, rolled around the floor and furniture (the grandchildren that is!) and then headed off home for tea, Connor having popped back into the dining room to hoover up any bits of cake crumbs the others had left on their plates. Linda and I sat down for a rest afterwards!

This morning, after a walk through Houghton to Hemingford Abbots and the Axe and Compass (unfortunately on winter hours and shut until noon, so no coffee), we wandered around Huntingdon Garden and Leisure. Linda headed for the Christmas displays while I pondered on how to spend my gift vouchers from the grandchildren. In order of merit was a small fish tank for the living room (frowned upon), or a hedgehog box and various bird boxes (also frowned upon). Having had the news that son David’s job has been made redundant we didn’t have the appetite for any more shopping and came home.