Hot hot chooks

Note to oneself - when friend phones up and asks if you want to pop over for a cuppa and natter, try to do at least one little job first before you leave! Likewise, if she says she has to go to the supermarket - she should go first and not hope that there will be time left after you have put the world to rights!

So this is where we spent rather too much time today! But on the plus side - the world IS back on schedule and has been put right over numerous cups of tea. Apparently coffee is too hot for a day like today, but tea is ok - according to my friend, so you see the style of logic and reasoning which has been applied to the rest of the issues covered!

Do you think I should be worried by this rather large bowl of suspicious white powder in my friends kitchen (not to mention the little figure at the side who looks like he has already sampled something!) Panic over, she was going to make bread, but ran out of places to keep the flour!

Once at home I discovered two really really hot chooks trying to lay eggs at the same time! Neither one was about to give in and they were both squashed into the nest box. In this heat I just don't think it was a good plan but there was no reasoning with them, even put some water in the house for them but they were not interested. Now they are re-united with Betty who was not participating in the bundle in the nest box and are sunbaking in the dirt, still hot and panting! And still ignoring the numerous bowls of water which are placed around the garden - there's just no telling some chooks!

Take care all and enjoy the sunshine

Sarah x

At the Seaside

Sorry - again! Been neglecting you - again!

Managed to escape this weekend and went to the seaside. Now someone I was talking to last week laughed when I said I was off to the seaside - they thought it was lovely that people still called it the seaside! I suppose I could say the beach, or the ocean (although technically speaking this was the North Sea) but the word 'seaside' means so much more than just the beach I think. There is the pier, or two in Yarmouth's case, donkeys, amusements, bowling greens, ice cream and fish and chips!

So here is a quick review of our time at the seaside!

Fish and chips! Well it would be wrong not to! Had a bit of a trip back to childhood and we had fishfingers instead! Technically not a patch on those we had in Lynmouth a few months back but we were sat on a hot hot hot beach with blue sky and sunshine and it was wonderful.

Really didn't take many pictures, actually none at all, of our surroundings! So just a little peek at the pier and it's theatre behind Hubby playing frisby.

Boldly going where not many others were! Off into the aforementioned North Sea. Not as forward thinking as my friend who you can just see in the water - she remembered to pack her bathers which is not something that I even considered when we left, was rather wishing I had at this point as it was very refreshing in the water (polite term for flipping cold) but OK once you were in!

Somebody learnt to play frisby!

And was rather good at it so long as there wasn't a ball in sight which is the prefered method of play!

Right at the very end just as we were saying goodbye to the sea we had a fly past - and they waved!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend, take care

Sarah x

Been Time Travelling

Excuse me for not having got in gear and blogged yesterday, I think I must have still been recovering from my time travel which I undertook at the weekend. Not a normal occurrence even here in Land Cuckoo, where most things are possible!

So we went back to 1649 to the unrest of the English Civil Wars as it may have been over at Wimpole Hall.

The blacksmith was busy making his tools and swords.

And there was a steaming pot of something lovely cooking over the open fire.

The chap with the ladle was the chef and I am pretty certain I saw him go off to battle weilding the very same ladle!

In the grounds of the Hall this is when it all 'kicked off' so to speak. These men are not happy about the high fines and low wages, not to mention the fact that their village has already been demolished and re-located by the owner of the house Thomas Chicheley, a staunch Royalist, so that he could have a nicer view from his windows!

So they up sticks (well I think these are called pikes) and formed a group called the Levellers (not to be confused with the band of the same name and whose tunes I was humming the whole time there!)

Then round a corner and look what I spotted.......

A fabric shop!! Would you belive it? Hubby just shook his head and wandered off to battle!

After all the excitement was over and the good people had won their cause (I have to assume that this is the case - I'm not the best at keeping up with plot lines and I studied geography at school instead of history) the cannons were fired to demonstrate just how noisy it would have been in battle, not to mention highly dangerous and frightfully confusing!

Right at the end of the day we ran into the Hall itself to have a look around inside. We were the last people in and had the rare treat of being able to walk around without anyone else being in the room as us, except for the staff. Even better was the fact that as we were in the grand dining room the soldiers trooped the colour past the house. So there we were, it was just like trooping the colour but this time we were the royalty, or at least that is what I decided to be for a minute or two!

Soon changed my mind though - the peasants were revolting! Bit scary seeing all those come at you with their weapons charged.

Fortunately it all ended quite happily with a little photo call and we were saved!

The historical content of this blog will not be accurate, even if I really did travel back in time, it was very confusing with lots going on, I cannot possibly be responsible for getting it all right!

Back to today and I have work to do, blue sky and sunshine and washing to be done!

Take care all, Sarah x

I WILL get my cup of tea!

Morning all! Well not anymore, Aftenoon!

