White Out

Like most people, I guess,  I haven't been to the hairdresser since before lockdown.  My hair was due a colour the week lockdown started,  so its been an interesting 5 months.  

My regrowth has been grey for years. It was always a dirty yellow grey, as if I was a smoker.   As lockdown continued,  my regrowth turned out to be bright white.   I didn't mind it. 

I'm fortunate to have very curly hair,  and a lot of the white was disguised by the curls.  The bits that could be seen made me look like Cruella de Ville. 

The regrowth  grew longer, as did my hair.  My fringe covered the whole of my face,  and i tied it back in various ways depending on how cooperative my curly locks were being.

I didn't mind the white.  The hair was soft and curly,   I'm now at an age where grey hair isn't unusual.   As lockdown  extended,  I toyed with the idea of letting it all go white.  After all,  from a growing colour out point if view,   this was the ideal time!

Sometimes I'd turn the hair so I could see what I'd look like with all white hair.   If I pulled my hair back tightly, so that it was straightened,  it was completely white around my face   

 It was definitely ageing, but it wasn't horrendous.

One day I had to tie my fringe back a bit more securely.   I can't remember why, now.   DH looked up, did an involuntary double take and,  staring at my locks,exclaimed 'Oh my god you're so grey'.

So that was the end of me trying with keeping it.

My hairdresser expunged it yesterday.

I miss it. A bit. 

Testing Times

The recent heat made me very slothful and sluggish, and I suffered a severe bout of CBA (can't be @rsed).  Even thinking and planning was too much effort.  (It's not really that I CBA, it's not that flippant, that's just what I call it). Everything was an effort.

The CBA meant I was sitting still for long periods (mostly trying to do puzzles,  or read, or other things).

I started to have a "pulled muscle" feeling, deep inside my leg - but not in the "usual" place.  I compared the painful leg with the other leg, and could see no difference.    On the second day, I was a bit more concerned.  On the third day,  I got my tape measure out and found a  measurable difference at the knee.   I decded to go to A&E to get it checked out. Just in case.

Long story short.  No DVT, but another unrelated issue confirmed as worsening  and tablets prescribed.

The doctor was very kind, and didn't do or say anything to make me feel that I had wasted her time,  but I did feel a bit silly. 

The "pulled muscle" feeling didn't go away,  and the reality is if I hadn't gone to hospital that day, I would have gone the next, or the next, so I felt a bit less like a time waster.

5 days after my afternoon spent in A&E,  I had a sort of sore throat and an occasional cough.  My throat got worse the next day.   On the 3rd day, worried that I had picked up something in A&E, I decided I'd better go and have a COVID test.  The driver for this is that my parents, who live a loooong way away and have been shielding,  were coming to stay for a couple of days.   We haven't see them since Christmas,  and we had already  moved our pencilled-in July weekend back to August to be on the safe side.

I wasn't showing the classic symptoms but I was unwell, and I thought it best to get tested just in case.    We are fortunate to have a drive in testing centre in a nearby town.  I made an appointment online (although they happily accept people who just turn up) and it was all done quickly, easily and  well.   

The results arrived by text and email the next day (the day before my parents were due), and I was clear.  That was a relief,  although I still felt unwell.

The following day,  my parents got up super early to drive here..... and found their conservatory had flooded in the night.    The visit has had to be rearranged.  

My energy levels have improved a bit, even if I'm not necessarily able to do everything.   Energy levels for me are a combination of the mental drive to do something, and the physical ability to do it.  

To measure the extreme low end, I imagine that it's early in the monring, and I am in bed asleep.  I wake up and hear a fox in the garden.     In "normal" times, I would be up and out there before I'd even woken up properly, the mental drive would overcome any physical restriction.
When my energy reserves are low, a "0" score would be that  I wouldn't be able to get up and stop it  (I'd be mentally and physically unable to get up);   "1" would be, I'd try to get up but would struggle physically and I might not be able to do it, or I might be too slow (I'd want to get up, butit would be a physical push to do so).    

On the day I went to hospital, I was 2/10 on my personal scale.  Today,   I'm probably at 4/10.  My brain and emotional processes are working reasonably well,  I'm physically under the weather.  I'm guessing the new medication is kicking in and helping things.

 

 

Heat

It's been so hot.  I know you probably already know that.  Regularly above 33 degrees.  Stifling.

I don't like the heat,  and I class "the heat" as being anything above about 26 degrees.   To try and manage, I've been closing the doors and drawing the curtains and blinds.  I stuck a gro blind (a portable blackout blind designed for use wwith children) to the kitchen window. 

It worked quite well, and I considered chopping it up to fit the individual glass panels.  I also looked for fitted blinds (we have them in a couple of the north facing rooms), but the lead time was too long.  I looked for second hand "PerfectFit" blinds as a compromise,  but they have to be an exact fit width wise and I have't been able to source any for any of the south facing windows.

DH mentioned getting an awning for the south facing kitchen window.   They aren't really my sort of thing, but I was so hot, I didn't care.   I looked online and managed to find a "new other" one for sale,  which was about the same price as getting fitted blinds made for the kitchen window,  was a reasonable size, was only 22 miles away, and was electically operated.    I bought, DH went and collected immediately.

DS2 arrived for the day, which was fortuitous.   He and DH put the awning up. 

It's been fantastic.  It's helped prevent the kitchen from feeling like an oven. 

3 days later, the weather changed.  I don't care.  As soon as the sun shows its face again, I'll be ready

 

 

 

Calm (mostly) continues

The Hens are continuing to live as one large flock.     

Poppy, who is 9 and very nervous of her position,  finally stopped being broody (after almost the whole of lockdown) and caused havoc for a while.   All the settling and henpecking went on while she was broody, and she came out to a Brave New World.  She had trouble establishing her place in it,  and is only just settling now

Violent (previously known as Violet,  but she turned out to be quite an aggressive little thing) has been broody for a couple of weeks.  She's 2 years old, and thinks she should be top chook. She probably will be.

Katy,  who is 9 and from the same hatch as Poppy and Gloria,  is also broody.

We still have a few fights,  and I chucked a bucket of water (which I happened to have in my hand) over one girl who decided to jump in on someone else's battle and got unnessarily nasty.

There's no grass to speak of.  It's all scorched from the constant sun.    I had expected to lose a couple of the older girls in the heat, despite taking precautions,  but so far they are all still here.         Nora, who is 10,  unsteady on her feet and blind on one eye,  laid an egg.  It was shelless, and it caused her a bit of consternation, but it happened.     She and Fleur (who is much younger and fitter) have halted their physical assualts and have actually been seen sunbathing near each other.     They aren't friends, but it looks like they've worked out who's above who. 

The night time arrangements continue to change.   We no longer have 11 (of the 15) trying to get in one coop.

I've been leaving the coop doors open at night , as it's too hot to shut them all in. 

I've been bathing the older girls to cool them down,  and using a damp towel under the wings of the others.    Lettuce, cucumber,  frequent fresh water, frozen peas.     Luckily their area has lots of dappled shade, and there's enough in enough places so thet don't have to sit together (unless they want to).

We're still having nest box issues, and having 2 broodies makes that worse.    The noise to be let out (of their walk in run) now starts at 6am, which is an improvement on 5am.  Some mornings they don't start creating until 7 or 7.30.

Our neighbours have children and a dog.  The children and the dog make a bit of noise, nothing unreasonable or unexpected,  and the Dad makes a bit of noise tinkering.   I worry less about the noise of the Girls now,  but we do still try and keep it down.

  

Chickenopolis

It's taken many, many weeks,  but peace has mostly broken out.   The one cloud on the horizon is that Poppy, 9 years old, has been broody for the entire peace process, and will not be happy when she finally rejoins the flock.

