Sock Weather Has Arrived!

As the lion in The Wizard of Oz said: "Funny weather we're havin', ain't it?" Brrr!!!! It is pretty cold in San Diego. Can't help but think about warm socks and cozy felted slippers. Luckily, I just met with Lisa Limber, Schaefer Yarn's rep, and stocked up on this beautiful array of hand-dyed sock yarns shown above. We are kicking off the new year with a terrific sock seminar and the French Press Felted Slippers that are too cute for words!!! Check out our latest calendar for dates, times and fees. We are thrilled to add a new teacher to our staff, Eileen Adler. Many of you may be familiar with her since she is a teacher extraordinaire and has taught in many different venues. She'll be teaching the sock seminar, and I'll be teaching the felted slippers. Hope to see you at the Grove soon!!!!!!!
Happy New Year!!!

Christmas Crack!

I was up at 6 a.m. the day of Daily Scoop's Cookie Exchange to make my traditional Spritz cookies. Well, of all the times I've made these (practically my whole life), I had my first disaster. No boring details, just know that 2 lbs. of buttery dough with green food coloring in it is a lot to get rid of! And there was no time to do anything about it because I had a luncheon at 11:30 followed by work from 2-6. Curses.

My dilemma was solved unexpectedly by a late afternoon customer who told me to Google "Christmas Crack". She assured me I could make it in a flash, which was encouraging since I had only one hour between closing the shop and getting to the Cookie Exchange. Now I've heard a lot of frightening things about crack and never imagined I'd partake in it, but I did, and now I am hooked. Double curses. Christmas crack is a toffee made from saltines, butter, brown sugar, chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. It only takes about 15 minutes to make and it is crazy good. Check it out...c'mon, just try a little bit...it won't hurt you...it's the best high ever. I promise!

We've Got Red Knit Kits!!!

The ladies at Knit Kits created a limited edition red Knit Kit to help knitters embrace the holiday season. Treat yourself to one as a reward for finishing up those knitted gifts. They also make great stocking stuffers. We have just a few on hand so if you're interested, c'mon in to the Grove and get yourself one!

Frankie All Growed Up!!!

Yes, that beautiful red head is my little Frankie all growed up. I am embarrassed to say that when she was going through her awkward teenage stage, I wanted to trade chickens. Horrible of me I know. David said that she was just the ugly duckling that would turn into a beautiful swan (okay, if that were literally true that would have been Crazy!). And he was right. This photo was taken right before we had Thanksgiving dinner and I know she very glad that she wasn't born a turkey.

On the right side of the picture, you will see the black & white Lacey. She's a mature chicken and she's been laying for quite awhile now. And she is such a piggy!!! Very aggressive around food. She actually flies to get to Celeste first when she enters the coop to give the chickies treats. She stripped that Swiss Chard stem in my hand immediately and I was not pointing at Frankie. I was trying to give her a piece of it but as you can see, I was a little late on the draw.

Frankie is going to be laying her own eggs in January or February. As it turns out, she is a Rhode Island Red and they lay light brown eggs. It will be great fun to be part of Frankie's coming-of-age!!!

A Bit Bossy, No?

Dee started this absolutely gorgeous Bitteroot Shawl in January. It's knit out of Heather by Schaefer Yarns and it has matching beads incorporated into the lacework. Enough said?!I saw her recently and she mentioned that she hadn't finished it yet. She left mid-cast off because it was taking forever. I begged her to come into the Grove the next day and sit in a comfy chair and finish it so she could wear it for the holidays. Well, I insisted, actually. Hence the title of this blog entry. Dee, who is so good natured, complied! And within a couple of hours she walked out with the shawl all but ready to wear. All she has to do is block it and accept the inevitable awe that is bound to follow. She did a magnificent job.

If you have a half-finished project that you purchased at the Grove, I would love to coach you to the finish line also! Just drop by!

Knitting an Heirloom

One of the best parts of owning the Grove is getting to know our customers and sharing in their family events and joys. Holly is understandably ecstatic over the birth of her first grand baby...Abby. Unfortunately, Abby lives up north so Holly doesn't get to see her as often as she would like. So in between frequent trips, she settles for knitting for Abby and receiving wonderful text messages and nearly daily photos.

