Seems such a long time since I last spoke of the chickens .........
Work has progressed so much, the land was cleared, bushes were chopped back.
The blackcurrant bushes alongside the compost bin were moved nearer towards the house.
Poor old Olive was moved nearer the fence so she could have more space - to grow olives hopefully.
Julia, Augusta and Septa have all been moved so that they can now form a blueberry lineup!
I don't think you can see very well from these photos but the apple trees - three on one stem (Cox Orange, Golden Delicious and Blenheim Orange) - was severely pruned, especially on the chicken ranch side!!
The sleepers also arrived, thanks to Tyseley Loco Works.
We now have a pile of well oiled sleepers waiting to be sunk into the ground, hopefully this will deter Mr Fox.
Roll on Summer!!!!
A friend has a train in his garden ....... a miniature train of course!
He held an Open Day for Charity and we were invited .....the instructions read like - when you reach suchandsuch a place take a sharp left and park in the lane. Walk down the lane to the gate and the train will pick you up in the field .......
So we drove out into the Worcestershire countryside and when we reached the lane, we turned sharp left .........
After opening the gate we could see the train line and a paved area so we walked across and, sure enough, we heard the whistle and round a bend in the hilly field appeared the train.
We were not alone by now, several folks had gathered at the 'station' but there were enough seats in the carriages to take us up to the house.
We alighted at the top of the hill after quite a trip round the field as the railway line gradually climbed up the hill.
The house looked to be old and sprawling as most of the country houses tend to be. We left the station building and walked across the grass, down the steps and into the patio area where most of the folks were gathered. Details of the named Charity, hot coffee urn, mince pies, chocolates and mulled wine were laid out waiting for us. We were glad of the hot drinks as the weather had turned damp and miserable, but the company was very friendly and accommodating, did I mention there were a few dogs and children running around undeterred by the weather!!
After a while we wandered back to the Station and sat on the platform just taking in the views of Worcestershire and watching the train as it travelled it circular route. The engine and carriages are a few years old but this is the Owner's second engine. He built the line some time ago after acquiring a diesel engine, again with carriage.
As the engine reached the top of the hill, the line veered to the left and completed a circle to come back to the Station in the right direction for the passengers to alight and then travel round the field.
In the middle of this circle was the chicken ranch, the chickens not seeming to be disturbed by the action, steam or noise.Several folks wandered around in freedom and dampness, chatting to other folks and ..... the chickens!!
We wandered back to the house and had another warm drink and bite to eat. There were a fair few more folks now, the 'green wellie brigade' in attendance, and DH wished he had worn his flat cap, but ..... never having been here before .... it was difficult to decide on attire! If we are invited next year we shall know.
I decided to jump on the train and have a couple of circuits of the field and had a smashing time, looking at the views and chatting with fellow passengers.
I noticed that every now and again, photographers turned up as we went chuff chuff along the line.
By the way, the guy in the Father Christmas hat in the above photos is the owner of the railway. He was most unperturbed by all these people and, as he is Chairman of our Loco Works, we already knew he was train barmy. The Works Manager from Tyseley Vintage Trains had also arrived with his family.
On my circuits I gave a wave out to DH as he sat enjoying the views and chatting.
After a couple of circuits, I climbed out of the carriage and we wandered off to make our donation to Charity and say our goodbyes to the Host and his good wife.
We travelled back to the gate and came home. We had a thoroughly enjoyable morning and I do so hope we get invited back next Christmas.
I have searched through all - and I mean ALL - of my posts but although I mention buying the furniture for my dollshouse, it appears I never blogged it.
So here we go....
My father made a dolls house for me when I was about 6yrs old and it was almost as big as me. He had fitted it out with electric lights, doors and furniture. My mother had supplied the furnishings and .... the folk who lived in the house. They were peg people, actual clothespin pegs, delicately dressed in the finest clothes. My parents must have spent hours and hours of pleasure and love making this present. Needless to say I loved it! I was the envy of all those children who came to play with me - especially my friend Freida. Unfortunately it didn't last many years as I came home from school one day to find it gone, just the furniture and the folks were left. Mam carefully explained that we did not have enough money for coal for the fire so it had been used for firewood, but I still had the furniture and people - I then noticed that we were a lot more furniture missing in the real house!!
I don't think I ever recovered from this loss. It had to be used, I agreed, but it was a sad fact in those days. Make do and mend was the way, no credit taken - if you couldn't pay you went without. These things didn't really stand out l a r g e in our lives as it was part and parcel, everyone was the same where I lived at the time......
Through the years I often looked at dollshouses, all types, colours and kinds .... that was when I missed my own .....
I made sure that all my own girls had dollshouses of one sort or another, even my boy had a garage!!!
Several Many many A lot of decades later, as we walked home from shopping I spotted a house!
In a Charity Shop .....
..... I looked at DH and said "look! I have to go see".
It was a handmade dollshouse, sadly neglected .... beautiful ..... I went back outside and before I said a word, DH put his hand in his pocket and said "How much?"
He later told me that the look on my face was priceless!!
The house didn't fit in the boot of the car so it had to ride home on the back seat - I kept turning round all the way just to look at it!
It is approx 3 ft long and 2ft tall, rather large (just like the one from so long ago).
We managed to manoeuvre it into the house and have a good look at it.
So, so neglected.
I didn't mind. What! I can do this!
DH will be allowed to help if he wants ....
The house sat in the dining room until the Christmas when it was relegated to the workshop/garage so that DH could work on its structure ..... the roof, the doors etc.
It stayed there, wrapped in plastic until last year when I insisted it was brought back inside so that work could begin - it has been a case of more important jobs being done and my dollshouse continuing to sit there.
So in it came, sat on the table where I could see it in all its shabby glory. I had bought some furniture a year after purchase and last year I found a family to add to it.
So it sits and, on occasion I turn up a magazine or a pattern and I think - I must renovate that house or I shall run out of time and it will be something else for the skip .....
My beautiful house ..... even in its neglected state I hope it knows it's loved .....
I make the children laugh when I say 'I have seen snow at Easter' but I have and I am worrying about these beautiful yellow flowers on the Kerria and the now forming flower buds on the Ribes. 
Another week and the fence will be decorated with yellow and red flowers.
There has been some house inspection carried out by a couple of Blue Tits so we think that the house may be occupied this year - it's about time as it has stood empty for about three years. 
