Chicken happenings!!

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So way back on the first of March our Bresse chickens hatched out and they lived in the same cage inside as chicks as sun and Dai had lived in when they were small… but there were more of them and they grew a wee bit faster…. so they moved into a secondary cage for a bit…. our existing coop allows space for up to six hens…. add in the fact we know we have at least one rooster in the Bresse gang…. and we don’t want him and Dai to fight….

soooo…. we ordered a second housing option!!

Yes they have blue feet!!!

James and my dad built the coop whilst Mum and I went to Wonderwool….

Then his dad helped him construct the run which is a permanent fixture!!

Toddle chops enjoyed exploring the run!! Soooo tempting to build the little thrill seeker his own…. but he would only climb out!! So far he is more than capable of climbing over farm field gates, into the cattle crush, out of his cot is a doddle so we are now finally in a big boy bed!! Ahhh he has no fear!!!!

And so the chickens have their new home and a posh new automatic coop opener which is light sensitive!! So they are let out at first light and shut up at dusk!! Hurrah!!!

James has also designed a rainwater collection waterer and a large easy food dispenser mostly made from things we had lying about in the barns!!!

Crafty Catching Up!!

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Well a fortnight has vanished since my last post!!! Well more than a fortnight!!! That’s what new babies manage to do…. and toddlers… they eat time!!!

So…. now I’m a captive on the sofa with a post immunisation snuggler….

Where was I….

Wonderwool Purchases!!! Those of you that follow me over on Instagram will have seen these beauties posted there!! But look!!!

A good mix of mainly sock yarn and some spinning fluff for my breeds log cabin blanket!! Hurrah now I just need the time to knit them!!

In other news I was lucky enough to test knit the fabulous Peeky Cat socks, a colourwork double knit socks pattern by An Caitín Beag!! Wow these knit up quick!!! I used some deep stash Sweet Georgia merino DK yarn that I bought an age ago with plans for a top for me…. two children later….. and seriously limited knit time…. and it’s now becoming snuggly gorgeous cat socks!!!!

This pattern is amazing!! And she has set it up on Ravelry ready for release on the 25th!!

Other than that I’m plugging in with James’ socks….

And I’ve finally finished the reknit of my hazels shawl in RiverKnits in Indian Giant Squirrel!!

Now I need to block it and finish writing the pattern and get it off to the wonderful tech editor!! Any interested parties for the test knit?!

So that’s the crafty catch up… for the mo!!!

I’ll post again with some farm happenings!!

Wonderwool 2018

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So Saturday last Mum and I took the tribe of smalls to Wonderwool at Builth Wells!!

I love this yarn show and have attended every year for the last ten plus!! Apart from the year William was born as him arriving and Wonderwool were just that wee bit too close in dates!! (He would have been a week old!!)

So here are a few photos I managed between yarn fondling and toddler wrangling!!

Best way to travel in the sling right next to the mobile buffet!! Look a snap snap!!! The toddler was very impressed with the crocheted croc!!!

The wonderful wall of poppies I commemorate the end of World War One 100 years ago this year!

Truly beautiful

And then something else beautiful some started smiling!!!!

More about my multiple purchases in another post!

Planting planting and more planting

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So now the Polytunnel has been skinned we have been able to get in and plant!!

So far now we have planted mangetout, beans, beetroot, carrots, spinach, leeks, rocket, spring onions and salads….

Then James has moved our two new grapevines into the corners, one red one white…

He has also moved all the baby tomato plants, chilli plants and cucumbers in….

and plans to plant the courgette babies etc out there this afternoon!

He and William have been earthing up the potatoes like fury!!

I have plans to weed the onion and shallot bed and the fruit cage this week in between trips out with William to our usual activities!!

Some of the seeds we planted the other week have started to come up so we shall soon need to plant out small broccoli and cauliflower plants etc!! James needs to build the walls for the raised beds soon!!! Well for at least one of them!!

This year we should be able to produce the majority of our fresh food!! James has even won a competition and we have a mushroom kit arriving soon!!!!

William, our toddler, has been super useful with his new wheelbarrow and has been collecting all the rocks from around the Polytunnel!! Hurrah!!

More socks on the go!!

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I have cast on another pair of vanilla socks!! Yes I seem to have a problem needing to have some vanilla socks on the needles at all times!!

But it does seem to be all my poor sleep deprived brain can handle!!

Look at this yarn!!

It is Weavers Loft sock wool and I bought it last year at Wonderwool!!

Squee!!!! That is this weekend for this year now!! Anyone going?! I shall be there Saturday with the boys and Mum!!

Soooo more vanilla socks!! And lots of more complicated projects languishing for a day when I feel I have had some sleep!! That may be a while… though this little man is sleeping better than his big brother did at his age!!

Farm update

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Soooo in lieu of a podcast which I may not have time to do or enough content for, for a few weeks…. here is the farm update for recent weeks!!!

Sooo…. back at the end of March on his due date we became a family of four when baby Mathew put in an appearance!!

All 7lb 15 of him and the birth itself went that well I should have been in and out in the one day…. but I decided tone dramatic and have a rather nasty PPH which saw me lose nigh on 3 pints of blood… so overnight obs… what a joy…. opposite the nursing station…. and at one point I’d just gotten the baby to sleep and in they came to do his obs…. ugh!!!

Anyway he is now a gorgeous chunky 11lbs!! (He didn’t have to wait for milk to come in as I still feed William) and he is four weeks old!!! Not sure how that has happened!!

Soooo we have had LOTS of visitations from family, but whilst the female portion of the family cooed over the small people and helped me to keep on top of washing and housework and William in the early days… the menfolk fought through the tiredness and….

Helped lambs in the barn…. being born…. putting them into separate quarters to bond with mums…. etc

Skinned the Polytunnel!!!

Hurrah!! On with the planting!!!

Moving and placing and cutting tractor tyres for the kiddos play area!! And planting potatoes we have had chitting for an age it seems!! Both in tubs and bags and out in a large potato bed James prepared!

Sorted the chickens who are now huge and ready for their new accommodations!! More about that another time!!

Made teeny fires to cook over!!

Then we as a group have been…..

Wrangling sheep to get them into the right field!! Te he!!!

Charging round the fields and feeding Wanda!

We’ve been to the botanical gardens for Welly Wednesday!!

We have tidied up the front garden and planted seeds both for flowers and for the Polytunnel !!

Plus we found a worm!! Fascinating!!!

And the other big news!!!

Young man turned TWO!!! I have a two year old!!!! More about how that feels in another post but look how happy he is with his digger!!

And I made my first attempt at icing a cake other than slapping a small bit of buttercream in or on!!

So busy times!!! Hopefully things are starting to settle…. and will improve further when we all kick this latest cold that has struck myself and the boys!! Ugh!!

Hope to at least write more soon and maybe I’ll squeeze in a podcast at some point!!

Finished some knitting!!

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I’ve finished another pair of vanilla socks!! Dad’s birthday socks!! And now they have been gifted I can publish them!!

They are knitted in Weavers Loft sock yarn, which has knitted up a bit thicker than the usual sock yarns I use but it’s a great sock yarn!! And it should be really tough for working out and about!!