I'm not entirely sure who is in charge now.   

All 3 Cubes are in use at night and,  with some exceptions,  the occupants change around a bit.  It seems OK.

All the girls, even Nora (the oldest at nearly 10, and blind in one eye) come down to the front of their area now.  They dustbathe in the massive craters they have excavated.   Hens that were bitter enemies are dustbathing together.   The small breakout groups that go and sit in other saded parts of the garden chop and change,  which suggests that some sort of accorde has been achieved.

The turning point was when we connected the two runs.  There was something psychological in them not being separated when shut in that forced them to realise they were one flock.

There is still squabbling, and the occasional bad tempered peck and chase,  and I've seen a few pecked combs.... but I've not seen any of the "to the death" cockfighting that we had originally.

There are still too many of them for the area of grass... this pic was taken a couple of weeks ago, before the recent hot dry weather scorched the grass.

They now have extra bowls with cold water refreshed a couple of times a day, and frozen peas put in. Lettuce, or cucumber, to help keep them hydrated.       Baths for those that need it (or look like they need help in cooling down).

I'm pleased, for the first time, that we don't have chicks this year.  Chicks in this heat are such a worry. 

I'm not sure when we'll have chicks again, as a return to the allotment  looks unlikely.  The thieves have been again - nothing to steal now,  just damage to be done.

Time marches on

I keep meaning to write, and then think I don't have much to say, so I don't say anything.

Since my last blog post.... most things have just trundled on.

The projector for sewing was even more successful than I hoped.  I whipped up a couple of maxi skirts, bish bosh, and learned some limitations (which I've worked round now).   I was tempted to make some more, as the only skirts I can wear are maxis,  but I really need to make some tops next.     
I tried it for making face masks coverings using the projector to project the pattern,but that was a fail.  I was trying to cut a whole stack at once,  and the height of the pile ddistorted some of the lines.  I had to revert to a printed paper pattern.  

I decided to make DH some undies.  The projector worked super well for that.  I used a pattern from Stitch Upon A Time.       I knew he'd want a fly front, so I even did all the work in making that.  Then, as I was stitching them together,  I realised it wasn't a great pattern (sorry SUAT).  Unlike their ladies' undies,   the boxer shorts for men had the seam up the middle of the backside!

I realised that this was really not pleasant,  so I didin't finish them.  DH did try them on though so I could get an idea of sizing for a pair by another maker.

I decided to try the Gable pattern from Made for Mermaids.   I hesitated, as I'd made a decision not to buy any more patterns until I've made a load of the ones I already have (I suspect that "buying patterns" is a separate hobby, along with "buying fabric").  I decided to bit the bullet,  and then found that I already owned it!    I just hadn't checked.

So that felt like a bit of a result.  I'd saved some money!   I didn't need to print the pattern,  I used the projector, and I was off.  It was going reasonably well.  I did a fly front again,  but the binding the designer uses is different to the way I normally do it.     I studied the instructions for a while,  watched a video,  did a dummy run.     I was evaluating whether it was worth the hassle.

In the end I decided "in for a penny...".  I could see that this would give a better finish (the seams are enclosed),  and I might as well learn to do it.       So, I did.    When I finished them, apart from the waistband,  something didn't look quite right.      I looked at them, IO looked at the pattern.  I looked at them,  I looked at the pictures of made ones.  I looked at them inside out to see if that would help.  There was definitely something wrong.

And then I saw it.  I'd sewn the fly on upside down.    As I'd overlocked everything,  it couldn't be saved.  I showed DH who chuckled,  and I flicked on the projector to have another go,.

That was several days ago, and I haven't sewn the pieces together yet.   I will do,  I just need to wait for another wave of enthusiasm.

My scanner is back from the experts, and it should be good to go.  I'll do some tests in a few days, and then I'll be able to scan and project my own patterns.

I  broke my fabric ban, for the second time this year (and the second time in a month actually) and bought another load of amazing fabric from Textile 9.    It arrived quickly,  and it was all lovely. I had no "buyers remorse" about any of it.

DH has decided to do a bit more wood turning,  and  recently bought a load of wood from someone's wood stash.  The chap he bought from has so much wood, and such a love of it.   Very much like those of us sewers/ists who buy fabric but don't necessariily use it....    I was delighted that DH spent more on it than I have spent on fabric all year.   The tables have turned (pun intended) now.

My brother, who also sews and loves fabric,  chortled when he heard.  He encapsulated it perfectly:   "Who'd have thought that fabric and wood would have so much in common?".

Sew Technical

About 18 months ago I started looking for a large format scanner (A0 or A1) so that I could scan and print my self-drafted patterns.  I have various patterns hanging up on hooks in the spare room, on the back of the kitchen door,  lying across the bed.     Older versions, and my Blueprints are in an A1 portfolio case.

When I want to draft a new style,  I trace from my blueprint, and then make my adaptations.  Wouldn't it be fab if I could just print a new copy of my Blueprint (or any of my patterns) and then make my alterations?

I found and bought a second hand A1 scanner in December.   We were busy with Christmas, then csomethgin else, then Covid, and the scanner sat, untested.




Around the same time as I bought the scanner,  I saw an idea about using a projector to project A0 sewing patterns directly on to fabric.    This seemed like a great idea!   I could scan my current self drafted patterns in,  and then project them!   

What a fab total  technical solution!

I joined a specialist FB projectors for sewing group a month after it was set up.  At the time, it was all very new and quite complicated. Some determined people worked hard to identify how to make it work.   They designed tools to help with calibration,  and guides on how to set up.   People shared what worked, and kind people pulled it together into guides.  what to do.  More people joined,  people shared their results.     Indy pattern diesigners started offering projector friendly files.

A few weeks ago, I decided it was almost time!  I started to look for projectors.   I realised that I needed to test the scanner. So, I got it out and tested it to see if it would work.

It did a beautiful scan,  and it was exactly how I imagined.   I overlaid the original wit the scanned printout,  and they didn't line up.  I used a window to see what the problem was.  The width matched, but the length did not.

Perhaps it wobbled in the rollers?

To test,  I created and printed an A1 grid of squares.   I then scanned the grid, and printed the scan.  I compared the 2, and saw that the length wasn't correct.  I asked DH for advice.    He did some detailed measuring, and declared that the error was consistent down the page (so it wasn't wobbling).  I contacted the manufactirer, who confirmed that it could be adjusted, but I needed to go back to my supplier (I bought it privately so that was no help). 

At least we know it's likely to be fixable, I just need to find an engineer who won't charge a fortune :-)

I went ahead and bought a second hand Ultra Short Throw projector, which meant I could have the projector near the table rather than ceiling mounted.     It arrived.  DH and I had a go at setting it up.

In order for this to be a helpful solution, I need it to be a fixed set up.  I  don't want to have to calibrate every time I want to cut fabric.  It doesn't take much to put me off,  so I need things to be as easy as possible.

We rowed a bit.   My brother visited, and was fascinated.  He helped DH, which stopped us rowing.     We did some more the next day,   and then I played until I got the right zoom level to get the patterns to consistently project at the correct size.

At his point, the table was a couple of feet from the wall,  which meant when we enter the kitchen from the hall, all one can see  is this mahoooooosive table!   It was OK to test proof of concept, but it was not a permananet solution. 

I suggested something involving another electric stand I had (bought for my embroidery machine, but not used in the end), which would ennable us to adjust the projector height exactly,  and it might go under the table.   DH thought it would work,  he played around,  and the end result is good.    The table is in a much better position,  it will work for most garments,  and I can pull it out so that my maxi skirt patterns will fit.

I made 2 skirts!

