We have chickens

About 2 weeks ago we drove to SIL's house and collected 3 chicks. They are about 10 weeks old, so apparently due to start laying eggs anytime now. I can tell the three of them apart by their colourings. They are all white with brown markings but one's markings are distinctively lighter in colour, more of a ginger. The othere two are quite similar in colour, but one has colour on the neck speading evenly to the wings, and the other has slightly darker spots of colour down the neck and onto the body. We haven't named them, although the name 'Colonel' has been bandied about. BlueBelle enjoys opening the coup to let them out, and likes to throw feed at them, but runs to me when they make any sudden moves. She likes to stand 3 metres away and say 'Hello chickens!'. They are kept in a mobile coup which DH acquired on e-bay (where else?!), and when let out to roam don't tend to wander very far at all. In fact,  DH says that they follow him into the shed and find a corner to settle in. So much for free range .... I'll have to run after them with a stick. Their feed contains anti-biotics, which makes me think that they are not so 'organic' but I'll investigate that. They seem to prefer scratching around in the dirt and eating grass shoots anyway - they are chickens after all. Sooo, we'll see how the egg collecting goes. I'll have to make custards and get baking if they prove to be prolific layers.

Life's Gifts - Olive Schreiner

If there is a gift I could give my daughter and grand daughter it would be this : - Life's Gifts I saw a woman sleeping. In her sleep she dreamt Life stood before her, and held in each hand a gift - in the one Love, in the other Freedom. And she said to the woman, "Choose!" And the woman waited long: and she said, "Freedom!" And Life said, "Thou hast well chosen. If thou hadst said, "Love", I would have given thee that thou didst ask for; and I would have gone from thee, and returned to thee no more. Now, the day will come when I shall return. In that day I shall bear both gifts in one hand." I heard the woman laugh in her sleep. love you, g o g o