Happy chucks

Watching Hugh FW the other night he was talking about chicken stimulation and how it makes for happy chucks and it led me to thinking that although our chickens get moved every couple of weeks to a new area to graze and have lots to watch in the garden (the pigs, us when we are out pottering about, the cat and other wildlife) they don't have much to do in their pen.  Some of my lettuces are beginning to bolt and usually I would either just throw them into the chickens or give to the pigs but thought that I would make them work a little for their salad.  At first they just walked round and round the lettuce but then soon realised what fun it was and started attacking it - it will be interesting to see if any is left tomorrow morning.

I am nearly finished planting everything into the veg garden - put my pepper plants in and also the gourd plants that mum sent for the kids and then mulched these up.  I have noticed that even our neighbour Mr Mayor has started mulching up his veg garden too - a good use of all the loose straw in his barn. Our tomatoes are growing well with plenty of early fruit - and the cucumbers have lots of flowers on so I must check that they are female flowers and have pollinated.  The garden is looking not too bad despite the dry conditions and the mulching has really worked as the soil underneath is still nice and damp - hopefully it will also save me time on weeding during the coming months.

Ben and I escaped for the evening, our neighbour kindly babysitting for us.  We headed over to join our friends to celebrate her birthday - an evening gathering down by the river.  Chocolate cake made and decorated with fresh mint and strawberries we joined our friends and had a lovely evening catching up and having some adult time without kids.  We even had the opportunity to go out onto the river in our friends recently purchased canoe.  I have not been in a canoe for 18 years (the last time being in Canada) and it was lovely to be on the water - Ben and I did not do so well going in a straight line - but it was fun all the same.  I look forward to doing these things with the kids when they are older.

Comments

[rae of sunshine]

Looks like I need to get down to the brocante again quickly and find some in house entertainment for the chickens. Why the name change for you? Do you feel like chickens?

Pollinating courgettes and such like is easy – if you are not getting fruit (the female) then take some of the pollen from the male flowers and put on the female flowers (either with a brush or your finger), this should help with fruit production – nothing too technical.

I spent 3 months in Ontario on a Camp America camp teaching video production and had the best summer ever, I then went to Montreal, Quebec and then to Calgary and stayed with Leah who was living there at the time. Then took the train from Montreal to NY and spend the summer in Woodstock (to be reacquainted with the love of my life – at that time!). Oh to be young and childless again – wish I had done more travelling but would not change my life now.

[les cocottes]

Where in Canada? I've been to Montreal and Quebec. twice. a lifetime ago. I used to have family and a very good friend there.

[les cocottes]

So what's the kama sutra secret you do if they haven't pollinated?
An evening by the river, sounds good. Does your neighbour baby sits for free. How much do you reckon baby sitting hours cost? Canoeing is great fun. There is a base here in our hometown but kids definetely too young yet.

[les cocottes]

Here the undersigned cocottes are very earnestly beseeching you to provide us with more entertainment then a swinging salad and the bare ground to scratch at. We are thus requesting a slide, 3 scooters and a ROOSTER! Your devoted egg providing cocottes.