The girls are laying (well, all except for Snowball who lays only 2 weeks out of the year) and I have enough extra eggs to sell some to neighbors and give some as gifts. I got a call a week ago from a woman who does Pysanksy decoration – that’s a Ukrainian craft that uses a batik-like technique on eggs. She can’t use supermarket eggs because the chemical wash prevents the dye from sticking properly. I was happy to sell her two dozen. A neighbor bought a dozen to blow out and make a centerpiece for her dining room table. I selected a range of eggs, from tiny to large, from white to blue, for her. And, a mother of my son’s classmate has her mother coming for a visit. Her mother grew up on a farm and remembers good eggs. I was pleased to be able to put a carton in her hands. Best yet, I have a dear, 95-year old friend going through chemotherapy. Of course, she doesn’t have much of an appetite, but she looks forward to eating eggs from my hens. I can’t think of a better reason to keep chickens.

I’m about to catch the train to NYC. I’ll be meeting with my editor and the designer for my children’s book about Snowball and her friends. While I’m gone, the dogs will sulk and sleep. The chickens won’t care – my husband will feed them. I’ll miss everyone, of course, but I do love a dose of Manhattan now and then. I’ll catch up with you next week.