just a quickie ;)

I might have accidentally (ok, ok it wasn't an accident at all) ordered my chooks an eglu cube last night!
Then we can look at getting some new chookaloolaas for them to buddy up with. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any rescues going on near me in the near future, I am waiting for one more reply, and if not it will have to be posh girls. I would love more ex-battery hens, but at the moment the priority is getting some more company for Lola and Ruby...leaving it to fate :)

Anyhoodle, I made this card with a squiggle stamps image, too cute!
Scenic route and MME papers (I think, I can't remember!), promarkers, prima and punched flowers, k&co letters  etc

Back again :)

After a tough few weeks, it has been really hard going, I miss Tilly terribly, and so do Ruby and Lola :(
I opted to have her individually cremated, and collected her ashes last week, she is residing in a beautiful beech box with her name engraved on top on a little brass plaque, it is a very fitting tribute for my beautiful girl.
We will at some point be getting a couple more girls, for Ruby and Lola's benefit really as if Ruby is in the nestbox laying, Lola goes bonkers and shouts until Ruby comes back, she hates being on her own for any length of time now, it really stresses her out.
On a slightly lighter note, I splashed out a bit and had this run built for them...I just need to paint it, and finish saving for their new house, then we should be all set!

and had this made to go on the run, which I love

Of course the girls had to *help*...chicken in a bucket anyone?

Onto other things, a recent card, I needed something that I could be doing to try and get me back into crafting, as that was the thing that had to go with being so busy, and after losing Tilly.

Image from Meljen's Designs
MME papers

Nestabilites dies

Promarkers

Flowersoft (bout time I used that stuff again!)

dewdrop type stone thingamees from Kirsty

random stuff from stash

Sweet dreams Little Tilly

My beautiful, precious little Tilly, you have no idea what a huge impact you have had on my life.
You were the sweetest little hen I have ever come across. You would frequently hop up onto the bench and clamber onto my lap for a cuddle, I have never known anything like it. You were such a gentle little girl, you would give me kisses all the time.
You have no idea what a massive hole you are leaving in our lives. You were with us for nearly ten months, and I hope I managed to give you a very happy life. I am grateful that you got to experience fresh air, grass under your toes, every season and every weather. You were loved, something you had never had before.

Rest in peace my precious little angel, Mummy loved you so very much xxxx
 

I'll be back...

...when I'm back!
Life is all a bit hectic at the moment, so unfortunately blogging has had to take a back seat for a while, as it is last on my list of priorities ;)

yoohoo!

sorry, bad bad blogger. But I have been incredibly busy, shan't bore you with the details!

Lots of images from Mum's birthday at Dumbleton Hall, as promised (sorry it took so long Drew!) In completely random order...

The (purposely) wonky cake I ordered for Mum


Dessert at the Hall


yet another cake (made by the chef)


Just for Drew lol! ;)


The Hall


I swear it was smiling at me...


then laughing at me!




There were squillions of these






a random squiggly tree I found on our walk round the grounds


lots of these too


our private patio, complete with stripy grass


our private dining hall (which was lovely cos we could come and go between courses all afternoon!)


yummy scrummy

lots of these too, and an outing with me is never complete without a rescue lol, one of the sheep had got over the cattle grid, by the road, so I had to jump out of the car and herd it back in to safety!







I also have a new little lady in my life, Amy gave birth on the 23rd of July, this is Olivia, and she is just gorgeousness!

back...briefly...

Ohhhher manic manic manic!
Mum's 60th birthday, been and gone was a massive success, we had a wonderful time :) (Drew, I haven't forgotten about getting the pics up for you hun, just haven't had time)

Girls are all doing well, Lola is getting stronger and starting to grow new feathers in, Tilly is a feathered beauty now too, when I look back at the pics of when I brought her home, all bald and bedraggled, the change is amazing! Ruby still hasn't grown her feathered knickers, but she is getting there!

ATF went live last night, animal cards this time, here are mine





The next theme is a corker too, can't wait :)

Last week was mental, Amy was moving house, so I have been over there packing, helping move, and unpacking! Bless her, she is 8.5 months pregnant, and has handled it all so amazingly well!

Of course, barely a day goes by without some mention of the death of Michael Jackson, I can't quite believe it to be honest, I just wish they would all let him RIP now.

