December08

Wednesday, 3rd

LOVELY day today, but very, very cold. Just [almost 10 am] took these two photos:

The first time the ponds were frozen to a substantial degree was on Monday, 1st. I always break up the ice before I let the ducks out because they fly out in such a hurry and straight into the ponds that I'd hate them to land on solid ice and break a leg. The top lot still flew out and into the water with ice shards, but the bottom 5, having heard - and probably watched through the air inlet - me break up the ice, came out very sedately and WALKED very carefully to the edge of the pond.

Carrying down from the house 3 lots of 2 water buckets for the ducks was no joy, either, but because the cold I picked up last Friday has practically incapacitated me, John has been doing ducky duties ever since, he even cleaned out the top hut, brilliant!

It's just gone 12 noon now, and having hung up the mountains of wet towels I used to mop up the 2nd flood of this year [washing machine emptied itself all over the kitchen and into the hall] I thought I'd say hello to the ducks - in case they've forgotten who I am. I brought them some extra food supplies, but as it wasn't rice or pasta they ignored it to start with:

It looks as if they're just sticking to this small area of the pond that's open and waiting for the ice to go away.

Sunday, 21st December 2008

I have enjoyed just over a week now of milder weather, it's been great not having to break up the ice on the two ponds and filling the water buckets in the kitchen and lugging them down two by two ... The ducks seem to like it better than the frozen wastes, too, I can see by the amount of food that's left at night that they are finding more to eat in the soft ground. It doesn't look so pretty, but I'd rather have the mud than the icy ground!

The nasty cold took just over two weeks to leave me and John is now at the tail end of his. Christmas preparations are in full swing, and from tonight the days should be getting longer again, here's hoping. I've given up again putting water feeders into the huts at night - our little feathered pigs make such a mess with it!

After filling the water buckets by the big pond this morning I followed the five who were on their way to fetch the garage crowd. They were trying to get through the gate to the top pond when I attempted to open it. This put them into a panic and they flew into the enclosure next to the garage [where the tumble-down greenhouse once stood which now really HAS tumbled]. All except Anabelle made their way through to the little pond; she was standing on tippy toes complaining bitterly. I rushed into the house for the camera, but she and all the others were already on the duck pond when I returned ................. except Decibels:

I don't know what had stopped her from going down with the others, but eventually she went the long way round, still cautious .....

............. before re-joining the others in the duck pond [she's on the very right of this picture]:

Although it was dark, I was very pleased to capture one of the boys, Big Boy Donald, starting to rise out of the water, at last! One of these days I'll get all three doing it .... maybe ...

I do apologize for how dark these photos are looking; it was already half past eight and I could see quite well! But I did go down a couple of hours later and took this one:

Tuesday, 30th December 2008 Meike and Alina Ostkamp's birthdays - 13 [Thomas' twin girls]

Having missed out somehow on sending birthday greetings through this site to all during December here are belated ones to:

Gerd [5th]
Frances [8th]
Christa [my Attendorn best school friend] [9th]
Annie [11th]
Jessica Crocker [14th]
Arnold Brotherhood [17th]
Carol Nicholls [today]

I also did not get around to wishing all who read these "diaries" a very happy Christmas but hope you all had a wonderful, sickness-free festive time [apart from Val who I know has been very poorly, and I've just heard from Annie that she's been ill in bed for three days]. I can now wish everyone a smooth transition into 2009 which I trust will be happy and successful in all your endeavours.

Summing up on the duckies:

We were 'lucky' this year in that we lost none to the foxes, although plenty of them were seen in the field next door and we had lots of evidence of them visiting the garden at night. That's alright, though, foxes should be nocturnal.

We did lose Sweetie and Florrie, however, in early May, to either sickness or some kind of poison, and we miss them still. Also our much-loved cat Harlequin died in October.

Having separated the two groups early in the year because of Circle's eye injury they re-joined much sooner than they had done the previous year. But they still have not started to roam around the house again although they have begun to make little forays into the vegetable garden.

It must have something to do with the weather - the ducks have been feeling amorous for a few weeks now. I can watch the behaviour of the 5 while filling the water buckets every morning, and the girls have been wheedling around Captain nodding their heads off in invitation and flattening themselves on the water. Captain has not shown the same interest, he's obviously not as 'ready' as the girls are. He mostly just nibbles the backs of their heads and goes on their way. Only once did he oblige that I've seen, so the girls have been 'doing it' to each other, mock matings down to the whizzing off in exultation after the sideways collapse. Annie was amazed to witness this when she was here a couple of days on and after her birthday. But when the 7 had joined this morning I could see that Big Boy Donald was having a go as well - they think it's Spring! They'll have a rude awakening tomorrow, frost is forecast again.

Having written the above this morning I decided it was a nice day to try out one of my favourite Christmas presents from John: a very good and strong garden fork to match my new spade. I soon had company:

But as soon as I fetched the camera out they were off,
back to the pond.

Because Anabelle and Primmie were the best and quickest at snatching the worms they were last to leave,

but it didn't take long for all to come back and root around once more:

Remembering how Anabelle used to chase Primmie out of "her" part of the garden last year it was interesting to see that Primmie seemed to have the upper hand now, she's asserted herself:

Although I really didn't want any Christmas presents at all I had a huge amount of wonderful gifts, one of them will be a new venture for us in 2009: a dove cote from Carl and Annie's families and from Pearl - the doves are to come once the cote is installed!

And before I sign off for 2008 and wish you a Happy New Year once more I'd like to show you a surprise present from Annie which knocked my socks off: