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Rain, Rain, Mud, Rain

Oh dear. More rain and squally winds to welcome in the New Year. The hens hate it, I hate it, the garden (which is on heavy clay at the bottom of a sloping field) hates it. The ducks think it's fantastic: And the dog isn't bothered, coming as he does from gundog stock. I get absolutely filthy every time I go outside, which is rather a lot as I am feeding the hens little and often to prevent their pellets turning to porridge and to replenish the rabbits' and guineas' hay and give them some company. I mopped the kitchen floor for the first time in ages today and had to change the water 4 times - it's only an area of about 3 square metres!

Still, we had a lovely Christmas despite a lengthy powercut on Christmas Eve and I was the lucky recipient of some wonderful presents. Charles gave me a cute little box of 6 Conte pastels, which happened to be the perfect colours for my mallard calls: But today he gave me my New Year's present (apparently there is such a thing): Aren't they absolutely gorgeous? I could sit and look at them instead of out of the window, as the weather is so disgusting, and think about the spring and summer when I will be able to christen the yellows, reds, greens and blues, rather than just the browns, greys and black...

It's nearly half past 4 and dark outside so I'd better go and close up my poor poultry in their coops, then back inside for Christmas cake, tea, and some knitting.

Posted by Jennifer Moore at 16:21 Labels: Call ducks, Christmas, Conte crayons


