CONFUSED FUSHIA

This morning I noticed one of my fushia plants has broken out in bud again. Since the other plants have all but lost all their flowers this cheered me up no end, I just hope that some of my other plants decide to follow suit.

The chickens and ducks were enjoying the glorious morning that we had today, with the chickens escaping into the garden before I had chance to open their gate. Harry Houdini had nothing on them, they use their house to jump upto the tree where they roost in the branches (the house is a bit rustic, and i love the colours, but they only use it for laying and to sleep in if it is really windy). If I dare to be late letting them out in the morning i.e. after dawn! they simply fly over the top the fence and let themselves out.

Bertie, Bassett and Jemima, our very timid trio of ducks. They are quite happy running around their pen, and swimming in their little pond, they occassionally even have a visit from one of the chickens who fly over their fence to 'share' their food. We tried taking down their fence to let them share the garden with the hens, but they didn't like that idea at all and wouldn't come out of their house until we put it back up again :(

Camera shy - these hens all turned their backs at the moment I took the photo, obviously they hadn't done their makeup. Phes (so called because she looked like a pheasant chick when she hatched) the tan hen on the bench went so far as hiding her head under her wing, she must have been having a bad hair day as well!

This bench was a favourite spot for me to sit and read in the summer, but it seems to have been taken over by hens. The last time I used it, I had a hen on the back looking over my shoulder - don't you just hate that? - and two others staring at me from next to me on the seat as if to say "what do you think you are doing!"

The lovely red crested cockerill is Jasper, he is beautiful, if a little stupid - when we moved the gate on his run it took him nearly a week to find it on his own, just standing outside crowing until we went out to show him the way in.


Have a lovely weekend all.

The Mystery of the Missing Eggs

I have wondered lately why my hens seem to be laying fewer eggs than usual. It all started with the beginning of the wet weather, I know that they tend to stop laying in the very cold weather, but this was particularly early and I couldn't work out why. Then yesterday the mystery was solved. I was out in the garden putting out my washing, there was a strange yellow thing in the sky, that hadn't been seen around these parts for many weeks, and I wanted to take full advantage of it as I didn't know when I might see it again. Well all of sudden there was a commosion coming from our duck pen, 3 ducklings with a little house to themselves, their own little pond under a large walnut tree for shade and a large patch of grass for them to waddle around and with a low fence around.

One of the ducklings had managed to get out and into the lane and was running up and down behind the hedge trying to get back in, while the two other ducks were running up and down inside the hedge wondering where their pal was. After a little persuasion Bassett, the absconder, got back inside her run and promptly ran into her house where she stayed for the rest of the day, occassionally putting her head out of the door to see what was going on - I don't think she enjoyed her escape too much and won't be venturing beyond her run again.

Getting back to the missing eggs, my hens are free range, and during the day are free to wonder around the garden, they also regularly venture across the lane to my Brother and Sister-in-law's field next door to visit their hens, whilst I was rescuing Bassett, I noticed one of my hens appearing from next doors hen house, where it transpires my hens have been laying if they get caught out in a storm of rain, daily lately, and didn't want to get wet walking home to their own house, and people think that hens are daft.

I had a long list of things I hoped to achieve this weekend, and am pleased to say that I have managed most of them, I have drawn up the designs for this years Christmas cards. I think fabric cut out in the shape of hearts, christmas trees and some red felt in the shape of a letter box with a some snow and a little robin painted on will be the main ones, if I can work out how to upload pictures I might put some pictures in my blog when they are made.

I have also made my list of presents to make this year, with ear-rings and necklaces on the list for teenage family members, a variety of knitted scarves for friends, some embroidered hand warmers for other out doorsy friends, and I'm also going to pot up some indoor forced hyacinths in some china bowls found in a charity shop that should be out just in time for Christmas, I know this isn't strictly making the gift, but is within the same philosophy of not purchasing new, so I thinks still falls within my resolution. Whilst the foodies will be receiving home made chutneys and flavoured oils, and boosy mincemeat.

Where I am struggle is in thinking of gifts to make for the male members of the family who age from 3 to 70, so I would be very grateful if anyone has any suggestions.

Whilst pondering my christmas gifts I managed to finish 2 squares of my blanket, only another 100 to go.

Of course everything stoped while I watched Gloucester Rugby yesterday, where the boys beat local rivals Bath away at Bath for the first time since the game went professional. WELL DONE LADS!!!