When Holly learned her daughter, Anne, was having a girl, she wanted to do something "very girlie" for her and she decided upon this eyelet-edged baby blanket. She used "Icing", Blue Sky Alpaca's worsted cotton, which is a slightly variegated deliciously pale pink yarn. It could not be more feminine. To personalize it, I embroidered "For Abby, Love Grammy" on muslin and I think it definitely placed the binkie in the heirloom category. Well, if you're going to knit for your beebee, you might as well knit an heirloom, right?!

Reversible Lace Class

Wednesday night, Lisa Limber taught Andrea Reversible Lace Scarf at the Grove and it was a good night! Lisa brought a bunch of new hand-dyed Schaefer yarns for the class to chose from (see all of them on the table?) and everyone completed at least one pattern repeat before the end of the evening. I only wish I had the presence of mind to photograph the beginning of every one's scarves! Next time...!

Keffiyeh Wrap

This intriguing wrap is featured in Modern Top-Down Knitting by Kristina McGown. There is a lot of knitting in this wrap and I debated whether I had the time to devote to such a project. But when I received Joseph Galler's Prime Alpaca recently, I gave in to the temptation and began knitting. The wrap starts with a provisional cast on and the wavy Knot Ridge I pattern you see below. I love the texture and the color play. It's like frosting on a cake! The pattern is simple, however, it is a challenge to knit 3 sts through the back loop (which is how you get the knotted ridge). It is so easy to miss one of the three loops and not so easy to detect the error until you're several rows up. With 153 sts in one row, that's a fair amount of ripping. So this piece cannot be rushed. The good news is that you have 4 rows of stockinette in between the 2 pattern rows. Rest rows are always a welcome sight.

Ah, A Woman's Play Is Never Done!

First, I want to thank all of you who came by yesterday to help celebrate our 7th anniversary! We had a wonderful time and your visit and well wishes made our day! Thank You!!!

For those of you who couldn't make it, Carol Brown served tea sandwiches, fresh scones, lemon cake and more. We walked the room with trays. Whenever a customer declined the treat in front of them, I asked them: "May I have it then?" and I had quite a little stack for myself! Who knew that cucumber, watercress, and cream cheese on white bread could be so good!!! You have got to try it!!! [It took me back to my old Boston days. When I was taking care of Rosie (my British friend) post surgery, I told her I would get her whatever comfort food she wanted. She said, "I should like a cucumber and watercress sandwich". And I replied, "Where in the hell am I supposed to get watercress?!# You are in New England and it is the dead of winter! Next choice please!"] Hah! But I digress.

Today, on our day off, judipatuti and I did a fresh window display featuring Thanksgiving colors of copper, brown, and lime green. Okay, lime green doesn't fit the traditional T-day palette but we do live in Southern California after all!



It is impossible for to get a decent photo of our window display because of the glare. So you'll just have to come by and see it for yourself!

Viv as Cleopatra on Halloween

Someone shoot me. I'm about to be braggin' on my grandbaby, the aspiring knitter!!! But c'mon. She is 7 years-old. I know that's just plain ol' wrong, but it's true! Her poise comes from her mom, Estes, who has taken her to dance studio since she was a wee one. (Est grew up on ballet and now teaches little chickies to dance. Viv assists her in the studio.)

Viv was a tough baby because she didn't like not being able to walk (i.e., she cried a lot out of frustration). She was one of those babies that didn't even crawl...she just raised herself up on anything she could and started walking. Then she was happy (whew!). Movement is and always has been very important to her.

When I see Viv in this photo, I see the benefits of dance in her stature. She is centered and calm in front of the camera. She is at ease as a performer. So I'm predicting she will be a dancer, doctor, and knitter when she grows up!

Take Care on Halloween!

I'm not a huge fan of Halloween and I just want to say to everyone....take care tomorrow night.

When I was a teenager, two of my friends and I jumped on the back of Billy O'Brien's jeep. We were driving down Drury Lane where so many of my classmates lived. We were having the best time, waving to everyone and laughing. Some of the guys yelled "O'B!!!" and they started throwing eggs at the jeep. All of a sudden Marylee wasn't sitting between Margaret & me anymore. She was laying flat on her back crunched up and in excruciating pain. She got hit in her right eye with an egg. We yelled for Billy to stop the jeep and Margaret and I put her between us. With her arms wrapped around our necks, we got her home. She was in such pain, she couldn't uncurl her body so her feet didn't touch the ground. Luckily, she lived on Drury Lane. Her father, who was a pretty pretty high-powered lawyer, went wild. He was yelling..."who did this, who did this?" over and over. "Dunno", we said. "It was dark, there were a lot of kids on the street". He called his brother who happened to be a doctor and we waited until he got there and then left.

