Storm

There has been a storm warning for days now, telling us that last night and this morning most of the country would be hit by heavy rain and winds of up to ninety miles an hour.

Yesterday (Sunday) turned into a bright day with blue sky and some sun, after a night of rain, the lull before the storm! We decided that while it was nice we should clear the vegetable plot before the storm hit. I picked the last few runner beans for a small portion with our Sunday roast and my husband cleared away the bean plants. We have been digging up potatoes as we need them but he dug up the last half row of potatoes and we were quite pleased with the size of them.

A bowl full of potatoes

Once my husband had cleared the veg plot he laid the remaining chicken wire we had in the shed over the plot and secured it with tiles (left over from our loft conversion years ago, but you never know when they will come in useful). He laid a row of tiles over the remaining space. The reason for this is that once the veg plot is cleared the neighbourhood cats use it as a toilet and we are hoping this will protect it.

The cleared and covered veg plot

We took down the patio table and chairs, the umbrella and the hanging baskets. We checked the chicken run and felt it was all quite secure. Last year over winter we put clear plastic sheeting over the top of the garden part of the run. This used to make a lot of noise when the wind tugged at it. This year we wanted to make a better job of it and put the plastic sheeting inside the run under the chicken wire. We secured it with lots of wooden batons and felt much happier about it being able to withstand the coming wind.

The clocks had gone back an hour the night before so as the automatic door closer had been closing at about half past six, I was expecting it to close at about half past five. I was in with the girls doing my last clean up chores at half past four when it suddenly got very overcast and started to rain. The door started to shut at quarter to five and I propped it open with my door stop.

With a storm coming I decided it would be best to get the girls in as soon as possible. Honey went in on her own and the big girls jumped to coop roof. I lifted them down and put them in the coop. Amber wanted to go in on her own but every time she tried to enter the coop Bluebell would peck her and  Amber would back off. This is frustrating because I would worry if that if they all started to go in on their own and Bluebell went in before one of the bantys she would stop them going in and the door may close leaving them trapped outside. It’s just as well we never go anywhere and I am always here to check that they are all safely inside.

I kept reaching in and forcing Bluebell back and eventually Amber went in. I shut the door to the sound of a banty squeal. I feel so sorry for the little girls as I knew this was Bluebell giving Amber a last peck before they settled. All went quiet and I left them at five o’clock and went back inside through the rain.

Being a light sleeper I spent the night waking and listening but there was only the sound of the rain. At half past six in the morning the wind hit us. We could hear the roar and as it was just getting light we looked out and the trees were all swaying but everything seemed okay. At quarter to seven I went out to the girls. They didn’t seem bothered and by seven o’clock when I had finished my morning chores all became calm. The wind storm had only lasted half an hour and there was no damage. I was so pleased that the run and the plastic cover had withstood the storm.

Later as I went out to do my deliveries there were a few small trees down but only blocking half the road so I was able to get through okay. There was quite a bit of debris but I feel we got off pretty lightly.

Today I went out to the girls at half past four and again the automatic door started to shut before five o’clock. I propped it open and watched the girls. They all went to the coop roof then the storage cabinet. They all did a lot of neck stretching and looking and I felt that I  could read their minds. They can’t understand where the little chair and the big perch have gone. They would go back and forth from the coop roof to the cabinet and were looking and stretching and at one point Bluebell jumped on to my shoulder which she hasn’t done for ages.

Amber went into the coop first this time and I decided to put Bluebell in last so that she wouldn’t stop Honey going in. I lifted down Dotty and Pepper and put them in. Amber didn’t look like she would go in on her own so I lifted her down and put her in then put Bluebell in last. At five o’clock they were all in and I shut the door. I am beginning to wonder if they will ever  go in on their own again.

I am so pleased that we have survived the storm unscathed and will continue to help the girls to bed until they (if ever) decide to do it themselves. As long as they are happy that is good enough for me.