It's not all sunshine though,  projecting brings a different set of challenges... but for the way I work, it's worth it.   It would be so great if we can get the scanner sorted as well,

We had to lower the table a bit (it's actually an electric desk with a kitchen worktop on), and the printer doesn't fit under the table anymore.  It's too wide to fit anywhere else, so it's been sitting in the living room, with stuff on it, while we work out what to do with it. 


The collateral damage of all these machinations is that everywhere is in chaos.

Downstairs is a tip.  Moving the table and sorting things out meant that a lot of things had to be excavated.   The stuff, is leaning against the kitchen cabinets,  which meant I couldn't put all the fod delivery away, so some of that is out on the worktops

DH had a great idea.  He got an inexpensive wide TV table and put castors on it.  The printer will fit back under the table. The old stand can be dismantled and put in the loft.

Upstairs is a tip.  The little electric stand was actually being used,  and all the stuff that was on it , under it, and around it, is now piled in the spare bedroom,  in the corridor I use for sewing. 

I wasn't really a believer in the power of Feng Shui, but now I do believe there is something in it. I've got to do the next stage of the scanner testing,   but I just can't get into the right frame of mind.  The clutter is impacting not only my mood, but also my energy levels.

It's not enough to just tidy the stuff (or to hide it, whch fortunately I've never done).   I'm battling to permanently clear the stuff that's piled up.

Anyway, I need to get back to it.

It will be lovely when it's done.

Integration progress. Ish.

The other night Fleur, Cuckoo Marans,  decided to sleep in the Evacuee cube.  In the nestbox  

 At first I was pleased.  At least it meant I didn't have to go out and force her to enter one of the Cubes.     But she is a pebble in a pond.  Suddenly, the Evacuees didn't want to use their own home.   They tried the other Cubes.   There was a lot of change.

The girls have been behaving more as a single flock, and I've been interested to see hens from different camps sunbathing or sitting companionably together.    Nora, our most senior hen,  tends to sit a bit away.  She's blind in one eye, and walks stiffly, and she's been attacked by Fleur many times.  I was happy to see that Gloria (one of the 3 remaining siblings,   one year younger than Nora) spending time with her.    Both of them were number 1 chook for their respective flocks.   I imagine them chatting about how annoying the younger heneration is,  how they have no respect for their elders,  how things were different in their day.

Last night, I was shocked to see that Ping (Ping! The Dorking from the Evacuee coop) pushing her way into ,what I shall now call, "the Main Coop".   This meant it had eleven girls in!   Eleven is about 3 too many.  It's a good job it wasn't a hot night.
  
In the Orange Cube we had only Phyllis and Sunshine (one of the two Leghorns hatched last year).   Astrid, the other Leghorn,  joined the enemy camp some nights before.

Over in the Evacuee coop we had just Nora  and Big Bird.  Nestled together.    I suspect that Norah is too old and stiff to force her way in to the main Coop,  and I suspect that Big Bird is with her out of companionship and loyalty.  It brought a lump to my throat.

I'm going to have to see about moving the Evacuee cube into the covered run so it is closer to the other two.    I'm hesitant, because I don't know how Nora will cope with a move.... but, I don't know, it might be better?  To have the Cubes closer? 

In order to get it through the doorway to the Run we're going to have to take it apart completely, so it's not a 5 minute job.

I'll see what happens over the next few nights.

Scratch that

The kittens have got out the front a couple of times, and generally we try and prevent that happening.  There's a road,  a lot of houses,  dogs, other cats, out there.

Today Shelby escaped through the back gate as I was wheeling the bin out.   She hid under DH's car, and eventually came out to see me.

Next Door With the Jack Russell (NDwtJR) was out in their front garden, and went to put their dog away.  I said not to,  because it wasn't fair on Mason (the JR) to have to go in because my cat had escaped.  Mrs  NDwtJR hadn't met the kittens before, so she had a stroke and we chatted.  Mason was a but yappy, but quite well behaved.  All was going well.

Mrs NDwtJR decided to lift Mason up so e could meet Shelby.  All was going well.  The two pets looked at each other and sniffed. 

And then Mason barked in excitement.  Shelby panicked and tried to run away.  I didn't want her to run into the road so I held on. She panicked even more.  I held on. She somersaulted and knocked off my glasses.

I let her go.

I've got deep (and already sore) scratches.  On my hands, on my arms,  on my neck, on my face.

Serves me right.

On the upside, at least Shelby is aware that there is something scary at the front of the house.

 

Bird Baths and the Runs

I bathed Big Bird. She loved it.

She didn't like being picked up and brought in, and she didn't like being stood in the sink.  But when she felt the warm water on her tummy and nether regions,  she sat down and relaxed completely.


It was so successful, that I went round looking for other girls who might appreciate a bath.  Phyllis  also quite liked it, but Fleur did not appreciate it at all.     Everywhere was disinfected with Milton afterwards.


We had an evening where Phyllis, our middle aged gets-on-with-all-groups girl,  decided she wanted to sleep in with the Evacuees.  This resulted in two of the Evacuees, Annie and Katie, refusing to go to bed.  They climbed into the empty GoUp instead.     I'm not having a fourth coop in use (it's there as a potential nest box at the moment),  so I evicted Phyllis, and moved the Evacuees in to the green coop.

The next day,  DH found all the remaining run panels for me and built a tube so he could connect the two runs together.  He moved   They are separated by a guillotine style auto opener, ChickenGuard, which we used to have at the allotment.   We can keep them separate if we wish, but it's permanently open at the moment to allow and encourage the girls to go between pens as they choose.  This morning everyone chose to be in the Evacuees area. 

At some point, I want to move the Evacuees Cube into the Big Run.  We can then use the Evacuee Run as an interim/pretend  "outside" pen..... the idea being that the coops open at x oclock in the morning,  and the access to the "outside" would be  given an hour later, with the auto opener doing it's job.  

And then maybe I won't have to keep getting up at 6/6.30.

But that's in the future.
 

News at Hen

Since Sylvia's untimely death, I've been separating the Girls at night. 

It's not particularly for safety reasons, it'e entirely selfish.  I discovered that if  I make sure that only Phyllis is allowed in with Astrid and Sunshine (the two leghorns), then there is relative peace first thing in the morning.    The noise doesn't start until 6ish.

If I let anyone else join them,  the trouble starts before the coops open at 5.25 am.

For six out of the the last seven mornings,  I've not had to get up until 6am.     Somewhere in the middle I allowed Elizabth to join the orange cube,  and I had to get up at 5.15.

The flocks have been tolerating each other reasonably well,  with a couple of unpleasant incidents.   Four of the five Evacuees have been gradually spending more time down near the house.

Nora,  who is well over 9, blind in one eye,  and has been badly attacked by Fleur,  is a little more reticent.    I hefted her the other day,   and she's lighter than she was.   They've been here for 7 weeks now,  and I'm amazed that the shock of the change o the environment, the regime and the flock composition (and the fights - some of which she has been the winner) didn't kill her.


The recent rain has been very welcome.  The grass was parched,  and the wear caused by last years massive run for the chicks - which we thought had recovered -  came to the surface on our "lawn".   

DH rotovated the old chick area at the allotment, over the course of a few days,  and put grass seed down.  He had removed all the netting which enclosed the allotment,  so I suspect a lot of the seed might have been eaten.    He timed it so that it was down just before the rain came, so he didn't have to water by hand.

I haven't been down to the allotment since we evacuated the girls.

DH was adamant that we won't be putting hens on there again,  but have agreed to see how we feelwhen the Covid situation is under control.      Each morning, when I get up at silly o'clock and later when we have Nest Box Wars, I make a mental note of which girls I'd like to put on the allotment and which girls I'd keep in the garden.

