Time at home

First I'd like to show you what came through the post a week or so ago:A little treat from I know not who! I took part in a secret swap on Misi. You had to make something beginning with the letter of their name. Being a T caused my swapper a few problems, so she came up with a 'trio of gifts'. And a delightful little trio they were too!

So, there are a few perks to having minor surgery - the main one being time at home and forced to sit still. SO I've got a few things done.

A brithday card for my son's girlfriend, who is 18 today! Happy birthday Danni!

Some crochet flowers, ends finished neatly at last and ready for some final additions of buttons .

Chicken update: Here are the girls. Chickens are quite camera shy - my lovely ladies assume I have food and so come up to see what I am doing, which makes it quite difficult to photograph them.

This is the bossy one (now, you'd never have guessed if I hadn't told you, would you?)

And finally, some photos around the garden.

This angelica is nearly 5 feet high, and has grown just this spring! Aliums and wisteria are among my favourite spring flowers

Busy, busy!

Well, a little behind with the blogging! Chooks are settling in quite nicely, eating well and laying eggs, too.

Some ladies meet at my house on a Monday night for various creative activities (allegedly - more often it's an excuse for a good natter!). Last week, I made an apron for my florist friend Lesley.
Beautifully modelled, doncha think?? I need to get them to allow me to photograph their creative endeavours, too.

Then the fabric arrived for the prom dress (let's not go there). We found it had a flaw on the first 1.5m, but there was enough to get the dress out with a bit of careful cutting.

And much help from my Mum!
The original design didn't have straps, but Beth wanted some, so we added a little design feature

And here it is, not quite in all it's glory yet - shoes still need to be bought so the hem can be done

Beth wants beads on this - and lots of them! She wants it to look lke they've been spilled all over the dress

Looks like I will be busy over the next few weeks!

We took Cassie for a walk yesterday; found a nature reserve called The Firs. It's mostly oak and beech; abundant bluebells, wood anenomes and dog violets. We had a good - if muddy - time.

On the way there, through the lanes, we spied lots of bluebells, but I didn't have the camera with us (duh!). So we returned there today and I'm so glad we did. There were bluebells as far as the eye could see! It reminded me of my childhood, when bluebells always were collected in the spring (although that is no longer the case, of course). And the scent - we could smell it before we got into the copse

On the drive to Cirencester we saw some parachustists (?)

Also visited the first art car boot sale in the Brewery Arts car park. Lots of talented people selling painting, ceramics, glass and photographs. I bought a gorgeous papercut that asked me to take it home. Perhaps if there's a next time I will consider a pitch.....

Chickens are OK; two couldn't work out how to leave the roost this morning, so needed a helping hand. They're eating very wel - at least, the food is rapidly going!

A new flock

We thought we would get some more chickens eventually, just not yet. But then a friend told us a local animal rescue had an influx of hens from a battery farm and we decided we could give some a better life.

So here they are, for the first time in their new home.:

As you may have noticed (!), these are not in the condition the others were. They have lots of feathers missing, their eyes are dull and, with the exception of one, their combs are drooping - all signs of poorly chickens.

So we will feed them well, and give them plenty of access to the outside world once they've been with us a couple of days. I hope to document their improvement over the next few weeks

Warning - a soapbox moment! How is it possbile that allowing creatures to end up in this state can be condoned in law and morally? Please, if it's the only thing you do, don't buy anything other than free range eggs.

Sad day

We forgot. The first time ever.

No-one checked the ark was closed. Mr (or Mrs) Fox took the opportunity we presented them with.

I came down this morning to no girls. All gone.

Mmmmmmmmmmm, Cup Cakes!

I keep seeing cupcakes everywhere; on the web, in magazines. They must be in vogue. All this cakey goodness has made me crave (no, not too strong a word!) cupcakes! So, I made some when my BF Sue came for lunch yesterday.

