Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Hens and Hats

Hello my friends!  How are things going along for you?  We're cruising along.  I am happy to report that ONE of our hens.. and I know which one.. has started laying eggs again after a... SIX MONTH VACATION!  Gracie is an Ameracauna which lays aqua eggs.  I named her Gracie because she has a lot of grey feathers.  I wonder when the other slackers will get busy?  I am so happy to have home grown eggs again.  Do you remember this wooden egg holder?  I saw Lady Mary use one on Downton Abbey after saving the pigs - did you see that episode?  I got right on eBay or Etsy and found this.  So, now I can cook like Lady Mary.  :-)


I figure that the one with the darker blue top was her first one in 6 months so there was lots of blue saved up in her egg maker.  What do you think? :-)



I went out in the farmyard to get a photo of the girls.. but only 2 of them would come out to see me.  The big black hen is the Cuckoo Maran named Hershey - as she lays milk chocolate colored eggs.  Both of these two look gorgeous and very feathered out.. 


Gracie and her grey tail.


The roses are leafing out!



I'm fascinated with the colors in these tulip leaves!


I got my 2nd gold colored cotton wash cloth done.  



I'm going to try this as a face cloth.. I've always used them as kitchen wash cloths.  



I got a third hat done for Taci's charity project - hats for new babies in Brazil for underprivileged expectant mothers.  Taci's mother puts together bags for the new mothers with hats, sweaters, booties and other necessities.  Isn't that nice?


I am halfway done on a 4th hat using my organic cotton.  


I really like how the little variegated one turned out, I used the shell pattern after I got the crown increase part done in double crochet.  I think Betsy or Gracie gave me that cotton.  


I snapped a photo of our moss covered garage barn.. yes, Oregon is green. :-)


More Snowdrops are showing white buds.


Behind the garage was another round of wood from some of the trees we had felled as they had died.  The entire end of this is covered with those Turkey Tail mushrooms!


I sauntered down our driveway and snapped this image of the pastures and forest across the road from our place.  A hazy day.  Soon they will be planting fields of flowers there.


Our Black Bamboo stand needs trimmed up - many of the branches have bent over.  We'll have to work on that.


I am in love with the black canes of this plant.  I used the branches as stakes in other plants, which is neat.  I wonder what else I could use these for.  Any ideas?



A snap of the bamboo and our barn.  I have 5 varieties of bamboo on the farm and each one is a clumping bamboo and not a running bamboo - each has stayed very nicely in one spot.  They do get big and bushy, but they do not run and take over.



Well, Dayle and I are going on a jaunt together - we're both in the mood for a healthy salad and we have a favorite restaurant that makes a killer shrimp salad.  I might remember to snap a photo.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

24 comments:

  1. Glad you are getting eggs again, I have never seen an egg with a blue tinge before so I found that quite fascinating. Enjoy your jaunt out.

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  2. Wow! So many interesting things to see in your post today. First of all, I love your beautiful eggs! I always have thought the bluish eggs that the Ameraucana hens lay are wonderful (I used to work for a bed + breakfast taking care of their chickens, etc. Love your new washcloth and yes, they work great as a regular washcloth. A friend of mine made one for me long ago and I enjoy it. What beautiful baby hats! What GREAT gifts of love for those families in South America! Your turkey tail mushrooms are fabulous--SO very cool! LOL--I am beginning to think it is spring Teresa with your rose leaves and the new blooms I am finding:) And, I have to admit, the ants I found yesterday in my kitchen. I WISH our bamboo was clumping not running--but we found out that the kind my sibling gave us is of the latter variety and now will have to take measures to keep it where we want it. As for other uses--we have a bench which was made from bamboo and you can make fences, etc. from them (we haven't made any of these but you can do a Google search for directions).
    Yum, shrimp salad:)
    Blessings, Aimee

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  3. Some of my roses are leafing out too... and the peonies are peaking up! Fingers are crossed that we don't get a cold, cold snap in the next few weeks of winter!
    ~Chris

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  4. So any lovely photos to look at Teresa. Pretty eggs, beautiful nature and such sweet hats. Hope you and Dayle enjoyed your healthy lunch. Hugs Anne x

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  5. With the strange weather we've been having lately all of our flowering bushes have sprung buds & leaves. I had hoped we would have gotten a wee bit of snow, but no luck!
    The blue topped egg is so cute. Looks like Miss Hen airbrushed the top ever so lightly - just so you'd know it was her's. Hershey & Gracie as cute in their fluffy winter plumage.
    Black bamboo is my favorite. Our neighbor has it growing the length of their backyard. So pretty!
    What is the name of the pretty tulip with the variegated leaves?

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  6. Cute hens and that blue is lovely, great to have chickens laying. Enjoy your lunch out....we are heading off for maybe 4nights so will be missing for a bit xo

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  7. Yay Gracie! I love seeing your hens and I'm very happy you're getting eggs again. Someday I'd like to have an Ameracauna. I wanted one this time but they didn't get any chicks of that breed, so hopefully next time we need them. I hope you enjoyed your lunch out!

