Firstly, thanks so very, very much for all the wonderfully kind comments on the previous post about Tobys hair. I was so touched to read them and wish I could share them with Toby and have him understand all of the lovely compliments you gave him.
Secondly, sorry to not have been around much recently. I seem to have done something to my elbow and it's needed some rest as even typing for more than a short while has been a bit painful. Scraping down the chicken run every few days probably hasn't helped but I think making these puffs may be the main cause…
A couple of weeks back I decided to start a cushion to match the blanket that I'm slowly working on (see below) and I've always loved Alicia's Sunshine day afghan, so that seemed the perfect choice of pattern. Once I got going on the puff making I became a bit hooked on them and made lots in one day. The following day I paid the price for my puff over-indulgence with a very sore elbow and it's taking ages to feel better.
Needless to say this project is now having a snooze at the bottom of my knitting bag. I really like how it looks and hopefully I'll be able to pick it up when my elbow doesn't hurt so much. In the meantime small bursts of knitting seem to be OK, which is a relief as I'd get incredibly grumpy rather quickly if I wasn't able to knit!
And here's where the crochet blanket is up to so far, but with my sore elbow it will be a while before it gets much bigger.
In other news, the garden is blooming. My squash and courgette plants are now in their permanent home and growing fast. The kale and broccoli are all doing well under the netting but the poor bean and pea seedlings have been decimated by slugs who come out to munch on them each night. Still most things are faring better and the chives are exploding like little flowery fireworks.
The chickens are happy and laying an egg each most days – evidently I need to make more things that use eggs as we've built up quite a stock! You'll see there's a particularly large egg in the middle which I'm pretty sure is a double yolker as we've had a few already. I've not yet been able to work out which of the ladies is laying these but I don't remember having any with our previous hens so these are special.
The weather this week has been all over the place, sunshine one minute and huge cloud-burst downpours of rain and hail the next – not fun if you get caught out in it but the rainbows after the storms have been especially bright and lovely.
Next week is school half term break but I hope to be back with some knitting news once we're back into our term time routines again. Until then, thanks for visiting and best wishes for happy times x
little cotton rabbits 
love the blanket,do like your garden very much hope arm is better soon.
LikeLike
Love the blanket! Your vegetables look much further on than mine. No problem with slugs but the squirrels keep digging things up to look for the walnuts they buried last year. I did’t have any walnuts either!
LikeLike
Also meant to say I hope your arm gets better soon x
LikeLike
Oh your garden is looking gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. My squashes and courgettes haven’t liked the cold at all and are looking very sorry for themselves, and we lost a load of sugar snap peas to the snails as well. I love the puff cushion, I like that pattern of Alicia’s as well, it’s so pretty. I do hope your elbow is completely better soon. CJ xx
LikeLike
You might want to use a more ergonomic crotchet hook.
The wooden one is beautiful, but maybe your arm would apreciate a different model.
Hello from Germany,
thanks for your lovely blog,
Tanja
LikeLike
Thanks Kay x
LikeLike
Thanks Gina. Those squirrels are pesky here too – we have holes in our grass where they’ve been digging.
LikeLike
Thanks so much x
LikeLike
Thanks CJ. My squashes and courgettes have had a pampered start in life in our sunny porch – I never thought of doing it before but it worked well – wish I’d done it for my peas and beans too instead of direct sowing! I’m hoping some upturned jam jars will help save my remaining peas and beans – I just have to remember to pop out each evening and place them over the seedlings, there’s not much hope of me remembering every night though!
LikeLike
That’s very good advice Tanja, thanks so much x
LikeLike
take care of your elbow Julie x love all your garden photos, the chives are so pretty! x
LikeLike
Thanks Tess. The chive flowers are pretty, I think you can eat them too, though I’ve not yet tried that.
LikeLike
Yes, look after the elbow please. I can’t knit at the moment because of my shoulder and it’s cerainly making me grumpy. I couldn’t even finish the knits for my new grandbaby.
Your garden is looking so fresh and green. My chives keeled over, no idea why.
