Happier!

I just received this from the school the hens went too!!

The hens are doing well! my tutor group loved them & we already have lots of pupils wanting to join the chook club.
although the hens are still shy, the move doesn't seem to bother them as we have had eggs on the first day (much to the delight of the head teacher who got the first one!).
I will send you a picture of the hens in thier new spot when i remember my camera!
thanks very much for all your help as well all the little extras you threw in!
Smiling now!

Jake decided to help me with my blogging!





I think he's bored, but we have so many toys and boxes and laser lights and things attached to string its actually quite dangerous round here!!
He yowls so loudly, and it is tempting to always reply to him but it actually encourages him to yowl more loudly!
Suggestions greatly received!

Avoidance

I have been avoiding my blog this last week!

Why?

After much discussion here it had been decided that I have to find a new home for the chickens!!! Something I'm not very proud of as I believe an animal is for life, but when it comes to back problems, the priorities change. Every week even when the chooks where at my neigbours enjoying a large plot of land I have to bend to move the fencing, bend to move and clean the Eglu and for two days after I suffer.
Even on a foggy morning with help, I still suffer.




So I tried to rehome the chooks seperately, but it became obvious that this was not going to happen. So I put them on the omlet forum where I received a very positive response, in fact the very first response was from a Green Flag School and an exceptionally enthusiastic teacher.

Anyway to cut a long story short they have now gone, lock stock and last bag of aubiose to there new home on the large allotment at a green flag school.

I shall miss them and there odd ways, mostly there yummy scrummy eggs, even buying free range eggs you could tell the difference. Last week I had to buy some and I bought the most expensive and you can still tell the difference look



but fortunately for me my neighbour has 5 chickens and is inundated with eggs, so we shall be coming to an arrangement!

In the meantime Jake is busily exploring places, whilst my two sleep



Sassy and Tango are aware there is another cat in the house, as they have now heard him and smelt him around, so T and I constructed a special door for her room, which is an exceptionally tight fit and means we can go out and leave her door open withour any fear of a fight occuring.
Here is T demonstrating!



I think it will be along time till we let him out, out, if you see what I mean. At first we thought he was deaf, although I still have my suspicions. K commented that he was the first cat to follow her into the bathroom and remain there whilst she flushed the toilet. He also does not respond to his name, which could be alot to do with the fact that I'm not sure he was ever called in? We tried various tests like ripping paper, jingling keys but I wonder did he see movement first? He never comes when called, is not bothered by the hoover, mine scatter and leave home when the hoover goes. When he enters a new room he searches it from top to bottom with no fear of exposing himself, stretching up to full height to reach shelves etc.



He has only one set of whiskers above his left eye and none above his right! He plays alot and has a really loud meow. So until he responds he will not be allowed out.
My two have passed the netted door, Sassy at great speed and Tango rather more slowly. On both occasions I witnessed it, Jake was sat the other side and did not seem in the least bothered. The next step will be a cage in the kitchen, my neighbour has one which we will borrow. But I think that will be awhile off yet!



In the meantime the feral is still about at night, my two will not use the state of the art, very expensive microchip cat flap I bought, unless it is in normal catflap mode. So I have to call them in at night and lock the flap.

Never too Old!

To have a paddling pool!



fill it with water



get in and think mmmmmmmmm! bit cold!



after awhile its actually quite cool



obviously a bit too cool for 'T'!



Oh look K is out warming up and T is in??? But the pool looks fuller??



My girls aren't so soft, as the hose heated up it warmed the water inside it so they topped up the pool with the Hot, yes hot water from the hose!



Sassy thought it a bit hot too but likes to be close to the girls!



The chickens have been moved again, but they found it hot as well so took themselves to bed early!



When ever we go to see to the chickens, Tango always walks with us.

Chickens and Peas

This is just part of my neighbours paddock that my chooks are on holiday in



we had just moved them here from the top and next week we will move them to the other side of the workshop. They never use this area, he just sits on his ride on mower to keep the grass down



I really wish I had this as I can now see how much happier my hens are over here, I actually feel guilty already about bringing them back at the end of summer!



We bought the new plastic roosting bars for inside the Eglu, they are fantastic and so easy to keep clean compared to the wooden ones,another plus is theres now nowhere for the 'Red Mites' to hide!! I can't recommend these highly enough.
I have no idea the life span of a chicken, we have had them since May 2006, but when they go we shall either drop down to two big ones or four little bantams! Allotment Lady assures me that Bantams don't scratch, which means I would be able to let them out and about more!

Whilst we where moving the chickens, tango had found a lovely comfy spot on their bonfire pile!!




Everytime I go down to do my neighbours chickens at the same time as checking mine, he is there! He makes me chuckle!

I picked loads of peas yesterday, we have already eaten some



so we sat in the sunshine podding them. They make a very satisfying pop when you open them



and there are still more to come. Wonder if you can do anything with the pods? I'm sure you will tell me if there is!



all vacum packed and ready to freeze for that taste of summer in the winter! If they last that long!!!!!

Now for something beautiful



one of my Brugmansias has gone nuts flowering!!!

Through the Lens of the camera!

The plant in the last post was an Arisaemas as is this one too, apparently they have a habit of facing away from you!!!! This one could grow to 5ft!!!




These next pics where taken by K, I sent her down the garden and said lets see it through your eyes...........
this one was actually taken about a month ago by me..

this one by K, how things have grown....

This rose is a from a cutting I got from my Dad, who has been dead since 1982, it has black spot as you can see and I can't bear to part with it!

Babs as you can see is fully recovered from her broodiness, so I recommend the 3 x 12 hours in a cage to break the habit!

Oriental poppies such a cheerful flower but a very floppy plant.

The Gunnera, gets bigger every minute I see it, I'm surprised the fence is still standing

Hubby raves about it and says it is one of the best plants in the garden.

The pond has had a bit of a tidy up, we are going to give it, its four yearly clean out in September.

My cucumbers with there new frame which attaches to the greenhouse, I think this will be alot sturdier than canes shoved in pots, just have to construct something to go across the roof, as thats how far these plants grow.

I found these seeds in focus for 49p, so bought them for K, she trots down each morning and has a chat and checks whose grown, they are sunflowers! You can never have enough sunflowers!!

The banana at the bottom of the garden!


Now some more pics by me...
This is my Egg Yam, remember it taking over the greenhouse, well it got so big I HAD to put it outside and now its really taken off....

How sad am I to be measuring leaves at this time of year!! Currently 54cm, incase your interested!!!!

Not everything is rosy in my garden,I currently have a serious problem with the banana on the patio.......

after consultation with my Hardy Tropical friends, it appears my soil may be too alkaline!!!

How soil changes in a season I will never know!! So sequestered iron and foliar feed, but how I get up there to foliar feed, will have to be worked out! I will keep you posted!

Good News, Look..........

Just a quickie.......
Look Whose out and about...................



this was at 08.30 this morning......



which is good because by this time the past 3 days she has been snuggled up on the nest!! So my regime may have worked? I had been letting her sleep with the rest of them, then she got up and went out and ate and drank then by about 08.00 she had been ensconced on the nest so I put her in the basket and then at 20.00 I let her out and back in with the rest!

Success, I think, I hope?!?!

I thought I would finish with my most favourite indoor plant




Oxalis regnellii atropurpurea