Chicken Unrest - Lavender Update

All Girlies slept together.  It is very rare for chickens to fight in the dark.  Lavender went first, she was a very tired girl.  Then I put the other three in the coop and they crept so tentatively to bed I had to chuckle.  I sat there waiting in the dark but there was no ruckus.  I googled what time was sunrise and set my alarm for 5.30am!  Out I crept and there was Lavender and two tired girls out in the coop.  They looked too tired to fight.  I wanted the others to have the opportunity to lay so I penned Lavender separately for an hour.  She is such a baby and everything is new to her.  She is 20 weeks old but has been in a barn.  She thinks grass is fantastic, she thinks bugs are fantastic and she is hyper vigilant to noises and the wild birds.  After an hour I went to check and there were three eggs!  One was very weak and broken.  I let the girls out and attempted to get lavender from the pen with a child's fishing net!  She escaped and gave me a brief run around.  I caught her and put her in the coop on her own where she is quite happy eating and drinking loads.
            I go back to work on Monday, so I really need to encourage harmony asap.  Armed with Euan's Pump Action Water Blaster:

I decided Lavender needed a 'Play Date' at about 6pm.  I assumed the role of either Mother Hen or a Cockerel I am not sure which. . .
                 Out she strutted.  She couldn't believe her luck.  She was fascinated and very nervous.  She scratched around and sampled a vast array of leaves. . . her eyes goggled trying to focus on tiny flying bugs and bless her she has a habit of crossing her legs like a baby Giraffe!  She gets her feet and legs into a tangle!  I would love to photograph that.  I couldn't take photographs as I had a heavily loaded water blaster and a child's fishing net!  She particularly loved Raspberry leaves and bramble leaves.  Then she spotted the others and they spotted her.  The pecking order has completely shifted.  Instead of Rose (bottom of the pecking order and the 'Winnie The Pooh brained Chicken) getting left out she is now firmly in the gang.

Those three are sticking together like. . . sisters!  Lavender ran straight to them. . . they tried to run to me. . . begging me to do something.  She gave Poppy, top of the pecking order, a nasty peck and puffed up ready to fight, so I blasted her!  They all scattered squawking!  They recovered and all started warily going about their business. . . their is definitely a mutual fascination going on.  Rose is the bravest and seems to be the one that is most eager to make friends but her behaviour is still very passive, she bows her head or stands as still as a statue when Lavender is right next to her.  Poppy and Daisy watched this and seemed to realise that Rose is avoiding a beating!  So they quickly started to do the same.  It is not working so well for Poppy but I was there and blasting before anything got too bad!  Poor Poppy still has her injury from yesterday.  It is a small nick, that has scabbed cleanly as she let me apply disinfectant straight away.  I was playing 'Cockerel' or 'Mother Hen' for about two hours.  It all went well considering the circumstances.  Rosie has been a loner but now the other two are following her everywhere as she seems to know what to do.  There were a few harmonious moments where there was a group of four chickens that looked like they might be able to get along.  It all ended when Lavender took a leap and perched on a bramble, higher than my head, ready to jump over the neighbours!  I swiped her with the fishing net and caught her and put her to bed!  I am having a steep learning curve in 'Poultry Care'.  I thought I was up for the challenge and I hope I am!  My Partner has not noticed today!  He and Lavender have not met.  He is not going to be at all happy with a fence jumping chicken, neither are the neighbours!  I hope she grows out of that.  The others escaped once through a hole in the fence and dug up the neighbours parsnips!  They like to help me do that!  In fact each morning I am gathering potatoes that they dig up for me, I haven't had to dig for any!
            I think I am already quite attached to Lavender, she has a sweet little song, she is only a baby and the world is all very big and is as exciting as it is daunting.  She listens to me and likes to follow me which I am quite glad about.   I have four chickens that at least think I am the boss!  That Water Blaster has earned me some healthy respect.
              I might be able to put the Water Blaster down tomorrow and take some photographs.  I am exhausted and will set my alarm for before sunrise again tomorrow. . . being a chicken Mom is hard work at the moment!  

Trials and tribulations of life and 'Crochet' at last. . .

Do you remember the Crochet Hexagons I showed way back in April?  No you probably don't!  The post is Here.

