We don’t tend to name our ducks. Yes, we have black duck, Mr Ducky, Mrs Ducky,….. etc, but, as I say, we don’t name our ducks.  But I did name our baby duck – Penthesilea because she was an Amazon over the winter, working tirelessly to make everything mud.

Penty (her nickname) is a sweetie.  She spends much of her time on her own in search of a hooman to feed her and to avoid “relations” with her father.

We all adore her.

I spent the last bit of my afternoon mooching about taking photos of the sheep.

Harrel-the-Barrel.

Yes, Harrel!

Edna and Pepper

Lambie being…. well, Lambie.

That’s more like it.

‘Bert has forgiven me finally.

Oh. My. Word.  That Smile. Be still my beating cold and lifeless heart.

And then there is Penthesilea who had been silently following me looking for food.

Yup, there she is.

Sheep, duck, dog….

A few more photos (awww, sweet).

And I made my way back to the feed shed….. guess who fronted the queue?

Food out for my little ducky Amazon.

And ‘Bert is cool. So you know.

It has been persisting with rain all day but the grass needs it and the ducks are happy.

As m of the ducks are sitting on eggs, I am trying to get ready for the potential imminent arrival of a pile of ducklings.  Sheds are being cleared and being made duckling safe.

Today I attacked my “big shed” and cleared away some of the stuff that has accumulated since the arrival of my mother’s things.

I also started on the stable and sorted out piles of things to keep, things to go to the tip and things to sort out with a view to the tip or going to the charity shop…

This is my work-in-progress.  And then I will sweep up all the hay and feel much happier.  I chip away at things, get easily distracted and then go and start another project never really finishing anything properly.  It is a horrible habit I have but I am determined to keep going on this.  We need space or at least better use of space.

I haven’t seen many of the animals today. This morning I let Iacs, Haakon and Klaengur out into the biggest field. I let the sheep out of the field this afternoon as Lambie likes to go to bed of an evening and hates sleeping out.

‘Bert refuses to talk to me now due to his rugby tackle.  He has taken up with Madge, who is always feral.  My back is much better – the painkillers and a good night’s sleep helped. My Painpod has been on all day as well.

That is the face of ‘Bert’s resentment.  Madge is an enabler.

I did something to my back this morning when trying to rugby-tackle ‘Bert for his second injection.  For a tame sheep, ‘Bert wasn’t very helpful. So now I have screaming sciatica down my left leg and I’ve given up and gone to bed early to feel sorry for myself. ‘Bert limped off as well looking suitable furious at me for managing to catch him and stick injections into his bottom.  I was only trying to help.

In other news, when I could walk, yesterday, I nearly trod on a baby bird!  An oystercatcher, I think.

It just sat there completely still in the long grass saying nothing.  And then I looked around and there was another.

No warning, not a parent in sight so I quickly took a couple of pics and we left quickly while looking very carefully where we were treading.

Just two slightly feathery lumps disguised as horse poo (with beaks).

Right, I’m going to find some half decent painkillers and hope they work. I could not feel much worse.  Bollox.

The old men are enjoying their life around the house.

Everywhere I go, I see them.

There is no escape.

I am followed to and from my shed.

They have even eaten a nice path for me (that is useful).

Haakon is my best neighbour.

He is curious, but yet not intrusive.

No, my bad, he is intrusive.

And then there is Iacs, with his mad hair!

Now my life is not my own.  Wonderful.

Gosh, where to start…..

Worry #1
Yesterday I knew ‘Bert was lame but it wasn’t until late afternoon I found out just how bad it was.  I found him in sitting by the gate refusing to move. After much cajoling he stood up and on three legs he hopped/walked to the stable with me. It was ‘Bert’s back leg. He wouldn’t even weight-bear and I was worried.  Was it broken?  According to ‘Bert it might be.

I trimmed his hoof, gave him an antibiotic injection and a painkiller and left him in the shed with ‘Ster for company, lots of food (which ‘Ster happily scoffed) praying he would still be alive in the morning.

This morning ‘Bert left the stable on four legs and was much better.  I had worried all night.

Next up…

Worry #2
This morning Haakon was eating his brekkie, suddenly stopped, did the “flehmen response” a few times, pawed the ground, looked tucked up, did a big poo, ate a bit and then went off to lie down.  So, worrying, I went off to check the Minions (an hour’s round trip) hoping he would be standing up eating by the time I returned.

Worry #3
On my drive past “my” oystercatcher, I saw she had gone from her nest!

I looked at the empty nest and could see a few fragments of shell but that could mean the crows had been.

So I looked around for Mr and Mrs Shalder and could see them nearby.  And then I found the three babies!  Phew.  So happy.  I quickly left.

(the third one is in the long grass).

Home and back to Worry #2
Haakon was still lying down… now flat!  So I got a headcollar, some carrots and tested him out on his primary function – eating. Yes, he liked food.  He got up and I led him up the hill to the long grass around the house.  His walking was not good, and his back legs looked odd but as he walked, he seemed to straighten out and look happier.  Into the stable for some painkillers and he, Iacs and Klaengur are currently around the house with access to the stable.  He looks much happier.  I am still worried, though.  Maybe it’s just a blip.