Hello one and all! Well, to jump straight in, we only have two ducks left, two females, all the rest have been eaten (we think) by the fox, it’s happened bit by bit over the last few months. So I’ve had a shuffle round today, A – because I didn’t want the last two to be eaten and B – because of the bird flu. So the quails have gone into the old chicken coop within the larger chicken shed, there’s now wire across the front of the chicken shed too, which will hopefully keep the chickens enclosed. I think I’ve said before, poultry is supposed to be under cover at the moment, and apparently bird flu is rife in Northern Ireland and we’re quite near there so I thought I’d better do something. It’s going to be harder work cleaning them out, but that’s preferable to having to slaughter them all and the ground needs a rest too, it’s a bog.
J’s been really helpful with it all this afternoon, helping me catch the ducks and carry the bath and feeder down, littlest gets fed up quickly and wants to go in, but he had to wait on this particular occasion.
I processed one more turkey yesterday and that’s in the fridge for a few days and then it will go into the freezer, we now have two turkeys left, we had three yesterday, but one got out and again, a fox got it, there’s feathers all over the field. It was J’s favourite (he wanted to keep it), so at least I didn’t have to actually kill it, but it was still unfortunate. So, two left. I think trying growing our own this year has been good and an experience, but I very much doubt I’m going to do it next year. I think we’ve got enough on with the other birds and everything else. Also, I like turkeys, they’re nice, friendly birds and slaughtering them is hard both because of that and because they’re huge! If I change my mind next year, you have permission to remind me of what I just said. I can just imagine Chris’s face if I decide to do them again though, haha. Maybe geese?? 😀
I haven’t had a phone for a week I think now, I bought one not long ago (a second hand one) and the screen stopped working, so I’ve sent it back and am waiting for another second hand one to come. It was strange last week without one, partly because we had storm Barra come to visit. The winds were really strong and I suddenly realised if anything happened I wouldn’t have any means of ringing anyone. We also had power cuts, so no wifi either. But all was well and we do have neighbours I could go to as well. I haven’t really missed it in a lot of ways, but the frustrating part is I can’t even check my bank balance without one because I tried to check it online and it wanted to send a security code to my phone to make sure it was me and ….I don’t have access…. my old phone is broken and won’t charge up. Modern life is so strange in some ways, my phone broke so I can’t access my bank account…ah well, hopefully the new (ish) one will be here soon.
As mentioned above, there was a couple of power cuts with the storm, but they didn’t last too long, hours rather than days. We’ve brought the gas hob and butane back into the house to use if we have any more. Everything else needs electricity to function. The hob and gas cylinder were here when we moved in and on our three year moving to Ireland anniversary they were back in. It’s very nice to have a cup of tea when you’re in darkness. It’s also good to have the fire!
Anyway, just an update and a big hello from us! Photographs will be back on when I have a phone.
love, Cathy.
The Shepherds Adventure 