Harry on the tree stump
We had a wonderfully busy weekend, three days including the Friday of tidying the place up and moving Chicken World further along the paddock so that they are on fresh grass and getting lots of planting done.
I'm cruel to Harry, I plonk him (yes, I'm beginning to have suspicions that she might be a he or at the very least have leanings in that direction) in the most strange places and he stands there patiently until I get him down. The others run over to see what's going on. But he just stands and waits. Geese don't 'do' climbing, they either walk or fly.
While we move the electric fencing the birds all free range over the entire 4.5 acres, visiting the house, having a mooch around the shed and going everywhere they haven't been for a while. It's a good day for them as they find all sorts of tasty titbits not normally available to them.
Of course some of them just stay close to home, and this time Caldwell took the opportunity to have a good dustbath in the hole that used to be under the henhouse.
A shuffle this way and that gets all that lovely dry soil through the feathers .....
... while everyone else completely ignores him and tootles around.
"Don't forget me" says Harry
(I did go back and lift him down....the big softy!!)
I got lots of turning over of the beds, weeding and planting done and now I have a bit of space in the greenhouse for the next wave of seed sowing.
Once the fence was back up around Chicken World and everything was back in place Lovely Hubby gave the henhouse roof a fresh coat of creosote, it keeps it more weatherproof and should make it last longer. Then he set to with his strimmer and got lots of the undergrowth and edges under control.
And after all that hard work we sat down to a lovely alfresco tea, with a homemade loaf, lots of the bits and bobs from the fridge and a bottle of Bucks Fizz that had just gone out of date (well it was bought for Christmas).
Sometimes being frugal and using up what you have is so hard .... Lol :-)
Sue xx
Everything is looking so neat and tidy. Good work. I love Harry - such an elegant bird.
ReplyDeleteEvery post I read on this blog makes my heart sing, you have my ideal life! Thank you for sharing lovely photos, your tea looks delicious :)
ReplyDeleteBest wishes.
Thanks for my goose fix! Poor Harry.
ReplyDeleteBusy weekend, amply rewarded.
Well you certainly earned your reward, and so glad you didn't forget Harry. Lovely post as always for this town locked gal whose heart is in the country!
ReplyDeleteHandsome Harry! He's georgous. He looks a real character.
ReplyDeleteYour life looks ideal *sigh*
Harry is now officially the king of the castle!
ReplyDeleteJane x
Can't beat a bit and bob meal, my favourite kind. We usually do it when we have bought some pate and it needs eating up. Harry is strange isn't she/he. Maybe its because out of the three, she/he/it thinks you are the boss and if you have been placed there, there you stay!
ReplyDeleteA bit of frugal luxury - can't be beaten! Our "bits and bobs" tea is known as "picky bits" - and yes, we love meals like that too!
ReplyDeleteHarry looks so majestic and king of the castle stood on that tree trunk.
ReplyDeleteWe love bitty bobby lunches, especially if its nice enough weather to eat in the garden. You just reminded me we have a bottle of Bucks Fizz in the cupboard, I bought for Christmas morning, thats probably out of date too.
Oooh check it and drink it, ours was two weeks out of date and still tasted wonderful.
DeleteIf you have nothing else to celebrate, then celebrate having a bottle of Bucks Fizz in the cupboard :-)
Chicken world makes me feel quite jealous Sue, as we only have room for a couple of hens. Your alfresco tea looks delicious and what a perfect way to end the weekend xx
ReplyDeleteP.s Where did you get those handmade soaps that you sent me when I won the 'favourite post' completion?
I made the soaps myself, it's what I used to sell at the Farmers Markets along with my lavender products and free range eggs, now I'm using the last of the supplies for us.
DeleteMy, Harry is SO handsome :o)
ReplyDeleteYou've certainly been busy, and yes our wood mice found a large folded sheet of last years fleece in the greenhouse and 'recycled' it too!
Chicken world looks fabulous, I so wish I had room for just two hens.
Best wishes
Rose H
Never be tempted to get 'just two hens' they should always come in threes!!
DeleteThey don't take up much space and you can get a little house and run that can be moved around the garden to keep your lawn looking half decent. They can even live in yards as long as you feed them some greens everyday :-)
They make wonderful pets.
Harry is a graceful fellow
ReplyDeleteMuch more delicate than my Russell.........
He is isn't he and luckily he adores me.
DeleteI never went down the route of 'sexing' him after reading your delightful 'cockerel attack' post. Instead I went off pictures of boy Chinese Greys and girl Chinese Greys, the boys have a prominent nose 'bump', none of mine did. But as they are getting older (they're a year old now) his is developing a bit and he has the most gorgeous faint ring of orange around the skin on the edge of his beak.
I had a blogging friend round yesterday and he was dismayed to be picked up in front of her and got a bit stroppy (for him that means a gentle struggle), so I think I upset his male pride.
I first suspected he was a he when I saw him on top of Larry, although that's nothing unusual at our place our female Jack Russell is always humping the male cat!! And then I realised that we have never had more than 2 goose eggs in a day.
Busy weekend, but a nice reward at the end :)
ReplyDeleteHarry is so handsome and lovely to see Caldwell enjoying his dustbath !
ReplyDeleteLovely post Sue x
Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog re Hunky Dories, it's allowed me to discover your wonderful blog. Having a few acres and trying to live a little more self sufficiently is of course my dream along with many others I'm sure. Apart from my chocolate and baking indulgence, we live fairly frugally anyway, but would love to have the time and space to grow more and have chickens. Harry is a just lovely.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my slightly wacky world :-)
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