Gert & Daisy*

May I introduce two new members of the clan? 

Gert

Daisy

These two lovely ladies joined us last week.   We saw them advertised online by a farmer who was giving up the free-range egg business after 25 years because the supermarkets don't pay him enough to cover the cost of his feed bills.   Sad.   Fortunately he has managed to sell nearly three thousand of the flock, with another two thousand still to go before the end of March.

So we drove over to Silverstone, just beside the Grand Prix circuit, and joined a queue of people waiting to load their hens into some pretty fancy modes of transport.   Nothing less than a new Range Rover in most cases .... or at a pinch a BMW towing a horsebox.  Reminded me of a comment in a recent Country Living article about keeping hens now being a 'lifestyle choice'!

When our turn came I was feeling slighty anxious that the hens might take one look at us, under-dressed as we were without the Hunter wellies and Puffa jacket, (not to mention a vehicle that is more than three years old), and refuse to get in our cardboard box with airholes in it, preferring to wait for a better offer.  So when we were asked if we would like to come into the field and catch our own chickens, I said we'd be fine with two picked for us.  My husband stipulated that he would like pretty ones.   I'm not sure what the farmer's daughter made of this, but she did bring us these two sweet ladies who obviously passed muster in the glamour stakes!  

*Gert and Daisy

                                                                  

Settling them in has been a slightly troublesome business.   Madge and Fanny are not impressed at having their quarters invaded by two young glamour-pusses and have been making it clear what the pecking order is.   I hate all that, really hate it, so we've done our best to get them used to each other without subjecting the new girls to too much violence.   Bedtime on the first night took an hour and a half to negotiate, but we're now down to ten minutes, thank goodness.   The newbies are laying lovely eggs and having a whale of a time scratching up my veggie patch, so they seem happy enough, but all the growling from the other two doesn't seem to be completely subsiding quite yet.   I understand that it can take a couple of weeks (or more) for things to settle down - I hope Gertie's still got some tail feathers left by then.  

Anne persuaded me that what they needed was some toys to distract them, so we had a trip to the thrift shop to see what we could find.    I had to put my foot down about Anne's choice of a push-along plastic crab with nasty snapping claws.  She made it quite clear to me that, No, a jigsaw puzzle wasn't suitable.....  even though it was a farmyard one.    That's why we ended up with a tortoise with a revolving ball in place of a shell and a string of plastic people that rattle if you shake them about a bit.   I'll report back next time on whether these delights have been a success.   I think you can draw you own conclusions.

Instead of watching hens, my main activity at the moment ought to be making some things to sell at a craft and vintage fair I was contacted about a couple of weeks ago.   As it's not too far away from home and looks like it's well-advertised, friend Charlotte and I are taking the plunge and sharing a table.  I've made myself a display board - wonderful what you can do with a bit of Amazon cardboard box, a staple gun and some wadding - so that the brooches I've been making can be properly on show. (see my comment below for design credit)

I've also felted a few bangles, but need to get on and make some more.   I used some silk fibres and nepps that Lesley was clearing out from her stash.   That girl never ceases to amaze me with what she's got tucked away in corners!

And here's a cute button card that I treated myself to from Etsy

 and thrifted glass buttons with a sweet mother-of-pearl brooch that was amongst them

pretty pink

and we all know that the answer to this question is 'Sugar and Spice and all things Nice'

don't we?

Hope you have a good weekend

Chrissie