A couple of days later, an investigator called me asking me questions. Marylee's dad offered a reward to anyone who could identify the guys who threw the eggs. He kept his money because no one would speak to the investigator.

Marylee had to lie flat in a dark room for at least a month. We used to go after school to her house and read her lessons by the light of a very small high intensity lamp. She lost all but her peripheral vision in her right eye. She was never the same after that. She was nervous in cars and really lost her ability to have fun. Can't blame her one bit.

Now despite such a loss, Marylee went to Tufts medical school and she is now a practicing dentist!!! Can you imagine that?!# Margaret goes to her. I would too but she's back in Connecticut.

So have fun tomorrow night, but don't partake in any kind of risky business where someone might get hurt! Just take care!

Estela Goes Chilean Miner-ish!

Last night at knit salon, the door opened around 8 or so and in walks this macho looking chic wearing a head lamp. It took me a few minutes to recognize Estela even though she told me the day before that she was dressing as a rescued Chilean miner for Halloween! I dug out my hard hat for her (left over from my maritime days...I know, of all people to have a hard hat!). The head lamp fit perfectly on it and the outfit was complete!

We had her pose in front of the fabrics ... for the sheer contrast of it all (!) and quick as a whip she pulled out a hummingbird garden stake we have for sale and held it as if it were a pick. Good lord, that made me laugh (hence the blurry photos). She is so feminine, soft-spoken, and cute as a button. The tough persona she put on just for the outfit slayed me! BTW, she won first price for the "most creative outfit" at the Halloween party she attended with her work buddies!

It Fits!!!!!

We've been teaching this shop classic beanie for 7 years now. We've probably taught over 100 knitters how to purl, decrease, and sew with this beanie pattern. It is always so exciting when the last stitch is sewn and it fits!

This is a smiling Mia who is a natural. She started knitting in September and was understandably proud to walk out of the Grove on Saturday, sporting this adorable beanie.


And here is Karen, who wanted to learn to knit this beanie so badly, that she came to her first class after working a double shift. She was courageous enough to change colors so that the latter half of the hat (including the crown) was knit in "tulip". Just today she learned to knit in the round, starting a wonderfully fun Christmas stocking. 'Tis the time!

The Grove Was Rockin' Last NIght!

Last night, 23 knitters came to the Baktus Knit Along. Lisa Limber, a Schaefer Yarns rep and designer brought bags and bags of incredible hand-dyed skeins of "Anne", "Heather" & "Nicole". This photo was taken at the end of the evening so you can imagine what that luscious heap o' yarn looked like initially. Curses, I was so busy I didn't get a chance to take any photos (p.s. thanks for the photo Marcia). What I wish I had shot: All the gorgeous samples Lisa brought with her, a roomful of smiling faces, all my precious friends who manned the winders and made the evening run so smoothly, and the beginnings of everyone's Baktus! We all had so much fun that we decided to continue the Baktus KAL next Thursday, October 28th from 6 to 8. And, everyone loved the Reversible Lace Scarf so much, that Lisa agreed to give a workshop on it. We're working out a date now and will keep you posted. As I told the group last night, if anyone is willing to teach a workshop in lace...go to it!

It Never Hurts To Have Another Friend

As soon as I finished Little Owl, I thought...I wonder if it would be even cuter if I reversed the colors. I had to find out. And I just couldn't stop myself from knitting another. I presented both to Marcia and she ended up liking the blue one best. It's nice to have two. Now they'd be able to board the Ark (should the occasion ever arise)!

P.S. The claws on Little Owl 1 were my misinterpretation of the pattern. The claws on Little Owl 2 are done according to pattern but I think I'm liking 1 best.

Little Owl Prepares for Aussie Flight

My dear friend Marcia is leaving soon to spend four weeks in Australia teaching beading in at least three cities. Originally, her husband was going to join her but that has become infeasible for several reasons. So she'll be going it alone. Now she's traveled all over the world and loves to travel, but I've got to think that four weeks away from home could be a bit of a challenge. I told her she needed a talisman or something to guide her on her trip. I just made "Little Owl" for that purpose. He doesn't weigh much. He can slip into any small space and brighten any room she finds herself in reminding her of home and the dear ones who will await her return. So disappointed that the crystals in the center of his eyes don't show up in this photo!

