Chocolate EGGS!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know we have a flock of 4 chickens.  We got them later in the summer and they were all youngish - 2 to 3 months old. They usually begin to lay eggs at around 6 months.  Our first to lay was Buffy, the Buff Orpington.  Then we began to get 2 eggs a day - Shelby was SUPPOSED to be an Ameracauna who lays pretty pastel green eggs.. but we'd bought her from a backyard chicken seller off of Craigslist and we were duped.. as she is laying brown eggs.  We have no idea what breed she is, but she is very brightly plumed and we'll keep her anyway.  Yesterday Dayle came in the back door with a mischievous look on his face.. and walked over to me and opened his hand to show me 2 light brown eggs and one DARK BROWN one!  Our black hen, Hershey, the Cuckoo Maran, was to lay dark brown eggs and there it was!!!   Then when he went back out, he found another dark brown egg in the run on a pile of grass hay.  Woo hoo!  Now the last one yet to lay is our Wyandotte, Lacey.  I think we're having good laying luck in the winter since Dayle hung a lamp in their coop and set it to come on at dusk and stay on for 3 hours, this fooling the chickens into thinking it's summer with the longer days.  We did this because they would likely have not started laying until Spring.  Aren't these gorgeous?

Guess who was intrigued by the smell of fresh eggs?  You can see how much darker the Maran egg is from the normal brown ones.

We put them at the top of the egg "merry-go-round" that we got.  For the life of me I can't remember the name of this or where I got it.  Edited to ADD - This is called an "Egg Skelter" and you can get them HERE.

Then the mail lady came and brought me this package from England!  It was a wonderful felt brooch that was made by one of my favorite bloggers, Hen - here is her blog and Etsy store.

I can't wait to wear this.. today.. more later on that. 

Yesterday our youngest son, Travis, invited us for dinner.  Our DIL Beth got a new little white kitten and they named her Snowy.  I took my silver bell necklace off and played with her with it, is there anything cuter than a kitten?

I tried to get the boys to pose for a photo.. I wonder if there is a way to get a clear shot of 4 wiggly boys?  LOL!  Travis made Mac & Cheese using corn elbow macaroni - gluten free - and I was amazed how good corn macaroni was!  I'll have to find out the brand name.

Our hyacinth is beginning to open.  I wonder how to get it to stand up straight? 

I am off for a lunch meeting with Taci and Gracie - I ordered 2 lbs. of French roast coffee from Taci's husband and we made a lunch appt. today before I head to the dentist for an appointment with the hygienist.  How cool is it that my coffee was specially roasted for us last evening?  OK.. time to scoot.  Thanks for visiting!  I hope you are making the most of winter!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)