The weather forecasters have given us hope for sunshine and warmer temperatures starting at the weekend, but until then we still have to suffer some wet days. This afternoon I thought there was a break in the constant drizzle and I carried on with the dead-heading and weeding I'd started before lunch [when I'd got soaked and had to go in and get changed out of my wet clothes]. Of course it started again, both John and I had to stop what we were doing outside to avoid getting soaked again, and I thought the best thing I could do was to catch up with these duck diaries.
Yesterday morning I was out at a heritage meeting in Ashby Museum, and in the early afternoon we actually saw some sunshine. Our 9 young ones were out in the grassy patch between the two greenhouses, guarded by mummy and auntie:
Although there were black clouds overhead it wasn't raining, so I thought I'd tackle the rose bed which was overgrown with weeds:
I had barely started when the heavens opened - just a quick shower, I thought, and carried on for 5 minutes although the ground was so wet that proper weeding was impossible. The group of 13 were still in one of their favourite spots under the third big cherry tree, but moved off when they saw my head and camera popping up behind the laurel hedge:
The rain got very heavy and I had to throw in the t[r]owel and go and join John who was sheltering in the garage. It was funny to see our 13 ducks and drakes come round the corner and stop in front of us, some preening and shaking their feathers, some standing there with heads drawn in and just taking the heavy rain, and some even moving under the car for shelter.
Then the thunder came very loud and frightened all of us. We took pity on the 13 and put down their container with food inside the garage ahead of feeding time, and they were very pleased to accept the offer. It was a violent and lengthy thunderstorm, so I gave up any thought of gardening for the day and went inside to make tea!
Our experiment of feeding the ducks just twice a day instead of leaving food out all day for them to help themselves when they wanted to is going well. I increased the "wet" breakfast rations for all three groups which has to last them all day until about 7 when they get their dry food to fill up before bed time, but I still leave food for the young ones out all day in their shelter. When they're all grown up they can join the twice a day routine. We've saved no end of duck food since Monday and we hardly see any pheasants now!
Here are three photos from 7pm yesterday when Captain and his 2 girls got their grains:
This morning looked horribly wet everywhere but at least it wasn't raining - yet! After delivering breakfast I took the opportunity of picking raspberries and taking photos of young ducks and old. Shortly before lunch I started tidying up the long flower border ...... and it started to rain again. As I said at the beginning of this entry I had another go at gardening after lunch and got wet through for the third time - my clothes from the first drenching haven't dried yet!
Now a load of photos from this morning:
Front left is the youngest of the ducklings which hatched 22.6.12; it'll be four weeks old on Friday.
I apologize for cutting its head off ....
To finish for today a lovely photo Gerd took of my niece Sally when she went to say hello to them during their stay in Weymouth. I think the last time they'd seen Sally must have been when she was two!
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