Tre in Salute

This is my dear sweet grandson, Tre, wearing Salute. He lives in Portland and his backyard is like a beautiful park with a creek flowing through it. I so love him peeking out from behind the tree because this really is his natural environment. What little boy doesn't love hanging onto and around trees? I'm just wondering how his mom got him to stand still for a minute so she could snap these photos! As Estes says, he is "so four!", all action, questions, wide-eyed wonder and excitement. We also say that he is so sweet that when he cries, honey comes out! Ouch. Must end here or I'll be trying to get to Lindbergh Field to board a plane instead of working today!

Baktus Scarf

This is Baktus, a fun and easy long, long triangular scarf...all knit in garter stitch. Thursday evening, October 21st from 6-8 p.m., designer Lisa Limber of Schaefer Yarns will be at the Grove with large bags of cash n' carry sock weight yarns and we are doing a Baktus knit along. I can hardly wait and you know I'm not kidding.

I have knit so many pieces in "Heather" and couldn't tear myself away from it to try Schaefer's other sock yarns...like "Nicole". How could I possibly like any Schaefer yarn better, I thought? Well, I grabbed a skein of "Nicole" right before I left the shop Wednesday evening. Okay, now I have a "Nicole" fetish going on! It's springy and yummy and I keep running my hand over the fabric because it feels soooooo good. I don't really have words for its texture. I just know that my feet are screaming for socks made out of it.

Baktus has been knit by approximately 4500 Ravelers so it's fair to say it's one of the most popular patterns ever. You weigh your yarn first (hence, my little WW buddy photographed above). And then you knit half of it (weighing it to determine that point)increasing one side with a yarn over every fourth row. At the half way point, you switch to decreasing on one side. You end up with this wonderfully long scarf that can be wrapped and tied around your neck. We figured this would be a good KAL since it can be knit in public with ease.

If you would like to join us, just give me a call at the Grove (619) 284-7684 to reserve a seat.

Tre's Salute Hat

Kate Oates did a KAL for the Salute Hat last month, parceling out the directions one step at a time. It was such a fun project...like having homework in a good way. I had all but the brim done when I visited Tre in Portland last month (my four-year-old grandson). I intended to finish it there but forgot to pack the bill instructions. ARGH! I was able to try the brimless hat on him though and was grateful that it fit. He so wanted it finished (ouch!). While Viv and I were at Knit/Purl, he went next door to the fabric shop and picked out these "manly" leather covered buttons which I think are the exact size of his huge brown Bambi eyes.

His "Grandpa Dad" is mailing this to him today, so that one day soon it will be waiting for him when he gets home from his preschool, Happy Hollow (seriously, that's what it's called!). If you're interested in more details on Salute, check out my project page on Ravelry.

The Alpaca Stole That Has Stolen Hearts

Hands down, the most popular pattern we have ever carried is, well, let's just call it The Swell Stole. (BTW, "Swell" is a combination of my first initial and last name of Wells.)

The yarn comes from an old New York company that you just sort of have to know about. They don't advertise and they don't accept credit cards. Their hanks are in large put ups which reduces cost. And Ursula alone answers the phone and takes your order. So by reducing their overhead in this fashion, they are able to offer some amazing yarns at modest prices. 600 yds. of alpaca for only $28...now that's modest!

When I held this yarn and tried to figure out what it wanted to be, the thought "fabric" ultimately came to me. It looked beautiful in a plain garter stitch. So I cast on and knit until I really, really got bored! When I took it off the needles and wrapped it around my neck, it folded beautifully in a shawl collar and almost looked like a coat from the front. With one of Jul's Cracked Coconut Shawl Pins, it is my favorite winter accessory.

We recently received a new shipment of their various natural heathers which are selling fast. So if you have any interest in knitting the stole, best come in soon!

What's in a display?

Today judipatuti came in and worked on all our displays. Now, I'm friends with Judy. I admit it. And I'm a big fan. But honestly, without bias, she does the most awesome displays. She is an artist on so many levels. The above display focuses on our October classes. Displayed from left to right, is the Hip Hamper, the Clapotis, and the "Its a Wrap" pillow (to the right of the Clapotis).



