Bigger steps

I opened up the back of the broody coop this morning and Mary decided to come out, whereupon she did the most enormous squawky wing flapping display which sent the chicks scuttling into the corners of the coop. They started cheeping and following her once she'd settled down, presumably exchanging wry comments about not messing with Mummy when she's hormonal. A valuable lesson...

It's a big world out there and the chicks looked unbelievably tiny:

I was terrified I was going to tread on them so kept well out of the way but then Mary got the wanderlust (what is it with my hens??) and walked off, scratching at things in the undergrowth with the chicks precariously close to her great feet. I nearly lost them in the borage:

but Mary had more of a handle on it and a few deep clucks and they tootled back. We managed to marshal her back into the coop where they rejoined the egg and all nestled down.

I then remembered it was Latin at 10 (arghghgh!) so galloped off to Eastbourne where I dropped the children with the wonderful Phyllis and went and found Nicky for a CCG meeting.

Today was Fimo day :-) I had a go at making a 'cane' which is where you layer up lots of different colours to make a pattern, a bit like a stick of rock. I then sliced off sections and rolled them on to my primed crochet hook. Having started off thinking I was making a rose, it sort of didn't quite go to plan, but I then decided I quite liked the red fried egg look so:

I've not done a super close-up for a reason, ok?

Anyway, Nicky excelled herself and made the most fantastic Apple and Cinnamon cane which I sliced and pricked and baked and made into buttons. I've sewn them to my craft bag but here is one of them:

Isn't that exquisite?

Talking of starting to make one thing and ending up with another, I had embarked on another sugar mouse so that I could show Kate the technique but then I couldn't be bothered to finish it, so I unravelled it a bit and made its body into an owl instead. Adding some eyes and wings and a little crochet beak has made a suitable present for an owl-loving friend so I'm looking forward to giving it to her: