Sad to tell, but there has been a bit of a ruckus in the henhouse.
As handsome Roosty matured, he moved to the top of the pecking order, and a few weeks ago suddenly decided that little Whitey White (can you tell my six-year-old names all the chickens?) would bear the brunt of his bad temper.
I'd heard that chickens could be nasty, but I was astonished by what I saw. Whitey was chased away from food, hounded when in the henhouse, left to wander alone, and then finally pecked on the crest until she bled!
I lay awake most of Saturday night wondering what to do, then at 1am suddenly remembered friends of ours with a lovely henhouse and free-range chickens, who had recently lost a girl to unexplained sickness (it seems to happen even in the best of homes). So on Sunday Whitey was taken to her new home, and I hear that she's doing quite well.
A happy ending this time.
But if there's any more trouble in the henhouse here, I have a friend who has volunteered to remove someone's head -- and eat the troublemaker!
#302 Basil springing up in the greenhouse (my lens fogs up each time I go in!)...
#303 Garden visitors (an echidna) ...
#304 Making chocolate cupcakes with my big boy (what you don't see: baby spreading batter all over himself in the corner) ...
#305 First pair of proper shoes (saved from when Eric wore them). I just noticed they have the letter 'A' on them!
#306 Adam pushing his large tin of tomatoes! The doll's stroller kept tipping, so now he has a heavy passenger.
#307 Magnolia in bloom.
#308 Adam's first packet of McDonald's fries, which he devoured. Brought home lovingly wrapped in a serviette -- chosen and paid for by his big brother. How could I say 'no'?
#309 Adam says 'hat' now, and will put it on if you ask him to.
#310 Handmade gifts from longtime friends ...
#311 A monkey in a monkey-puzzle tree (I know it's not a real one, but I love the name, and it suits) ...
#312 Little rivers that you can cycle to ...
#313 Babies who are proudly standing up on their own ...
#314 The second year of blossom on my little fruit trees ...
#315 A woodpile that grows and grows (even as we keep using wood) ...
#316 Granny's new greenhouse glowing in the morning light. It took all weekend to erect, and is rather frighteningly flimsy, but it's lovely and warm inside already ...
#317 .. planting out seeds and seedlings ...
#318 Clivias appearing in the shady borders around the house (no TLC needed for these) ...
#319 Sweet sugar snap peas for the picking. I've discovered they get sweeter as the pod get fatter -- but I still find it hard to wait ... and so do the boys, who love them.
#320 Sunlight on the washing pile in the laundry ...
#321 The $500 I won in a magazine competition for my photos of food!
... if you can catch the little one before he starts knocking on the front door to be let in!
After lunch, plates heaped with citrus-flavoured dainties appeared on every table, and we munched away happily while watching the baking demonstrations.
There was also the pudding-making demonstration, a talk on citrus trees and their care, and as much tea and coffee as you could drink.
... for a little boy to spend long enough to pick a bunch is an act of devotion.
... both the cooking and the eating ...
... and I've completed the semi-final challenge for the cooking contest ...
... or eat his picnic ...
... or get completely covered in mud and water, and insist on some attention!
... while the little one watches on.
(And gets his feet wet ... and his bottom ... and messily eats a picnic on the lawn, then happily chews stones and sticks and mud and leaves.)
He couldn't wait to climb in ...