But she didn't stop there. Here is the "baby" display where she artful hung the hand-knit Moo-Cow off the back of a child's chair by her tail! And surrounding Moo-Cow (hand-knit in organic cotton, by the way!), are the pacifier clips (also hand-knit in organic cotton) and clip-on baby bibs. She started from scratch seating all these wonderful items in the most appealing way.

And last but not least is the Halloween display on the table across from our cash wrap desk.



Can you find the following items in this photo?

- Hand-made fabric Trick or Treat and Candy Corn bowl,
- Sparkling Day-of-the-Dead fabric,
- Alpaca stole with crackled coconut scarf pin, and
- a basket of Joseph Galler's incredible Alpaca (i.e., the best deal in the shop at $28 for 600 yds.)?

Stumbling Upon a Design

This is the Noble Cowl fresh off the needles and unblocked. As I was figuring out how to photograph it, I draped it over my hand and wrist. Well, look at that, I thought. This would make a gorgeous fingerless glove especially with the scalloped edges. Wouldn't it?!#



And that is what you call...stumbling upon a design. This cowl took 1 1/4 balls of cashmere. I have 3/4 left and am wondering if I'd be able to get 2 gloves out of it. Hmmm. Well, I could always go into a third if I had to. Yes, I do believe I will start working on this today and if the results are positive, I'll let you know!

Meanwhile, I'm wet blocking the cowl and hoping it will be dry enough to take to work at 11 so we can place it on the class sample table.

Uh oh. My Roots Are Showing!

Sometimes, I slip back into my New England roots and have these "Victoria" spells where I need bows and lace and reds, golds & greens. This usually happens to me in October when I get nostalgic for Fall foliage. Sure enough, my past snuck up on me this weekend last, and voila: the "Victoria Fabric Bowl" was born. (I could have really gone haywire and filled it with potpouri but I didn't!).



And this was just one of three bowls I cranked out between Friday & Saturday in preparation for Saturday night's Walkabout (along with over a dozen coasters). The word "Intervention" comes to mind as in I NEED ONE!

A Noble Cowl

I started knitting Noble Cowl in Blue Sky's Sportweight but that word "noble" kept running through my mind. It's not that I don't love Sportweight, but I wouldn't call it "noble". So I switched to cashmere and that was the right thing to do! Why not. One of the benefits of owning a yarn store is that I get to knit with whatever yarn I want. Since the cashmere isn't exactly flying off the shelf these days (!) I decided to indulge myself with this Italian cashmere in a winter white. I shall just this post with one descriptor: YUUUMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I'm teaching this cowl class on October 16th, 2-4p.m.. For more info, just click on the bird's nest in the right-hand column.

Rockabout Saturday Night!

Do you remember about 3 years ago, an artist created some incredible cairns on the beach in Cardiff? All the rock formations, including arches, were made with only gravity to balance them. It was remarkable. We got up early one morning to take photographs of them when the light was misty grey. There were already cars lined up along the beach road with other admirers shooting pictures.

When I saw these cairns at the July gift show in L.A., I couldn't believe my eyes! (This photo is from their catalog). The rep who tended the booth said that I was the 5th person from San Diego that told her about the beach sculptures. Well, of course, I had to buy them.They are all natural beach pebbles and river rocks from Indonesia. They are organic and rustic and beachy and I love every one of them.

When the shipment arrived yesterday, Jo Madden of Go-Go Paper Arts, one of our resident artists, helped me create the display pictured below. She said that Saturday Night's Walkabout should be renamed the "Rockabout". Haha! Oh, yes, did I mention the Fall Walkabout is on Saturday night? Karen Baumeister from the Kitchen Sink is serving homemade chili (who knew it would be so warm?) and demonstrating the kitchen gadgets used to make it. It's bound to be another fun, fun night. So come early and get the cairn of your choice!!! They come in candle holders, votives, and sculptures. We also got a slew of engraved beach pebbles with symbols and words engraved in them. Words like "create", "inspire", "do it", etc.!

Portland's Knit/Purl!

