The entourage increases

Once upon a time I only had one in my entourage: Bools, our Spinger Spaniel. But that was back in the old times, back in the UK. 

He was my shadow. I could go nowhere without him in attendance on me. Sometimes this was a blessing, often not. He would get under my feet when I was busy which irritated me, when hungry or wanting a walk he would psyche me out by staring at me in a fixed manner which also irritated me. Often I felt he was ruling me, nevertheless he was good company.

This changed when doggy Gus arrived. He of the tendency to want cuddles whenever I stop long enough for him to take the opportunity to get near me. He of the big brown seal-type eyes that open even wider when he is of a need. He seems to be able to make them moist as well. One has to be firm with oneself when he does that. Gussy doggy, well he could do with an Oscar for acting. 

These two, then, comprised my entourage. And then......

......which, a year later, had become...

.....my entourage has increased, such that wherever I go they will follow. And they have their own methods of psyching me out, mostly to do with cooing, clucking, and crowing. This they do, to great effect, on the front doorstep if I am indoors. If outside, then they will be close by, observing my activities. 

And then, two weeks ago....

...these three arrived, put in my veg patch while they settled down. I was unhappy about this. Oh I knew that they had to go in an enclosed space and this was the only one available but I envisaged all eaten down to nothingness. 

They didn't. Eat all. In fact, all they did was patrol along the fence line, keeping an eye on what was going on. They didn't seem to go anywhere else. Meanwhile it rained. Meanwhile the weeds grew. My veggie patch became a jungle. Not to worry, at least I am finding some veggies even though I have to delve into a thickness of weeds to do so. 

Anyway, time to let the geese out, with the expectation that they would probably go somewhere else, like the river, or the sky them having quite huge wings which they often flap mostly when one is walking away from them, or walk off down the lane the side path being unfenced at the moment because the builder needs to drive his van to and fro the property. 

They did none of this. All they did was park themselves up in the Courtyard. With the chickens. With the dogs. With us. 

And there they have stayed, glued to the team. And if I venture forth from the Courtyard so will they. So will the chickens. So will the dogs. If I am not available they will wander off with the chickens but not for long. 

And they do racing games whereby they, with speed, suddenly get the urge to have a run up and down. Not far, though, just enough to say that they could do 'lift off' up into the sky if they wanted to. 

And they are starting to learn about feeding times. They don't like to eat their grain straight from the ground. They like to have their grain given to them in dishes. They are dainty creatures, these geese of ours. Very graceful, always chatting to each other, always watching. 

So my entourage now comprises two dogs, ten chickens, one cockerel, eight chicks, three geese. 

Crikey! And when I walk out of the Courtyard they all stream behind me....Gussy chasing the chickens, Bools chasing the chicks, the geese keeping a dignified rear guard. It raises the spirits no end. Unless I am in a hurry. As happened yesterday when the piggy girls raised mayhem, but I shall update you on that in the next blog. 

And my thanks to John, over at Going Gently, for inspiring this blog because he too has an entourage and I know that it lifts his heart as well.