Hanging out in the chicken coop

I managed to get up to the farm shop in Bisley after lunch to stock up with some fresh vegetables and fresh eggs. It had been raining after many quite dry days but the air was still misty and supposedly polluted according to the national news. I couldn't tell the difference but did notice the poor light compared to the sunnier days recently.

In the shop there were some enormous goose eggs for sale on the counter at £1.20 each next to a separate supply of 'Joe's eggs'. These latter eggs are laid by chickens which are reared by the teenage Joe, whop is grandson of Jim, the original farmer of this land. Joe has been building up his flock of rare breed chickens for some years and I have been observing them as they are across the farmyard beside the shop's car park.

I tried to shoot some of them through the chicken wire as they went about their scratching. I liked these chooks who seemed to have taken to hanging out on the roof of an old van in their compound. They seemed to be eyeing up all the activity in the yard watching the customers coming and going. A small child stood fascinated looking back at them while her mother went into the large hut in which the farm shop is sited.

I drove back to Stroud and went straight to our meeting with the Chief Executive of the District Council in their offices at Ebley Mill. I was very pleased that it went very well and it lasted nearly two hours, which allowed for extended discussions. We have to produce a report in about two weeks time, so the pressure is increasing. I will be glad when it is done.