I don't know if we will return to it.    I don't know how many Girls we'll have left  when the time comes.   I have a lot of very OABs in the garden at the moment,  3 of whom are from the same hatch. There are at least 4 that I anticipate may well die of natural old age at any time,  and 3 slightly younger girls that have a not particularly robust conformation and whose sisters/mothers died at around the age these girls are at now.  

So we'll see.

And that reminds me.  It's a sunny-ish morning, and BigBird,  who has the loveliest nature but a brick shaped body,  needs a bath .   




 

Sew, no sew.

Another week draws to a close.

I've found it almost impossible to do anything creative during the lockdown period, which I know is silly.  I keep telling myself I ought to be making good use of the time,  but I just haven't felt the urge.  I made myself clear the cutting table, as the clutter there is often a blockage to my creativity.    It helped, but didn't give me the surge I had been expecting.  

Out of necessity, I made myself make myself a new maxi skirt.  The weather had been so hot, I had to start wearing skirts, and I managed to ruin two of mine on exposed wires on the chicken run. 

It's made from a heavy scuba with a flowery pattern, so I didn't really expect it to drape very well, nor to be particularly pretty.

I absolutely love it.

I decided to make another one, but I then wondered about trying to make a shirred top/dress.  I ordered shirring elastic,   my friend Judith pointed me at a video which seemed easy enough.  Then I decided to makea tank top from a pattern I'd made previously.   The fabric choice wasn't great (and I've put on a bit of weight), but it was useable.  Until I wrecked it trying to do some unpicking.   I binned it.

Then I thought I ought to make some masks,  and then the weather changed before the elastic arrived, and I ended up not trying the shirring after all. 

I also completely failed to make more lemon and lime ice cream,  and I don't really understand why that was so difficult.  I have lemons and limes, I bought cream,  it's one of the easiest ever ice cream recipes (no custard involved).  I just....couldn't...get....round...to...it.

I did make myself make some lemon curd, to use some of the eggs.    I had planned to make lemon curd, lime curd and lemon and lime curd (I've got a lot of lemons and limes, and a lot of eggs).   In some respects, it's better that I didn't - I won't be able to eat it all before it goes off,

I did make myself do something a bit more creative in the kitchen.  I used the new chamber vacuum sealer to marinade some lamb steaks,  and I made 2 kg (potato weight) of Aioli Mashed potato.   Then yesterday I made some bolognese for today (I've been fancying lasagne for 2 weeks now),  and I marinaded some pork in a Belazu Shawarma paste which I'd bought on impulse.  I used Maria Feisty Tapas' pressure cooker method for Chicken Baharat,  and the result was good.  Good enough to be on our "make again" list.

I served it with some home made Rosti, made from the last 500g of potatoes plus a sweet potato.  I pressure cooked the whole potatoes for 1 minute to soften them slightly, then grated them with a coarse grater.  I added salt and pepper for each potato that I grated.     I tried frying in one big thing, but the mid sized pan I used was rubbish and it caught.     I decanted everything to the air fryer, using the recently purchased additional insert... and it worked really well.  So well that I am going to use it as my preferred method from now on.

I've also been using the chamber vacuum to do some instant pickling.  I love lightly pickled cucumber.    I had a bottle of Sarson's 15 minute pickling vinegar,  and OMG it's lovely!    I'm struggling to find it in any of the supermarkets that deliver to me,  and I don't fancy going to the large Tesco in the nearby Big Town.

In other news, I  broke my fabric ban.


Apart from some antimicrobial fabric bought for face masks,  I haven't bought fabric for 6 months.   I've been tempted, many times, but I've always resisted.   Until I didn't.  

I bought a couple of pieces from Miss Cloe, and having broken the ban I gave in and bought a load of stuff from  Textile 9,  who have taken over Tilly Bee Fabrics.      I was obviously in the mood for breaking my ban, as I had also  been looking at Coalville Fabrics with serious intent.


The box from Textile 9 arrived today,  and it's full of really lovely fabric, and it might be enough to encourage me to make something.   I can definitely see fabric for some Heartlight maxi skirts,  and some for tee shirt type tops.   I might even try making some leggings again, as I need a new pair for PIlates.

The picture doesn't do it justice.   


Of course now I've broken my ban, I'm struggling to get back under control.   I might try the reward system.  If I can make myself a shirred top (or dress) then I'll buy some more fabric.

Hm. We'll see.



   

Sylvia's Accidental Death

This morning I got up and went to check on the girls, and I saw a very sad sight.

Sylvia was dead in the doorway of the coop.

I opened the coop from the back, and leaned in to move her.  Rigormortis has set in.  I went back in the house to get a towel to wrap her in,  and to  wake and tell my husband.     Then I went back ouside, looked her over in situ and then lovingly wrapped her in the towel, and carried her in to the house.

Last night, she'd been sitting in the doorway and a couple of girls still hadn't gone to bed.   My first thought was that she had got caught in the doorway when the auto door shut.  This wasn't the case though - I'd gone out last night before bedtime, found Poppy still on the roosting bars, and had had to turn the lights on,  get her off the roosting bar and I carried her round and put her in the pop hole.  The coop door was completely shut, so I know that isn't what happened.

What I guess happened is that one or more of the girls who were outside probably trod on her to get in to the coop,  and unfortunately probably trod on her neck on the edge of the doorway - dislocating or breaking it, and killing her.

Poor gentle little girl.  Poor beauty.

Only one female silver laced barnevelder hatched, the other 4 were  boys.  One,  the beautiful Shy Boy,  went to start a new line with a breeder.  They were all such lovely boys that we kept 2 boys, and were going to run a flock with two cockerels.   Barnevelders are such a gentle breed that it's possible to do this, if the boys are raised together.    And then the b*st*rds came and stole some girls,  and we had to evacuate the rest.  The poor boys couldn't be left on  their own,  so we had to cull them.

It's such a sorry tale.  All that work, all that love,  nothing left to show for it.

I can't help wishing it had been one of the troublemakers who had died instead.

 

Sylvia, Silver Laced Barnevelder, sitting with Astrid & Sunshine

Here's one of the few where she can be better seen, although as she was just starting stand up to ruffle herself,  it's not flattering

A very lucky escape

The coop shenanigans continues.  I've had to start interfering, as it wasn't settling down.

The three youngest (Leghorns Astrid and Sunshine, and Barnevelder Sylvia) and Phyllis are no trouble when left to go to bed on their own.  They only squawk in the morning when the other coops start whingeing.  They sleep in the orange cube.

Fleur doesn't like going in either coop.  In calmer times, I'd leave her to roost in the run if that's what she wants to do.  I can't do that at the moment though, because she wakes up with the dawn, starts moving around,  and then that kicks off a commotion by those who are in coops (and can't bear the thought of someone else being out when they are not).


The rest of the group that live in the main coop tend to try and pile into the other, purple, coop,  but they don't all get on and there is a lot of vying for dominance. Even  2 year old hatchmates Violet and Bott have fights at night, althogh they get on reasonably well during the day.      Whichever of them gets in to the coop first then allows, or does not allow, others to get in.

Left to sort it out for themselves, those who are not allowed in have been going round to the orange coop,  chucking ot the occupants, and then making it difficult for them to regain entry.   The bullies peck at night,  and cause a ruckus in the morning while waiting for the doors to open.


So, each evening as it starts to get dark,  I've been round to the orange cube,  forced out Violet or Bott,  and then herded any Purplers who aren't in bed  the area of the coop, and putting something over the entrance to the run so that they can't get back in and round to the orange coop. I've also been making Fleur join them (she had free choice for a few days, and each time she chose the Purple crowd).

