Another Year over on North Wald, Self Catering on Orkney.

I have been remarkably remiss lately in updating this blog. Partly due to being unwell. Partly due to weather constraints limiting my activities and partly because we went away for Christmas.

First a huge thank you to Grahame for looking after our ducks and hens whilst we were making merry with our children and grandchildren down south.

That was one very scary ferry trip across the Pentland Firth on the way down. I cannot claim to have any sort of sea legs, in any way at all (even though Dad was in the Navy!), and that trip just proved it. I did not feel ill, I was just terrified. It was a little rough and I ended up shutting my eyes, and just waiting until it was over, as I couldn’t bear to see the sea heaving away out of the windows. 

The rest of the journey down was great with only a little rain as we hit Perth. Thankfully no snow or ice to delay us at all. After a great Christmas with family and friends, from near and far, we had a lovely journey back, on a day that was more like a summer day than a winter one.  We even got to see seals sun bathing at Gills Bay. 

The trip back on the Pentalina was a lot smoother than the previous one, for which I was incredibly grateful. Poor Sadie had been quite ill on the way down, but she fared much better on the return trip. The cats are still talking to us and managed to survive with out us for a week. In fact Lily was up to her usual tricks and brought a mouse into the bedroom, to play with, in the middle of the night last night. Thank you so much for that Lily. We retrieved it, still alive, from behind the washing basket this morning and returned it to the outside. 

We had worried there would be a mountain of dead rodents to deal with when we got back but there was not one, anywhere. Phewww!!!

Seals at Gills Bay

The young chicks seem to have doubled in size in just a week. I can’t believe how big they are. Some of the slightly older ones have developed further and ones I had hoped were hens now seem to be Cockerels. More for the freezer I suppose.

Ant is still being bullied by one and all but is getting by on his lonesome. The polytunnel has survived more gales and all being well I will start thinking about sowing a few seeds soon. The ground is pretty waterlogged but we did manage to extract a few veg from the mud today. The little hen house is swimming in water I really wish I could deter the hens from using it.

So I am sitting here relaxing now and looking forward to another year at North Wald. I looked back over the list I made last year about what I had learned here and I decided to repost it with updates after each one.

1. Never buy cheap wellies. - The better ones I got for Christmas last year are still going strong so that message holds true. 
2. Make sure you find all the duck eggs before they brood them. - We never got to raise any ducks this year as the few that hatched died very young
3.  Don’t mollycoddle any subsequent ducklings (they become to demanding). - We never got the chance to test that this year
4.  Never put poultry litter on the compost heap in a gale. - Nope still didn’t learn that one strangely enough
5. Duck when going in the lean to shed. - That was a lesson well learned
6.  Watch your fingers when shutting said shed door. - As was that one
7. Don’t feed the ducks unlimited amounts of food without taking out a mortgage first. - This lesson was understood but a certain husband is notorious for giving out extra rations!
8. Don’t use the hammer with slippy gloves on (unless intentionally trying to maim the husband). - or anything else for that matter
9. Don’t stand on a waterlogged veg bed without a nearby tractor ready to pull you out. - Nope missed that lesson
10. Saws are for wood not finger nails. - Managed to remember that
11.  It is impossible to find a small leak in a caravan roof. - But lots of tarry paint helps
12.  Chickens have sharp beaks and can run very fast. - They certainly do and can!
13. Mother ducks are very aggressive and are stronger than they look. - And occasionally very stupid.
14. Don’t name your animals. - Have to admit I still do this a lot.
15.  You can’t be miserable when watching ducklings. - But can be very sad when they all die because of stupid mothers
16. Roosters really do look after their hens. - And fight with each other
17. Weeding is therapeutic (weather allowing). - And infuriating when they are all back a week later
18.  Eating your own produce is so fulfilling. - It certainly is
19. Truly Free Range (pastured) eggs taste superb. - And still do
20. Orkney is so beautiful. - And always will be.

New lessons for 2013

1. Never let four day old remnants of ducks innards drip on your face, unless you really fancy two weeks in bed.
2. Hens are stubborn and have a memory longer than a week.
3. Polytunnels are very noisy to be inside during a gale.
4. It is no mean feat to manipulate the hoop of a polytunnel especially in a gale.
5. Little rodents have loud voices, especially at three in the morning.
6. Chickens eat daffodils.
7. Sheep can be as daft as chickens and ducks when trying to escape from you.
8. I wear out right hand gloves at an alarming rate
9. Mulching is a great way to deal with a bed you don’t have time to dig.

I am sure there are many more things I could add to this list as I seem to be learning new lessons every day, but I think that will do for the moment.

So finally I just want to wish all of you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. May it bring you all your heart desires and much, much, more.