Bonnie & Clyde - The Runaway Chooks

Some people think I'm a bit odd.

But honestly, it's circumstance mostly...

We returned from a day at the beach late yesterday...

  

And as we pulled into the driveway, Betty, the lovely old lady who lives next door came running over.
'Have you got 2 brownish hens?' she asked and I nodded mutely as she hurried me up the street to Mavis and Frank's house (another old couple who live a few doors up).  'Mavis found them in her garden!'

Oh dear.  I hurried along to retrieve my two hens who must have gotten loose.  But as I entered Mavis and Frank's garden, I realised the hens who were happily mucking in at the end of their garden were not any hens I knew.  But me being there and with Mavis and Frank panicking, I rescued the hens and them by attempting to catch the chickens.  I asked Frank for a bit of bread to tempt them with but he kept telling me 'Hens don't eat bread!  Mavis, did the young lady say bread?  Bread what do you want that for?'  Sigh...so I set about catching the chooks.  I then asked Frank for a box but all he had was an old supermarket basket, so with much muttering I took the two hens anyway, one huge hen under each arm and toddled back up the street to my place, hens each squawking indignantly the whole way.

Have I mentioned that it was a gorgeous evening and most of the neighbourhood was out and about?

As I got to my place, a visitor was at our door with a bowl of macaroons.  I had no hands free so long story short, I ended up with a bowl of macaroons in my mouth and a big fat hen still stuck under each arm, ringing my own doorbell with my feet.  Of course by now a curious crew had gathered to peer at their odd neighbour and as every neighbour casually walked past our house calling out a cheery hello, I could only waggle a toe in reply.

'I've always known you were a mad woman' said Mr Bok.

Lovely.

Anyway I've called the two runaway hens Bonnie and Clyde, they are currently living in my yard until someone comes to claim them.  I've down a doorknock but no one knows where they've come from.

As for my girls, they don't seem much bothered really.  I still haven't named them.  As I've already named the lost chooks I guess I'd better think about naming our own and maybe bonding.  I'm still scarred from our last experience though.  I hope someone comes to claim Bonnie & Clyde soon as our yard isn't big enough for 5 full grown chooks.  I've always had 5 in the past but never of this size!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!  Wishing you a very blessed and joyful 2012 filled with adventure, laughter, growing happy things  and love

All was quiet on Christmas Eve...meet our new hens

Hello!

It's been chaos over here.  It's that time of year I guess...why do the general public appear utterly crazy at Christmas?    :)

Usually I am running around like mad too - but Christmas has sort of flown under my radar this year, I've been swamped at work both day and night job - and life's been pretty busy.  My sister is hosting Christmas so I'm not even stressed out about cooking a huge meal!  I'm bringing salads hopefully mostly from the garden.  The garden is being very prolific thanks to all the sunshine we are getting.

Miss Bok was very funny at her Christmas carols concert this year...the principal asked a rhetorical joke/question ('I wonder what this class are meant to be?  They are wearing something on their heads but I cannot work out what they are meant to be or what they are meant to be singing') and Miss Bok got down from her position on stage (all her class were facing with backs towards the audience getting ready to start their song) to whisper the answer VERY LOUDLY in her principal's ear ('Reindeer and Rudolph' - of course).  She later told me she didn't want her principal to be embarrassed as it was a pretty easy question.  I don't think she quite gets rhetorical questions yet.  She got a lot of laughs which she didn't understand either.

Her principal looks quite surprised don't you think?

So on the day before Christmas, we are chillaxing at home, oh and I have pics to show you of our 3 new hens!  They are not bantams but are full size but only around 11 weeks old.  They don't have names yet.  I haven't even tried bonding with them.  I'm still sore hearted from the loss of our last flock.  We now have  barnevelder, welsummer and light sussex pullets.  I don't think our garden could handle more than 3 full sized hens so it'll be a tiny flock of 3.  A far cry from our usual flock of 6 bantams.  I'm still so sad about losing them.

  

 

Anyone know when to pick babaco?  We have little fruit!  Hooray!

 

I thought the little ones had been opening gifts early...until I found a certain bunny in the act of eating up the wrapping paper from the gifts!

This is what I want to do.  This is part of the kitchen garden at Miss Bok's school - the chook shed is connected to the garden that the chooks are allowed to access through that little walkway bridge that Master Bok is standing on, the space beneath allows the chooks to move from run to shed!  Love it!

 

 

Phoebe - thank you so much for the seeds we've been eating loads of gem squash!

Greyzini zucchini and lots of it

 

 

Is there anything cheerier than a garden dotted with sunflowers?

 

Peach wine tomatoes!  Yum!  Orangey goodness.

Tomatoes putting on a great show

 

Too much trombocino... 

 

Lots of pumpkin appearing at last 

Mr Bok had his xmas present early - a ride day at Phillip Island 

 

This little spider freaks me out everytime I pass the airing cupboard.  Except it's a sticker. Such are the practical jokes of 3 year olds.

Have a WONDERFUL Christmas everyone - and if you don't celebrate Christmas, enjoy the festive season anyway - or stay away from the crazy folk in the crowds!

Funny looking things

Don't laugh now.  Or blush either.

When do I pick these?

 

Very rude looking trombocino zucchini...my mum giggles every time she sees them...

anyone ever grown them and know when to pick them...?

A fox trapper from foxabbit visited last week and put out traps for a fox.  No fox yet though.  The trapper was somewhat as I'd imagined he would be, but lovelier - a gentle man with a lot of respect for nature and yes, even for foxes.

  

No foxes yet...boo...

How does my garden grow?

My tomatoes are producing lots of fruit but the leaves are all wilting and the plants look like they are dying...boo...why??

 

Self-sowing purple podded pea surprises...

and lazy house wives 

Phoebe's gem squash!

 

Summer fruiting blueberries

  

My apples are very sad looking ...

but the raspberries are yummy!

And what's happening with Tim Tam?

Spot the actual creature

 

Tim Tam loves play time with Master Bok (3) 

 

 

Someone sent me this link on why seeds might not germinate, it reminded me not to plant too many seeds in one spot for germination.