I started off with a strange floppy hexagon, that you could fold like this:

or like this:

Claire  guessed I am trying to make a Jacketty sort of something. . .
It has been quite slow going but I don't tend to crochet so much in the Summer.  I have just kept going round and round...working two hexagons at the same time.  I can actually see the end in sight now. . .

I am not really following a 'Pattern', which is pretty typical of me and usually where I go wrong!  I also did not think to carefully about my colours.  I just got carried away going around and around working with my favourite colours!  I had in my opinion gone past the point of no return.  I hate to 'frog' anything.  I am not sure I will be wearing this with pride (well not outdoors anyway . . . but who knows with me anything is possible).  It will get worn in the house in the winter though.  Maybe just not Winter 2012!
              I have a fortnight left of my 'holiday' before I go back to work.  I have been busy doing this and that!

The chickens helped with digging in the garden and all four of us were delighted to find. . .

Potatoes!  Poppy, Daisy and Rose are digging everyday now and keep finding more.
                 My parents came for lunch last week to help with the 'Courgette Glut':

This was stuffed with Turkey and Spicy Tomato Cous Cous.  We also had jacket potatoes:

and homegrown Runner Beans:

Over the weekend our town had a three day 'Festival' it was a Community event with two stages for music.  There were also fair rides, stalls and shows.  The weather was perfect for this type of event and there was a large turn out.  Unfortunately on the Friday night No.1 Son ran into some trouble with a group that he did not know and he got hurt and pretty shook up.  On Saturday I took Euan and we spent 10 hours there.  We had fun and for the large majority of the time I had No.1 Son in sight.  He was having a great time and so was everyone else it was a great day, chilling in the sunshine listening to music.  When I first started my blog I wrote about the 'travellers' that stay every year just around the corner from my house.  Check out the post here to see photographs of their vans.  They have a band called 'The Hedgerow Crawlers':

  Euan and I thought they were fantastic.

We stayed until the end of the day and it was dark.  I called Henry on his phone to tell him to hurry up and meet me at the car.  It is a fine line between keeping them safe and ruining their street cred!  So he left his friends to hurry and meet me.  He was about three minutes behind me walking up a pitch black path with lots of other people walking back too.  He ran into the same ****** group and they hurt him again!  I could not believe it when he turned up at the car!  He just wanted to get home asap as he was cut and bruised.  He was checked over at A&E yesterday. . . we had a 3hour wait.  It made him (and me) feel better to get the all clear.  I have thought about not sharing this on my blog. . . but it is 'life' and motherhood.  I will not say too much more about it!
 
             I read an old Italian Proverb yesterday:

"Small children bring headaches, older children bring heartache".

Why do they have to grow up?  If I thought it was hard work when they were babies. . . it is nothing compared to now they are older.   Obviously I am anxious about him going out and about now but I also don't want him to feel afraid.  It is definitely too hot here today for me to have wrapped him in cotton wool and it would take a lot of cotton wool!  He has gone 'out and about'.   I think we are just going to put it down to 'an experience'.  I hope we learn what we need to from it!  It is just a shame and a reality that life is not always a 'bed of roses'.  I do literally view the world through my pair of 'rose tinted' spectacles and sometimes I need a reality check!
XXX

Just Another Day in Paradise

It is still exceptionally hot here.  I have been going through the mill a little health wise, nothing I want any sympathy for, you understand, it is just I do not really have much other news to share.  Euan and I both have horrible heat rashes/viral rashes not sure which.  The joys of being redheads in the heat!  This morning I got us both a doctors appointment as Euan also has a very painful eye infection that has come on suddenly and I have psoriasis and my 'bleeping' back has decided to be very naughty again!  It is very painful and took about twenty micro moves to get out of bed this morning.  I am taking a veritable cocktail of medications!  Not good.  This evening it ceased up when I was on the sofa and I could not get up, both boys came to my aid and shoved and pulled me,  while I could not help yowling and howling!  Henry got me more pain killers and Euan stuffed a cushion behind me!  Thankfully this is a temporary condition but it is rather humbling being at the mercy of  my children.  Not a great state to be in.
               My parents came down today, my Mom helped with housework and my Dad planted my Runner Beans and Tomatoes.  I am very grateful.  I had to photograph these silly girls!  I do not know where these plastic tubs came from, but we have had them for years and I plant them up with vegetables or flowers.  This tub is/was planted up with the Oca, my new vegetable of the year.  I do not hold out much hope for it now as the girls have adopted this particular tub for their 'dust bathing' and 'sun bathing'.

