Friday was a special day, a day to be celebrated and wondered over. A day I have been waiting for, for many long years. Seriously. Friday was the day these ladies arrived. As well as our lovely little chicks we now have 4 ready to lay hens. According to the feed ‘n’ seed they are Black Sexlink. Black. Hmmmmm. But they are lovely and fabulous and very much enjoying their new, hand-build accommodations. As well as their gorgeous…
Like many people, when I saw Meg McElwee’s new book Growing Up Sew Liberated I just knew it had to be mine. Indeed it has not disappointed, there are so many projects I want to have a crack at and lots of helpful information on things like using knit fabrics, something I’ve always steered clear of. But Huwyl needed some pj pants and the Sleeping Johns pattern looked ideal. I shortened the pattern to a 3/4 length for these summer months….
Well it has been all go round these here parts. Not only is the house flying up but we have 4 laying chickens arriving on Friday. Of course it would be sort of helpful if they had somewhere to live so Stephen got to building. He had to abandon reclaiming some wood from the sheds on the land due to them being rotten and useless. So he reclaimed a bit left over from the build and ordered the rest. Now…
As a boy growing up in the 70s and 80s there were certain indicators of a privileged life. The first was that you had a Tonka toy. Not one of the modern mostly-plastic jobs. No, we’re talking the steel-plate, scaled down construction-grade dump trucks, diggers or cat-tracked beasts. Real toys for real men’s sons. But now I’m a father, I know the truth. Those toys were bought not just for their earth-trembling awesomeness in the sand-pit, but because as Dads,…
Today we celebrate the birth of my adopted country, the place that has been home for the last 6 years. This afternoon we are celebrating with friends, but this morning I am celebrating a couple of silent hours alone. This may seem a bit mean, to be pleased to be sitting in a silent house and knowing that Stephen is coping with both boys without help, but this is bliss. I can feel myself decompressing; the quiet house (if not…