Leaving On A Jet Plane.

I’m going to get an entry in now, I have lots to do in the next few days and then on Sunday I’m off to Germany, which should be my last solo, jet-setting trip, as Catherine should be back in England in August.

I now have TWO, new chickens. I went to pick them up on Saturday, I’ll let Isabella introduce them in her Blog. Chicken Run - The Great Escape

When I arrived at the collection point I gave my name and the lady in charge took me by the hand and led me away. She said she wanted to talk to me. I thought, she was going to say there was a mistake and I couldn’t have any girls after all. No. She wanted to ask if I would consider one, that was in a cage on her own, who had a slight injury. No pressure but she needed to go somewhere quiet and where she would have a bit of TLC. I’d only spoken on the phone but I was obviously marked down as a little eccentric who would go the extra mile in looking after the birds….Yes, I expect that is me.

So, that was Letitia (Letty). She has a sort of bruise, or blood clot in her one shoulder but she seems OK, so hopefully, whatever it is, it will clear up and she won’t have any problems with it.

The other girl that came with us is Josephine (Josie). Both the new girls are as dark as Isabella is fair . I use family names for my girls, these two new ones are going back into my Family Tree.

Unlike Isabella, the new girls seemed much stronger and more clued up. They knew how to feed and drink and I’ve had an egg every day from both. Their eggs are browner than Isabella’s.

I have a poached egg every morning for breakfast but even so, the fridge is quickly filling with eggs. It will be good to be able to give away the surplus again , as most people are very appreciative of such fresh, wholesome, free range eggs. Apart from Chris of course, who when offered the choice between a supermarket egg and one from my garden, he preferred the supermarket one because mine had come from a chicken’s bottom…..err, HELLO Chris, where do you think the supermarket ones came from? Grew in the box?????

After my chicken liberation run, I popped up to  the Black Country to have a look at an Open Weekend on the canal, the weather was not very good but it did reawaken my longing for buying a Narrowboat.

 

There's something so special about canal bridges, whether brick

 

or metal. 

The last remaining chimneys of our industrial heritage look beautiful alongside a canal, built to transport their products.

Whenever there's an event, there's a Traction Engine.

 

 

                      ****************************

Something evil lurks in my garden, its very small, not much larger than a pinhead and it bites me and when it does I have blood running from the bite. How can something so small do so much damage? Even worse is the reaction. I got several of these bites on my left leg on Sunday. For some reason they prefer my left leg, maybe they are Catholic (left footers), I don’t know but they’ve made a right mess of it. I have one normal leg and one elephant leg.

I thought I’d pull on my old suede boots today, as protection from the biters when I went down to see the chickens but I couldn’t even get my foot in. So off to the doctor’s went I and now I’m taking three sorts of tablets, marvellous!!!!

I’m planning to go to a book signing on Saturday. It’s a new book about my beloved Rowley Regis, I think I read there are 300 photos in it and its called Haystacks to Chimney Stacks, I’m presuming its charting some of the progression from poor agricultural land to industry and its accompanying waste lands. I'm supposed to be meeting my friend there and having lunch, she’s from Manchester but apart from that she’s very nice.

(Sorry Jan).

Not much else going on so will update when I get back from Germany, with new pictures of Isabella (grandchild, not chicken).

Before I go, some garden shots.

I don't remember planting that!

Morgan having a close friendship with Catherine's Olive Tree.

 

While I was busy getting bitten I took this of Merlin

and then later, I caught him on my bed, he looked so comfy I didn’t like to disturb him.

Tags: Chickens, Merlin, Morgan, Canals, The Black Country, Traction Engines