Their house and taking their morning swim makes me smile

I sprinkled salt and pepper on the top and popped them under a hot grill for 8 minutes until the halloumi was charred

Then I drizzled some Gables honey over them

There were bird houses to open and chickens and ducks and geese to feed. Ripe apricots had fallen from the tree and I put them in the kitchen to use in cakes later this morning

One hen had been sitting on a clutch of Duck eggs snd two hatched yesterday. When I went to check on them this morning one tiny duckling had fallen out of the house and was in the grass and the other had disappeared. A mystery. I moved mother, eggs and duckling to a run near to the house but mother hen had lost interest in the whole enterprise and began to peck aggressively at the duckling.

Duckling is now in the box room next to our bedroom where I set up a brooder plate, chick crumbs and water. Will the duckling survive? I’ll do my best but no guarantees.

In the tranquility of an English summer in rural Bedfordshire

One day maybe this stone in my heart will be lifted. I am fortunate to be able to garden and distract my thoughts with the animals and to live in a region that is not at war. Too many in the world do not have that good fortune.