Visit from a dear friend, eggs and chicks

Nearly two weeks ago a very good friend from the 1960s, when we shared a house together, came to stay for a week.  The weather didn’t rally for us and it was unseasonably cold while she was here.  We did manage Lannion market in the sunshine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

where Fish and Ships  (sic) were being advertised on the blackboard!  Just look at this gorgeous plate of olives on sale

 

 

 

but we spent most of the visit chatting in front of the woodburner each with a glass of red in our hands. 

The day I went to collect June from Dinard Airport, I went via my Bowls Club to deliver eggs and then to collect some things for sale on an expat website.  I meandered northwards and stumbled across Jugon les Lacs where there is a Brit run Charity Shop.  While I was browsing through the book section, an English couple came through the door and told the shopkeeper that they’d only come out to buy some eggs.  Jokingly he replied that they hadn’t yet started selling eggs.  I couldn’t resist.  I said “I do though – free range eggs” and they bought a dozen from me.  Since some horrid political tension at my Bowls Club some of the members, who used to play and also buy eggs from me, have not been coming and I had spare eggs in the Land Rover – so it was very fortuitous!

The weather is now beyond a joke, even if the sun is out the wind is bitter and I have to wear a fleece and scarf to do anything outside, particularly early morning and evening.  The runner bean plants which I had grown in the polytunnel and planted out ten days ago have all died and I have now had to start again with pots in the polytunnel again.  Other sown seeds in the raised outside veggie beds have simply found it too cold to germinate.  It’s Midsummer’s Day in twenty-seven day’s time – hardly believable!

The six blue Cream Legbar eggs which I had in the incubator only produced two chicks and when I cracked the others they were not fertilised.  I had popped three of my own hens’ eggs in there too and they all hatched giving me five chicks.

The chicks all went into the brooder and seemed fine but yesterday morning when I went in to feed and water them one was squashed flat and dead.  I suppose that the other four must have laid on her and suffocated her – such a shame.  I have another twelve blue eggs in the incubator now so hope I have more success with these.  Here are June and Gracie taking far too much interest in the incubator contents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first two chicks to be born were christened by June - June and Terry - although, of course, we have no idea what gender they are as they are ordinary hen chicks and not the colour sexed Cream Legbars.

 

The wisteria is out now and scenting the terrace with a beautiful perfume. 

The large flower bed is also getting fuller as the foliage takes off, in spite of the cold.  Primulas, ajuga and aquilegia are all out, surrounded by hundreds of mid-blue forget-me-knot flowers.  The azaleas are just breaking out of bud and the vine is romping along the house walls and covering them with lovely green leaves.  The roses are covered in buds and there should be a good show before too long.

 

 

It was nice having company for egg collecting and putting the animals to bed at night - I think June is a closet farmer's wife as soon she was feeding the ducks and hens and even managing to herd them into their houses for bed.

 

While she was here she sorted out some of the stuff from my glory hole storage room – brass things, lamps, horse brasses, table mats, a camera, vases and other china etc. etc. which I put on an expat website as giveaways and apart from five paintings these things have all been collected. In return I received two bottles of wine and a polythene tub of homemade mushroom soup. I have also sold a small portable television and given away carrier bags full of clean, empty jam jars to jam and pickle makers.  There’s still loads to go but at least it’s a start.  My worker and I have started clearing up the field too and having done one trip to the tip we now already have another trailer full.  Anyone who knows me realises that I have great difficulty in getting rid of things so I feel very proud of myself!

 

Ah - on the subject of my worker - his wife gave birth on Tuesday to a very beautiful baby boy.  I have had my first cuddle and he seems a contented little fellow whom they have named Lucas. 

 

Well - incredibly the sun is out now at 17.20hrs and it seems quite warm out there.  I am going to put on my fleece and read a few pages of my book out there accompanied by a mug of sweet, black coffee.

 

O - just one more photo - some of the baby goats on the roadside when we came back home one afternoon last week.

 

 

Three things I like:

 

1.   It's only eight weeks today for the due date of my granddaughter, Mia, I can't wait!

2.   I am beginning to get holiday bookings for the cottages alongside my house.

3.   Packing the first things into the campervan ready for my first night away in it.