New Year Part II

Having had a pleasant weekend, where we went to see Sherlock at the cinema (and I whimpered and gulped my way throughout the 4 minute trailer for Warhorse), today was the start of our 'term', for want of a better expression. I spent the morning with the girls: I sent Amber off to research large fowl, hybrids and bantams, and Rose and I looked at different types of flowers as part of her floristry training. Then I set Rosie to work making a collage of flower types while Amber showed me her findings about Cochins, Rosecombs and Amber Stars. She then helped me squirt Henry's legs as he has scaly leg...he wasn't best pleased.

R makes good use of my old copies of
Gardeners' World

He loathes being cuddled

Tristan spent the morning doing his own thing, but after lunch and a bit of enforced quiet time so I had a half hour break from "Mum!-Mum?-Mum!?-Mum!!" I did some of T's Biology GCSE textbook with him. It was all about obesity and cholesterol and hypertension but after a discussion which ended up with talking about the economic and environmental implications of industrial fishing techniques, we managed to answer the extremely dull revision questions where the emphasis was 'this is really boring but you've just got to learn it for the exam' - arghghghgh!! Anyway, as long as I've got through to him that packet meals and processed food are not a good way to eat for a whole load of reasons, I'll be happy! I am thinking more and more that their education needs to revolve around awareness and sustainability (in everything) rather than working towards unrealistic and unsustainable goals and achievements. I heard a radio programme where they were pointing out that we always want better for our children, but perhaps encouraging them to aim for attainable and fulfilling is a better approach.

The second gumboot sock is going well; I'm on to the cabling now. I won't post a picture as, reassuringly, it looks exactly like the other one :-)

The chicks have learnt to go out into the field - rather a dubious skill but it does them good to forage. The white ducks have found the hole in the fence too actually, they definitely have more wanderlust than the mallards. As the chicks are roosting with the big hens now, I Poultry Shield-ed the other ark so the bunbuns will be able to go back in there once the grass starts growing again. I have decided against getting any more hybrids for now, until I'm sure whether the chicks are boys or gals. My friend Joss has suggested she borrows Henry if the chicks are all female so she can incubate some eggs...that would be quite a holiday for him - sort of Club 18-30 for poultry.

Handsome Henry

Preening call ducks

I have been keeping my eggshells and cooking them if I've got space in the oven, or in the residual heat after something has finished, as I want to try them as a slug deterrent. Baking them makes them easier to crush and also renders them less desirable for Mr and Mrs Rat and all their millions of babies.

I've sprinkled them over everything in my cold frame...

We have high pressure over us at the moment which is lovely as it is finally dry. My house is like a sponge and clings on to every scrap of moisture so it can cultivate some more mould, so apologies to all those farmers in East Anglia who are still struggling with drought but frankly I can cope with a lot of things if it ain't raining! I even hung my duvet cover out to dry today; it's not exactly crispy but it's taken the worst off and means I can put it straight in the airing cupboard rather than having it festoon my bedroom.

An evening of knitting and reading my digital version of HomeFarmer magazine awaits...