Getting the hens in

last night, I played fun and games with the new hens. The old hens went in the henhouse no problem. The new ones were spotted by my dh wandering around in the Dene looking lost. Cue a hasty retreat by my dh, and a call for the fishing net from me. My eldest and I managedto herd the errant hens up to the hen house and then one by one I caught them with the fishing net and popped them into the hen house. I thought my eldest could do the last one -- a goldenline. Um -- no. Round and round the chestnut tree he went with the net, but the bird eluded him.
He then thought the bird had vanished, swore it had disappeared into thin air. I heard a cluck, reached my hand down and captured it. It had decided to hide in the chestnut tree right by my feet.
My eldest then professed that after the hens, the ducks would be easier to herd. Wrong again. One duck had to do the full routine (out of the pen, up by the torn bush, over to thewall, down, along the perimeter of the fence and in) three times before it would go in. Thus proving ducks are difficult.
After that I went back to reading Wings of Mercury by Patrick Keigh Fermor. In case, anyone has not discovered him, he is simply one of the most eloquent travel writers writing today. His descriptions of Greece and his journey through Eastern Europe just before WW2 are fantastic. He was also one of the British officers who served on Crete and helpd organise the kidnapping of a German general. Would that I could write descriptions like that Few well chosen words andthe scen comes alive. Pure magic.
At the moment my children are fully paid up members of Squabble, Bicker and Quarrel, that well known firm of professional debaters. School starts next week. This will help.
The water is off today as the water companuy is replacing a valve. in the mains. I am taking the opportunity to go to Birdoswald, a Roman fort recently acquired by English Heritage and featured in their current magazine.