The Early Bird

Chick out the first baby of the Spring!

This doesn't look good:

It LOOKS like these chickens were forced to dig their own graves.


But these hens are in seventh heaven, not regular heaven. They are reveling in the chance to dig giant craters, fling dust all around, and crush dirt into their molty feathers--that is, to take dust baths. They have excavated numerous bathtubs in what is supposed to be my garden, and the hardworking roosters are more than happy to keep an eye on them.

"Those other hens can probably look out for themselves. I'd better station myself right here, where I can keep a close eye on the bathing beauties. Awwww yeah."

What to do with Eggs: Taste the Happy

If there is a downside to a muffin, it is the literal downside--the underside--the muffin stump. Muffin tops are gloriously delicious; muffin stumps are merely acceptable.

Enter the muffin top baking cups, sent to me by my brother Sam and his girlfriend Leslie. A thousand blessings upon their names: these cups allow you to bake only the delectable muffiny saucers.

Here is this morning's crop of muffin tops, made with fresh strawberries. These babies are 100%, insanely delicious. They are like happy on a plate. They kick the stumps of regular muffins.

Total eggs used: 1 whole egg, 1 yolk = 1.5 eggs.

Mmmmm. Taste the happy!

Some are hens' teeth...some are MY teeth

Last weekend I was snuggling Uh-Oh Chicken, and the yellowish Ameraucana hen flew up to my shoulder. (Her name, once a seven-syllable clunker of a label, has now been shortened to 'Buddy.')

So Buddy flew up and perched on my shoulder, where she became very interested in the shiny and tasty-looking things in my mouth.

…That is, my teeth.

I had not realized this, but my teeth are apparently reminiscent of corn. The more Buddy sat right by my face trying to look into my mouth and peck my teeth, the funnier it was--which exposed ever more teeth for her. Amy, instead of helping me, took these glamorous photos. They remind me of Buster Bluth from Arrested Development, during his "unfortunate encounter in a photobooth".