I just got back from visiting my daughter, Estes, and her beautiful family in Portland. When Viviyan's second grade teacher asked her about her dreams and hopes, my granddaughter replied, "to learn to knit". Well, you can imagine my delight! So the idea of visiting Knit/Purl made both of us quite happy.
When we first arrived at the shop, there were several people, including one or two sitting in the small knitting circle. It was church-like quiet and Viv and I were whispering as she went about selecting the yarn of her choice. She loved the Habu display but understood that those weren't beginner yarns! Ultimately, she chose a lavender Malabrigo worsted yarn which was bright and cheerful, just like her and a pair of bamboo needles. I could tell it made her feel important and special to have her own materials. I explained to the staff that I lived in San Diego and couldn't be there to help my granddaughter through the rough parts. And they graciously offered to help her pick up dropped stitches in my absence.In this picture, Viv has spotted a spool of ruffled ribbon and knows that it would be the perfect finish for the Blue Sky Brushed Alpaca scarf I was knitting her. She has an eye for color and is quite a fashionista. So I promised her that I would finish her scarf while she slept that night and that when she woke, it would be hanging on the door knob of her room. Good for my word....
And before I left, I took her measurements and promised to make her a purple sweater for her 8th birthday (November 28th). I have plenty of ideas now that she was able to show me samples and photos of what she liked. It was so difficult to leave each other and knitting that sweater will help me feel closer to her.

Finishing Is Hard to Do!

Let's face it. No one. Not anyone, not no how, likes to finish a knitting project, including me. I make it known to all my customers that I don't finish...cuz I dislike it just as much as they do. But you're so good at it, they say. Well, just cuz I'm good at something doesn't mean I like it. (I did practice law for 13+ years and taught it as well!) Recently, though, I agreed to finish Holly's granddaughter's sweater. Holly is a beautiful knitter but that finishing thing's got her beat. She printed directions for buttonholes, watched videos on You Tube, knit practice ones and was always miserable with the outcome. After all the work she put into this darling sweater, I couldn't bear to not see it finished. So I broke my rule and hired on to do it for her. I just finished sewing on the last polymer clay button and am relieved that it is done and satisfied with the outcome. Now, on to knitting for my own grand babies who I will be seeing in Portland on Monday!!!

The $73 Egg!

This absolutely perfect egg was laid by Ginger, a full-grown chicken who is currently acting as a role model for Frankie & Betty. Ginger is on loan temporarily to be with the chicks. She was a little ruffled for the first few weeks and wasn't laying. But yesterday, she finally felt comfortable enough to pop one out! (Either that or it was my recent threat that if she didn't start laying eggs soon, her head would be on the chopping block!) Celeste has kept track of all expenses associated with the chicks. This one egg cost $73!

The watercolor chicken in the background was purchased at the Watercolor Society at Liberty Station. The two vintage chick ceramics were Celeste's mom's and the egg basket, well, that was my contribution. Can't wait 'til we drop one of Frankie's in the basket!

Jo's Bowl & Coaster Set

All I want to do these crisp Fall days is wrap wrap wrap and sew sew sew. I never thought I would discover another passion as deep-seated as my love of knitting. Never say never.

With the guidance of Susan's Brier's book, It's A Wrap II. I have now gone beyond the precut fabric strips known as honey buns and am into cutting my own strips of judipatuti fabrics to make these bowls and coasters. I am getting more proficient at sewing staighter zig-zag seams. But I still find it a challenge to get a good join. And that is what embellishments are for! Judipatuti's rick rack is perfect for the edging.


The coasters look so darling with the fabric strip bows. Since the edges of the fabric shred a bit, I zigzag stitched two strips together (wrong side to wrong side) and trimmed the edges close to the stitching. It produces a neater looking bow, with no right or wrong side.

What I have really enjoyed is having my friends pick their own fabric from judipatuti's collection. Each set is unique to them. I think that if you put them all in a pile, I could identify the person who chose each one...that's how personal they are. For example, I would know instantly that this set was Jo's since she loves pink and brown!



I've gotten so many requests for these that I am going to be making them for the October 2nd walkabout. Currently, they are priced at $19.95 for a set of 4 coasters, or $4.95 for singles and $28.00 - $32.00 for the bowls. I've got some Halloween treat bowls in the works which I hope to show you soon!

The Tweenies

Do you believe how big the girls have gotten? Betty's feathers are just gorgeous. She looks like a quail. Frankie's apricot baby feathers have all but fallen out and her adult feathers are a dark rich brownish red. Here's a close-up of Frankie who is stomping tomatoes as if she's trying to make wine!


And here's yet another Frankie close-up showing her oh so delicate little feet.

And here she is pretending she just laid some tiny red eggs.



Can't wait for the real ones!