In progress

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized
Nålbinding rag rug

I have a new car rider line activity. We had a king sized sheet wear out, and I decided that I wanted to try my new nålbinding techniques to make a rag rug. There are many different ways to construct a rag rug, such as sewing braided lengths together, crocheting, or using half hitches.

For this one I’m using a Finnish 1+1 stitch. I tore the sheet into 1” strips, and made each strip into a small bundle so they wouldn’t get tangled in the bag. To join strips, I sew the ends together with a few straight stitches. I am doing something a little different than traditional increases on the curves; Instead of making two stitches into one previous stitch, I’m making the increase stitch stand alone (like a chain stitch in crochet). I like the texture of the fabric better with this method.

I’m about half-way through my bag of torn strips. This one is going to take awhile, but it will be interesting to see how it comes out!

Another scare

On By CarynIn chickens
What have you been eating?!?

I went to check on the chickens and was quite alarmed to see that many of them had red in their beard feathers. What the heck? Was someone bleeding and they all had a peck? Chickens will peck at anything red, especially blood. I started to look at each of them for injuries.

Don’t you hate it when the watermelon juice drips into your beard?

No. I had given them a watermelon end, and the bowl was a little deeper than usual. They had watermelon beards. Ha.

Health check results

On By CarynIn chickens

I put the weight numbers in my chart from our chicken health check the other day. Everyone is still putting on weight (especially Magic, who has nearly removed all the mud from her feathers at this point). Feet and bands look good, no creepy crawlies under the wings, and everyone’s vents are clear. Yay! They are also adjusting to the heat. When I checked on them, the temperature was 93 degrees F, and no one was panting. It was 7pm, there was a slight breeze,and the sun was going down, but I’ll take it.

Grandmother Toad

On By CarynIn Wildlife
Gulf coast toad

According to herpsoftexas.org, Gulf Coast Toads can grow up to 4 inches in length. So this must be a grandmother toad, as she is at the top end of her growth. (I’m not actually sure she is a she, but I thought in toads, females are larger.)

I can’t believe she just let me put my hand that close for a picture. But then again, I’ve had others of this species sit on the door sill as if they are waiting to be asked in for tea. She probably wouldn’t wait, she would come in and help herself!

Mud hen

On By CarynIn chickens

I had a little bit of a panic today. I was spot checking the chickens (pick up one or two out of the twelve at random and check under the wings), and on the second check, found that Magic’s under feathers were coated in muck and debris. I called my eldest for assistance (well, texted), and we did a full check of all the chickens. Magic was the only one with the mud in her feathers. We didn’t see creepy crawlies in there, and it smelled like mud. I dusted some diatomaceous earth under her wings and let her go with the others.

Mud bath results: muck and debris in her feathers (not the greatest picture, it was more felt than seen)

It did rain last night, for the first time in a month, and it looked for all the world as if she tried for a dust bath and instead got a mud bath.

Girls enjoying a fresh run after their health checks

On the evening check, most of the debris was gone from under her wings, so I think she did try for an impersonation of a mud hen. I’ll still keep an eye on her though.