Tuesday 28 February 2012

Eggs is eggs


Dear hearts how on earth are you, a whole ten days with no yapping from me, your ears must be incredibly happy and your eyes delighted for the rest!  The wonderous chooks have of course also been delightful and have been laying all winter, clever old things. However, as I've taken the eye a bit off the ball at home lately it would appear those sneaky chooks have upped the gear on the laying and we're now becoming over run with eggs. Or, they've drafted in substitute hens to help out. Given how quickly they move around, aided by fierce gale force winds, I wouldn't be surprised! But more eggs are always welcomed, they are good bartering fodder and most helpful to raise a few pennies for the extra food we buy them. The hens well and truly earn their keep around here and have done tenfold. Buying a quality laying hen is a grand investment, never mind the chaos and hilarity they cause on a daily basis. The dog now nudges his way passed the hens on the way out in the mornings, the hens try and nudge their way in. There's some kind of hen/dog truce going on, I think they're keeping the best scraps for him, in return he's offering protection of some kind. Wouldn't surprise me, them all being in cahoots.
Anyhow after a busy week doing a mixture of landscaping, wombling and other wonderous tasks (often named 'paperwork', but as thats too boring a concept, I think of it (paperwork) as wonderous tasks, which inspires me and so I get on with it). But, today I've a day off. Woo hoo indeed, when I say a day off, I mean, I've nothing currently in my diary. But, as sure as eggs is eggs that could change in the blink of any eye, we know that for sure. But, for now, I'm pottering, and will continue to do so until something sneaks along today.  I may even do a bit of baking, that would be nice - perhaps those easy 15 minute scones........I do fancy one of those but they don't need eggs........
The weathers vile so if we have a walk today, it will be a quick one, so I might attempt a bit of sewing, which is unusual for me, I can sew, I do not sew often. I'm lazy, but that's got to change! A lovely lady who came to stay in the summer gave me a pink hand sewn chookie (which we've named 'Katie-morag').
As I yapped to one of our lovely artistic volunteers at work about my own chookie and how lovely it was, we got to talking about making them from scraps and what fun they'd be. Most excellent recycling.  So, she very wonderfully, went off and made us one and wrote out the instructions for us to use. How utterly brilliant is that? I've named her Flora. What an excellent use of some wee scraps of material. They could be as peedie (small) to fit in a tiny hand or as muckle (large) that you could use them as a door stop.
 As Flora had never seen the prodigy, Katie-morag, I was delighted to introduce the two of them.
  
 Flora, may I kindly introduce you to Katie-morag and vice versa. I'm wondering if they've anything to do wtih the extra laying that's been going on. Wouldn't surpise me at all, chooks of any variety are sneaky and these two have mischeivous natures...........as sure as eggs is eggs, hens are always up to something.

In fact, I fancy making a couple of new hens myself, maybe that's my day taken care of? I must go and look out the instructions and have a go............

12 comments:

  1. go ....have a go! it will be fun... and think of all the "extra" eggs xx lol

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    1. I think I might and if they're like the other hens - then they'll be laying within two weeks!

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  2. We used to sell our eggs at the gate. Made me laugh when P put a sign up "Eegs for sale". Our chooks have only just started laying again apart from the Marron who is taking her time!
    Are you a Mairi hedderwick fan, Fay?

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    1. Janet - with a dog named Peedie and a hen named 'Katie-morag' who'd have guessed! We lived on Colonsay for years - not long after the roro was instated - so the bairns grew up with many a 'Katie-morag' story book given to them. We've also an 'island grannie' a 'mainland grannie' and a 'grannie annie' - which is nice.

      Love the books - so typical of peedie isles!

      P is clearly very optimistic about eggs and laying eh? Glad your chooks have started again, ours went down a bit (4 a day instead of 8) but they're clearly cranking up again.

      Having given up gardening (largely) I thought I may have a go at sowing, sorry bad joke, I mean 'sewing'!

      Mr F is here - my blog reading is behind, I must catch up.xx

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    2. I thought you were off galavanting again......

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    3. Nah, I've just been working hen. Don't you just hate it when work gets in the way of other parts of your life?

      And, Mr F is most excellent company, but he's not much of a reader of blogs.

      And, if I can sort it, I can try and take up gardening again, I spotted a peedie dafie out there in the wilderness that is this garden.


      There's hope for it yet, even if its like living in a cyclone.

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  3. Hi Fay :)
    LOve your fabric hens. Our bantams are not being too productive just now, think I need to squeeze them a bit harder :) or else add to my little flock with some "big girls" who are a bit more reliable. Never mind I would still keep them for their entertainment vale alone - don't you just love chickens!

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    1. OH don't squeeze a hen! You never know what might come out!

      Bantams are so cute - there's a bantam cockeral here in Orkney in Finstown how looks after a large flock of ladies who bow to his every call!

      I do just love them, been thinking about you all and life looks great for you all.

      Peedie raises a paw to your chap x When I get the pattern uploaded on our site, I'll send you a link to it.

      Utterly fabulous to see you, took your lovely blanket to a rainbow meeting and told them the story of how it was made, to much oo's and ahhs'!
      xx

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  4. Fab fabric hens - I really like those! And of COURSE you've been missed here in blog-land...you knew that though, right?!

    R xx

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    1. Aw thank you Robyn. Real every day life sometimes stacks up doesn't it.

      Camera (the nikon) is playing up I must get the lens looked at it keeps sticking. Blinking annoying!

      I'm glad you like the chooks, we've a template/recipe for them on the internet on our charity site, I must dig out the link to it.

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  5. You've been missed. But don't get lost again!

    You couldn't make me an omelette, could you??

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    1. An omlette or two is an inspired idea. As long as I only suggest one a week, I might get away with it.

      I've been lost in wonderous tasks (paperwork) and wombling, which is also a most wonderous task!

      How lovely to see you.

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