Jemima comes to stay!

Our first ever non-human holiday guest came to stay today for a week whilst her 'family' go camping in the Lake District.

Jemima, like our own White Duck, is an Aylesbury x Pekin escapee from Messrs Cherry Valley Ducks. Hers is an interesting story. One day, when she was still very, very young she was seen waddling around the village. Those who saw her remarked, in hindsight, that it was a 'bit odd' but at the time - as is the way in these parts - she was just 'remarked' and let go on her way. Later in the day she found her way into the Morris's garden; she came across Carrie doing some weeding and waddled up to her, quacking "Are you my new mummy". And she's been waddling around the garden behind Carrie and Paul and their son Jack ever since..... quacking increasingly loudly as she grew into the fine young duck you see here. She has the whole garden to roam in throughout the day and has proved an indispensable ally in the battle against slugs and snails.....

Mind you - she was very nearly ab-duck-ted one day: what a good job Carrie was home. Two men suddenly appeared in the garden and made to 'snatch' Jemima (they claimed they thought she had only just escaped from the Big Sheds) but they didn't reckon on Carrie dashing out of the kitchen screaming "What are you doing with our duck??!!" (Neighbours were heard to say later that they thought some catastrophe had occurred). Made aware of their error they apologised profusely, beating a hasty retreat -their ears ringing with the curses that would befall them if ever they were seen anywhere near Maison Morris! Jemima's future was secured.

So... she arrived this morning complete with her own (rather up-market) sleeping quarters, plus her knapsack containing food, bedding, water and food bowls and various housekeeping appliances. Plus, of course, Jack and Carrie.

Jemima's never seen a pond but it was not long before her tentative testing from the bank persuaded her that maybe it would be a very good place to spend some time....... and she's been in and out all day!

And she's been in and out of the Poultry Palace, inspected the pen from back to front and side to side and - bearing in mind she has never met any other poultry in her relatively short life so far, she has been remarkably sanguine about the whole event! Apart from some very loud quacks....

It's a duck's life --- as they say! Only hope I don't have to wade out into the pond in a week's time to retrieve her when Jack returns to collect her!