comparative peace

Today is Thursday, 22nd March 2012, a whole week since we gave up trying to keep 5 drakes away from the ducks.  I must say I'm surprised and pleased how comparatively peaceful it's been; I believe it's because the new boys have expended so much energy running to and from the big pond [Captain's domain] in their efforts to get hold of the girls down there and in their frequent and bitter fights with Captain that they don't bother the 4 new girls as much as they used to.  Maybe their frightening experiences last Wednesday and Thursday of being chased and hiding in the wilderness has chastened them somewhat as well ...... anyway, it's been a lot easier and my only concern at present is a slight limp shown by Candida in Captain's group.

The photos below I put in early on Monday morning, the day after Mothering Sunday, and I've only just got around to adding a few words.

Annie showered me with gifts again for Mothers' Day, having first sent a lovely card, followed by another one accompanied by a potted hydrangea in a gorgeously "spotty" jug, a jolly balloon and champagne truffles.

And on Sunday morning Carl turned up with a huge Kerria Japonica on the doorstep and a "HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?" when I recognized it straight away - I did tell him that I'd fancied one of those for years.  I've planted it against the fence now, it'll do well there I'm sure:

Another hugely appreciated gift from Carl was that he managed to find for me loads of scanned photographs which had mysteriously disappeared out of my Picasa picture files  - we needed them for our Heritage Group.  I was soooooooooooooo relieved!

These 3 photos top and right are from Mothering Sunday morning which started with lots of rain.  The 2 above are Captain's group in the field, and on the right you can see some of the 10 exploring "Captain's domain".

Luckily the weather cheered up for our Village Walk in the afternoon - the only disappointing thing was that only 9 were on the walk.

The frog spawn deposited in the frog pond has put off our 10 from going into it for their mornings' frolics, they go right to the edge where they always used to go into the water and promptly turn round again, they even sleep away from that pond as shown in the 2 sunny photos below from Tuesday 20th.