Then I go back in the house until just before I go to bed.    At that point I come out, and see where we are.    Some evenings, everyone is in, and I open the flap ready for the morning.   Some evenings, Fleur is sitting on hte ladder looking at a closed door, and I have to faff around getting her in.    One evening,  Fleur and Poppy were on the ladder looking at a closed door.

Yesterday evening,  I went to eject Violet/Bott from the orange cube to discover that it was Poppy.   Poppy (along with Gloria and Evacuee Kate is nearly 9, and is a lovely-to-people girl).   i hesitate, and decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and left her there. The rest of the Purplers were shepherded into the coop area, flap down, and I went in.

I came out at bedtime to discover Fleur was on hte ladder looking at a closed door (no suprise),  but I also discovered that Phyllis (our 6 year old Allotmenteer, gets on with every group) and Astrid (our 1 year old Leghorn) were roosting on the mezzanine by their coop.     Poppy had not let them in.

So I farted around with Fleur,  and then I attempted to sort out the other two.     They were in a part of the run that is only 1m tall,  and the "door" into the side only opens a fraction.    I squeezed and squozed myself but I couldn't reach them.  Chickens don't see well in the dark, but they do often move towards light.

I tried openeing the nest box and shining a torch so the light came out of the now-open pop hole. .   Fail.   I opened the back of the Cube and put the torch by the pop hole.  Nothing.  I tried all sorts of things, even prodding them with a small pole.  Nothing.

In almer times, I'd have left them,  but this isn't calmer times.  There would be trouble in the morning.  In the end I had to grab whatever bit of them I could, and I pulled a bit to make Astrid move.  She screeched (don't blame her), and luckily for me, she made a run for the light.

Phyllis is a much bigger hen, and is older and not so flexible.  I couldn't do quite the same thing with her.  I grabbed some feathers and did some firm tugs.  She didn't move.  I prodded.  In the end, I had to grap her near her neck, it ww enough to make her shuffle forward, but she struggled finding the ladder in the dark.  I had to put my arm down to make a bridge,  and twisting and leaning really hurt.  Luckily, she made a lunge for the light, and got in.

I then had to untwist myself, and get up in a very small space. I shut the pop hole,  reconnected the auto opener, and realised that I was trapped.   The openeer for the pop hole is a long bar.  There was no way I could get round it.  Even bent ouble, I'd have trouble getting under it.  There was no room to squat and move forwards.   Deep sigh.

Eventually I had freed myself,  I opened the back of the cube, retreived the torch which had falled in between the roosting bars,  shut the back up, and I went back in the house.

...........

At 5.20 this morning, the whingeing started.    I got up, and looked out of the window to see if the openers had opened.    I saw Sylvia in the garden.

But I'd seen Sylvia in the Cibe last night!  Hadn't I?  I had. I had. I was sure I had.    Maybe it was someone else in the garden.  I looked again.  I couldn't see her.  I put on my dressing gown, and went downstairs.  As I opened the back door,  I could see Astrid in the garden.    As I walked across the garden,  I saw Sunshine.   No wonder the other two coops were going nuts.    Even if the orange coop pop hole had opened early, how on earth were they all in the garden?!   I ran.

All the pop holes were closed.

And then I saw it.

I'd left the egg port door off.

Easy access for a fox.

I was so very lucky that the fox had not been.

Peaceful Sunday morning.

We had a late night last night watching The Revenant on DVD.  I didn't get to bed until about 12.30, which is really really late for me.




And then I had a fairly typical morning.

5.15 Wake up to the mournful sound of a hen who wants to be let out of her coop.    Close my eyes and try and ignore it.

5.17 Mournful sound from Annie has now become a wail,  and has been joined by voices from one of the other coops.    I keep my eyes closed, and hope that they will give up.

5.20 I get up, put my dressing gown on, and stomp downstairs.  Find the door key, unlock the door, and open it.  Deathly quiet.  I wait for  a moment, and shut the door.

5.21 It starts again.

5.21& a few seconds,  I open the door and march out to the coops.  I hiss "sssssshhhhhh" to each coop, and have to resort to opening the pop hole of the Evacuee coop and sticking my head in to say "SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH" to the originator (Annie)

5.23 I stand by the coops waiting for them to open. It feels like minutes have ticked by.

5.23 and a few seconds,   one coop opens and 7 girls spill out making a racket.  "Sssssssshuuut up! " I hiss.


5.23 and a few more seconds,  wailing emanates from the Annie, the original noisemaker in the Evacuee coop, as she is still shut in.

5.24 The third coop, reasonably quiet till now,  join in.

5.24 I bang on the Evacuee coop roof and hiss "shut up shut up shut up, you'll wake the neighbours" . They shut up.

5.24 and a few more seconds,  I walk to the 3rd Cube (wth the 3 youngsters and Phyllis in)  and do the same.  They shut up.

5.24 The Evacuee cube starts again.   It still hasn't opened. Thinking about tomorrow,  I swipe the opener with a magnet (to fix the opening time for tomorrow).    I go to the Youngsters Cube and do the same (so they open at the same time as each other  tomorrow).   I then go back to the Evacuee Cube and manually unpin and open the door.  5 girls stream out, complaining loudly at the lack of service.
.
5.25 The lot who were out already join in with the complaining.

5.25 and a bit, I go and let out the Youngsters.  They come out REALLY whingeing.  I threaten everyone with being shut in solitary confirnement in  wooden nest boxes (but realising I can't do that today as it's too hot for them)

5.26 I go back to the house, go to the toilet, then go back to bed.  At least I'll have an hour before they start whingeing to be let out of the runs into the garden. If I get back to sleep quickly, I'll get a decent amount of sleep.

5.35 I'm lying in bed, trying to work out if the chattering is an acceptable level of noise. 

5.36 I tell myself that I need to go to sleep, otherwise it'll be too late to go to sleep. I isten to the radio, I listen to the chickens.
 
5.50 A chorus of wailing erupts.  I get up, open the window, and all is suddently quiet. Butter wouldn't melt in their little beaks.

5.51 I get back in bed.

5.53 The wailing starts.  I lie in bed wondering if it really travels as much as I think. And next door's back bedrooms are occupied by kids,  surely they'll sleep through it?

5.54 The wailing reaches a crescendo.  I get up.  Open the window, the noise continues.   I put my dressing gown on, stomp downstairs, and go into the garden.

5.55 I open the doors to both runs and the Girls stream across the lawn, chattering in glee.   The original wailer, Annie,  starts wailing again.  I try to catch her, and fail.    

I'm getting a bit fed up at this point, and decide I'll take them to the allotment and if they get stolen it's good riddance.    I point to each of the noisiest girls and tell them my plans.  They ignore me.

5.56 I get back into bed with my dressing gown on.  DH stirs, asks why I've left my dressing gown on.   I tell him it's the ideal time for a fox to come, and every second counts in that instance.

6.00 Someone lays an egg (on the grass, I later discovered) and decides to announce it.  I pretend to be asleep, hoping DH will get up.    DH is asleep and doesn't hear anything.

6.02 The egg announcement stops.   I try and sleep but find myself in the usual half doze, where I'm listening for trouble.

6.04 A spat breaks out between one of the Evacuees and someone.    I pretend to be asleep.

6.30 One of the Girls is at the fence under the window, calling. I ignore it.  I doze off.

7.15 Woken by the noise of  alarmed chickens.  Leap out of bed.  It's not a fox (the calling isn't that level of panic), so I open the window. Something has set them off, they are pointing in the same direction,

Run downstairs.    Get to the back door to see Thunderpaws (a massive, long haired, blue cat who terrorises our cats and makes the fence shake when s/he leaps on and off) strolled past.  S/he didn't see me.  

