Epic overdue post

The problem with taking a break from blogging is that I have no idea where to begin, and no... I guess the beginning won't do at all because I can hardly remember all that has happened let alone the order of things. So in keeping with the regular random style here is a list of some goings on, in no particular order and of no particular importance.

- The garden has had a slow winter, other than greens and herbs I haven't harvested much. I didn't notice till too late that the ants have been raiding my broad beans but I have a few pods popping up now. The purple caulies only produced small heads, but enough to cook up with the last of the snow peas for tonight's tea. I've planted out a few seeds this week, tomatoes, pumpkin, zucc and beetroot. Hopefully the promise of a new season will motivate me to dig out the last 4 beds I've planned.

- I've had a brief experiment with water keffir, I wasn't quite sure of the taste to begin with but it grew on me, until the crystals themselves outgrew my jar collection and patience. I've stashed some away in the freezer for now until my enthusiasm returns.

- Quail have been added to the flock, I started with 6 and now have a dozen of various ages. I'm contemplating their future as egg/meat producers but for now lying about in the sunshine and eating mealworms is what they do best.

- The malay game girls have well and truly grown up! The first pullet eggs were exciting to find and they became quite consistent layers up until a couple of weeks ago when Miss White decided to become broody.  A friend had a clutch of fertile eggs to spare and suggested I pop them under her... she sat like a saint for a few days and then decided she'd had enough. I spent an afternoon hovering and despairing over how cold the eggs felt, and that night both girls perched on the roost together. In the morning however Miss Brown had taken over the nest, I assumed just to lay but she's been sitting ever since. Teamwork! Surprisingly the eggs survived and continue to develop, though how far they make it is anyone's guess.

The eggs are now 11 days and counting, minus however many hours they were abandoned. I know not to count my chickens but that's about all I've been doing! I've candled a few times and  8 out of 9 eggs have a beautiful expanding network of veins and tiny pulsating jellybean embryos. It's all new to me and kinda takes my breath away.

Miss Brown at work incubating. Both girls are quite nice broodies and only mildly indignant when disturbed.

Miss White prefers to shirk responsibility and play in the compost all day. (can't say I blame her though)

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