I think I’ve figured out part of my lack of creativity problem. It’s all this healthy eating. It takes a lot of time and imagination. I’m not sure how to photograph healthy food so that it looks good, but these two meals really were delicious:
 

I made some vegetable sushi for lunch one day, and then the other night, for dinner I had some mashed yams, sauteed bok choi and spinach, and stir-fried chicken and mushrooms with a little ponzu sauce. I totally made the recipe up based on the contents of the refrigerator, but it was a pretty good combination. I will say, however, that it is not possible to eat mashed yams with chopsticks. I know your day will be much better now that you know what I’m eating. Actually, I have two sources of healthy eating inspiration to share. First, is this book. I just got it, and haven’t made anything yet, but every recipe in there looks really delicious. Second, is this show. I admit, I try to avoid train-wreck realty TV, but an episode of this keeps me from wanting to eat french fries ever again. Caution: there is a lot of talk about poo in every single episode. You have been warned.

I found a knitting project I know I will actually finish in a reasonable amount of time:

I know this, because I made one before. I loved knitting it and I loved the finished product. My mom loved it too, so I gave it to her. Now I want one for myself. The first one was knit in Noro Silk Garden color 87, and this one is color 233. I’m not sure if I’m liking this colorway, but I remember thinking the same thing last time, but by the time it was done I loved the colors, so I’m hopeful. So now I am keeping busy while watching stupid TV. The apron still has no pocket, however.

I should have taken pictures of my molting chickens, but I guess it’s better that I didn’t embarrass them. A few of them looked quite pitiful for awhile there, but I’m happy to report that they have all seemed to grow in healthy new feathers, and look quite plump and healthy again.

The General was looking particularly dapper this morning:

I gave him a glamourous 1940’s screen star glow.   

We’re still a couple weeks away from a completed bathroom, but the most important things are finally done!

The cats have been supervising the progress quite closely. Lucy says, "The toilet is solidly in place. I approve." We’ve taken a few baths now (ahh! to be able to get clean in my own home, rather than using the showers at work), but I think I’m going to have to put a door on there for the shower. My big showerhead sprays kind of wide, and I don’t think a curtain will work.

I haven’t taken pictures of the chickens for awhile, and I know you are all missing them, so here are a couple from this morning:

 
Unlike Edwin, who has become increasingly cranky with the wind, the chickens are just as sweet-natured as ever. They’ve been hunkered down under the porch and in the coop, but come running every time I come outside, hoping for something good to eat. I’ve made sure they had some good treats this week, lots of apples and a bit of brown rice, which are some of their favorites. The General is looking particularly regal these days, don’t you think? He struts around like the supreme leader, but he’s really such a sweetheart. When he is the first one there when I come out with a treat, he makes a particular clucking sound, as if to say, "Ladies, there is something fine for you to feast on, come at once!" And he waits until the majority of the hens are there before he takes any for himself. What a smart man!

And because stress levels are still quite high around here, I started another mini quilt:

I’m almost done quilting. I love making these little guys. They’re just as satisfying as completing a big quilt, but so much quicker.

I have no idea where the last week went. There were no big events, just a lot of little regular-life busy-ness. I’ve so been wanting to make something, but haven’t been able to find the time and the energy both at once. Last night I decided that I had to just make something, anything, so I made a batch of cookies. I tried a new-to-me recipe from a book I checked out of the library. Yummy! They’re Oatmeal Cranberry Butterscotch Chip cookies. What a good idea! The dried cranberries are a nice little twist on the usual raisens, and who doesn’t like butterscotch chips? I’ll be making these regularly. Another secret to these, I think, is that they use more brown sugar than white. I like brown sugar.

I had big plans to take an artistic egg picture for Easter, but every shot I ended up with was blurry or silly looking. I blame the slight bug that seems to have landed at our house this weekend. We were both feeling pretty rundown, although I’ve managed to escape the worst of it, the husband is all sniffly and miserable. We napped a lot this weekend. I tried again this morning, but this was about the best I could do. I think the eggs themselves are so pretty. We’re getting a nice variety now, and they’ve been getting bigger. We’re up to about 10 a day. I think I’m going to have to open an egg stand this weekend.

It’s such a feeling of accomplishment, looking at this big pile of eggs. I raised 26 chickens from the time they were two days old, 8 have gone on to good homes, and I have 17 happy little hens, and a handsome, nice rooster. Not too bad for a girl from the suburbs! I sort of feel like I can do just about anything now!