They do look hot and tired.  Dust bathing is excellent for them to cool off and keeps them free of bugsies!  Of course they are Ginger Ninjas too and I think they suffer in the heat, they do have the option of shaded shrubs and have been spending lots of time hidden from view.  I still only have to whistle and they come running like hungry puppies!  They have been very naughty in the heat and their happy 'We have laid our eggs' song has got louder, longer and earlier!  They are very noisy at about 6.30am until I let them out to run around the garden and then you don't hear them at all!  I am expecting a complaint about noise any day soon!

                My friend popped in this afternoon, to drop off 'Herman the German'.  My friend Sue and I have been friends since we were 11, she is a great buddy, we have lots in common, we both like gardening, cooking and we can happily talk about dogs all day long.  Sue is a professional dog groomer and works to a really high standard.  I am always impressed with her skills.  We go back a long way together.  Time always passes too quickly with Sue and we 'chin wag' a lot with each other.  Herman will be staying at our house for about ten days.  He came with an A4 sheet of instructions that I have misplaced already!  They will turn up. . .

Herman is a 'German Friendship Cake', Sour Dough Starter.  If I look after him right he should be ready to divide into four in ten days time.  One will make a cake, two will be passed on to friends with instructions and one will be kept to do the whole thing again!  Fingers crossed Herman likes it here and does what he is supposed to do.  Little bubbles have appeared over the last four hours.  He is like having a new pet.  Hermy is Mommas new baby!  Have any of you had any experiences with a 'Herman' of your own?  I will keep you posted as to his progress.
Love to All Yall!  xxx

Oh Good Morning!

It was a busy Monday morning, Henry has his final school exams going on at the moment, he is coping very well so far.  He has always been pretty laid back if I leave him be.  He isn't exactly a ray of sunshine in the morning but he takes after his mother!  Euan has been cough, cough, coughing pretty much non stop, so he was bleary eyed.  The dog is a sweetheart and 'asks' me for food when she wants it, she likes breakfast and dinner.  The chickens also need breakfast and letting out.  If I don't get out there early the chickens make their feelings known and you can hear them loudly clucking!  For the sake of the neighbours I try to get out there asap.  I live in a very noisy street though, so I am not to troubled by the noise the Chooks make, it is my payback for other peoples late nights, dogs barking, kids yelling, teenagers coming and going at all hours, cars revving etc etc.  If you can't beat them, join them.  Any noise me and mine make justs add to the hub bub.  As long as we are not the noisiest I figure that is ok.  This morning look what greeted me in the garden.  Wow, the first Poppy of the year.  Isn't she a beauty.  It looks like there will be plenty more where that came from too:

I thought I just discovered a stray egg in the picture, but I remember now, I chucked egg shells around the base of my Camellia.

              Today it has finally felt like May, the Sun has had his hat on.  It was lovely to get home from work and have some warm sunshine.  It motivated me to get out in the garden at last.  I found the very last of last years harvest.

  What a whopper!  I think this leek may be as tough as old boots!

Here is 'Chicken Proofed' Alcatraz.  I have to remove the fences to do any gardening.  Last week Euan and I weeded the raised beds and the chickens gobbled worms as fast as they could, they slurp them like spaghetti and ate loads of them.  I put them in their coop as they are just too helpful in the garden.  I was out for about and hour and a half and the poor things did not stop whinging and complaining the whole time they were cooped.

The poor things.  It was only because I was in earshot and they really think they should be out if I am.  I was determined to sow some seeds though and get the bean poles ready.  I planted two types of beetroot, some dwarf  peas, swede, turnips and kale in the raised beds.  I planted some oca in a large container.  Oca is a new one on me.  It is like a small potato.  I will let you know how I get on.  I should have photographed it for you as it is a bit weird.  Check out this link for Oca to read more about it.  If you have grown it, tried it, cooked it, eaten it, do let me know what you think....