7.16 I open the door and chase Thunderpaws, and s/he runs out out of the garden.   I hear some strange motorised noise that I can't place.  It's not a chainsaw. It's not a car or bike or boat. It's a really weird sound.   I go back through the house to the front door, to see if I can hear it better from the front,  or work out what it is.   It's even louder out the front, and it's a horrible sound.  I can't place it.  It's really annoying.    What an anticocial thing to do on a Sunday morning!  I'm farting around trying to keep my chickens quiet, and this is going on!!     This is what's unsettled them!!! (well, it's this unsettling them today anyway).

7.17 As I turn to go in, I see a pair of yellow eyes watching me from under a bush on the driveway.  It's Thuunderpaws!   S/he realises s/he's been spotted, and saunters off. I'm sure her back legs and tail did the feline equivalent of a V sign as she sashayed away.

7.18 I feed the cats.

7.20 I debate whether to stay up or go back to bed.  Normally I'm having this debate at 6.30am, but today I'd let the girls out at 6 so it was too early to stay up.     I know that if I go back to bed, I'm going ot be staying in bed until mid morning.

7.21 I get back in to bed. DH wakes up and asks whats happened.   I try and go back to sleep.  

7.30 I listen to the news.

7.40 I pretend I can't hear the chickens.

8.00 DH has to get up, and asks if I want a cup of tea.  I say yes.

8.45 I wake up to find a cold cup of tea by my bed.  I drink it anyway.

9.15 I get up.

Girls again

The saga continues.

A few nights ago,  I found that we had only 3 people in the Orange Cube: Gloria (#1 chook)  Violet (recent evacuee who made herself #2 chook), and Fay (bottom, or near bottom, fayoumi).    The other 8 girls, including Poppy (ousted #2(, Fleur,  Bot and Elizabeth (Violet's sisters and daytime companions) all piled in.

The next night,  Gloria was ejected from the Orange Cube too.   She barged in to the purple cube which meant everyone else came out,  so I had to manually relocate her.


After that, I saw that Violet would peck Gloria at every opportunity.


Since then,  they've been all over the place.  I've given up. They can do what they want.

The Evacuees, in the temporary coop,  carry on as normal.  Apart from Annie and her incessant foghorn calling at 5.30am,  they've been no trouble.

It's another month until we get to the longest day,  and I'm going tot have to Do Something.  Annie's calls,  which encourage some of the others to join in,  are starting earlier and earlier.   I have to get up, go out, and quieten them down.     They then stay relatovely quiet for about 45 minutes before they start again, and I have to go and let them out in to the garden.

I don't like letting them in to the garden that early, because of the risk of foxes.

I might have to go back to timed opening of the doors.  We'll still get whingeing,  but maybe it will be a bit muffled.  It won't really solve the problem of me having to get up tp let them out into the garden, nor the risks that brings,  but it might mean the time doesn't keep getting earlier and earlier.

It continues

The Girls are continuing to happen.

You may remember that we brought outr first lot of refugees back from the allotment, the day lockdown was announced.  This group comprised Violet, Elizabeth and Bott (who were hatched in 2018), Phyllis (Violet and Bott's mum or Aunt),  and Annie (Elizabeth's Mum).  

After a few days of having them separate,  we joined them with the existing flock.   Violet became #2 chook the day we combined the flocks. 

Sometime later,  we took Annie (who wasn't happy in the garden) and four of our Garden Girls to the Allotment. 2 of them (Summer and Blondie) were due to become allotenteers anyway,  and it was a great opportunity to introduce them to a reduced flock before the Refugees went back.  Faye and Sasha were causing a lot pof upset, so they went too to balance the numbers.      Almost immediately,  4 girls were stolen (Summer, Blondie,  Sasha and one of the existing Allotmenteers, a grey Dorking called Pong).     We then had to bring ALL the remaining allotmenteers back to the garden.

Anyway.  Since the day we combined her into the main run,  Violet became number 2 hen. She forced Poppy (previous number 2)  and Fleur out of the Cube, so they were always last to be allowed to enter.  She refused entry to Phyllis,  who straightaway started sleeping with the younger girls (Astrid, Sunshine and Sylvia).

Over the coming days, her sisters, Elizabeth and Bott, abandoned that Cube and went next door with  Phyllis and the youngsters.   The only people she allows in the Cube are Gloria (#1 chook, hanging on by the skin of her beak) and Fay (bottom chook of the old group).      Even Poppy eventually started sleeping next door.  Fleur initially tried going in the youngesters Cube, turfing them out, but I put a stop to that.   Then she went through a phase of not wanting to in either Cube and having to be popped through the pop hole at night. 

Violet. ot Violent as I started to call her,   continued her domimation during the day.

A couple of nights ago,  everyone (except Gloria, Fay and Violet) was crammed into the youngsters cube.  I thought perhaps it was sorted.

Yesterday,  a series of fights broke out.     Full on, blood drawing, fights, between Violet and Bott!  Bott has never shown signs of aggression before. Not only that, but Phyllis kept coming to Bott's aid, and jumped in on the fights.     I let the fights play out, which was quite hard to do.    Violet needed sorting out,  and it would be helpful if the hens did it themselves.

Last night, we had the usual shenanigans.  I watched on the camera, so I didn't influence what happened.    Poppy tried to get in to Gloria's Cube, was refused entry, and went in the other Cube.  Fleur tried both, was refused both, and got back on a perch in the run.

I went out,  put Fleur on the floor, and told her to choose a cube.  To my surprise, she tried the Violet cube.   They wouldn't let her in, then the door shut (light sensitive).     I opened the door, and encouraged Fleur up the ladder.   She was still hesitating.

I opened the back of the Cube, and pushed Violet out of the way (I've done it before for Fleur).   She was a lot more amenable to being moved,  last time Violet and I had a bit of a battle.   

And then I realised it wasn't Violet.   It was Bott!

Violet was in with the youngsters!

Partial win

It was 6.15 this morning before the noise started.

DH woke me up at 6 telling me that it was all quiet and all the doors had opened etc. He didn't mean to wake me up.  He got up, I was dozing and asked if he was OK, and he got chatty.

A few minutes later, a deep and horrible wailing started.  I pretended to be asleep for a few minutes,  but DH did the same and won the game.    I got up.

Outside, as I strode across the cold, wet, grass,  no one was making a noise.    As I approached the Run, intent on finding Violet and putting her in the Brown Box,  my mind was processing the voice I'd heard.  I wasn't sure it was Violet.

Violet started to whinge as I unlocked the run door, and that confirmed for me that it wasn't her.  I ran through the hen voice catalogue in my mind and realised it was Annie,  in the other run.   

Annie looked at me like butter wouldn't melt in her beak.   I didn't have anywhere to shut her in;  There is a spare brown box nest box under their cube,  but it doesn't have a door.  I'd have to catch her, and then get her in the other coop to shut her in one of the boxes there.

I couldn't face it.   Catching hens in the Evacuee run is hard work, because there is a huge Jostaberry bush that shares their run.  Great for them,  but difficult to negotiate even at a walk.

I let everyone out instead,  which I realise was a mistake.

It was a mistake because tomorrow they will be expecting to be let out into the garden at 6.15am.

It was a mistake because I can't leave them unattended at that time,  it's a good time for foxes.

It was a mistake because Annie, who is a quick learner,  will assume that being gobby gets Mummy to come and let her out.

I can't go back to bed anway because I have Pilates at 9. If I get back in bed  I'll lie awake worrying about foxes until about 7.30, then start to doze, and then feel like c**p when I have to get up in time to get ready.

I've fed the cats.  I've done my banking.  I've read my emails.

And now I'm here.

Here come the Girls

Welll, 14 of the 16 anyway

Annie and her daughter Elizabeth are missing from the pic.