Though I say so myself, they were lush. Gert lush in fact (it's a Bristol thing)

Been busy with a few crafty bits whilst on my hols from work. I took the plunge and entered a swap, organised by Hennie on Misi. Made a few odds and ends (I found my letter very difficult), but of course I can't post them here until I've posted them to my swapper.

Actually, it's a secret swap, so can I ever post them? I hope so! I don't think my swapper reads the blog (not sure anyone does........!)

So instead, here are the first pictures of the girls:

This is Totty. Beth named her; some in-joke between her and friends.

This is Penny (left) and Lucy. Lucy has some problems with her feathers on this one wing; she came like it and I was hoping that a couple of weeks under our care would improve it. It doesn't seem to cause her any problems, no parasites or anything, but it isn't improving.

As they've only just started laying (2-3 eggs per day now - how many cakes a week is that?), I'm waiting for their first moult, when they will look incredibly sorry for themselves.

My boy (!) is nineteen tomorrow. How did that happen?

Spring is springing!

So I think we can say that spring is in the air!

At last I have a picture of my chickens; not terribly clear, but the best the camera I was using will do. (note to self - use different camera next time)

Penny at the front, Lucy in the middle and Totty (named by my daughter) at the back. Lucy is losing her feathers on one wing and has been like that since we got her; I'm not sure whether she's moulting, but this patch is definately naked!

Took Cassie for a run this afternoon. Usually I walk her early, half asleep before work, but as I was off today I decided to walk her a bit later. Cassie likes water; if I'm going to walk her and I don't want her to get wet, then I must STAY AWAY FROM PONDS. Not rocket science, but a good maxim to live by. Today I didn't care if she got wet, so she did:

By the time we got home, she was pretty dry (except for her ears) but she is now rather smelly. I feel a dousing with the hosepipe coming on........

Definate signs of spring; daffodils, celandines, daisies, dandelions and frog spawn! Some of this is in danger of drying out as the pond's water level is dropping quite dramatically.


















We usually end our walk on the village green (a bit of a misnomer really, because I most certainly don't live in a village - much as I would like to!) so Cassie can have a good run around with her ball. Her boredom threshold for this activity is way higher than mine - I have yet to throw it more times than she will fetch it.

Well, standing and throwing the ball, I watched a heron fly over, circle a few times and land right by the pond in the pictures above! I've put a photo in; it's quite awful really, but you can see the heron - just.


Made my day!

A short wait...

Well, here it is! The first egg. Quite small but perfectly formed.

I don't know which one laid it, so naturally I had to thank all three. They now have their coloured leg bands on, so we can tell who's who.

Lucy is yellow, Penny blue and Totty red.

They're not awfully keen on Cassie just yet; frantic squawking can be heard whenever she approaches the ark. I fancy they were making less noise later in the day, so hopefully they're getting used to each other.

Beth has made some cracking flapjacks, which go with the lovely tea my husband has just made. I shall enjoy!

New arrivals!

Last October, Mr Todd paid us a visit. On my birthday too, which I thought was a little unnecessary. Having previously taken 2 of our girls, he came back for the other 2. The only small (tiny really) consolation I could take was that at least he ate one and buried the other to come back for. At least he was hungry and not just having fun.

Yeah, I know, nature and all that. And I really don't wish foxes any harm. I just wish he'd eaten something else.

So, we tightened security. Fitted bolts. Checked the ramp. Cleaned the ark. And then - a first for me - I went to an auction. A poultry auction, no less. Not a biggie for many I guess, but I was very apprehensive.

We looked; there were quite a few lots and I had no idea. I just wanted some more chooks. It was just as well I had my DH with me; at over 6ft, at least the auctioneer could see him when he bidded; I'm too short to stand out in the crowd (unless they're under 6, then I stand a chance)!

So now I have three new ladies - Lucy, Penny and Totty - to watch over. I will take a photo soon; it's just that I thought they'd had quite enough excitement for one day. They're Rhode Island Red crossed with Legbar, for those who like to know that sort of thing.

Well, I'm that sort.

So now eagerly anticipating our first egg!