I Love Fussy!

When we left Santa Cruz to move to Alameda fourteen months ago, we placed our wonderful hens with our dear friends Alison and Olivia. It was hard! We knew Alison and Olivia would love them and care for them so that helped our decision a lot! I told Annie that someday, when we settled in Alameda, we would get hens again. And now we have! There was a man in Fremont looking to thin out his flock and he gave us three little Bantams hens. I think they might be Aracuna Bantams. I will look it up and try to identify them. Annie has named hers Fussy, since Allen said she was the most verbal and "fussy" of the three. Bill named his Yolkie and mine is Nell. Nell is the most calm and is featured in the photos.

We are helping them settle in to their new home with fresh hay, nesting boxes, hen scratch and a big water bowl. So this morning, before Annie could rub the sleep from her eyes, she dashed down to the hen house and scooped up the first hen she could reach. She loves these chickens!

Spring Feelings

We are busy over here with our feet in the grass and the breeze in our hair! My lack of blogging is really a celebration of Spring, and an expression of our engagement with the world! We are feeling content, joyful and very connected to each other! The following is a sampling of what we've been up to;

Annie and I pulled our bikes out of winter-mode and have been riding all around town.

The aviary is abuzz with nesting, laying eggs and sorting out who goes with who. We are finding and offering different nesting materials for the hens.

Lots of croquet in the back yard! Goodwill find for $9.99!

Making long, drawn out breakfasts that include Annie's version of Fanny Farmers pancakes. (Add ricotta and an extra egg. Leave out the baking soda.)

A T.V free week!! (I hate T.V., Annie loves it!)

We made home-made watercolor cards for Spring with Illana. I painted mushrooms and chicks, Annie and Illana did everything under the rainbow.

We made home-made butter yesterday to surprise Pop!

Went on a windy picnic with Willow and Lazuli to Point Isabelle with Jasper.

Introducing....

Just like people, some birds photograph better than others. And some birds are camera hogs, just like some people, just hamming it up and jumping right in front of the camera. So here are a few pictures to introduce four birds from our new flock. Each one, Claire, Hans, Livian and Dandilion all love to get their picture taken. I took a ton of pictures, and these four kept getting right in front of me over and over again.

There is one bird I am totally in love with, Harry, and he is so handsome, but he will not let me get a good picture! I think partly it's because he's so active and young. He's curious though. He gets close, looks at me and twitches his tail feathers, and as soon as I focus...he's gone. I'm going to keep working on it though, and you'll see what I mean! He's devilishly attractive.

There are nine birds in all to our gang. Hans has his Eva, and Livian has her guy Atlas, and the rest are "single". I'll be curious in the Spring who pairs up and if there will be any babies. I hope so!