The mornings are
misty and the lawns are wet with morning dew. Although nature is still green
and lush, there is that feeling of it all starting to wind down soon. The
feeling of nostalgia is creeping in and the migrating birds are probably
starting preparations for their long journey towards warmer climates.
Here at our place the
birds of prey have started visiting in the mornings. Yesterday, a sparrow hawk
sat outside the stable, looking in through the window at 6am, while the young
cockerels sat on the other side of the glass, looking out. Even our young,
funny boys realised that the visitor meant danger and for the first time in
their short lives, they kept quiet. We all decided on a sleep in and they went
out an hour later.
It is always in the
early days of spring and at the beginning of autumn, when the bird of prey
start visiting. It is worrying, and this year it's very understandable. The
noise level is constantly loud around our eight cockerels and this must sound
like a breakfast gong to hungry hawks. But try telling that, to our lot.
So, we try to keep a
look out and of course our four, friendly sheep act as safety features for all
the small chicks. They take naps next to the sheep and when something happens,
you usually find tiny yellow balls of fluff hiding under a sheep belly. This
means that the sheep must stand still or get pecked in the leg by a concerned
mother hen. Molly can't always remember this anymore. If she sees me
approaching, she starts walking towards me, which all becomes a tad dramatic.
So far no one's been stepped on but that's because small chicks move faster
than lightning when needs be. I do understand dear Molly, though. She is the
shape of a barrel and has not seen her own feet since May. This means that she
can't see the chicks and to be expected to remember tiny birds, when all she
thinks of is food is just too much for her. She probably sees me as a dry bread
delivery service and wants to be first in line when I stop to hand out the
goodies.
Ebba the dog has gone
the other way and thinks of food as something you have to get over and done
with, eventually. Her mind is now focused on finding dear Napoleon - Ebba's
small dog friend - as she is in season for the first time in her life, we
think. This all sounds like a Jane Austen novel, having a London season and all
that but it means that our dear dog is growing up.
So far Ebba finds it
all to be confusing and silly but in a few weeks’ time we will know how much
fun it really is. Some dogs take it in their stride and some feel like their
world is crumbling down around them and start stressing a lot.
Life would definitely
be easier without our lovely little flock of sheep and our vast number of hens,
not to mention all our cockerels. It would also be a much quieter life, without
the 4am wake-up call from the stable, each and every morning! But as a dear family
member so aptly put it, "It really is a lot of fun with animals around the
place, isn't it?"
That says it all,
really and dear Ebba would be sad not to have all these potential snacks
bobbing around her all day. Somehow, I feel they all enjoy each other’s company
as much as we enjoy theirs. It might not seem like a lot to some people but it
means the world to me, having happy animals in our lives. Dear husband likes
them too, I hope. Better not ask him.
Have a good week, be
well and oh dear! Dear husband and I are celebrating our 17th wedding
anniversary this coming week. Time flies when you're busy.... and having fun...
Let's do something
nice for a loved one this week, to celebrate.
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