Ducks!

I've just updated "Lilliput Farmer" with more information about the ducks.

I've grown surprisingly fond of them over the past few days, and have decided to keep the ones that we have.  I forsee some kind of overly stressed LF post in a month's time about trying to make a duck pen out of pallets and gaffer tape...

I don't think it hurts at all that ducks seem to be far more comedic than even chickens, which I thought were the funniest things *ever*. 

Anyway, we're all completely besotted by them, and the kids are already teaching them to eat out of their hands, and Smelly McCoy seems to think that Jared is his mother (oh, the joys of early imprinting!) so it's a bit like living in an episode of the Good Life one way or another.

Next term Ellie's class project is "Farming" so I suspect that the Bonkers Triplets might get an outing to utterly disrupt any concerted efforts at learning in an orderly fashion...  Should be fun one way or another...

I Must Be Strong!!!!

I don't have live TV and don't plan to get it, but I *do* have a live internet connection and a fond relationship with the BBC iPlayer.  I tend to download "must-see" programmes overnight and then watch the next day.  Currently on our "must-see" list are:

Gardeners' World
Doctor Who
The Edible Garden

The last is *wonderful*.  I like Alys Fowler anyway - she's got all of the 'get stuck in' appeal of Charlie Dimmock with a nice line in retro mini-skirts and wellie boots.  And best of all?  She appears to be teaching Britain permaculture and self-sufficiency without telling them that's what she's doing and scaring them. 

I thoroughly approve.

Tim bought me her "The Thrifty Gardener" book for my birthday last year, and I really enjoyed it.  Gardening books are my huge weakness at the moment.  If I'm not actually on the allotment, I want to be reading about gardening.  It's like crack-cocaine, but with more cups of tea....

Because I use "The Book People", I get friendly little updates telling me about new products.  That's nice of them, eh?  But this month they have a special on the book that accompanies "The Edible Garden"!!!!  It's considerably cheaper through The Book People than the RRP.  Last year they had a special on "The Victorian Farm" book, which I manfully resisted and have regretted resisting ever since.

But I don't *need* another gardening book.  I doubt it will say anything that I have n't got in another book.  I can think of about 2 dozen better things to do with the money.  But...

Curse you, Alys! Curse you and your cutely dappy dress sense and charmingly Victorian garden!  Curse you for your accessible presenting style and tendency to eat things whilst talking to camera!

I'll wait and order it from the library.  We'd drown under gardening books if I didn't show just a *smidgeon* of self-control occasionally...