LikeLike
Hope your elbow continues to improve so that you can get back to that lovely cushion and blanket! I love the photos of your plants. We have another frost forecast for next week so I still have most veggies in 4″ pots so I can bring them in at night. Have you considered using eggshells in the garden as slug prevention? I don’t wash them, but I leave them to dry then crush them in a sturdy plastic bag. Not a perfect solution to the slugs, but certainly a deterrent! Apparently the calcium in the shells is good for the soil too. Good luck!
LikeLike
Thanks Annie. Getting older sucks doesn’t it – I can handle grey hair and wrinkles without a grumble but aches and pains that limit your favourite activities are not welcome. I’m so sorry to have missed your news of the new arrival – will be popping over to catch up with you shortly x
LikeLike
Thanks Wanda. Keeping your veggies portable until the threat of frosts have passed is a wise move. I like your idea of eggshells in the garden to guard against slugs- I’m certainly not short of egg shells at the moment and it would be good to put them to use rather than them going in the composter.
LikeLike
I just love your garden. Sadly we may not get one here, just too dry and hot. I love egg salad sandwiches! Just eggs and mayonnaise and sometimes some chopped green olives.
LikeLike
I love the bright and cheery colors you’ve used on Alicia’s pattern. And your garden is beautiful and lush. I am jealous.
LikeLike
Your blankets are always so beautiful. I love the colors in both. I haven’t tried the puff designs much because I feel confused about how to do the puff stitch. I need to look for a video tutorial on that one. I loved seeing your flowers and your eggs. I bet that is a double-yolker! My hens have only ever lain one, but it was a huge egg compared to the others.
LikeLike
Thanks Pam. Mmmm, egg salad sandwiches are lovely, that’s my lunch sorted for tomorrow!
LikeLike
Thanks so much Bonnie, I’ve been very disciplined with my watering regime so far this year – hopefully I’ll be able to keep that up once the hot dry weather arrives (if it does!)
LikeLike
Thanks for the kind compliment Jennifer. I was a bit confused with the puff stitch to start with but once you give it a go it is straight-forward. I found the hardest thing was keeping an even puff and not making it too tight to draw the final loop through. I did fight with them a bit – which is probably how I got a sore elbow! The double yolkers are quite distinct aren’t they – they are quite a lot heavier too – I have felt a bit sorry for whichever hen laid them – ouch!
LikeLike
Your blanket is beautiful Julie. I learned myself to crochet last year. I am not that great at it. Hopefully I will improve with practice. Joan at http://www.aviewtothefells.com
LikeLike
As always Julie, your work is beautiful. I love those pretty colors!
LikeLike
Take care of your elbow Julie, I hope it improves soon. I know exactly how you feel as I’ve had anti inflammatories for my shoulder recently, no doubt as a result of crocheting!! Who would have thought that there were so many knitting/crochet injuries!! Your crochet is looking gorgeous though! 🙂
Your garden is looking fantastic too and well done to those clever hens! Have you ever tried nematodes to control the slugs, I have recently used them and hopefully they will control the problem naturally without the use of chemicals.
v x
LikeLike
Julie, your knitting, as well as your photos, is always so lovely! Your blanket-in-progress is just beautiful! xo
LikeLike
My beans are struggling this year as well; I’m on my second sowing and even those aren’t doing as well as I had hoped. Perhaps I need to try again – third time lucky! Your garden is looking lovely, I love the peeping viola! xx
LikeLike
lemon curd (eggs). Lovely! bx
LikeLike
Another lovely read from you Julie, thank you. The blanket is looking lovely as is your garden and so many eggs! They must be so tasty. How do you find the time to do so much? You are an inspiration. I do wish your arm better soon. Have a great half term break with the family. Best wishes, Helena. Xx
LikeLike
Your blanket is beautiful! Your garden looks so lush and green, love all your photos! We put beer in a saucer for the slugs…then get rid of them the next morning. My parents also used crushed egg shells..worked well. Hope your elbow is better soon.