The broody hen has finally been broken. It took a few days in the pen by herself, and a few nights of sitting on a bag of ice, but she’s out and about like nothing happened. What a relief! Maybe I could become a chicken whisperer.

Well, the ice didn’t work. I went out this morning, and that darn broody hen was sitting on a ziploc bag full of very warm water. So today she is spending the day in out in the pen. I put some food and water out there, sprinkled some scratch, tossed in a few grapes, and left instructions for the husband to take her some more treats this afternoon. I know she’s not been eating enough, everytime I lift her out of the box I feel her crop and it’s completely empty. She’s also missing a few chest feathers, and I want to put a stop to that right now. Apparently, when hens are setting, they pluck out the feathers to control the humidity because the eggs need a certain amount of moisture to hatch. I’ll keep you all updated :o)

I think we are on the last wave of daffodil blooms. One of my favorites appeared this week. These tiny little woodland daffodils belong in a fairy garden, don’t you think? I love the snowdrops too.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and words of concern for my silly chicken, I know she’s just a chicken, but I’ve managed to keep them all alive and healthy, and I’m not going to let one of them fail me now, darnit!

So, Saturday was my birthday, and I decided that I would just do whatever I felt like the entire weekend. So there were spurts of fun and busy-ness and spurts of lazing around. A friend gave me some little wooden egg ornaments, so I made an Easter Tree. I picked up some branches from the yard and gave them a little coat of Spring green paint, and glued silk blossoms all over. I added a few other Easter-y things that I had and I think it’s a pretty little tree. I may try to add a few more ornaments. I just love that little feather chick.

I got my geek on for a few hours, playing on the computer with the husband. Then we went and got the best sandwiches at the deli and had ourselves a little picnic at one of my favorite places.

I spent a couple peaceful hours on the porch, watching a favorite movie on my laptop while eating an ice cream sandwich. I really need to get a daybed to put out there, for the ultimate in laziness.

We paid a visit to the feed store, where the husband looked at goslings and contemplated putting in an order for three. I’m not too sure about this addition to the farm, but he really wants some. Oh dear.

We also had a delicious dinner of seared ahi tuna with wasabi cream sauce and a tiramisu cake for dessert.

I made a little more headway on my list, and cleared up the last of the scrap wood pile. There is still the fallen down fence to contend with, but I’ll just have to tackle that a little bit at a time. We moved some railroad ties over to where the wood pile was, to create an edging for a little planting bed on the edge of the future patio. The chickens hung out with me while I gardened, which was great, at first, as they scratched and pecked and turned the dirt and grow mulch for me, so I didn’t have to do it. I rewarded them with all the worms I found as I dug holes to plant a dozen creeping rosemary plants. It wasn’t so great later, after I finished planting and laid down some wood chip mulch, when they went back and scratched it all up looking for more worms, and nibbling on the rosemary.

Speaking of chickens, one of the Ruby’s has gone broody. For the non-chicken people out there, that means she wants to hatch some eggs, and has planted herself in a nesting box, hoping for some baby chicks. Ifirst noticed that she was sleeping in the box one night last week when I closed the coop. I thought it was odd, but figured she just wanted to get away from everyone else on the roost. But she planted herself in there all weekend and wouldn’t budge. I kept taking her out and carrying her to different places, giving her little treats to eat, but she keeps going back. I’m starting to get a little worried. I collect all the eggs, every day, and even moved the golf balls (we put them in the nesting boxes so the girls will know to go in there and lay rather than outside the coop. They just think they’re other eggs.) out of that particular box. She’s still sitting in there, even though she’s not actually sitting on any thing. I think the next thing I try is to put an ice cube underneath her. It doesn’t sound too nice, but if she doesn’t stop, she could get really weak and sick. Broody hens only leave their nest once a day to eat and drink and poop. Silly girl! I must have taken her out of the box about a dozen times this weekend. She’s in the favorite box, too, so the other hens put up a fuss when they go in to lay. Any chicken experts out there have any suggestions?

We finished off birthday weekend last night with ribs and corn on the cob for dinner while watching a recorded episode of Battlestar Galactica, followed by a couple Advil for the aching muscles from the woodpile clearing, and a good night’s sleep :o)