Cutey Pie!

This is the only 'Pie' I have today for 'Pie Day Friday'.  A Cutey Pie!  I love this photograph.  A rather disgruntled looking 'Daisy Chicken' framed by the Chicken wire.

 

The garden is really starting to look 'High Security' with all the Chicken Proofing going on.  There is more Chicken Wire than garden.

This is my current 'Work in Progress'!  I said I would be Chicken Proofing the vegetable beds, I didn't say anything about it being aesthetically pleasing!  Do I ever look out into the garden and regret getting chickens?  Do I ever look out into the garden and think bringing these three little Cuteys home . . .

was a big mistake?
Never!  They are hilarious.  I love their antics and their 'joie de vivre'.  They are just the additional source of chaos that I was looking for in my life!  They can't help being enthusiastic gardeners with a passion for wanton vandalism.

Happy Saint David's Day

Happy Saint David's Day.  March the 1st already eh?  I am not Welsh but I do like Saint David's Day and I will be making two traditional welsh recipes today.

Welsh Cakes are really easy to make and disappear in no time.

Glamorgan Sausages  are quick and easy too, they are a great vegetarian meal using breadcrumbs, leeks and cheese.
Both recipes are thrifty makes, as most traditional Welsh cookery uses few simple ingredients to make delicious food.  I shared both of these recipes last year but they are certainly worthy of re-mentioning especially on Saint David's Day.

Hand spun Daffodil Yarn

I will leave you with another photograph I have shown on my blog before.  It is 'Daffodil Yarn' that I made a couple of years ago.  This poor yarn is still waiting to be turned into something.  

          It is a beautiful sunny day today and the garden is calling, I can't plant a thing until I have thoroughly chicken proofed the vegetable beds.  I have the materials, I just need to resist the knitting and crochet long enough to go and get some work in the done outside.  I have one lonely leek growing out there as the chickens have had the other 25!  Saint David looks very proud of his 'one' leek in the picture at the top of his page.   If you have not planned anything for Saint David's Day, have a go at one of the recipes, buy yourself a leek or find some daffodils to admire.  XXX

February Photograph Collage

These collages usually amaze me.   Looking through the photographic evidence for the month is fun.  I thought February had been quite uneventful, then I look at the photographs and think how busy it has been.

• Spinning 
• De-cluttering
• Egg collecting
• Valentines Day
• National Chip Week
• Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)
• Pie Days
• Lucky Stars
• Wobbly Teeth
• Chickie Bedtimes
• Crochet
• Alpaca Alpaca Alpaca
• Snow
• Spring Flowers

This February it is a Leap Year.  I won't be proposing to my other half!  Someone told me today that they have a friend who is going out tonight to celebrate their Grandmother's  18th Birthday!  Cute.
Wow Goodbye February. . . . Hello March.   XXX

I am Proud to be Bistitchual

Your can buy these cute badges on Etsy 'Here'

         For a change I have been busy knitting.  My Grandmother taught me to knit before she taught me to crochet.  I still consider myself a beginner and get quite flummoxed with most knitting patterns, even those rated as 'easy' or suitable for 'beginners'.  I like knitting though.  I am trying to use stash and finish wip's (works in progress).  This was a stash 'busting' exercise.  

I received two balls of this beautiful yarn as part of a swap parcel at Christmas.  It shouted 'Nice warm cowl' at me.  So I listened.  I also received this gorgeous Cowl as part of a Christmas Swap.  (Christmas Swaps are sooo much fun)!

It is so soft and warm and I was so pleased with it I hardly took it off for two weeks.  It kept my shoulders lovely and warm.  Then I realised, doh!  I had been wearing it upside down!  Versatile is the word, it is a versatile cowl, two looks for the price of one.   The pattern is 'Shawl Collared Cowl'  by Alana Dakos and you can buy the pattern Here on Ravelry.

This is the correct way to wear it!

The Green Yarn desperately wanted to be a 'Shawl Collared Cowl'.  Less than half way through, I realized I would not have enough yarn.  Panic stations!  I hate frogging.  So much for de-stashing.  I really didn't know if I would be able to find this yarn.