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  8. Pretty, pretty hens! I alwas love seeing pictures of chickens on various blogs. I must say, your's look very well kept and happy. If we didn't have to leave home so much to see our kids I would definitely have a few of my own. Your hats for Taci are looking beautiful. I want to make some too, but first I really want to finish Dennis' sweater so he can enjoy it before winter is over. Your other pictures look like spring is definitely on it's way in Oregon. Is it normal to have this much growth in January? Have a wonderful evening my friend.
    Blessings always dear Teresa,
    Betsy

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  9. I would love a clumping black bamboo. Where did you get yours?

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  10. What a gorgeous colour-packed post. Those eggs are lovely, and the girls are too! I really like the tulip leaves, the turkey tail mushrooms, and wow that black bamboo is something else. Could you make a basket - sort of a rigid-sided one - from it? Or a really cool Barbie beach hut? ;)

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  11. I do remember that antique egg holder! So cool! I am so happy your girls are laying again! I never did have to buy any while my girls were on strike, as there was always one or two to lay. But now they are getting back into gear! I love the egg shell color variation!
    Your washcloth looks great. I have used them in the shower too. So nice and luxurious!
    Your little hats are darling, and Taci will be giving them to some very happy Mama's for their babies!!
    XO Kris

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  12. I've never seen black bamboo before - I wonder could we get some for our garden. Our hens have continued laying through the winter which has really surprised us. I hope they won't suddenly stop! Your wee hats are lovely and you're gathering up quite a pile already. I need to make more dishcloths as mine as starting to fray round the edges. I'd also like to make myself some facecloths.

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  13. Hi Teresa, How is it possible that you have "green" showing up! I thought you had more winter! New England just got a blizzard, my daughters in Massachusetts got 34 inches.....we only got 6 but it is frigid out and I have been hibernating! Love the blue eggs and seeing your girls : ) Love the bamboo, there has to be a wonderful idea to use that gorgeous bamboo Take care, xoRobin

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  14. Glad to see the hens are laying again. Your baby hats look great and this is such a good cause x

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  15. Such pretty, healthy chickens! I love that egg holder. Maybe we should start collecting them, Teresa. I don't even have any chickens, but I still love my red spiral one that I have that's just like yours. The dishcloth (or facecloth) looks great. Such nice, even stitches. Enjoyed seeing some things in your yard. We have all kinds of things coming up too. It was nearly 80 here yesterday and it's supposed to be that again today. Your hats are darling! Enjoy your shrimp salad and time with Dayle.

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  16. Great post as always! I finally got on here today. I subscribed to get your posts in my e-mail.

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  17. Two gorgeous hens you have there! I would so like to be able to keep hens but we don't have the space. Plus I imagine the whippets would think they were supper!

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  18. What gorgeous girls they are - and to have aqua coloured eggs! I love the fact that her first one had that little bit of extra blue at the top. We used to have a couple of marans and they would lay eggs with the deepest brown shells and the most delicious deep golden yolks - ! do miss them and would love to have the space to have some more one day. Shrimp salad sounds fab - hope you enjoyed it x Jane

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  19. Well done to Mrs Chicken for laying eggs at last! Maybe the others will follow suit.

    Make sure you don't get your pot holders & face cloths mixed up, that wouldn't be nice on your face :o

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  20. What beautiful hens you have, they look so healthy and, well, feathery. I dream of having chickens one day. The tulip leaves are astonishing, so pretty and unusual. It's all looking lovely in your garden and the neighbouring fields. I hope you both have a really nice meal. CJ xx

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  21. oh yum .. shrimp salad !! Drooling a bit here. Your hens look absolutely beautiful - if they were boys I'd say they were handsome. You can tell they're very well looked after. Love the coloured eggs. I bet you'll love using your knitted cloth for your face. I have one and it is so soft. Knitting is much softer than crochet too. That pattern always looks good - I've used it many times too. I rather like the look of corner to corner patterns and am thinking about doing a baby blanket in the c2c which seems to be very popular at the moment. Hope you enjoyed your lunch. xox

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  22. Pretty hens and eggs. And so green where you are. That bamboo would make great hangers for crochet work, or a weaving, or even with pretty ribbons hanging from it. People use regular sticks for that, but the bamboo is really pretty. Have a good Thursday. Tammy

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  23. Glad to hear you're getting some eggs again. :) I'm not too fond of chickens myself. As a girl, growing up, we always had chickens, and it was my job to take care of them. I just don't enjoy getting flogged by a mean ol' rooster! lol Love your cloths and your hats! Enjoy your day! :)

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  24. Oh my goodness, it already looks like spring at your house. We're still snowy and gray here in northern Illinois. Love those adorable hats!

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