Colour co-ordination in kitchen design

When designing your kitchen 

attention to colour is important.

By changing your accessories

you can make a big difference 

even in an old drab kitchen.

Tea-towels, hand towels, decorative bowls, 

and eggs of the correct hue can make a real splash

to your design!

You guessed it, the Lavender Araucanas

have begun to lay.

They are little eggs because the girls

are young and quite a small breed anyway.

 

Aren't they divine?
They look like birds' eggs.
(Yes, I get it, chooks ARE birds...
but you know what I mean!)

Garlic Chicken

I didn't have time to plait my garlic properly because of my sudden trip in December.  It was harvested but I wanted it to dry out a little before I braided it.  Isn't it beautiful!

These are the rejects...broken, small...inferior.

Rejected but not wasted.

Mushed up in the food processor,

bagged up  in 12 portions

and frozen.

One a month will be thawed

and fed to the chickens.

Great for general health

and a natural worm treatment.

See...they love it.

Today I mixed it with some breakfast cereal.

Weetbix and garlic, anyone?

These are the lavender Araucanas.

I think (think!) there are five hens and three roosters.

All of these photos are mainly of one bird

which I think is a rooster.

His tail is longer and droopier.

I think I know someone who would love him.

Araucanas, I have found, make the strangest noises.

They cluck like the other chooks sometimes,

but at other times make a call more like a turkey.

Definitely a bit of a gobble 

and they have deep voices.

The big girls loved their 'medicine' too.

Heather even had her's off the spoon.

Spoiled!

The bearded woman

I'm sorry little chick,

but araucanas are funny looking!

Who ever heard of a bearded chook?

Or are you a rooster?

I suppose you could always get a job in a circus

as the bearded woman (if you are a hen).

Otherwise, chip chop, in the pot!

Now you will notice that is two posts about

cooking roosters...

but I will never be able to do it!

I'm too chicken!

In the jungle, the mighty jungle...

Have you been reading this blog long enough 

to remember the birth of the herb potager?

It has been a year since the beginning of this project.

The herbs weathered the winter well 

and have gone so spring crazy, 

it is difficult to make out the structure!

Scarlet beans will be running up the arch soon.

What is that dog looking at?

Hope it isn't a Joe Blake, this close to the house.

 Arrrgh!  It is a giant, moth eaten, wild Araucana chick!

What are the best herbs for 

putting in stuffing for roast chicken?

Sage - check

Parsley -check

Chives - check

Thyme - check

Oregano - check

Mmmm!

"Whaddya mean? Roasted, self infused, herbed rooster?

I thought you'd gone vegetarian!"

Don't worry, little chickie, I couldn't put an axe to you!

Way, too cute!