The Evacuees (Big Bird, Katy, Nora and Ping) are gradually trying to come more into the garden.

Nora is struggling a bit. She's still eating and drinking OK, and hasn't lost weight.  We added a down-to-the-floor wooden ladder to her Cube as she was struggling to get up on to the first step.    For the first couple of mornings and evenings, I offered to hel her in and out, but she managed well with the new ladder.

Another 5am start for me!   I'm shattered. 

The girls were making such a racket each morning, and when one coop started, they'd all start,  that I was having to get up to get them to be quiet, or to manually let them out.   The racket was starting earlier and earlier, and when I found myself getting up at 5.30, we decided to set the doors to open wit the daylight.

Unfortuately for me, the gear mechanism on the Omlet auto opener broke a week or so  ago, and so I've had to get up to let that group out each morning.    Luckily it's under warranty, so we've been waiting for the replacement.   Every morning asn I traipse across the garden, bleary eyed and sweary,  I've been hopin gthat "today would be the day" that the new door arrives.

The good news is that it's arrived today!  DH is fitting it as I type!  Hooray!


  

Mutton neck

No,  not a comment on my neck.

I had a mutton neck fillet in the freezer, which had a sell by date of July 2016.  I decided to defrost it and cook it today...not because it was so out of date,  but because it was an odd shape and was taking up more space than it should!

I struggled to find a pressure cooker recipe for a roast mutton type dish.    I could see Moroccan recipes,   curries,  and Irish stew types.

In the end I decided to do something along the lines of Cathy Phipps roast chicken recipe.

I put some ground nut oil (because its flavourless) and some butter on to saute.  Then I browned the neck all over,  which didn't take long.  Because sheep is a relatively fatty meat,  imported out mist if the fat. I lifted out the meat and deglazed the pan with lamb stock (made with a Knorr lamb cube).

 I seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and put but in the stock.  I added a little sprig of rosemary,  a bay leaf, and some dried oregano.  I cooked for 30 minutes.

When cooked I let the pressure release naturally (NPR) and then moved the mutton on to a board. I put some cornflour in the stock to thicken it  sauteed on high and stirred.

I served with roast potatoes, roast parsnips and yorkshire puddings.  I meant to cook some green veg but I didn't.

It was lovely.  I'll be buying some more as soon as I've made room in the freezer. 

Anti hoarder

I managed to rehome a massive pile of bird feeders today.   Big tick.

We used to use Chapelwood feeders, and we had a large collection of various sized tubes (seeds, nuts, suet), plus corresponding bases, tops,  trays, and 'squirrel proof cages.  When we excavated the shed a couple of months ago,  I threw away the damaged ones,  and put the others in the garage.  I didn't want to get shot of them in case I needed them.

Today I foudn a couple more.  We've got even better feeders now (in fact we have even better even better feeders; the 2 which are only "even better" are now in the shed!) and I decioded that I'd just bin all the old ones.  But when I looked at them... it seemed a waste

I posted them on our local facebook selling group, offering them for free,   and they've been snapped up.  I'm not surprised, as they are good ones.

The lady who is collecting them (contactless, of course) has a big garden, but she's going to be suprised when she sees quite how many there are.

VE Day Anniversary 2020

I thought about making bunting, but couldn't summon up the enthusiasm.   I have a box with bunting and flags in, from the Golden Jubilee, re-used for various other royal celebrations.

I left it to this morning to go and look for the box in the loft,. Of course I couldn't find it.

Instead, I've decorated our house with bunting from DH's 60th birthday. minus the "Happy Birthday" bits.    I almost didn't put it up.  As I unwrapped each bag,  I was amazed at how beautifully I'd folded, pressed and wrapped it.  I'd even pinned "front" to the front of each run (the bunting is double sided).

I nearly put it away, but the weather was fine, so I hung it out.  I put some Toy Story bunting up across the windows of a neighbour who is shielding (after asking, I hasten to add).

 

I had made two loaves in Pullman pans yesterday, so I made finger sandwiches.  I cut the crusts off (such wasteage, of course, would not have happened on VE day!) and cut them into two perfect finger sandwiches. Except when I turned them on their sides I realised that I'd cut the bread too thickly.  So,  I quartered them instead, and didn't put them on their sides.     DH and I hoovered up the crusts and the off-cuts of fillings.

We spent a pleasant hour on sitting on chairs on the driveway, having our tea and sadwiches, chatting to our next door neighbour (more than 2 metres apart).

I learned a lot about Fortnite from one of the children.

Quite a lot of the street turned out.  Some, like us, were in their front gardens;  some were on the pavement;  the people in the flats had something in the communal gardens behind the flats.

We were so lucky with the weather.

Pullman

A couple of years ago I bought some pullman loaf tins. A pullman is a loaf tin wich has a lid,  and produces very squared loaves.

We had previously bought a Tefal Snackmaker  and a selection of plates to use with it, and one of the plates that came with it was for toasted sandwiches.   It worked OK, but I thought a pullman would produce the perfect sized slices.

The pullman tins arrived,    I didn't use them straightaway,  we were using the Tefal for waffles etc and the urge for toasties had passed,  and we forgot all about it.

I want to make some lovely finger sandwiches for Friday.     We're going to sit in the front garden in the afternoon and have a cream tea (well, sandwiches anyway),  and I thought how much easier - and less wasteful - it would be to make a pullman shaped loaf.  I could trim the crusts, and then cut each sandwich in half, making the perfect finger sandwich.

So I dug out the tin,  and made a trial loaf today.   My brother had given me some Cotswold Crunch flour to try,  and it was very pleasant.  Although it doesn't look it, it's a white flour. It has malt added which gives it an orangey brown colour and a lovely smell,  and it has wheatflakes added to give it some crunch.   I added caraway seeds, because bread with caraway is just wonderful.   My brother had tried it with caraway and recommended it highly. 

I've just tried a slice.  Heaven!

The Flock

3 of the Evacuees attempted to come down the garden today.   I managed to get a pic with 14 of the 16 Girls in,  the missing 2 were in nestboxes at the time.

A few spats broke out after this was taken,  when the original Garden Girls and the first wave Evacuees realised that the 2nd wave Evacuees were there.

At  some point I suppose we will have to try and get them all in the 2 coops in the main run. In theory each Cube sleeps 10,  but I suspect that's 10 girls who are on good terms and dont mind snuggling.

We will wait for a bit and see how they get on before making any decisions (by which I also mean see if anyone dies in the meantime) .

I cant believe how matter-of-fact I seem to have become   I suspect it's only 'matter of fact' in the abstract,  talking about them as a general group. As soon it becomes about an individual, that's different.

Pork Baharat

The lovely Maria, she of Feisty Tapas, posted a recipe for Chicken Baharat  a while ago.  I have a tub of Baharat seasoning in my spice cupboard,  and I made a noteto try her recipe.

Today was the day.

I used diced pork.   I added mushrooms and onions, which were not in Maria's recipe but someone else who had cooked it had included.  I cooked it for 15 minutes instead of 5 as I wanted to make sure the pork was very tender.  I added all the lemon at all the stages, just as Maria instructed,  and it elevated the taste.

Here's Maria's recipe https://www.feistytapas.com/2020/04/instant-pot-baharat-chicken/#comment-2986  There is a printer friendly version accessible from that page as well.

To serve, I made some lovely  home made flour tortillas.  They were great - they always are, and I don't know why I don't make them more often.  It's been so long since I made them, that I couldn't remember the quantities and I googled for a recipe.  This is the one I made, and it is the one I will be making again https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/homemade-tortillas/

I served with shredded iceberg lettuce, quartered cherry tomatoes, and some greek yoghurt. 

