Gilly Guillemot of Brancaster

Yesterday morning as soon as the dogs and I got onto the beach, I noticed this little still bundle that looked like a baby penguin washed up on the sand. The dogs ran over for a closer look and I dashed over to stop them. The poor little thing moved but was too exhausted to do anything but lie there.

I scooped it up and we headed for the car while I made a call to the one person who would know what to do and where to take it - Lin!

She told me of the wildlife RSPCA in East Winch and from my description told me it was a Guillemot.
The mad dash began, the dogs and I bundled into the car and Gilly lay exhausted on my lap as we raced to get her help. It was like a movie, full of screeching tyres and slamming brakes (thank-you to my iphone for directing me there)
They seemed confidant she would recover, admitted her and packed her off to see a vet. I was assured she would be released as soon as she recovered (bar major ailments)
I never knew this amazing facility was available to the wildlife of Norfolk and I hope everyone uses it whenever they see animals in need, which, by all accounts, is regularly here in Norfolk!

The Butternuts are coming, the Butternuts are coming!

I'm so excited, our Butternut plants have started fruiting and there are LOADS of flowers! When I first arrived on theses shores over 19 years ago, I could only find Butternuts in specialty stores for extortionate prices....so something that was eaten regularly at home became a luxury.

Fast forward to today and I have 4 plants ready to provide me with as much as I could possibly want! Life is indeed good! (If only I could get some South African Gem Squash!)

Two new ladies - my favourite birthday gift ever!

The evening before my birthday Brad insisted I go to the allotment with him while he dug up potatoes for dinner and there they were! 2 beautiful little bundles, they were in the run with the rest of the ladies (whose feathers were definitely ruffled)

I am blessed with a very content bunch of girls, who quickly and without much fuss sorted out the hierarchy and everything settled back to normal rather easily.

I named them "Betty" and "Frankie" and fell in love immediately. 

Betty a soft bundle of white and ginger feathers is challenging Rose in my heart for firm favourite, she's my little shadow and waits for me at the gate, busies herself around me as I do my daily routine and lets me pick her up and cuddle her without so much as a squeal or a squeak. She's cross between a Light Sussex and an ISA Brown. She's a darling and rushes to me for protection when the others chase her from the food or treats and remind her that she, as the smallest of the bunch, is on the lowest possible ranking amongst them. She will hide behind my legs and cosy up to my back as I crouch or kneel...I melt!

Frankie(named after my Granny) is a mesmerising mix of a Bluebelle and Nera so she has the dark grey/blue head of the Bluebelle, a neck which is streaked with Orange all the way down to her chest with a blue laced body - she's a beauty and she knows it. She too is clingy to me -I guess that's to be expected as they find their feet and place in the coop. I shall be sad should it ever stop, selfish of me I know but I love having our wee conversations as I go about sorting their coop out each day.

A Bowlful of Cherries, that's it, a Bowlful

It was with a flurry of excitement that I picked all the cherries off our 2 year old cherry tree yesterday. Quite a few had been lost to splitting (but were scoffed by the 'ladies' with glee) from the extended dry patch we had not so long ago and then the sudden deluge of rains we have had of late, but those that survived filled a small bowl and were scoffed last night after dinner with relish! Lovely Morello cherries...soft and ever so slightly sour.

I'm hoping next year will bring a bumper crop that I can turn into jam at the very least and a cherry pie at the very best!

Surely there is nothing more beautiful?