I bought a cheap pair from my local decathlon https://www.decathlon.fr/p/mitaine-chasse-softshell-500-vert/_/R-p-10204?mc=8311055&c=VERT_KAKI They are warm I used them all this winter outdoors when I have been camping and fishing they have kept my hands warm and I can grip my axe when chopping wood safely,so I recommend then for general purpose outdoor usage.
2 Likes
For happy builders, lumberjacks and gardenersā¦
1 Like
After, starting Tuesday of last week, 2 days of a sore throat, 2 days of a cold, 2 days of streaming nose and eyes and now 3 days of a hacking asthmatic cough, Christelle our wonderful French cleaning helper arrived and insisted on administering the covid test that I couldnāt be arsed to study the correct sequence of.
And I am clear !! 
Still coughing though. 
1 Like
When I was in the UK over Xmas I slept in a bed with a memory foam topper- one of the most comfortable beds Iāve ever slept in - I was so impressed that I ordered one when I got back - itās just arrived, so really hope itās as comfortable as the one I slept on as it was amazing - hopefully a very comfortable nights sleep ahead tonight 
2 Likes
This is the cheerful news thread so but I got a memory foam topper and sent it back. In the depths of winter in a cold bedroom perhaps but otherwise too hot, too immersive and after two bad my back felt unsupported. Good luck. - ā¦
When I was in the UK over Xmas I slept in a bed with a memory foam topper- one of the most comfortable beds Iāve ever slept in - I was so impressed that I ordered one when I got back - itās just arrived, so really hope itās as comfortable as the one I slept on as it was amazing - hopefully a very comfortable nights sleep ahead tonight
Ooops looks like I posted in the wrong thread meant to post in the ācheerful newsā thread
2 Likes
Well at least that stopped me thinking Iād completely missed the joke!
3 Likes
Cāest fait.
1 Like
Today is the first day all 6 of my hens laid! Beryl is very inconsistent, one day a little one like todayās, the next a monster double-yolker.
nb Federica not Frederica because sheās Italian
11 Likes
Oh lovely 
I got to the point with my breeding a few years back where I had a full dozen eggs in all different colours from purple to blue, olive, white, chocolate ect. Then the next day lost 5 to a dog and over 2 weeks sadly most of the flock to fixes. The remaining gene pool sadly boring colours! Luckily I took a photo for my 2.5 years efforts.
What are your breeds? Love the white one!
2 Likes
4 Likes
From left to right, Leghorn, Light Sussex, Coucou de Rennes, ISA brown, ISA Brown, Marans. The eggs that is.
I love your multicoloured eggs!
Top pic from left Colette, Beryl, Albertine, Edwige
Bottom pic Berylās back end, Federica, Daphne - and Colette peeping from the left.
7 Likes
Thank you, it was a labour of love, I so wanted an Easter egg egg basket! I started with 3 chooks, a brown, a Sussex and a black something so we had eggs and learned about caring for them. I then got 2 silkies (although stuffed up as they had scaley leg mites which Iāve still not eradicated from my flock years later 
years later, total newby error!). Then after much research once the silkies went broody I drove for hours around 24 collecting eggs. From memory arucana (blue genes, but never again, still have tree sleepers), marans, Orpington, faverolles, oh Iām sure there were a couple of others but canāt remember now. Above box was at least 2 years of breeding to get the colours . Iād got down to 1 hen with small pale olive eggs but she his in a bush and we have 14 chicks (born November), they are all greyish so donāt have great hopes of lots of egg colours but who knows!!!
3 Likes
What are they eating?
Itās cold so Iām making them porridge every day, veg scraps chopped up plus about 1.5 US cupfuls altogether (uncooked) of brown or white rice, some lentils or split peas, any grains I happen to have, maybe some oats, flax seeds, a bit of brewers yeast and at the end of itās too gloopy I stick in a bit of old couscous to dry it out. Iāve got a stock of grains lentils etc.
Thatās on top of the scoop of grain and the lettuce they get in the morning, plus anything they can forage for.
6 Likes
Oh, for a moment there I thought you were advocating an easy new veggie dish, something I am into at the moment (emphasis on āeasyā), and then I read the context of your discussion with @toryroo . 
Actually, doesnāt sound all that bad come to think of it.
4 Likes
It must be something to do with the breed of Light Sussex, our two do exactly the same as yours, never had so many double yolkers
1 Like
My beloved Sussex, Mabel, also gave lits of double yolks for a few months then settled down.
1 Like
David, lots of easy and quick dishes. Couscous (semole) is your friend. If you want to make a few meals put 1 cup of couscous grains in a heatproof pot (I use pyrex bowls that I have lids for, makes it SO easy!). Put 1 cup with 1 cup of boiling water, with a dissolved stock cube (or 1/2). Cover and leave. Fry chopped up veg of choice, butternut, onions, garlic, peppers, courgettes are my fave.To make it even easier Iāve noticed Lidl have started doing a really good range of bags of frozen prechopped veg if you have the space. If not adding meat (I like cubed chicken) then add some cashew nuts for protein (unsalted, not expensive at Lidl). Once your veg cooked fluff your couscous with a fork and check ready then add it to the pan and mix through. You can any sauce you like, we like piripiri(chilli). This will keep in the fridge for at least 4 days and will do you 4-5 meals. Freezes really well too, get some small ziplock bags and freeze flat (i put yhe bags on a small cutting board to keep them flat for optimum storage, take out the board once frozen) You can also add sultanas, chopped dried apricots ect. Basically anything you have in / like.
5 Likes