LikeLike
Your blanket looks quite beautiful. I hope that you dont have tendonitis which can be quite painful. I had it a few years ago and had to rest my arm for a weeks from doing anything physically straining with it. Thankfully I have not had it again. Your vegetable garden is looking beautiful too. I love all those eggs and the date written on them. My dad used to get a few double yolkers which was great. You should make some quiches and pop them into the freezer for those days when you dont feel like cooking.
LikeLike
Thanks Joan. I’m still improving too – it does take practice to become good at something but it’s nice to learn something new isn’t it?
LikeLike
Thanks Anna, I’ve been wanting to use this particular yarn for something for a while because the colours are so nice – they have great names too – custard, smoothie, lolly, sandcastle, sugared almond …
LikeLike
Thanks so much Vivienne. Yes, woolly pursuits are risky activities so it seems! I think the trouble is you in the groove and keep going when you should probably do it in shorter bursts – at least that’s what I seem to have done! I will have to give nematodes a go – have never tried them before and I don’t want to put chemicals down as we have lots of frogs and still the occasional hedgehog.
LikeLike
Aww, thanks so much Susan x
LikeLike
Good luck with your 3rd sowing. I think I’ll be starting my peas and beans indoors next year – I’m not sure what I can salvage from this year though.
The little viola has been engulfed by a big pillow of marjoram but it still has a happy face – I always think they look like cheerful little flowers x
LikeLike
Now that is a good idea Becky – I love fresh lemon curd. Thanks x
LikeLike
Thanks Sue. I’ve never tried beer but have heard it works well – will give it a go and hope the hedgehogs don’t have a party with it!
LikeLike
Tendonitis is a worry and I’m hoping it’s not what I have. I’m glad you’ve not had it again. I better make a lot of quiches because it seems that I don’t feel like cooking most days at the moment! Thanks for the great suggestion Sue x
LikeLike
Thanks Helena. I fit in a lot more since I stopped doing housework 😉
Seriously though, I don’t get much done really, leastways there always seems a lot more here that is left to do! Thanks for your good wishes x
LikeLike
I hope your elbow improves soon, your crochet is beautiful!x
LikeLike
Beautiful photos – you deserve a double rainbow for all your hard work in the garden AND your crochet blanket – the colours are just perfect.
I’ve had what sounds like the same problem with my elbow and it happened after a week’s intensive crocheting to finish a blanket for my newest granddaughter…you know the scenario…’just one more row…’! I can’t get on with an ergonomic hook myself as it sends my tension up the spout!. My GP diagnosed Tennis Elbow and has suggested ‘eccentric elbow exercises’ (very suitable label for my elbow’s owner!) and I couldn’t believe the relief it gave. Any movement involving grip was painful – crochet, using ‘trigger packs’ when cleaning (rare!), even gripping my toothbrush, as was a ‘flicking’ action eg shaking out creases from laundry. Well worth a look on the old internet and a much less painful alternative to injections. Hope it improves soon 🙂
LikeLike
Poor you, I really do hope your elbow soon improves. I also find puff stitch really hard on my hands but I have never nedded to rest for more than a couple of days. What a gorgeous array of eggs. We used to love the double yolkers when we kept hens. We used to find that we usually got a lot more when they were young and still ‘learning’ to lay! I hope you have a great weekend. x 🙂
LikeLike
Your garden is looking lovely Julie, shows what you can do in a small raised bed. Hope you have a good week with Toby x
LikeLike
Oh Jules – you have been so busy ! I absolutely adore your little puffy squares, and they are so, so beautifully made. Hope you can get back to the puffing asap ! Have a good half term week, Kate xx
LikeLike
Jules ?! Sorry Julie xx
LikeLike
Thanks Gemma
LikeLike
That scenario does sound familiar Jean! Thanks so much for the info about the elbow exercises – I will look them up, any alternative to injections is good with me, I am needle averse!
LikeLike
Thanks Sharon. The double yolkers are much prized here. It sounds like a lot of people suffer for the love of puff stitch – it’s lovely looking but as you say it’s tough on the hands/elbows!