Off to do some more work in the garden, I am building a run for the girls, and last week was far too hot to do anything, so now it has cooled off a bit I need to get going! This will be a true test of my DIY skills (or lack of)! ;)

Take care x

Lola post! (image heavy)

Hi all, sorry for the lack of updates, but I have had a very poorly Lola :( Not only did she have a wonky leg but then she suddenly went downhill. She was so miserable and mopey all the time, constantly (pretty much) sleeping, went off her food totally, and I didn't know how to help her. I took her to the vets and we decided to try antibiotics first as she couldn't find anything outwardly wrong with her. Now, I am not one for using antibiotics as a general give-it-a-go remedy but was at a loss, and didn't want to have to give her anaesthetic for xrays, diagnostics, blood work etc if I could help it just yet.
She had a weeks worth to take, and joy of joys they were huge TABLETS! Argh! Getting tablets into a chicken on your own is no fun I can tell you! I couldn't even add it to food as she wouldn't eat anything (other than a few live mealworms I managed to get down her but then she wouldn't take those either).
She finished the course on Thursday, and was still much the same (although in that time her wonkyness is pretty much gone...makes me wonder if it is connected).
Anyway, I let them all out on Saturday morning, cue three girls falling out of the door in desperation to get out (very funny) and I commented that Lola looked a little brighter and more awake.
Well, we totally turned a corner with her on Saturday, I lost five hours in the garden with them as they were all having such a wonderful time! They completely and utterly trashed the garden big time! But, they enjoyed it so much I left them to it ;)
The real turning point was when I saw Lola keeping up with the other girls, not stopping and sleeping, and when she went into the house and ate some food I was over the moon (and shed a tear).
The following pics made me sob, to see her so happy and well was just amazing, these girls have been through absolute hell, and then with Lola being so poorly, to see her acting this way was the most amazing feeling :) She found an empty seed tray and set to work...









Going...


Going...


almost there...


Gone...


totally gone!


*GRINS*

It made me realise just how much these little girls have stolen my heart :) *wub*

Yesterday I set to work on sorting the garden after Saturday's devestation, I am shattered today! The girls 'helped' by digging, and finding woodlice (yum yum). Jess 'helped' by finding a doormouse for me, which I duly rescued (for a cat she is very good and never hurts them) then I found this little mite, just chilling...





as the girls were out, I decided to try and help this one back to the pond (chooks are a bit partial to a snack of frog) which was all well and good until it jumped down my cleavage! LOL!


Final note, ATF went live last Saturday with the theme of 'your pet as a work of art'
I used a photocopy filter in photoshop, then played with the hue and saturation
Sorry for wonky pic!



I haven't yet found the cable to upload the pics from the other weekend, shall keep hunting!

ttfn x

chook update

Just a lil update as it is late! Chooks are settling in well bless their lil fluffy bums. They are in their new house (more on that in my next post!) and enjoying the life of freedom.

Lola, who has a wonky leg love her...

Tilly learning to take a dust bath...

and a beautiful pic of Ruby enjoying the sunshine...

I shall also update on my weekend in my next post...here is a lil peekypie of the main event, it was wonderful!

back soon, ttfn x

may I introduce...

Tilly (the turkey neck cos she is rather bald love her)



Ruby Roo



and Lola the showgirl



naughty lil tinker in my tomato plants lol



This mornings offering, one was very soft shelled and broken (only to be expected) but this one is perfect bless them



They are a bit unsure of things this morning, so they are still in the shed (permanent home is coming on Tuesday) I ordered a house and attached run but the shop didn't bother to let me know it was out of stock until Thursday when I rang them to see where it was (it should have been here Wednesday) so I have another on order with someone else, they will have a bigger run on the grass, and then free range when I am out with them. So in the midst of all of this I had to sort a house out, so I have converted half the shed for now. They have the door open at the mo, with a piece of board against the doorway to keep them in, let a bit of sunshine in, and some fresh air. Lola is asleep with her bum in the sun bless her!

Many many thanks to Amanda, who went in and rescued this batch of chooks yesterday. She brought them all back to her house and had them set up under a gazebo in her garden. It was so beautiful to see all the girls with grass under their feet as it should be, and making the cutest lil chirruping noises! The journey was obviously too much for my three beauties, who were all snoozing in the boxes when we got home! They soon sprang to life when they were brave enough to come out of the boxes and onto the grass in my garden (and stones, borders, tomato plants, strawberry plants...lol) they all had a good drink, ate some woodlice, carried some stones, headbutted the metal rotary line pole, tapped on concrete...it was all totally alien to them but they loved it!

I may not be able to offer these girls acres of fields to range on all day, but what I can offer them is more love than they have ever known, and hopefully a long and happy stress free retirement.
If anyone thinks they can help, please contact Little Hen Rescue

On a final note, ATF went live again last night. 'Parent's' was the theme. As Simba has never had a baby, mine was about him being a Mummy's boy!

ttfn, off to check on my chooks x