This week has been very grey. Despite temperatures around 17ºC, we’ve hardly seen the sun. That combined with the hour changing and thus it being dark so early in the evenings has made me rather gloomy. It’s great, therefore, that I have such lovely friends to bring some metaphorical sunshine into my life.
Beauty from New Zealand
First, I received the first contribution to the ‘lap blanket of late-comers‘. All the way from New Zealand (my most distant square ever) from Mrs P, the Contented Crafter, came this lovely square. And not just a square, but some of her beautiful cards… which I think I’m going to put in a frame… possibly with a crochet border. If you like her cards (and really my photo does not do them justice), do check out her etsy shop.
An abundance of friendship!
Now that was something to make me smile straight away, but on the same morning I also received a parcel of knitted squares from a dear friend in Yorkshire. These are squares that she had intended to make into a blanket for herself, but she’s got distracted by quilting and decided to contribute them to the friendship blankets that we are making to support Denmark Farm, the conservation charity I am a trustee for. I may be naughty and divert one of these squares (and perhaps one of the ones below) to my lap blanket, even though this will mean that Nia has contributed to both that and the Masterpiece.
And another lot
But that was not the end. Yesterday I went to my regular learning guild meeting and was presented with yet more squares for the Denmark Farm friendship blankets. Again, another friend who was planning to make use of these squares for herself, but decided that she had enough projects and that we could give them a better home. In fact Ann has made the most wonderful bedspread out of squares in some of those rich colours that you can see… I must get a photograph of it sometime, I’m sure you’d be impressed. The squares were not her only gift, though. She also presented me with something for the chickens. Originally grown for popping, this colourful corn just didn’t want to cooperate, so it has been consigned to being chicken feed. I tried it out on the girls this morning and they weren’t sure whilst it was in the tin, but soon tucked in once I’d scattered some on the ground:
So, even though the sun hardly showed its face this week, there were many bright moments. Many thanks to everyone who acted as a sunbeam!
PS You may notice that Esme is looking rather the worse for wear… on Monday about half her feathers fell out, but the reason is now clear… she had a whole batch of new ones just ready to burst forth! I have never understood why chickens moult in the autumn, but this year she’s certainly not getting chilled!
The Snail of Happiness 
cambridgearomatherapy
/ October 31, 2014Moulting in the autumn is when they wouldn’t be laying any eggs before we started to mess around with them by selective breeding to get eggs all year round. They can either use protein for laying eggs or for growing feathers but just can’t eat enough in a day to do both at once. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ October 31, 2014Interestingly, when she was young she hardly moulted, but as she’s got older it has become a regular event.
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Karen B
/ October 31, 2014How lovely to receive such bounty through the post and from friends closer to home. The weather has been very depressing this week. Because it is so high here on Dartmoor low cloud can smother the landscape in just a few moments.
I was a little worried about the corn. I thought the coloured variety was decorative and not for consumption. I am probably wrong.
Enjoy the sunshine and the warmth from your lovely friends. I know from personal experience that you are a great giver, so I am happy that it is your turn to receive.
K
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The Snail of Happiness
/ October 31, 2014Ann assures me that it is edible and the girls do seem to be enjoying it.
Last March I spent a few days on Dartmoor… or at least that’s where I’m told I was. Frankly, on the basis of the view, I could have been in a bowl of porridge! We were assured that when they were there, the views were lovely… sadly we never saw them!
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narf77
/ October 31, 2014You just reminded me…I have a square to crochet! Cheers Ms Pauline, you are a life (memory) saver…now…on to the square!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ October 31, 2014I am SO looking forward to a Narfy square!
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narf77
/ November 1, 2014I wonder if I can spin Bezials “wool”…? 😉
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 2, 2014http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/7304452.stm !!!!
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narf77
/ November 2, 2014LikeLiked by 1 person
Ann Owen
/ October 31, 2014Well, I’m glad the girls liked the corn, great to see them pecking away and knowing that it had some use after all. And there’s another thing that makes giving stuff to you really fun: it comes back around, via pictures in your blog. Permaculture in action: closed loops!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ October 31, 2014They seem to really enjoy the corn – hurrah!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ October 31, 2014What a lovely bounty of squares 🙂 I’m so glad you like the cards and will frame them – that makes me very happy! Your friend Ann’s squares are so eye catching and colourful – I really must learn to make some like that! Thank you for the links also, most kind 🙂
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katechiconi
/ October 31, 2014I’m thinking some squares should be made into chickenwear to protect the moulting girls from the onset of cold weather…. Ok, maybe not! You have received good things in the same measure that you give them, so all is balanced.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ October 31, 2014It’s lovely, as well, to be a conduit and be able to share my good fortune.
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KerryCan
/ November 2, 2014Your mail is a lot more interesting than mine! It all looks lovely and inspiring!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 2, 2014Send me your address any I’ll send you a little ray of sunshine too x
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KerryCan
/ November 3, 2014I’d love a ray of sunshine! And I have a (not very exciting) block for your latecomers project.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 3, 2014Lovely! I shall get my hook to work on a ray of sunshine!
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