A Rainy Windy Monday - and another 3 record breakers

Norfolk Lasses Eggs Total to Date: 332Day:145

KoKKo 111 Personal best egg weight 86grms 29.11.2005
Adelaide 111 Personal best egg weight 80grms 26.02.2006
Ginger 110 Personal best egg weight 80grms 27.03.2006

London Ladies Bantam Eggs Total to date: 11 Day:14

Dilly 4 Personal best egg weight 36grm 27.03.2006
Freckles 5 Personal best egg weight 36grms 20.03.2006
Pumpkin 2 Personal best egg weight 31 grms 27.03.06

I am aching for England, but have had such a lovely weekend I really don't care. I intended to prick out all the seedlings in the window propagator to make room for some more and perhaps so some trays of seeds too. But I don't think that I am up to it today, so a resting day for me (if I can sit still for long enough!)

The flock have got into a happy routine and they all rub along nicely now. There is a always a bit of competition over extra food and especailly treats, but they all get them.

First thing in the morning I let Freckles, Dilly and Pumpkin out to have freerange of the run undisturbed. I put up the fresh greens on the side of the Norfolk Lasses run, so both groups get to eat it at the same time.

This morning there was a queue for the bantam babes nest box, Dilly had poll position and didn't even come out for fresh greens and a pot of newly grown parsley! Pumpkin was walking up and down looking rather worried and muttering to Dilly to get a move on. She went inside and muttered some more, so I felt under Dilly and there was not an egg laid, so left them to it. Freckles took advantage of the situation and stuffed her little self with lots and lots of the broccoli greens, a bit of chickweed I pulled on my walk around the garden and a nibble of parsley. They were all up before me and out in their respective runs so had aleady eaten breakfast.

Later I went out again, and Pumpkin and Dilly had laid eggs. Pumpkin 31grms and Dilly 36grms - Freckles has yet to produce but she is often later. I can only think that it must be because they eat their greens!

Three eggs from Adelaide, KoKKo and Ginger and Ginger managed a new personal best of 80grms too.

I let the Norfolk Lasses out on my egg collection visit, then leave them to it until later in the afternoon when I give them some extra corn or apple or similar.

Dilly is still pushing her luck by going into the 'Lions Den' and stealing their food, but she keeps getting caught and goes rushing back into the hedge and pops out again like a Jack in the Box. One day I let the banties out all day in the pen on their own, and they still liked staying in the hedge a great deal of the time, just scratching about and chattering - and there I was thinking that they were hiding out of fear!

I am glad that they are all settled and the fact that all of them are laying eggs mush surely mean that they are happy.

On the garden front, in the past couple of mild days, the plants have really got a spurt on - almost growing in front of my eyes. The daffodils ar enow tall and look as though they will bloom in the next few days. Lots more plants have pushed their way up through the ground and the crocus are looking wonderful.


I hope that I am not speaking too soon, but so far the birds have not eaten them as they often do.

I fed the fish for the first time yesterday as it was mild and they were up.....


They are a bit difficult to photograph. At last count I had about 50. I have just honed in on some of them. The pond is protected by a frame and net to keep the herons from stealing them! Which they do in these parts.

Please excuse any typing errors - I am feeling a bit jet lagged and too tired to proof read.

Have a good Monday

Update

Still torrential rain. As you can imagine, it is very hard for me to sit still - so I went into the village and got another animal box and a few things from the village shop.

Back home I have put some peppers on to dry - two trays, and three trays of white grapes. Aren't the pepper wonderfully colourful. Just imagine how it will be drying shades of red and yellow and green - and chillies too.

For lunch I cooked rainbow trout each, stuffed with thyme out of the garden, and with flaked almonds in slits in the sides. To go with it I fried in a littel oil chopped red tomatoes, a sliced green pepper, and lots of black pepper. When cooked I added a few tablespoonsful of home made yoghurt (I made quite a lot for the weekend and we never got through it) and warmed it through. I took up the colour of the tomatoes and was really tasty with a bit of a zing to it. Light and refreshing.

Off for chocolate orange cake and a mug of milk - I might get by book to read, that will keep me rooted to the seat for an hour with a bit of luck!