LikeLike
Thanks Alison. Hopefully the weather will stay dry over the next week – Toby will be happiest out and about but he doesn’t like wet surfaces!
LikeLike
Thanks so much Kate. I hope to be puffing again soon 😉 Hope you have a good half term too x
LikeLike
It’s OK, my mum calls me Jules so I answer to that too along with a few other things 😉
LikeLike
Beautiful puff crochet, it’ll look even more lovely when you’re able to finish it. I hope your arm feels better soon. Your herb garden is looking lush and verdant – must be down to all the sunshine and showers. We’ve had our fair share of those this week too! Hope you have a relaxing break 🙂
Cathy x
LikeLike
Thanks Cathy. I hope I can finish this cushion! There have been a lot of showers around so I hope we’re in for a dry week for half term x
LikeLike
Your blanket is very beautiful, and your garden is looking wonderful too. I hope your painful arm improves very soon.
Happy weekend.
Helen xox
LikeLike
Hi, Julie 🙂
Could be any of your girls producing the double yolk eggs, as it is young first eggs-laying hens who produce the two-yolkers. When they age (sigh) you know they’re about finished ever laying eggs when the eggs become smaller and smaller. 😦 such is a hen’s life! Sit back and rest- enjoy your weekend! 🙂
LikeLike
Once again, a beautiful post. Your colors are just an inspiration. As for the slugs, have you tried sprinkling fireplace ashes around your plants? I’ve had some success keeping them from dahlias that way. Hope your elbow is better.
LikeLike
Thanks so much Helen x
LikeLike
Thanks for the info Jayne – I didn’t know that about double yolkers. I don’t look forward to my girls aging – I’ve become very attached to them and they each have such individual characters x
LikeLike
Thanks Ellen. I’ll try the ashes out, though it’s been warm of late so the fire hasn’t been lit for a while. I’ll try and remember to save some next time it’s lit x
LikeLike
Dear Julie; so sorry to hear about your elbow! I have had great success going to an osteopath with similar discomfort. Almost instant relief & she gave me stretches to do to strengthen & protect my elbow/arm from it returning. I love the highlight reels of your life. I find it very calming. It encourages me to get back to basics…every day moments. Healing thoughts sent over the silver seas to your elbow 😌
LikeLike
I hope you have managed to cure your elbow and it is getting better now. Your blanket is beautiful, I love the pattern and the colours. Your garden makes me dream… it is very cute, all in little patches, it must be lovely to eat tour home-grown vegetables and you hens’beautiful eggs (lovely dark colour…) Best wishes for your elbow, Anne
LikeLike
I hope your elbow is getting better ,many you are alright . Thinking of you xxxxxxxxxx
LikeLike
I miss you 😕
LikeLike
I understand the elbow. Happened to me knitting for my granddaughter. Patience, the only cure. My thoughts are with you as always Julie.
Jill
LikeLike
I continue to think of you & hope all is well. Busy time of year with end of school, summer planning, just keeping up. Hope your elbow is cooperating.
As always, Lori from Port Perry
LikeLike
Thanks so much Lori for the healing thoughts. I’ve been doing some stretches (found some good youtube videos) and they have helped too x
LikeLike
Thanks for the good wishes Anne, the elbow is almost back to normal now. I am looking forward to eating some of the veggies that are almost ready – we’ve had some lettuce already but the courgettes and peas are almost ready to pick now. It won’t be a big harvest but they do taste nice when you’ve grown them yourself x
LikeLike
Thanks so much Caroline, yes, almost better now x
LikeLike
Thanks Lori, I have missed being here. Kind of ran out of things to say for a bit – hope to be around a bit more frequently from now on 🙂
xxx
LikeLike
You’re right Jill, patience is the cure. Thankfully it’s on the mend now and I’m listening to it and resting if it twinges and tells me I’m doing too much! Thanks so much for your thoughts xxx
LikeLike
Thanks again Lori. It has been a busy month – sports days, parents evenings, appointments and just general family stuff but all is well thanks, x
LikeLike