How did it get to nearly half past 12?

Oh yes, I am easily distracted aren't I! Still waiting for me to make myself a cup of tea! I have about 10 jobs on the go at the same time today and right now my tummy is rumbling and I am aware that the washing machine has finished so need to add that to the list.........

Why don't you make yourselves a cuppa now and have a sit down and a good read of this blog, not mine but this one - Cow Island

I would put a picture on here of it to give you a taster but don't know how that works as they have all been drawn by the Big Pencil in the Sky and I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of it - I may get erased as I imagine that a big pencil would have a big eraser on the other end.

So now I have set you all off to go and sit and read for a while I am going to go off and try to get this cup of tea made and finish off all these jobs!

Take care all
Til tomorrow
Sarah x

Hitchin Lavender

I popped into Hitchin Lavender earlier in the week to collect some bits and pieces for my stores and thought that I would give you a little virtual tour.

On my travels to Australia I am always struck by how big the sky is there, I don't know what gives it that impression as it can't really be any bigger can it? When I came round the corner of the farm buildings and saw this view I got exactly that feeling here, in Hitchin.

This year the lavender fields are open daily up until the 16th of August and light refreshments are being served in the barn, a fabulous setting for a cuppa with it's beams and high ceilings. There's plenty of parking and would make a great day out, Hitchin itself is a lovely town to visit, great shops, a busy market and lots of history.

Don't you think this has to be just the best place for a picnic? Take a good book, hat and sunscreen and just reeeeelaaaaaax...........................

I'm sure I should probably promote some of my products I make with this lavender but I am far to relaxed just thinking about it! But if you like, click here and here to see some of my bits and visit the Hitchin lavender website to find out more about them. Let me know if you come for a visit, I could pop down and have a cuppa with you!

Take care all and have a lovely weekend, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Thank you

Before I go off on a tangent I just want to say a big thank you to you all for your lovely comments you leave me on my blog. It is such a treat to open up my blog pages and find that you have been reading and leaving me messages, thank you x.

Buddy's Friday

As I have had a week of retrieving balls from rivers and streams I thought I would share a few tips with you about wet shoes!

If your shoes get soaked, take them off as soon as you get home, stuff with newspaper and let them dry naturally. Don't be tempted to put them in the sun or infront of the fire. Once they are dry use some saddle soap to condition them and then polish.

Dry wet wellies with a hairdryer.

To prevent dyed shoes marking your feet when they get wet spray the inside with some Scotchguard.

Never wear new leather shoes in the rain - they need a bit of wear to build up water resistance.

For an effective waterproof coating give your shoes a final polish with a coat of floor wax.

Hopefully those of us in the uk wont be having to worry about wet shoes for a few months with this hot hot hot summer we have been promised!

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Beautiful ffflowers

It was Biggleswade Farmers Market yesterday, we escaped the rain! Although it was windy, which I was unprepared for having forgotten my pebbles to weight everything down, it was a lovely day. Not the busiest for some reason, don't know where the folk of Biggleswade had gone to!

After some encouraging comments about my lemonade I am wondering if it would be a good idea to source some bottles and sell it bottled as opposed to in a cup to drink straight away, thats another job to add to the list..........

When I got home I had this lovely parcel waiting for me from ffflowers who handmakes funky fabric flowers on a vintage flower loom.

This is my fabulous brooch I ordered, just the thing to brighten up any day by wearing it.

And then a lovely treat - as I was the 100th sale on Etsy for ffflowers she sent me these two stems of flowers too.

They started off in my old bottles on the windowsil in the kitchen,

But now I have put them on the new mantleshelf as the sun was so bright - don't want them to fade! Do have a look at ffflowers products over on Etsy, they are all lovely and she uses some beautiful colours.

I am off to attempt to set up a new printer, not feeling too confident about it as the packaging was enough of a challenge! How do they design boxes like that which are all linked together like a mensa puzzle and will only go back together in one way and only if you do it in the correct order!

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Also in Clovelly

I've just seen a beautiful picture of Clovelly in Devon over at Sal's blog and had to share it with you.

We visited Clovelly both last year and this year when we were holidaying down in Devon. My pictures are not quite the same as Sal's beautiful postcard owing to the fact that it was tipping it down when we went last year - in July!

We still insisted on having an ice cream at the bottom of the hill by the harbour!

The donkeys were at the top of the hill as they are not used for transporting goods up and down the cobbled streets any more.

This year when we visited it was still a little overcast and did try to rain on us a bit but we are hardened to it now and were ready for what ever it wanted to throw at us!

You can just see the sleds in this picture, propped up against the wall on the right which is what is used now instead of the donkeys, oh and the landrover which drives to the bottom of the hill to takes weary folk back up again, but we did manage to get back up on Shank's pony.

Just one of the views you get when you round the corner between the houses.



