My Rooster Alarm Went Off Too Early!

My Rooster Alarm Went Off Too Early!

The sun had barely risen when my deep sleep was loudly interrupted by a happy crowing beneath my bedroom window.  I grabbed the pillow and hauled it over my head but it was too late!  I was awake!  How did he get out?  I found out that the little bantam hen and her chickens had also escaped.  She was enthusiastically scratching in the leaf litter and encouraging her half grown chicks to find all the juicy worms and bugs.  The rooster was stalking about leading them to better foraging spots.

  Later in the day I found the hole they were using and mended the wire.  My little hen had also found a nice place to lay her blue egg.  I have a shelf outside my laundry and she hopped up there and sat it in a plastic tray filled with guinea pig hay.  It formed a perfectly dry nest for her off the very damp ground.  The old dairy from my childhood had a shelf just like this where a particular hen habitually went to lay her egg each day.  She seemed oblivious to the fact that my father collected it from there each afternoon and she continued to secretively make her way to the same dusty bare shelf.  Often, the egg just rolled off it and broke.  We could never work her out.  My bantam was behaving the same way today.  I watched her rearrange the hay one straw at a time to build it into just the nest she wanted, all the while attentively watching our dog Bella who was dancing around far below her and yipping with excitement.  After she laid the egg and left her little nest I collected her warm egg just as my father had done and placed it in the egg basket his mother made 60 years ago.  It has been constantly in use and I can't part with it.  It is part of my inspiration.

 

  The weather is still showery but not quite as hot and humid as yesterday.  I took the day off today from knitting and spent it mostly chatting with friends over cuppas.   We inspired each other and planned how to sell our crafts locally.  We think having a place in Kenilworth to set up every Sunday afternoon might work.  We want to have craft with us that we are currently working on and can demonstrate to those who stop by.  I would like to find other talented, crafty people to join us for friendship, inspiration and relaxation.  (Working with your hands is very good therapy for stress.)  By the time the weather fines up I will have enough items knitted to make a lovely display on a table so I am getting excited.  The table needs an interesting cloth and I will need a comfortable, portable chair and another for visitor to sit on when they stop to chat.  Keeping it simple to start with. 

 

  I have the colours worked out for my next forest beanie and I can't wait to begin tomorrow.  If the rooster escapes again and wakes me up as early as he did today I will at least have something to start on without having to think.  It takes my brain some time to realize it is morning.  With that possibility in mind, I am going to stop blogging now and hit the cot.  Goodnight!