So here's an update on what's been happening in the Bluegrass.
Lots of Food:
The Ladies are back at it again. Unseasonably warm weather means they're doing OK.
I finally found a milk share with a wonderful lady farmer south of Berea. Tulip and Miriam have been cranking out some excellent milk. And I just found out you can make butter in a blender, which is awesome because I just bought one of those single-serve blenders. I'm in love.
There's been some yummy breakfast around here, centering on a special someone's gorgeous eggs (more about her later), with bacon and buckwheat pancakes. Mmm Mmm.
I made this lovely lemon braided bread the other day for a work function. Looking at it never ceases to please me. It's gorgeous. And tasty.
I also managed to melt my mom's 30 year old tupperware bowl in a very unfortunate pie crust- bread rising face off (long story.) Luckily, it makes a nice hat.
Animal things:
While visiting my parents for Christmas, we drove over to Oviedo so that I could check out their wild flock of chickens.
They've got some BIG guys. Whew.
They're really all quite lovely. There was one little bantam roo with such feathered legs that he looked like he was wearing chaps. I honestly thought about nabbing him and stashing him in my carry-on. Alas...
And lastly, I'd like to introduce you to Daryl, my newest (and best) Lady.
Daryl has the most amazing back story of any chicken in existence. I got a call a few weeks ago from my good friend (the same friend who is soon to host all of my Ladies in her yard!) that there was a chicken at Chik-fil-a. I was still asleep, and a little confused why she was calling me to tell me that Chik-fil-a had chicken. Of course they do. They're a chicken restaurant. After some gentle nudging, she was able to convince me that there was indeed a LIVE chicken at Chik-fil-a, strutting around in the drive-thru for no apparent reason. She had spoken to the workers and found out that someone had dropped it off as a joke and just let the poor girl go. So, I threw on a flannel and my boots and headed over. After a rousing chase scene that ended with me and the chicken up a tree, the chicken was had.
No really. This happened.
The workers were ecstatic that little chicken was finding a home, and insisted that she be named Daryl. They totally thought she was a he. I smiled and nodded and agreed to the name. After all, I just got a free chicken! Who cares what it's called.
And so I drove across town to Union City, home to my coop. Daryl rode shotgun the whole way, chilling very quietly in her cardboard box. I took the box over to the coop, pulled the access end down and prepared to put the box inside when, *plop*. The bottom of the box fell out, and Daryl along with it. Now the box was inside the coop, so no biggie, right? Wrong. That little chicken, which had given me the run-around for half an hour earlier, jetted out the side and into the surrounding woods. Which are full of vagrant dogs. Which have eaten my chickens before. I couldn't stand the thought of rescuing her, only to abandon her to her doom (although she was pretty scrappy, I bet she'd be ok.) So I spent another half an hour trying desperately to herd her (and the rest of the Ladies who had gotten out) back into the coop. Of course, eventually she just *waltzed right in* while I was cursing the heavens in desperation on the other side of the creek. Ugh. But at least she was in.
And although she's still skittish, she's not unfriendly.
And so ends the tale of Daryl. Oh, and did I mention that she is the BEST DARN LAYER I HAVE!? One of the others may lay every few days or so (either the buff or Glorious Raptor), but the Aracauna crosses haven't laid in months. Daryl lays at least once a day, and has gorgeous yolks. They aren't the biggest eggs, but then again, she isn't the biggest chicken.
So everyone give a warm welcome to Daryl, pretty much the best chicken to ever come out of Chik-fil-a.
~Sarah
