Tiny brown eggs and something sort of french...

The rhode island red hens have begun to lay eggs this week and they are tiny compared to the Easter Egger's eggs!  At least I can tell the reds eggs (brown ones) from the Easter Egger's (greenish).

The hens are about five months old so that's right on time.  The first couple of their eggs we found had been laid out in their enclosure yard but since Thursday which ever one(s) are laying them have discovered the nest boxes because they have all been in there since.  The two flocks are combining well and no one looks like they are being picked on.  

I was looking at knitting patterns on knitty.com (a free source of unique patterns - go look right now.  I will wait.) and found one called Clapotis (french name) by Kate Gilbert.  It is a scarf pattern and I cast on using Malabrigo Silky Merino in Stone Chat (softest, most scooshy stuff ever and knits up so pretty).  I hope to have the scarf finished by the time the weather finally cools here so I can use it :)

A couple of new projects and a finished chicken coop.

My husband, the fantastic man he is, finished the chicken coop this week and put the whole flock in it.  We still need to paint it and put some nest boxes and wood chips in but otherwise it's done.

One little issue has cropped up.  The rhode island reds wont go in the coop at night.  Silly birds huddle together next to the fence of the enclosure and sleep there.  Also, one of the reds might be a rooster and not a hen.  I guess we will know if he/she begins to crow.  

I began a new crochet project (yes I know the tagline of the blog says I'm a knitter but I crochet, quilt, sew, draw, paint, ans sculpt to so let's not be picky now, shall we).  Sorry.  Ranty pants will get to the point.  The pattern of an owl basket has been hanging out in my favorites on Ravelry for some time so I finally broke down and bought it and some yarn to get started.  The pattern is by Deja Jetmir and can be found here.  I am using Lion Hometown U.S.A. super bulky yarn in Aspen Tweed.  You crochet two strands at once and it is turning out to be a quick project.  I might be crocheting at too loose a gauge and I might need to re-do it.  We shall see as I get further along. 

Speaking of quilting, I am getting ready to assemble a strip quilt for the baby made ot of some bright flannel.  The photo makes the orange a brighter shade than it is and the coral looks way more red than in life.  It will be a crib size quilt when I'm finished.