   I planted the potatoes about a month ago and the spinach is left over from last year.  My next job will be weeding this bed.  The spinach is soon destined for soup or curry.

Meet my Fartychokes.  Jerusalem Artichokes.  They are delicious and come back every year.  Sadly now we just enjoy them for their tall yellow 'sunflowers' as when consumed they have some most unfortunate side effects which have earned them their pet name.  In the name of good manners I shall just leave it there, nuff said!

This used to be the chicken pen...how naive!  It is a large pen and more than adequate for a chicken run, but it simply isn't good enough for my girls!  They need half of the garden.  The biggest half no less.  Rhubarb is supposed to be poisonous to chickens so they leave it alone.  My chickens did not read that page of the book and ransack the rhubarb, hence the rhubarb is now penned in the chicken pen.  It seems to be their favourite and they would scratch it to oblivion.

The soft fruit is looking promising.  This old blackcurrant bush is heavily laden again.  The raspberries are also coming along ok.  They are not fenced off yet...  I don't know what to do about them.  I am sure as the fruit ripens it will take a greedy chicken ten minutes to strip the whole bush.  The rhubarb may be set free and the chickens penned again.  It is funny watching them jump for the fruit though.  Chickens can do quite high standing jumps and 'boing' like they are on springs for ripe juicy berries.  

          When my gardening was done and I had watered thoroughly and replaced the fences, I went to the coop to find three noisy, disgruntled girls.  They were elated to see me.  I opened the door to the coop and they shot out like 'grease lightening'.  

I love this photograph!  I know it is not the most aesthetic part of my garden.  I like it up there though.  As soon as the door is opened these girls move like a trio of 'Road Runners'.  Beep beep!  Just look at the speed and gusto in their sprint for freedom!  After the impertinence of their incarceration here they are doing what chickens love to do best;

Scratching and pecking.

Here's to hoping this is the first sunny day of many.  xxx

Beware of the Ginger Ninjas!

Enter those who dare!  This is the sign on the gate to the Chickens half of the Garden.  I love it!  I don't worry about the neighbour's cats, there are three or four that show regular interest in the chooks.  They come in to the garden but have so far not got too close.  I am sure three chickens could kick a cat's butt!  They regularly have a good peck at Euan and can actually hurt.  They peck my Mother and they occasionally give me a nasty peck on the back of the legs when I am not expecting it.  They are very worthy of this sign!
                They eventually came out to play at about four yesterday afternoon and seemed none too worse for their trauma.  They were very nervous at bedtime going back in their coop, I helped them each to bed by giving them a shove!  Never mind pushing an elephant up the stairs!  You try getting a reluctant chicken into it's coop.

They stuck together yesterday...safety in numbers, I rarely photograph three Hens in one picture.  I am pleased to report three eggs were collected this morning too.  The neighbour has had his fence repaired and my Ginger Ninjas are safely in bed.  All is well. . . . . 

Trauma in the Coop!

My Poor Chickie Wicks!  I went to the coop as usual this morning, they normally come bustling out for a chat and are desperate to be let out to run around doing what chickens do all day.  Today was a different matter.  They appeared petrified to see me and squawked, flapping madly, hitting the ceiling of their coop.  I tried to calm them down with my voice but that just seemed to make them even more frantic.  I noticed quite a pile of freshly scraped soil by their coop door and a rubber mat we have there was turned over.  I set to work straightening it all before I took this photograph, that looks like 'Fox' scrape marks to me!

Now I am no expert but they do look like scrape marks and something had been causing a commotion up there, what do you think?  Two of the girls were flapping around making terrified clucks.  When angry or scared chickens can also make a low 'growling' type of noise, they were doing that this morning.  The more timid of the three has just retreated into the nest box with her face to the wall she does not want to move.