The Worm that Turned

I made scrambled eggs for the girls this afternoon.. We had quite a few eggs, including some potentially ropey ones. The ropey ones aer any that are laid by Fleur,  and those laid by the older girls.  In the commercial world these "second class" eggs would not be sold as "in shell" eggs (the sort we consumers buy to eat), but would be sold for use in comercial baking.

I used 6 eggs, and stirred some lovely Chirbs (a hen supplement with herbs and minerals in - chicken herbs I always assumed).    It looked good enough to eat.

I took it out and shared it amongs the girls.    The Evacuees came to have their share.    Fleur started a fight with BigBird, a proper hackles up, fisticuffs, handbags, and grabbing hold of each others combs affair.   It went on until the eggs had almost run out.  I'm not sure who won,  it was a close contest.    Even Nora and Katherine came along to have some of the treat.

Ping came down and suprised me by having a little lunge at Bott.  I thought it was a one off, but I've just seen her go out of her way to assert herself to Bott and Elizabeth.  The two girls walked off without retaliating,  so I'm not sure what that means.

I guess we'll see what happens over the coming days.

Hen WHos Where

I was messaging Miss Tween, to let her know what's happening with the Girls.  I thought I'd jot it down here too.

Over in the temporary run, on the old fruit cage bed,  we have the latest lot of Allotment Evacuees.   These are the girls we brought home after the theft of four girls.  This oddball group is made up of:
- Nora (our oldest girl, 9+,  blind in one eye,  bit unsteady), 
- Katherine (Welsh Black, sister of Poppy and Gloria, 8+, lovely gentle girl, who just gets on with things and doesn't make a fuss.), 
- Big Bird (big yellow girl, 6+, brick shaped bum,  friendly girl but just the wrong shape for breeding)
- Ping (silver grey dorking, 3+, incredibly noisy, She gets bullied by EVERYONE she comes into contact with, apart from, possibly, those she's currently living with),  and
- Annie (Welsh Black x,  4+, hatchmate of Barbara who died recently)  Annie wanders everywhere. She tried joining the Purple Cube crowd, but gave up and joined the Evacuees in the temporary run.    Apart from Annie, the Evacuees tend to keep to their own area.

The earlier Allotmenteers, these are the ones who we brought home when Lockdown was announced:

Violet, Elizabeth and Bott (Harem Welsh Blacks x Bertie, 2+) sleep in the purple cube with Gloria, poppy, Fay and Fleur.   Violet is aiming to be Top Chook, and from the very first night,  established her dominance by ejecting Poppy.    Poppy and Fleur wait outside until the last posisble minute before going up the cube ladder.

Violet, Elizabeth and Bott tend to leep together as a little flock,  and are often joined by Phyllis.   Violet is a gobby chook,  to the point of real annoyance.   Elizabeth remembers jumpy uppy and is an inquisitive friendly girl.


Phyllis (Welsh Black x, with her Australorp side dominant, 6+) sleeps with the Littlees(Sunshine, Astrid and Sylvia) at night. She's first in the Cube at night, and the 3 litlees hang around outside before eventually going in.  I haven't observed any bullying, and there is no evidence of pecking.  During the day, she wanders around with the younger black chooks, Violet, Elizabeth and Bott.   Phyllis is an inquisitive, friendly girl, and likes to be next to us if we're in the chicken area. She is a real people person. 

Out Littlees continue to be a happy little Trio Sunshine, Astrid (both Gold Leghorns) and Sylvia (Silver Laced Barnevelder).  Sylvia is way down the pecking order.    

Our original Garden Girls
Poppy (Welsh Black, 8+) has been in the Garden the longest. She was the sole survivor of a fox attack,  and we brought home her sister Gloria from the allotment to keep her company while we decided what to do.  Gloria is Top Chook.    When we introduced new girls (Fleur, Fay and Sasha),   Poppy fought to be number 2, but has always had a dodgy hold on that position.  She mainly lept it becasethe younger girls didn't want to challenge her.    Sasha was onbe of 4 girls stolen from our allotment.  She was there becaiuse we wanted to introdiuce our two Silver Leghirns (Blondie and Summer, who were also stolen) to the reduced Allotment group,   and we wanted a break from her and Fay's shrill squawking.    

Fay (Fayoumi, 5+) came back from her holiday to the allotment a much more determined chook.  She had preoviously been second from bottom in the pecking order.  She started off living in the temporary run with the Evacuees,  but one night she  decided to try her luck in the purple cube.  She's stayed with that group ever since.   She's lost status as a result, because they are treating her as low ranking again.  She doesn't really range with any group,  she flies out of their area at will.  Sometimes she'll snuggle up with one o fthe other groups, with the netting between them.   She has started to let me pick her up, which is really unusual.


Mostly, there isn't too much infighting going on, unless the Girls accidentally cross paths.  They graze together in fairly close prioximity without squabbling,  and sunbathe together as a biig group.   There is a lot of squabbling over nest boxes.

The odd spats are things like Poppy, Phyllis and Nora having an altercation when Nora dcided to check out the Big Run.  I'm amazed that Nora held her own quite well!   The leghorns attack Ping (everyone attacks Ping);  and there's lots of quick pecks going on,  but no real nastiness.

We're trying to work out what the new order is, but it hasn't been properly established yet.

Cat Climbing

Shelby,  who until recently hasn't been very adept at jumping up on to things because she has quite dumpy legs,  has been teaching herself to climb trees.

DH mentioned it yesterday morning.  He couldn't find Shelby, so he got the loc8tor out and discovered her somewhere up the apple tree.

Izzy (in bowl) and Shelby, April

Last night, when I went out to check on the hens Shelby slipped out.  She bounded down the garden like a cartoon cat.  She went up the pear tree.  She ran down the pair tree. She ran up the apple tree, and sat there, looking very pleased with herself.     I went and got treats and I came back and rattled the jar.  She climbed higher.

I called her, and rattled.  She climbed higher.    She eyed up over the fence.   She leapt on to our shed.  I pretended to walk off.  She ignored me.

I came back, rattle rattle, Shelby! Shelby!.   She popped her head over the roof of the shed.   I looked around to see if there was anything that would take my weight to get me up on the shed.  Nope.  I didn't want to walk back to the house in case she leapt over the fence into the Great Outdoors.

Eventually, she decided to get back into the tree.  An enormous leap, and she landed.  She looked at me.  She looked at the upper branches.   rattle rattle.  She came down a bit,  just enough for me to grab her.

Monkey!

Poor Lewis isn't allowed out at all,  he has to be kept in for 10 days.     I took him out in my arms so he could see everyone and smell the air.  

May

Another early start this morning.  I was up at 6am because the Allotmenteers in the temporary coop kicked off and started the group in the purple cube off.

I had to get up at 6.15 anyway, as I needed to change the opening time on the Hentronix openers.   This means swiping a magnet acrodss the control box at the time you want the door to open in future.

I did this, then I let everyone out in to their runs. The noise was horrendous.

I then made a cup of tea, did my banking, caught up on mail, fed the cats, and went back upstairs.   I was very very tempted to get back in to bed, but I know how disruptive that is.    So I farted about, put some washing in the machine,   did some domestics, and eventually had my shower and got dressed.

I'm going to be ready to do some sewing soon.   I got as far as nearly clearing the sewing table this morning,  and I even picked up my work in progress tee shirt and compared it to a shop bought one.

Tomorrow, I'll hopefully be ready to go

I'm trying something new for dinner.    I bought some Baharat spice seasoning months ago, and never used it, and I was really interested to see htis on Maria's blog.   I'm going to make it with pork.  https://www.feistytapas.com/2020/04/instant-pot-baharat-chicken/