My front garden.....

Has been taken over!!!

This is the hen that I borrowed from My Mum. And these are her chicks. And this is what has been wasting my time lately. Nice way to waste time I think you will agree. 21 days of waiting!!

11new chicks at Poppy Cottage.

They are amazing.

Lily seems to be really calm around this hen. Hopefully this will be a good (and fun) way to get her used to hens. I am keeping 3 or 4 of the chickens. They are mostly bantams so finger crossed there will be plenty of hens. Mum is going to have a few as well.

The hen seems to be happy for Lily to watch. At first she was a bit clucky but now fine. Lily has to be 100% with them as I want to have them free range. Daz was always amazing with hens, sheep, well anything really. I need to train Lily that as well.

Now Marmalade, that is another matter. Hen has accepted him watching but I can't help but think that he licks his lips whilst watching the chicks. So I sit with him and chick watch.

I know I am biased but I do think she is so pretty.

Sometimes if Marmalade could speak he would say "I want to be alone!"

The pink rose by my front door. I think I shall make a hole in the concrete so that the rose can get it's roots down in the ground. It has suffered being in a tub in my south facing garden.

My thinking with the chickens is to tackle the pest problem. Also I can move them from the front to the back. I miss chickens from when I used to live on the small holding. It will be so nice to have fresh eggs again, even if they are mini ones!!

The spinning has been going really well and I am collecting skeins to set the twist!! My yarn is getting thinner and much more even. I love the colour of the Jacob fleece.

On Thursdays from September I am volunteering on Thursday afternoons to teach Art & Craft at a day centre for Adults with disabilities. I am not sure how it will fit in with work but, tough actually. I think it will so so rewarding. I start on the 3rd of September and we are making felt flowers. So I have been around the Charity shops and asking if they have old wool jumpers that I can felt so that I can have LOADS of stuff for every one to make, play and just have fun with.

Any other suggestions of things that are simple, fun and make-able in an afternoon gratefully received!!