Belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHOOKSHED!

I was at the party.... honest. 

It was a lovely weekend here.     Perfect for joining Chookyblue in celebrating her Chooksheds 4th birthday.   Doesn't time fly.  Seems like only last year that she took up residence in her own special sewing space.

In honour of the Chookshed I blew the dust of my box YLI Silks.  Polished my applique needle and cleaned my specs ready for action    And here is what I worked on.....

The first block of the  Rowdy Flat Library Quilt.......

Like I really needed to start another project   Duh!  I hope there are quilting stores in Heaven (I'm hoping to go there) coz I'm going to need all of eternity and then some to scale my WIP mountain.

I must admit I haven't stitched much in all the weeks I've been missing.   Actually the fact I haven't sewn much is the reason I've been missing.    There are only so many cat and chicken photos I can bore you all with and even I'm sick of the sound of my own whinging.

Still..... things might just be looking up.   The party put a needle back in my hand and guess what.... I liked it.   I had fun.   I quaffed my share of vino collapso and munched my way through a mountain of root vegetable crisps.    So what if I eventually felt sick.....   I was happy as a pig in poo (being polite).

Here's another photo....

I finished all but 10 of the little petals around the centre.   Good going eh.   I'm ringing the changes with more modern and brighter fabric selections too.  Seriously..... what is happening to me.  I'm in danger of becoming 'trendy'..... who'd have thought.

Thanks for the party Chooky.  I know you had a great time and now you know I did too.  

Now for a bit of a general catch up.

I'm showing you this photo of Chris and Sally to prove to you that the sun does shine in Scotland.....

 

not often I can get the two of them to sit for a photo.  Just look at that blue sky!    I suspect that Sally allowed me to take her pic because she wanted me to show you her finished circle quilt and as you know there is a price to pay for everything.  

Here's her quilt....

I love it.... I covet it.  Is that a sin?    It looks just perfect for my conservatory.  I can't believe she refused to leave it with me.  Some friend eh!  (just kidding Sal)

Chris caught the circle bug too...... this is her proudly displaying her first batch.....

She's got over 100 done now.   Yep... she's addicted.

Kitty visited for a weekend....  she arrives every time she needs a hair cut.  Sadly she doesn't trust me to style her locks.   Perhaps I shouldn't have shown her the pudding basin......

She finished this lovely embroidered pincushion.  It's the first time she's tried ribbon embroidery.. didn't she do well.    She stitched that little squirrel cross stitch too.   It was a freebie kit with a cross stitch magazine.    Honestly..... I didn't think anyone ever made up those little kits.    Do  you?

Bit by tiny bit I did manage to make a few more Stonefields blocks.....

Hand piecing is so relaxing.

Not a lot of progress but better than nothing.

A few weeks ago I took on the role of Chicken Nurse.   Here I am throttling medicating Ruby.   Talk about stress.   It worked fine the first time I dosed her but after that.... well she had me sussed.  No way was she coming near me.    I'd  honed my rugby tackle to perfection by the time treatment was done.

She did improve but sadly she didn't thrive.   For a Rhode Island Red she was very small and delicate. This morning I found her on the floor of the chicken coop.   She quite literally fell off her perch and ascended to chicken heaven some time during the night.   I like to think she was happy.  Her last supper was fresh raspberries and corn.... boy did she enjoy it.    

Lovely Miss Ruby Runabout

The chickens I waited 62 years to own have broken my heart twice already.    Miss Rosie disappeared a month ago.    Just disappeared without a trace.   No ruckus in the garden.  No sight or sound of a predator. Not a feather to be found.  Spooky.   It was 2 o,clock on a Sunday afternoon for goodness sake.   I was home.  I heard nothing.

I've discounted Mac's theory that she was abducted by Aliens and I'm hanging onto the hope that she's gone broody and is hiding somewhere in the garden.   Goodness knows a battalion of chickens could  be hiding in here and you'd never know.   

It's been 4 weeks without even a note.   The Poultry Man told me she could sit on her eggs for 4 to 6 weeks.... until she notices that they are getting smelly and not very nice.... and abandons the nest for the comforts of the coop.    To be truthful... hope is fading but you never know.   Stranger things happen.... around here anyway.

Chicken news is not all bad though.   Chris and Sally took me to a Poultry Auction at our local Mart.  I had a great time looking at loads of lovely birds the like of which I'd never seen before.   I intended to bid for two Speckled Sussex hens.  I'd lost hope of finding any of those locally.  

Well..... I nearly had a dicky fit when I heard the auctioneer in action.   I couldn't understand a word he was saying and boy was he fast.   I can talk some gibberish but he had me beat.   I begged Sally to stay and bid on my behalf..... I really am quite shy you know.  Honest.  Eventually I had to take pity on Sal and Chris and let them go home.   My 'lot' was some 2 hours down the list and they were starving.... or so they told me.

By the time the Speckled Sussex were up I was an auction expert.   I'd tuned in to the Auctioneer and figured out the strange methods folks have for bidding.   I decided that flicking the show catalogue would be my method of choice.  It worked.   I am now the proud owner of .........

Miss Sally Speckles

Miss Susie Speckles

What's not to love about them.  Roll on the next auction.....

Well... I'd better get going.  You've guessed.... it's TV time again.  Besides I'm rambling and I've really overloaded this post with chicken stuff.   

I've got a day off tomorrow.   After I've picked up worming meds for the hens and blitz cleaned the coop that is.    However much of my day I have left  I'll be spending with you.   Visiting and checking out what you've been up too this week.   

So.... have a lovely rest of the week doing what makes you happy and I'll see you soon.

Thanks for putting up with me....:o)

Hugs

Josie xxxxx