I just love the narrow cobbled lanes with houses somehow shoehorned into spaces where you wouldn't think there was space.

The sun even came out long enough this year for us to jump under the waterfall across the beach!

Do go and have a look at Sal's blog, the picture postcard of Clovelly isn' t the only lovely thing on there!

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Oh and by the way - the ball tally is now George - 2 lost, Sarah - 1 found , 1 lost. I threw it out the flingy stick this morning and it is now wedged in the hedgrow - will have to be very patient and wait until winter to even see where it is now!

The lost and found

One of the ones that was lost is not any more!

I'm talking about George's Balls! The one on the River Ivel is still making its way to Tempsford but the one from the bottom of the muddy ditch is now safely back in the flingy stick ready for action tomorrow!

Busy day today, a little light baking, gathering stores and running errands. Tomorrow will be a proper baking day.
Take care all, til tomorrow
Sarah x

More balls please

Saturday is market day in Biggleswade and yesterday Hubby, George and I popped over to get our fruit and veggies. Before we went to the market we stopped off at Biggleswade Common so George could have a run around with the ball and we could have a lovely walk by the river.

This is the River Ivel, looking towards Biggleswade, which runs along the common. If you turned about and walked with it on your left then you would reach Sandy. It is part of the Kingfisher Way which runs from Baldock to Tempsford. I have seen a flash of the blue of a kingfisher along here before but we didn't see any yesterday.

George, however did lose his ball again! Well to be precise it was a different ball - a tennis one so that it would float in the river, you can just see it in the centre of the picture by the ripples floating away! However, it landed just a whisker out of his reach and he was not inclined to go and fetch it if it meant his feet had to leave the bottom of the river.

It's still out there, floating along the river bank, although by this point it was the far bank of the river which meant there was no chance that George would be getting it back.

All we could hope for was that the current would bring it back to our side of the river in a place that we could see and George could reach whilst maintaining full body (well four paws) contact with the bottom of the river. No such luck unfortunately so thats 2 balls in 2 days now, gone!

By the time we were heading back to the car, the cows had marched over to the gate. Note how they are all congregated at the end of the path right where you have to go to get off the common!

This lot seemed much more friendly than the ones in the Cow Field here at the top of the lane! Although I admit to being the other side of the kissing gate by the time I took this picture!

Have a lovely rest of the weekend everyone, take care

Sarah x

Lost balls and car parks

I've been in a bit of a car park trance these past few days - you know when you are driving around looking for somewhere to park then you sort of forget what you are doing and why you are there! Am I the only one who gets like that?

But I am off and running now, not in the pounding the streets way, not quite that energetic but all the same I am making headway in a few projects. Apparently I am going that a way!

Today George and I went on a lovely stroll to the next village and back. Lost another ball in the stream - yes it is underwater and someone wont go and put their nose under to get it back and by the time I got to have a look the water was so full of silt there was no chance of finding it! I could go back with wellies on tomorrow to attempt the descent down the bank to hunt for it, alternatively I could just pop to the market and replace the sunken ball. By the way the picture is of George at the beach and that is a beautifully clear rock pool - nothing like the muddy place where his ball is now!

Off to work again now, take care all

Sarah x

Dilema

Which do I choose?

Not being one to pass up an opportunity to get something for free I now have to decide which box of cereal I would like!

Well clearly, in order to keep a good healthy constitution I should be choosing something from the 3rd row, but I am drawn to rows 2 (chocolate) and 4 (lots of nuts and honey), so much more appealing to have a giant sugar hit first thing with a good cuppa don't you think?

Had a little wander around the garden this morning to check up on the progress of those things that are growing under thier own steam - I cannot take any credit for the garden this year, it has been fairly well left to its own devices.

Apart from a few herbs that I potted up away from the chickens reach! Dug out my old singer sewing machine potting table which lost its old concrete slab of a top when Hubby was looking for slabs to go under the workshop! So now I am left with an old off cut of kitchen worktop which may last the year before it falls apart where the rain has got in!

We inherited this rose bush with the house and it flowers beautifully every year, so many buds of blooms yet to come. I had hoped to cut some to bring indoors but every stem had so many buds at different stages of growth I didn't want to interrupt it! Not to mention the fact that it is lethal, never known so many thorns!

You can guarantee that this lot will find something of interest at the back of the flower bed! Have learnt now that the best way to garden with the chickens is to keep them out of delicate areas but once the plants are established then let them back and they will help keep the weeds down with all their scratching.

This is one of our new apple trees of which I am very proud. Mum and Dad gave them to us last year, we have one for eaters and one for cookers. I am hoping that the fruits will remain just too high for the Chooks to reach as I can see them already eyeing them up as a tasty treat in a few weeks time!

Got to go and tidy up now, house does look like a small whirlwind has passed through it!

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x