Thank goodness for the internet, within five minutes I had tracked down and ordered enough yarn to complete the job.  I love good service.  I ordered from Marmalade Yarns and within 24 hrs the yarn had arrived safe and sound.  How fantastic is that?  I would definitely recommend 'Marmalade Yarns' and would use them again.  Now I have no excuses I must get on and finish this cowl now.  I am looking forward to going on a button hunt too, I need to find three suitable buttons.

I was delighted with the response to my request for Crocheting Oompa Loompas and they are busy behind the scenes.  The quality and credentials of the applicants for the Crocheting Oompa Loompa positions was truly humbling.  Thanks.  XXX

'Delusions Of Grandeur' You may be able to help?

I am really pleased with the results of my latest 'Fete accompli' in the Granny Chic, Granny Stripe department.    It marks my tenth dabbling with 'design' adventures.  I have decided albeit tentatively to go up a notch and see where I can 'go' with this 'design'.  So for now I will keep it a 'secret'.  I am not good at secrets of any description, I can't keep them and if anyone is trying to keep one from me, it darn near kills me!   I have a Monday Birthday coming up at the beginning of March, I am not overly keen on birthdays and I really don't like Mondays so I have to be good to myself.  I am old enough to try the spirit of 'She who dares wins'!  Life is full of 'What ifs?'  I can give myself a birthday gift of being brave, risking failure and trying something new.  Really what have I got to lose?
Now where do you come in to assist me with my 'Delusions of Grandeur'?  I could really do with the equivalent of 'Willy Wonka's secret team of Oompa Loompas'.  I could really do with 3-5 crocheting Oompa Loompas to test this 'Top Secret' new pattern for me.  I can e-mail a 'pdf' of the pattern to you if you are interested and I promise it should be easy, quick and fairly pain free.  You will need scraps of  DK yarn / worsted weight.  If you are interested in becoming a trusted crocheting Oompa Loompa please apply formally in writing, via the 'comments box' and leave a method for me to contact you, either Ravelry ID, e-mail or Facebook.  I will have your credentials checked over by my Security Team (consisting of . . . . me) and will get the confidentiality agreement drawn up.
Thanks.
Now back to reality and  the 'Sunday Roast', my troops are starving!

Edit:  Great News!  The Troops have all been fed and I have a 'Team' of willing victim  Crochet Oompa Loompas.  Thank you very much.  I will be in touch this evening.  XXX  

National Chip Week Celebrations

This is what I find most mornings.  I photographed these this morning, before I touched them.  How clever of my Chickie Wicks to lay them all neatly in a row, waiting for me to collect.  Good, clever girls.

My daffodils are multiplying in the Spring sunshine in spite of all the danger, as they are under almost constant attack from a child, a dog or chickens. The backdoor has been open all day and the dog has been snoozing in the garden for the first time in months.  My parents popped down as my Dad wanted some of my Raspberry canes to transplant, today was a good day for pottering in the garden.  The chickens enjoyed dust baths in the raised beds nearly burying themselves in the soil and flapping madly.  They better make the most of those raised bed dust baths because I have been on Ebay looking for 'vegetable protection solutions'.  My other half constructed a pretty serious looking fence last week straight across the middle of the garden.  To say he was a little miffed about all the Crappity Crap the chickens create would be an understatement!  It is starting to look like Alcatraz out there!  Now I just have to solve the problem of their wanton vandalism of the vegetable beds.  My chickens are keen gardeners, a bit too keen.  I can forgive them as their eggs are delicious, not to mention they are clucking cute!
   For lunch we celebrated 'National Chip Week' in style.

You really can't beat homemade chips with a fried egg.  I was going to use a Parsley garnish for the purpose of the 'Egg and Chips' photo shoot but I didn't want to 'over egg my pudding' and the chickens have had all the parsley anyway!
I am also working on another small crochet project, in among the madness.  It should be ready for revealing soon, today or tomorrow.  The problem with my Granny Square/ Granny Stripe addiction is there are a lot of ends to sew in!  I hope you are enjoying a relaxing weekend.  It feels like Sunday to me today, so officially I am having a long weekend as I get to do Sunday all over again tomorrow.  Yippee!  Hoorah for delusion and confusion.