The chicken chronicles continue - we have started getting a few eggs now, but nowhere near the usual number. The problem at the moment is that my girls seem to be having a "team moult", they usually go through this individually but have decided to really go for it this time. Most of them are balding round their necks, but Skippy is different, she is featherless round her rear end. Am considering making her some knickers!
​On an entirely different subject, I am starting to get booked up with pre-Christmas events, so if anybody would like a house party or stall before the big day please let me know, these are the dates I have booked so far:-

1 Oct -      Metfield Market, in the Church
8 Oct -     Halesworth Produce Market
​29 Oct - St Margaret South Elmham Craft Fair (could do with a couple more stalls for this one, so if anyone is interested please contact me)
5 Nov -    Metfield Market
10 Nov -  private jewellery party
12 Nov -  Halesworth Produce Market
20 Nov - Fressingfield Social Club
26 Nov - Mendham Church
3 Dec -   Metfield Market
​6 Dec -   Wortwell Bell
10 Dec - Halesworth Produce Market
​

We're home again after a lovely break in France. We came home to find that everything is fine, Otto is happy (and well groomed - thanks Laura). The chickens are all ok, but are not laying since the incident with Bunty and the fox. We may well have to buy eggs if they don't start laying again soon, which they probably won't as they were terrified yesterday when a huge hot air balloon flew directly over the house, quite a sight.  The occupants must have thought it was a mad house as Otto was barking, the chickens were hiding under the elderberry tree and Dick & I were waving like lunatics. Ces't la vie.
​I have been busily re-stocking the website today, with new semi-precious necklaces and earrings, as well as the quirky trowel earrings shown, I have made a pair for myself too because they're so unusual.

Well here we are into our second week, we're staying in a lovely chateau in the village of Charras, which is a sleepy little place with a bakery and a shop, but no bar, bit of bad planning there but we have a very well stocked drinks cabinet. This is such  a beautiful area, and the pictures just give you a general idea of what we've been to see. I think one of the most amazing things is the Monolithic Church at Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, which was carved out of the rock. We spent a lovely day today at Perigueux, a really lovely city and hardly mentioned in the tourist guides. We have one full day left at the chateau and the weather forecast is good, so we're hoping for another memorable day before heading back to Brittany for a couple of days before wending our way home.
​For those of you who have been looking at the jewellery - don't worry, I know several things have sold, but I will be busying myself in the workshop as soon as I get back. I will also be putting in an order for the gemstone pendants which seem to be disappearing fast.

As promised, the blog this week comes to you from lovely Brittany, where the sun is shining and it's been hot. Today we had a great day out to Morlaix, a wonderfully picturesque medieval town with lots of historic buildings and a truly massive viaduct. Luckily the town also contained a splendid creperie which we made use of, crepes and cider really do go together well.,,,,,
​While wandering round the town I was tempted into mineral shop because the window display was so great, and they had the biggest piece of labradorite I've ever seen. I don't seem to be able to go anywhere without thinking about jewellery design.
​Later in the day we stopped at a wonderful place called Huelgoat, a wooded area with the most fantastic rock formations, we wished we were young and lithe and could leap from rock to rock, but we tried anyway, and had a great time exploring.  Dick got in a pickle with his binoculars (not a phrase I ever expected to write), and as always, I was cruel enough to take a photo.

Our Bunty, a real star of chickendom is no more. Most chickens aren't really great characters, but Bunty was a feisty, curious and brave girl. Often seen creeping into the house to eat Otto's biscuits, and getting away with it, as he would just watch her with interest. She had a comb which flopped to one side, which gave her a quirky look, and although she was our smallest chicken she laid lovely big, white eggs. We will miss her a lot, but I expect more chicken characters will emerge in time.  Sadly Bunty was taken by a fox, but this is just part of country life, I just wish (wrongly I know) that it hadn't been her.
​The blog for the next two weeks will be coming from la Belle France, where we will be spending one week in Brittany and one in the Charante, hard work I know, but someone has to do it. The house, Otto and the chickens won't be lonely though, as they are being cared for by the lovely Laura. I will be taking my website stock with me, and posting  orders from France, I'm reliably informed that it only takes a day longer.
​Meanwhile, I've been busy making jewellery to replace some of my weekend sales at Walsham le Willows, which was amazing. Have a look on the website to see what I've been up to.