Can horses smile?

I think they can!
Maybe because spring is here or maybe he just likes his new home. Perhaps (and I realise this is unlikely) he was really pleased to see me but whatever the reason, I'm pretty sure Teddy grinned at me yesterday!

Teddy, a little gelding, along with a fourteen hand mare called Mary have come to live at our allotments. They are very, very welcome. The long time resident, Mr Chips lost his companion (Gracie) before Christmas when she died of a twisted gut and he has been in a deep depression ever since. To see him cantering and frolicking with his new friends is a real joy! What's more, Teddy is exactly the right size for little flower to groom and he's so friendly and gentle, nuzzling her and stealing kisses! Little flower is ecstatic!

Back home, our eldest chicken, Boudicca, died last weekend. She was five and a half which is really old for a hybrid. They're life expectancy is three years. 
Anyway, we took the opportunity to get two more big girls to keep our pekins in check!

 

Meet Hattie the welsummer.
She lays beautiful, large dark brown, spotty eggs.

and Miranda, the light sussex. Miranda still looks a bit moth eaten bless her. She lived with a cockerel and was evidently his favourite!
She hasn't laid yet but we are expecting a large, pure white egg. And I'm sure that with a little TLC (and no randy cockerel) she'll look and feel a lot better in a week or two.

The chap we buy our hens from has become a friend over the years and as we were leaving he gave us some hatching eggs to put under our broody.  They are supposed to be three lemon sebrights and two buff orpington bantams but egg number 4 seems a bit big for a bantam so we'll wait and see!

Racey Lacey, our ever ready broody has been moved indoors and is patiently sitting on them. She's a very determined little mum and we have to forcibly lift her each morning to make her eat, drink and poop!
Today is day 7 of 21 and we'll probably candle the eggs tonight to remove any duds.



Our home is full of seedlings and Union Jacks this week! 
The Royal Wedding is approaching and I am organizing a street party. Street parties are are a very English phenomenon and involve a group of neighbours dragging their tables and chairs out into the road to celebrate together. We string red, white and blue bunting from lamp post to lamp post, make mountains of sandwiches, fairy cakes and trifle. The children get to play without fear of traffic, the old folk get prizes for living here longest and there are raffles to raise money for good causes....ours will raise for injured British servicemen and women.
So do me a favour?
Pray to whatever God you believe in for good weather in London on 29th of April!