I woke up this morning, looked at iPod which said it was 8.02 - quite late for me! Henry the cockerel was crowing and I realised I must get up and on as the kids are coming back today and I have loads to do before I have to pretend to be maternal. So, duly charged downstairs, made tea, let out hens and let out the rabbits. Back in, sit on the sofa to finish tea and glance at clock - 6.17. 6????? I have done this soooooo many times, I completely misread clocks. How stupid is that? Analogue or digital. I have heard of dyslexia; I have heard of dyscalcula....is there dyscloxia?
Meanwhile, Maud the hen has developed a rather disconcerting habit - having read on the British Hen Welfare Trust website that newly introduced chickens can feel more confident if they have a person around them, myself and the children have made an effort to reassure Maud especially when Henry and his side-kick Ida (who has had gender issues since her last moult) decide to go for her. She can also fly pretty well, being young and sprightly, with comical consequences when she tries to land on the washing line. Suffice to say that flying ability + person = Maud on one's shoulder, similar to parrot.
This would probably be quite sweet except that like most hens, she finds eyes fascinating and also like most hens, she will peck at anything she finds fascinating. So it is simply a question of removing her from one's shoulder, with eyes tightly shut. Of course, like most hens, if she doesn't want to move then she flaps around and squawks and generally makes a kerfuffle, drawing the attention of Henry and mean Ida, so then Maud is even more reluctant to be removed from one's shoulder/back/head. Ah, chickens, don't ya just love 'em. At least they are bothering to lay at the moment - they went off for weeks and only 1 of them is moulting, do they come out in sympathy? Or is it some Union agreement that I am not privy to?
Anyway I should look at my bees and douse them with icing sugar as there's varroa all over them, but it's a bit windy and I'm enjoying not having to cope with a beestung limb or digit. I have been through my list that I made at the start of the bank holiday weekend and crossed off all the things I knew I wouldn't bother doing anyway so looking at it, I have done pretty well, although Charles would disapprove of such wanton misuse of a To Do list :-)
Found you!
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