Jacqueline P Vincent

It has felt quite strange and almost surreal flying from the depths of mid-winter in the northern hemisphere, where it hasn’t stopped raining for three long months, to the vibrant and lively mid-summer in the southern hemisphere, filled with sunshine and warm, gentle breezes.

The stark contrast between the two seasons is remarkable, and while we have certainly missed the early Spring arrivals of farmyard animals, we are more than happy to witness an increasing number of babies appearing seemingly on a daily basis, each one bringing a sense of joy and renewal.

This morning, while enjoying a leisurely breakfast and watching the horses contentedly munching on the rich, green summer pasture that has blossomed after the rains, I heard a distinct cluck, cluck, followed by several cheerful tweet tweets in response. To my surprise, a hen I hadn’t seen before trotted past the horses, gracefully maneuvering through the hedge and making her way up to the hen coop.

This hen was an unexpected escapee, who had apparently disappeared three weeks ago, and the family had speculated that the local Swamp Harrier had made her its lunch.

The hen, named Gerty, is a delightful cross between a bantam and a silky, which gives her the adorable tufty top knot characteristic of silkies, along with the speckled feathers inherited from her bantam mother. Her noisy return surprised everyone, and the humans in the house, unable to contain their excitement, rushed out to greet her, leaving their breakfast half-finished in their haste.

Upon her return, Gerty revealed herself to be the proud mother of six adorable chicks, and no one has any idea where she had been hiding during her absence. Though it was clear that she was ravenous after her adventure, and her first thought upon arriving back was, of course, food. Luckily for her, the other chickens hadn’t yet been fed, so amidst all the clucking, tweeting, ducks quacking, and humans oohing and aahing in delight, she was treated to a generous helping of barley, and her little chicks given chick crumb, which, amusingly, the ducks also enjoy.

Later on in the day, the Swamp Harrier made a pass over the garden, casting a shadow that sent Gerty’s chicks rushing to hide under her protective wings. In that moment, the silky cockerel came into his own, puffing out his curly feathers in a display of bravado, strutting around Gerty and her babies while crowing for all he was worth, as if declaring to the world that they were safe under his watchful eye.

While Gerty’s return was a delightful surprise, another hen, Gillian, had been diligently sitting on her eggs in the hen house. Today, she hatched out three chicks who are every bit as pretty as Gerty’s first batch.

Each new arrival adds to the joyful chaos that fills our little corner of the world, reminding us of the beauty of life, resilience, and the simple pleasures of nature.

If you enjoy rural life and its myriad of trials and joys read Amalie’s Perilous Journey, an exciting adventure of a girl and her pony, Roble. Or a tale of derring do during Roman times with Gelvira and her stallion, Hawk.