Last year my Sister donated a kidney to my Mum. It's been a rough twelve months but things thank goodness seem to have settled down at last.  I am so proud of both of them!  They made the local paper...

Love you both xxx

Come and see my babies...

 The partridges are about a week old.

 Our bantam chicks are now two weeks old.

Our new goslings are two weeks old too.

More chicks due this weekend...fingers crossed!

If ever there was  reason to become a hooker then click here ;) This is an amazing tutorial over at Cherry Heart.

I've decided to become a hooker! I think the limit of my skills peak with granny squares...  

If I can ever crochet enough then it will be a blanket.  I would really like to be able to crochet these but mine look nothing like them! I have serious crochet envy especially as Heather has chosen such pretty colours. Still perhaps I should consider one job at a time...

...hmmmmmm. Nah!

Back so soon!

I know I wasn't going to get the chicks out to photograph but No 1 couldn't help herself.  So these are two of them...

If you have ever hatched eggs in an incubator before you will know that sometimes they can take many, many hours to finally emerge after pipping.  However these bantams are already a law unto themselves, they all seemed to pip, then quickly burst out of their shells shouting "I'm here!" Are we in for some fun!

After answering an advert in the local post office I am now the proud owner of yet another shed.  My feeling is that you can never have enough sheds - husband thinks differently! Not quite sure why! This was to house the excess chickens that I was going to have...
I'm thrilled to report that eight mixed bantams have hatched today.  I haven't photographed them yet as the temperature isn't really warm enough to keep lifting the lid on the incubator. So hopefully I can snap away tomorrow.
The lady who I bought the shed from was really lovely and when I told her what I did as a job she kindly gave me some bits of fabric for school. She also gave me these which I think are quite amazing! The embroidery is raised and must have taken many, many hours. I'm thinking cushion covers...

I think I might start saving...

I have loved Pashley bicycles for ever but this one has really stolen my heart...

the reality is that this would be much more practical... 

New kid on the block

Can I be so bold as to persuade you to visit my daughter's blog here.  As it is my lifetime's work to embarrass her, I can only hope she doesn't do the same to me...

Swap gifts

As promised here are the pictures of my lovely gifts from the even lovelier Annie.  It always feels exciting when a swap parcel arrives.

I just love him... 

Red polka dots have always been my favourite (already claimed by No 1 child, 'Mum you don't really need a new purse do you?')...

 Yummy Union Flag chocolates in a cute little tin...

 I love cupcake decorations...

 Annie has just leart to crochet so this gift is even more special...

Crafty bits, I love proper felt, synthetic felt always puts my teeth on edge! I am thrilled with these and need to start planning a new project...

 A gorgeous melt...

I am just so pleased with all my gifts, Annie has really done her homework! I just hope that she is as pleased with my gifts! Thank you Annie x

Meet fred!

Meet Fred the Red, a very handsome boy who has just moved in!  Over the last month we have lost nearly 50 chickens, first some to the dog, then 5 to an European Eagle Owl who had escaped and then on Saturday someone stole 15 chickens.  My initial reaction was to give up but after a good night's sleep I have decided to carry on.  My chickens give me such a lot of pleasure and always bring a smile to my face (except for the time when we had moved their house and they wouldn't go to bed!) so I don't want to give them up.

As I was perusing PreLoved last night I noticed that someone was selling a Rhode Island Red cockerel and having just lost Rhodey I contacted them first thing this morning.  I have put him in with the remaining ex-batts so hopefully he will quickly settle.

I've also got some eggs due to hatch later on this week and I've set some more this morning - three different pure breeds: light sussex, brown leghorn and silver laced wyandotte bantams.  Watch this space for an update!

I've received my parcel from my lovely swap partner Annie so will be back with photos tomorrow.  I am so delighted with my gifts that I can't wait to share them with you. Till tomorrow!