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Wednesday 16 November 2016

Mummy's quick guide to keeping chickens

We first decided to keep chickens because, quite frankly, I was a bit bored. You might ask why I didn't get a dog or do some grown-up colouring or something. Well, my parents have kept them for nigh on thirty years so it wasn't completely doolally for me to decide to do it.

If you're thinking about keeping chickens, there are plenty of websites that give you in depth how-to advice on the A-Z of chickens. I'm just going to give you a few pointers that I've picked up in the six years we've kept ours, and over the lifetime my parents have kept theirs.

1. Decide what you want them for


Get pretty ones if you want pretty ones, but my family and I have tended to prefer the Warren Hybrids or Light Sussex for their excellent laying credentials.




Sunday 13 November 2016

The First 'I Love You'

There are many phrases it must be quite pleasurable to hear in life. Like 'I do' and 'you're beautiful' and 'hello, this is the National Lottery - you've won a million pounds.'

I am lucky enough to have heard the first and the second. Sadly not the third.

Of all of these though, the words I think each and every one of us want to hear most are 'I love you.' And how sweet it is to hear it from your own flesh and blood, your own child.

I have waited a long time for that moment.

Tuesday 1 November 2016

The Day 'We' Made Apple Pie



Today, I made an apple pie, with the 'assistance' of my three year-old. I know. Brave.

My neighbour had kindly passed on to us a bag of apples and so had my mother-in-law, so I was keen to use them in some way before they turned brown. Admittedly, I didn't make as big a dent in the pile as I'd hoped, but it was a start. I may make jam with the rest.

I chose to follow a basic double-crust pie recipe which mainly exists in my head, but is loosely based on a number of recipes I've picked up from perusing the jumble of books that reside on my dresser.