Rain, chicks, pig's head

It is raining this morning. Knew it was going to because the Pyrenees have been clearly visible for the last few days. Tall and dark they look upon the skyline, not pimples in the distance, but not so big as to obliterate all. All summer long they have been hidden by haze and clouds and I have not seen them, but I am aware that they are there because they dominate even when unseen. And there they were yesterday, no haze, just a clear view but not so clear as to see individual shapes upon the slopes, but sufficient to see some of the larger contours. There was even a faint dusting of snow on the highest peak, a portent of the winter to come. 

When the Pyrenees are seen with such clarity, then rain will fall, and a lot of it. Summer is over, the harvests are in, time to shut down and recover from the efforts of the year, the temperatures are starting to fall, and grain prices have doubled. This is worrying. Last year we paid 120 euros for a ton of maize, this year it is 240 euros. Apparently America and Russia have had bad harvests. I am not sure if the global economy is such a good thing when bad harvests in other countries produce an upsurge of prices in a country which has had an excellent harvest this year. And this price increase will affect the price of food for everyone everywhere.  During the year we get through four tons of maize at least. A small amount when compared to others. But for us it is a concern. For those others it must be a massive worry. Ah well, c'est la vie.....

And I saw the Pyrenees yesterday, and it is going to rain, so I can worry about the Sheep Barn getting a wet floor again, and poddle through mud, and tuck up in doors, and not go out to make hay again this year but to be glad that we have a barn full of DIY hay, and look forward to starting the winter digging, of which there is a humungous area to work over. 

Re: the pig head wrapped in a plastic supermarket bag and lying at the bottom of the freezer: Need to sort it out. Don't like it being there. Chatting to a choir friend about the head, and she offered to sort out the head for me. She said she could make brawn out of it. Don't fancy a pot full of brain, not at all do I see myself eating even the tiniest piece because that is what I thought brawn was, cooked brain. Apparently it isn't. Apparently it is also the tongue and cheeks and any other bits of head meat but not the ears, they are separate delicacies but not for us because Bools and Gus are going to have them. It does not seem quite so bad that everything is mixed up, brain, tongue, and all. Still don't think I will eat it. Glad my friend has offered to do the task. Glad that the head will get out of the freezer. Glad I am a smallholder. But I still don't like mucking about with heads. 

Re: the hen and eleven chicks found in the ditch several weeks ago: Why is it that those chicks prefer not to eat grain. Three different types of chick feed mix have I bought. Nope. They won't eat any of it. What they prefer is my bread. Or pieces of lamb or pork. Or weeds from the garden. Or pasta. Anything, but not grain. Have I spoilt them by widening their food palate? In the beginning I fed them chopped up boiled egg. Perhaps this is what started their dislike of grain. I did put chick feed in at the same time, and they did eat a little bit but not much. Now they don't eat any. Instead they kick up a hell of a ruckus every time they see me. They are getting bigger. Their 'I am hungry' chirrups are getting louder. I think that we shall soon let them out of the run they are in, just to get some peace. They are no longer cute little bits of fluff. They are changing by the day. They need to get out into the world. They need to take their chances, just like the other hens do. In other words, they need a life. 

Re: The absence of a cockerel who does the job: The hens are scattering. No longer do they move about as a flock, although do come together to rest. They also seem quiet, almost dispirited. The Cockling is showing no effort to come into his own with them. Yesterday someone mentioned that he didn't have a cockerel. Last night someone emailed me to say that they had heard about the demise of Orpy and that they had a Faverolle cockerel who needed some hens. It would seem that the Universe is providing us with a solution. We don't want to put the Cockling into the freezer because he is the son of Orpy, so we can rehome him and get a brand new hands on cockerel which will bring in new blood to the flock. Sorted.