I opened all the doors on the coop and spoke in a calm and upbeat manner, but they are not having it!  There is no way they can be coaxed out today.  The poor things look like they are having a nervous breakdown.
They have undoubtedly had quite a traumatic experience.  I am already down to two eggs each day now, I do not know what has happened to the third egg!  I did say to the chickens last week 'Someone will be for the pot if you keep laying two eggs a day'!  The next morning I had three eggs.  Then we have gone back to two again.  Euan was very cross with me for telling them that!  he says they are like sisters to him!  Trauma effects laying so I had two eggs this morning but I am not expecting any tomorrow.  They have stopped laying in the past as a result of a large and loud thunderstorm and they have stopped laying twice last year when I went away and left my Other Half in charge!   Never have these Chicken babies appeared frightened of me before, they even let me bath and blow dry them and chat away quite happily.  It is sad to see them so neurotic, especially as I can't seem to make it better.

 Do they look terrified to you?  They do to me.  I have been up there this afternoon with a large can of corn kernels.  While they still don't want to come out to play, they gobble the corn and it seemed to help them to temporarily forget their troubles.  Poor poor girls, these are the chickens that like to play in the snow, the rain and whatever else the elements throw at them.  Not today.  Euan has asked for his own alarm clock so he can set it to wake him to go and check on them in the night!  I will be making some kind of barricade tonight and hoping for the best.  I will probably stack up flower pots that will hopefully fall and startle a fox.  It is the time of year for hungry fox cubs.  My Other half has a day off work tomorrow he said he will make the fences safer, two of my neighbours either side lost fences last week in the gales, we managed to fix ours the same day, the neighbours still haven't so we think the fox is able to get through the back gardens where previously it couldn't.  I have worried all day!  I think I will be sleeping with one eye open tonight!  I bet the poor chickens won't sleep at all!  

Oh Happy Days - My 'Blog Buddy' Swap Has Arrived

Patience truly is a virtue.  I have been very good and patient waiting for my 'Blog Buddy Swap' to arrive.  I was so disappointed with the Postman yesterday.  Bills and bank statements!  Huh, who needs them?  The postman is supposed to bring little boxes of happiness, just like this one!   Teresa Kasner and I met on Ravelry and we have been firm friends in Cyber Space ever since.  We follow each others Blogs and share news and projects.  It really is uncanny how much we share in common across the miles.  We often find we have been doing very similar things, on the same day.  I think there is some sort of 'Parallel Universe' thing gong on!  We share many similar interests.  I would really rather not mention our 'Facebook' Scrabble Tournaments as I get my 'Butt Whooped' on a regular basis!   Teresa lives in the Columbian River Gorge in Oregon, USA and I have grown familiar and very fond of the beautiful scenery, history and heritage of this area through Teresa's blog posts.
          We have taken part in Swaps as Groups on Ravelry and both were a little disappointed not to be each others Swap Partners.  The odds were against us being 'paired' up.  In my travels I saw little 'crafty' bits and pieces that would make me think of my Cyber Buddy and I would think 'Teresa would love that'.  It is probably a good job we are separated by a large pond, because I am sure we would have formidable 'crafty' shopping excursions together.  I asked Teresa if she would like to be my Swap Buddy and of course she said yes.  :)
          We posted our Swaps on the same day and Teresa received hers before Easter, mine got stuck in the Bank Holiday, postal traffic as did Easter Gifts for my family from The British Hen Welfare Trust.  Not to worry, better late than never.  I was actually amazed how fast my parcel got to Teresa's house, less than a week to go all that way.  Here is Teresa's Blog Post about what I sent for her :)
           Well on with the important part, I opened my little box of happiness.

How delighted am I?  Very, very delighted is the answer.

Look at these pair of cuties.  Lovely Chicken Egg Cups.  I will have to have a boiled egg and soldiers asap.  I may go all out and put a spread of Marmite on the soldiers too.  There must be a knack to photographing glass, but I don't have it.  These have cute little faces and feathery detail.

The Crafty Goodies were all wrapped up in, I think you call it a 'Fat Quarter', of Cotton, Chicken Fabric.  I love it and will have to think very carefully what I can make with it.  All suggestions would be gratefully received.  I think this buttons are 'Super Groovy'.  Pink CND buttons are just too good to be true.  I believe I could be in the process of making the perfect 'Thing' for all five of these buttons.  Perfect, perfect, perfect.

I appear to be developing quite a passion for buttons.  I have noticed it creeping in over the last few months.  These buttons really do make me happy, flower buttons, sparkly Bling buttons, Mother of Pearl buttons and really pretty 'Lace' like patterned buttons, here take a closer look. . .

