SNAKE!!!!

A couple of weeks ago our neighbour spotted a snake in the field at the bottom of our garden, close to our fence.

When we moved to the country I didn't even consider things like snakes. Whilst we encourage wildlife in the garden, we have 2 small children and snakes are not exactly welcome. So when I lifted the lid of our metal burning bin and saw a small pale snake slither from the top, through the dried weeds and sticks and dissapear to the depths of the bin, I was a tad concerened!

I have had a look on Google images and satisfied myself that it was a smooth snake and not an adder which is what my neighbour believes she saw. Still, we have had the talk about not touching or poking a snake if we see one in the garden. This rather went out the window when we visited a family fun day where the children were encouraged to stroke a python.

 

4 New girls at our house!

Well would you believe it, we had a GIRL!!!! Chicken child had insisted all the way through my pregnancy that he was to have a sister, so I'm pleased he wasn't dissapointed!

Despite being a mummy who does not like to conform to the gender/colour stereotype our house has been filled with pink! I don't know quite how it happened but I can now easily run a pink-only wash. 

 And here she is, my beautiful smiley girl! 10 weeks old tomorrow and sporting a dribble bib made by mummy.

Our other new girls are our hens Mildred, Betty and Ethel they joined the flock on Friday and are settling in well. Mildred is an escape artist and has made frequent appearances around the garden. She is a brown leghorn and we were warned they are skittish, she constantly jumps out through the picket fence. I've fixed some chicken wire to the back, fingers crossed this has worked!

Eggs!

Yay! The new girls are laying! 

We're getting on average 3 eggs a day from the 6 hens, but some days there are 4. We can tell which are from the new hens as they are smaller. The suprise has been a frequent supply of double yolkers!

I have read that Blue Marans lay chocolate brown eggs, but as yet we haven't had any. I am once again excited by the hens and regularly go down to check for eggs and to talk to the girls (insert crazy-chicken-lady comment here).

Activities For a Rainy Day

We've been blessed with glorious sunshine the last 2 days, the kind of weather that makes me spring out of bed with a smile on my face. But this morning I awoke to the wind howling down the chimney and rain battering the window. I reached for my phone and checked the time, then lay in bed feeling my baby wriggling and kicking, willing myself to get up.

I trudged around feeling like a slug, this morning passed ever so slowly we did some painting  and made some playdough, which turned out remarkably well! I have used this recipe once before and failed miserably as I didn't have the strength or the patience to kepp stirring the thick gloop. It ended in a sticky mess which went in the bin.

Play Dough

250g (8 1/2 oz) plain flour

500 ml (17 fl oz) water

140g (5 oz) salt

1  tbsp cream of tartar

1 tbsp sunflower oil

food colouring

Weigh out the flour

Mix with water in a heavy based saucepan

It will look very runny and you won't believe that it will make a dough

Have patience!

This is when the hard work begins!

Once it's cooled, make a ball and squash it flat.

Add food colouring paste (we only had black in)

Knead until you have an even colour

The end result!

Chicken Child loves his new dough

New Girls

Sadly we suffered a fox attack the other week. I was woken by the cries of the girls and rushed out in time to save 3 of the 7 hens. We were most upset by the attack, but I do not blame the fox at all. It was doing what comes naturally. I do find it very upsetting that they kill so everything and then leave. at least if they took one and left the others they'd be getting a feed and not killing needlessly.

It was a good excuse to get the long-desired 'pretty chickens', so here they are! A Light Sussex, Blue Maran and a Black Star. 

Springing out of the box

Chicken Child is thrilled with the new additions and their arrival has re-kindled his love of chickens. Although he hasn't noticed the dwindling brown hen numbers.

Exploring the garden

They're 'point of lay' but we will need to wait some weeks before we get any eggs. The old girls had continued to lay in the week following the trauma and the following week after the new girls came, but have not layed for about 5 days now! I do hope they  all pick up and carry on as I used the last of the eggs for pancakes!

Chicken Child loves pancakes!

Snow!

Having spent the day in the garden, with glorious sunshine and no need for a coat, it's hard to believe that we had snow 2 weeks ago.

The den in the 'Secret Garden'

The chickens didn't fancy the snow much and I had to put their food and water in the house!

Here is Chicken Child's house in the snow

It was lovely, but I'm glad it's gone and Spring seems to be well on it's way.

Unexpected Day Off

We had a day off the other week. It was lovely! As a childminder I get to spend every day with my son, but to spend a day, just the two of us, is wonderful. They are few and far between and will become fewer once the new baby comes. 

We went to Sherborne as we do every week, for story time at the library. Afterwards we popped to the gorgeous haberdashery Butterfly Bright. Chicken Child enjoys browsing the fabric stores and looking at the buttons and ribbons, as do I! We chose a few fabrics to make some trousers from.

We strolled up to the walled gardens on Newland. It's a great spot, quiet and calm. We've had the odd spontaneous picnic there and we cannot walk past the gates without Chicken Child asking to go in.

Here he is running around the maze path.

 

 Sculptures in the gardens

 

Bricks

We've made some fantastic Duplo constructions lately. Here is Chicken Child's guitar.

And horse