Hen house hysterics

My chicken flock has grown from 2 to 6, overnight.  I made the long trek yesterday a couple of hours north of here to Julie Thompson's hatchery, where she sells heirloom breed chickens.  It was well worth the drive, as Julie was so warm and welcoming, and was very helpful and patient as I asked questions, looked, cuddled chickens, and then made my choices.  I live in suburbia, so Council only allows me to have 6 chickens, but this is plenty for me, and it gives each one plenty of space to grow and thrive. They're around 14-16 weeks, and will have to do a little more growing before laying.

Black araucana Betty.....just because it seems to suit her and Silver Spangled Hamburg Lola.  Lola is so fancy with her silver spangles, I thought she's a showgirl for sure.

Pekin Bantam Hildie - she looks like a nun, in her soft grey, so she's named after Hildegard of Bingen.  She already enjoys sitting in the crook of my arm and being carried around.

Australorpe........Brenna, it means raven haired in Gaelic.

I haven't had black chickens before, so this lot is a nice change.  They've settled in well, and getting used to dirt under their feet, wild birds calling raucously around them, and the freedom of a larger space.  It's been great fun watching them, and seeing their personalities emerge already.

Goodie and Juno

And these two, the old flock, have been very unsettled and noisy.  They weren't at all happy to emerge from their night time roost to find intruders in the pen.  I heard their loud protests, and the sun barely up, and had to pull my boots on and a jacket over my jammies, and head out quickly to undertake damage control, before I had neighbours complaining about the much too early Sunday morning racket.  The two flocks are separated for now, can look but not touch!  I'll give them a week or so, then start to integrate them.  It's the part I don't enjoy, someone always seems to end up being hen pecked and it's not always the newcomers.  I let these two out earlier than usual to free range, and have been weeding and turning soil in an area I want to plant up, hoping if they keep busy scratching around, they'll relax .......it's working, kind of...but there's still a lot of loud venting their displeasure, and nervous hysterics at every unusual noise. It will just take time and patience until all is harmonious in the hen house again.

I'm off out to enjoy the rest of this beautiful 23 degree sunshiney day, hope your day is full of cackles, good scratchings and sunshine too.

Back with the moon

I've been back from holidays for a couple of weeks now, but it's been hard to get back into blogging,  hard to be on the computer, when the sun's been shining quite hotly for autumn/winter, and the great outdoors is calling.  It's been pretty busy around here too, with visitors coming and going, garden beds to prepare and vegetables to get in the ground.  This is my best planting and growing season, and with good prep now I'll have a variety of vegetables that will take me through to summer, depending how quickly the weather heats up and the humidity increases.  But for now, chilly nights, sunny days and a decent amount of rain will ensure good growth.

Today, I'm joining Woman with Wings in her full moon Drawing down the Moon project. I've missed doing this the last couple of months, and it felt realy good to settle quietly yesterday and stitch.  I captured the  photo above early yesterday morning as the moon was setting, just before it disappeared behind the trees (shame about the power lines).  The mountain was beautifully tinged with rose as the rising sun hit it.  Just for interest's sake, that very tip of Mt Warning is the first easterly point of Australia that the sunrise hits....neat hey? 

I have stitched an almost transparent moon mirroring the moon above in the night sky, and drawing healing energy deep into the earth.

I've managed to work on other projects too ....

a small wallhanging for a swap

a nearly completed baby quilt 

First few dresden plates for a special 40th birthday quilt ....8 to go.....due later in the year

a fabric postcard for a friend's birthday

and some knitting

It's sunny today with a biting cold wind, my thoughts are with all the people further south who are experiencing wild weather and floods, let's hope it all blows out to sea soon, as predicted.