Roses are red

Or rather roses are red or yellow or pink or white or combinations of all...

The man who lived in our house before us was clearly passionate about roses, the garden is filled with them in every shape and colour, I myself have bought a load of roses since moving to Norfolk so our garden appears to be that of a crazed rose fan - like the crazy cat lady down the road when I was growing up (they were EVERYWHERE, loads of them!)

I am by no means an expert when it comes to these beautiful flowers, they survive and flower in spite of and not because of me.

But there is nothing more pleasing than a house filled with roses.... in jars, bottles or vases all picked from your own garden.

Farewell Speckled Lilly

On Wednesday evening I rushed up to the allotment to collect Lilly and take her home in the hope that I could make her better, she had been getting better earlier in the week but I received a text from my friend Lorraine to say she had taken a turn and was very poorly indeed.

So I dashed from the train to find poor Lilly in a wee pile inside the coop, the severe winds that have been bashing the North Norfolk Coast this week had done nothing for her fragile state, she didn't fight or make a sound she just gave in and let me tuck her into my arms and take her home where she let me open her beak and feed her-not a good sign.

Anyway, I took her outside for some fresh air and with a shiver and a sigh she died in my arms, my heart broke a little as I wept.

I buried her under a rose bush in the garden so I think of her daily. I still feel a twinge each time I collect eggs and there is no speckled egg from her, I think they were my favourite.

Lilly loves a drama

Late last week the lovely Lilly started acting oddly and wasn't her usual busy self. Being a novice to all things ''chook'' I thought it might be that she was either Crop or Egg Bound - so I furiously set about steaming and massaging the poor thing to no avail. Her crop was large and full of liquid that sloshed about when it was rubbed. So I googled the symptoms and was surprised to learn that she might have 'Sour Crop' Why have I never heard of this?!?

I did as they suggested and turn her upside down and massaged her crop to empty it - which occurred immediately and did it a couple more times for good measure.

This morning I found my old Lilly back to her usual self - the relief! But I will be keeping a close eye on her for the next few days

The chook education continues!