Bubbles, Floats and Summer Sun

What a beautiful day. (it's about bloody time.)
Crocus, in a hurry. I don't remember seeing it when I walked the dog this morning:









Chickens playing jacks. Tut in particular seemed enthralled by the concept. I think she could really do well at this, competitively:









Chickens did not love the whole jump rope thing. The turned their tails and ran when I took it out. I think I heard someone cluck "SNAKE!!"
Katy - tireless Katy, of goat-kissing fame - helped me get some more images of a certain pair of socks, still incognito, today. There were root beer floats involved. Also bubbles. Very fun. I even had my own bubble blowers....shown here, Eloese and Heather, colleagues of Katy's seemed not displeased to take a break on the first sunny warm Friday afternoon of the season to do some bubbling for us. By the way, a girl could get used to being the center of a bubble blowing brigade. Many, many thanks to them for their help. This was only my second root beer float, and each time I learn something new. Girl said root beer first, then ice cream. Katy said ice cream first. I think Katy's right (sorry Girl, I love you, but...) And we used a Ben and Jerry's fat-filled ice cream today. The first float kind of exploded I think because the ice cream lacked fat, which allowed the root beer to keep bubbling and bubbling endlessly while I tried desperately to keep up with the foam. Also, Katy seems convinced that sugared root beer is preferable, but I am not sure I am ready to make that leap yet. Sugar is, after all, the Devil. Everyone knows that!
I started playing with some Franklin today, which really I should probably not be doing. I am waiting for TOFUtsies from SWTC to re-knit the pink toe-ups from last week in just the right color for them to add to the pattern once it's written. I should be resting my hands. I should be writing toe-up technique. I should be....eh. Hey, it's a toe up sock. It's like...practice! It's assisting in the researching of my toe-up methodology. It's working for me. We can blame Gail. If she made the yarn less appealing, I would be stronger in the face of it. I love the colors, very brown and pink and orange. It will show better when they're done. The pattern is a little wavy bit I found in Barbara Walker, something about seaweed, darned if I remember which one now. But 60 sts, 6 st rep, US2's, very simple, just a litle something for ME. All my own. Not writing for anyone, not planning to sell to anyone, just keep all for my own. A bit of springy selfishness! I love this yarn.
Tonight on the deck there will be burgers prepared and consumed out of doors in the late spring warmth that should have been here weeks ago. I cannot wait!
Oh, Sarah - Chicken Tractor, ala Moi - this was before it's full completion, but you get the general idea. After this it got roofing and handles so we could push it around. They loved it, I loved it, all were happy, right up until something "got (some of) them" and we built this, the Grand Chickidian Resort and Spa, which later
had a huge (like it went all the way around the thing on three sides, had two doors each for human and fowl, and was divided so I could rotate them if they ate all the grass in one section) fenced yard added with poultry netting top to keep the (very) stupid guinea fowl in during bad weather. We discovered that early in spring when small tender green things were coming up in the garden we would lose everything if we did not contain the birds or keep the lettuce in cages. We did a little of both and all was well. The Grand Chickidian was lovely, with space for grain storage seperate from the birds...a plan we stuck with when we moved here. For the sublime, penultimate chicken house of all chicken houses, visit Hancock Shaker Village and see theirs. Unreal. I love it. I would copy it in a heart-beat had I the funding! By the way, this is the last weekend of their baby animals program, and anyone with time to spare looking for a fun trip should go Saturday - they will have games, activities, all sorts of baby animals, sheep shearing demos...you name it! I have to work, or I'd be there!