Pretty eh?

More pretties, ribbon and tiny ribbon roses.

Lovely Lavender coloured Cotton, I feel a self indulgent 'Face Cloth' coming on!  I feel as if I am showing off a bit, but I am having so much fun sharing all this with you and I am not finished yet!

Ho, ho, ho!  'Moonstruck' Dark Chocolate, Expresso Bean!  Now I am telling ya, I love Chocolate, and I am telling ya I love Coffee, put the two together and that makes me very happy indeed.  Teresa did not know that!  This is the perfect bar of Chocolate for me!

This Chocolate might even make me smart and strong and sexy, well let's get the wrapper off!  I am not sure about pondering for too long about who I will share it with.  I am pondering as to sharing it at all!  'Give and you shall receive.'  is making me feel a  bit guilty though.

I am not sure if this will make me strong or sexy, but the chocolate sure is!  If you let a square of the rich dark chocolate melt on your tongue you are left with crunchy chips of Expresso Bean for an intense flavour blast.  Ask me how I know!  I am feeling smarter, stronger and sexier already.  This is gonna be very hard for me to share!

  I am not sure I would like anyone writing on my cute little pad either.

Now I don't wear any jewellery, but I am wearing these right now.  I love, love, love them.  They are the Genuine Article.  Teresa has written a blog post Trade Bead Story explaining the fascinating history of these pretty little beads.  They were used for 'Trade' with Native Americans.  Trade beads have been valued by ancient cultures for thousands of years.  Teresa has a fine collection of these beads, the post is really worth taking a look at.  Now I won't be trading my beads for love nor money!  I have nearly got to the end of this post.  It has been a joyful post to write, for me.  I have been thoroughly spoiled with goodies.  I just have two more items to share.

I didn't tell you did I?  Teresa is also a fantastic Artist, she is a lifelong Artist and crafter, she has an Etsy store Here where you can purchase her art work, water colours and ink.  (Also take a peek at the Handmade Jewellery).  I am very touched by this 'Just for me' water colour of 'Glastonbury Tor.  The camera has not captured the colours as vividly as the actual painting.  I think it is fantastic and it is definitely going to have 'Pride of Place' in my living room.   I have a photograph of Glastonbury Abbey on my wall, that my friend took and had framed for me and another 'Chalk' picture of Glastonbury Tor that my Sister in Law got for me. The chalk is beautiful and it makes the Tor look misty and mysterious, Teresa's watercolour has captured the Tor on a bright Summers day, looking across the expanse of countryside in the heart of The Land of The Summer People.  Glastonbury is my favourite place.
             Last but not least is my Teresa Kasner Scandinavian Crochet Heart Ornament, the link will take you to the pattern.  I have loved this for ages.  Now I have one.

 To me, this is Teresa's 'signature Crochet piece.
'Thank you Teresa' feels inadequate.  I am sure you know how happy each one of these gifts has made me though.  I find it very hard to believe in the concept of 'Cyber Friendship' but this Swap has bought it home to me.  Cyber Friends are 'Real' friends of course!  We may never meet each other in person, but due to the marvels of technology we share each others 'lives' in some way and have a firm friendship.  That makes my heart very happy.  XXX
(((Group Hug))) in cyberspace for 'Blog Buddies'.  
         

I thought they Love me. Chickens escaped!

My Girls must be entering the 'Teenage Unruly Phase'.  I thought they loved me.  I also thought my garden was chicken proof!  It seems a neighbourhood cat has been in cahoots and shown them a gap in the fence!  I bet that cat is plotting something, trying to lead them astray like that.  It was a tiny gap in the fence and I did not witness the act!  So maybe it went something like this?

They were in the neighbours garden being 'helpful'.  They were digging up his parsnips!  I had to go round and apologise.  Then try to catch them.  In my own garden they run towards me, overjoyed to see me but in the neighbours garden, oh no!  They pretended they didn't know me!  I nearly had to resort to this:

A phone call to the 'Chicken Police'!  Euan found the hole escapade most distressing, I found it moderately anxiety inducing and Henry thought the whole thing was pretty funny!  It cost me six eggs worth of apology and now I am watching those chickens like a Hawk!