Spring on my windowsill

Like my fellow garden lovers in Australia, I'm delighted that there is a definite Spring feel in the air  :)

Seeds are sprouting on my windowsills and in the garden, it's a magic time of year and I am more than ready to shake off winter!  I've bravely put seedlings of tomato carefully nurtured on the window still from seed out in the apple crates, knowing jack frost is still visiting through the week.  Silly aren't I...ever the optimist!

The potatoes in the empty chook feed bags are doing well I think...

And I've been enjoying the sunshine spilling through the window onto my little rocking chair under my fan palm, Professor Lewis Carroll.

Hypatia our mumma hen has even laid an egg for us and I'm very pleased is teaching the other young ones how to eat - that is, they watch her and copy her.  Her egg contributed to some baked goodies...

  

I'll leave you with a cartoon I giggled at whilst flicking through The Big Issue the other day...

Fugitive chook!

This pic is too funny!

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/help-crack-this-chicken-mystery/story-e6frf7kx-1226008986828

Doesn't look too impressed! 

Seeing I've posted the pic of the fugitive chook I will also take the opportunity to post more pics of my flock!

Whilst I am the Keeper of the Bok Flock, Astrid is undoubtably their leader.  She is the first to try anything new and only when she's given her 'Bok' of approval, will the others dare to tuck in.  Of course if the grub particularly tasty, the Approval Bok may not be given for some time, but she always leaves a fair bit for the others being the kind and generous soul she is.  She also loves to go for a run, flapping madly not quite taking off but just enjoying getting the others into a flap!  (you know how it is with chooks when one takes off the others all drop what they're doing and follow along for the fun of it)

 Astrid

I've been rather worried about Cloud Zen since Bok Choy (the other silky) joined the big coop in the sky.  I've been watching her anxiously for signs of depression and loneliness.  She is more solitary now that she doesn't have her shadow by her side, but she is doing well with the others.  My eye is always drawn to her first when I look in the garden, she is quite majestic and rather resembles a ship in full sail I often think. 

Cloud Zen.  Can you see Primrose there too? 

Very glad to see little grey Grace's tail feathers growing back.  She had been rather henpecked from the place I got her from and was missing a tail.  It's starting to look fluffy now!  Same with Sophie, her tail feathers were pecked by Astrid when they were establishing 'pecking' order but are well on their way back to their old fullness again.

 

I really love Primrose's fluffy tail!  Here it is pointing towards the camera.  I think they look like fluffy vintage bloomers!  :)

I really really love my hens!  They are an endless source of entertainment, company and really are a little soap opera all on their own.  Watching them go about their day is one of my favourite things to do when I've got a bit of relax time (whenever that is!).  If you don't have hens yet...I hope you'll give it more thought and get some soon.  You won't regret it!!

Below are seeds I've found germinating in the apple crates - not sure what they are they could be anything!!  Also in the plant pot I threw in some old carrot and radish seeds not entirely sure they'd sprout but they have!  So guess I'll transplant them out into the vegie plot!  Oh and there's a little caterpillar on the siverbeet that the chooks missed.  Sometimes they just can't see them?!!  So I pulled it off and fed it to Astrid.

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!