In the garden -exploring, weaving, knitting

The weather's been sublime here, and apart from a few days of heavy rain, there's been warm bright sunshine and blue skies. Although I've had sewing to do,  it's just been too nice to be indoors, so I've been taking my knitting outside, letting the new girls out to explore and enjoyed the sunshine.

Spangly Lola

Busy Brenna ....she loves being out, and aggressively hunts worms and insects, from the ground and her nest mates.  I think she's going to be alpha  chicken.  She makes an amazing noise, somewhere between a honking goose and a mournful water fowl.

Speedy Lola....so much to do and see.

Betty........likes to check it all out first.

They have all settled in well, there's the occasional outraged squark during the day, as the older two continue to attempt to stake their claim to the henhouse, but it's mostly darting and chasing, no vicious attacks.  Sadly, this little one, Hildie,  didn't make it, I found her very listless in the coop one morning when I let them out, and despite bringing her indoors and keeping her warm, and eye droppering food and water into her, she died shortly after.  I think the others might have suffocated her, they haven't quite got the hang of roosting yet, and would get off and huddle together in a pile.  Hildie was probably on the bottom. She was a dear little girl, and was the first one to venture out into the yard, then followed me around peeping happily, sounding like R2D2, all beeps and whistles.

Rest in peace, Hildie

I had this garden loom made a while back, and have been enjoying weaving cuttings and prunings from the garden into it.  I saw one in a Living Crafts magazine a while ago, and was really taken with it. Go here to see the website of the family that make them, they're from northern Maine, and have such a respect and enjoyment of their garden.

I love how I can watch the shadows and light on it, changing and moving, keeping me in touch and mindful of the passing day, and then the seasons.  The structure itself is symbolic of our human experience and is a quiet reminder of the inner qualities of this experience and harmonising the whole.  The top beam represents the creator, or creative power, the vertical posts : 2 states of experience - being and doing; the angled pieces represent balanced communication: listening and talking; and the two horizontal weaving beams are for feeling...the lower one, close to the earth for grounding...and the higher...the head for thinking.

At dusk

Moon rise.

I love too that it's all made from left over timbers from when I had the back of the house renovated.  Those upright posts are the old stair supports, from when the house was built over 90 years ago, and now have a new lease of life watching over my garden. 

As we move into Spring, I'll start weaving wool, roving, and fabric scraps for the birds to take for their nests.  They already like to perch up on it, and there's often little groups sitting happily up there.  For now, I've planted some bulbs under it, and will plant flowers and herbs seasonally under and around it.  It makes me very happy.

....and the knitting? This week is NAIDOC Week , celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples and I've been knitting beanies in the indigenous colours, of black, red and yellow.  These will be given to the children who attend the local Women's Service Indigenous playgroup and after school activities, a very new venture for the area.  I've made 12, and have one on the needles, nearly finished, and since I didn't decide until midway through June that I'd take on this project, I'm rather pleased and relieved they're all done, and ready to hand out on Wednesday.  They range in size from one for a new baby, up to 12 year olds.   

I'm back out to enjoy the winter sunshine, finish that last beanie and do some stitching for Full Moon Art with Woman with Wings.

Enjoy your week.