Waning moon, Rising ducks

As the sun sets over Gribin Isaf tonight

casting its glow into our wood

and the just-past-full moon rises, a little late, a little flushed

The elder ducks are shedding fluff and trying to take on an adult sheen

Meanwhile the younger ducks look out, thinking of the future

Round in the chicken run, cockerels Shelia

and Fanny

have negotiated a joint agreement as to the management of their harem

The Buddhist Acer, a Sheffield refugee, basks in the last September glow

under the embrace of the long-established Ash

which although being the last tree to leaf is prematurely shedding green tresses, which the rabbits nibble and carry away

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Visitors and Residents

As the sun sets over Gribin Isaf tonight

and the Waxing Gibbous moon gets close to full

we are enjoying this high pressure moment, which saw near twenty degrees this afternoon but frost crystals on the meadow grass this morning

For some reason the neighbouring cattle came to visit this morning

and then a Buzzard dropped by

was it eyeing up the young ducks below who were investigating their new living accommodation

Unlike hens, who are always curious to explore new stimuli, the ducks seem over cautious about anything new

Bert and Spot don’t really do caution.  Their modus operandi mainly consists of getting excited about food, getting excited about each other, chilling – and repeat.

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Nothing as satisfying as 18 holes

Right now, there is nothing as satisfying as having achieved 18 holes:

each one thirty inches deep and containing a concreted in ground pole which will support the forthcoming polytunnel  through all the possible gales and storms of the next twenty years.

Meanwhile, the second generation ducklings seem a little frisky.  They have a nice cosy brooder to nestle beneath but they seem to prefer to spend time on top of it:

Big duck in a small pond – small duck in a big pond

When the four ducks (we have to call them ducks now, even though they are still mostly fluffy, so as to differentiate them from the ducklings which live on the dining table) got into their paddling pool they did really have to sit (float) still as they took up all the space.  So it was time to upgrade to something a bit bigger

They were excited but a little perplexed as how to gain entry

They had to examine the situation from all angles

and eventually, with the help of a stepping stone

the two brightest entered leaving their siblings still slightly puzzled

Guest Room Available again

As the moon rises over Gribin Isaf tonight

the fifteen Autumn juveniles have moved out of the guest room into the wood shed

Outside the ducks patrol

showing off their new feathers

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Getting to the bottom of things

At the end of last week we were quite pleased having dug nine three-foot deep holes and concreted in the ground posts for one side of the polytunnel.  So this week the other side should follow in the same way… Except that the slight slope of the land proved to equal a nine inch increase in height, ie a nine inch increase in the depth of holes.  It was hard getting to the bottom of it:

Other bottoms today:

Here is advice about underweight autumn hedgehogs:

But not much point in us ringing 01584 890 891, we have to do it ourselves… maybe with a small sigh as hoglet number 15 stumbles across our path tonight.  The spare room is FULL.

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

It has been a tough day for Bert

As the sun sets over Gribin Isaf tonight

Bert is probably glad to be back in his home.

he has had a stressful day as Spot has been in season

all all they have been able to do is kiss through the fence

More problematical proximities for the poultry.

We really wanted a Speckled Sussex cockerel and here he is, in the foreground, Floppy with his two lady friends. The problem is, the main chicken community already includes two cockerels – Shelia and Fanny who were both so adorable they have come to be fixtures – and, rather surprisingly, best friends. It seems highly unlikely they will accept a rival but in a desperate attempt to integrate Floppy he was today moved to this position close by the others.

By the end of today we had put in the place the ground posts for one side of the poytunnel – nine three-foot deep holes dug and posts concreted in.  Only the other side – nine more – needed before exciting construction can commence

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

New arrivals

As the sun sets over Gribin Isaf tonight

and the new moon rises

the latest arrivals celebrate their first birthday (first 24 hours that is)

Their predecessors are wanting to explore further, taking opportunities to sneak under their netting and roam more widely

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw:

Digging deep

This month we have been mainly digging deep into the ground…

100 metres of two foot deep water pipe trench

and now halfway through the 18 two and and half feet deep holes needed for polytunnel ground poles

but today received this

which brings dreams of many foundations to dig.

Isn’t Photosynthesis wonderful?

Having been the carers of this plot for eight months one thing that is very apparent is the vast amount of Stuff that members of the plant kingdom can create out of thin air.  We decide to thin  a little bit of hedge or cut back some shrubs and before we know it there are enormous piles of output.  It has to be assessed: firewood? kindling? compost? pig fodder?

For our neighbouring farmer it is simple – his rampant hedges receive the tractor treatment and end up like this

We start to store up the energy fixed out of the air. Some of it gifted by same farmer

Some of it bought with real money

Our hedge trimming is more selective – hazel to the pigs; blackberries left to ripen

Spot likes to convert fixed  carbon into pork (shush – not hers – next generation) and lovely droppings

As the current duck(lings?) get a bit more space

the ones inside their shells inside the incubator inside the kitchen are pipping tonight.

Pethan eraill yn y tyddyn heddiw: