Chick Report, Plus More

As of about 10:30 this morning there were seven baby chicks. I think. Poor Darla gets frantic if we lift her up to see what's going on underneath her, and believe it or not, babies can not only hide under her wings, she can hold them so tightly that they do not fall out when you lift her up. Although sometimes they do fall out but they are so light it doesn't hurt them and they just bounce up on their little feet and continue on with their new lives. 

This little one is so curious that he poked his head out and then crawled out from under mama's feathers and came over to inspect us. They aren't old enough to be scared yet. I would say that this one's dad is Liberace but as you can see from the picture above, I think that Fancy Pants may have sired at least one. It's so funny to think that in all actuality, all of the hens could be new mothers as there was such an assortment of eggs in that nest. But Darla is the only one doing the work and the rest of the ladies are just going about their business like royalty of old who had their babies and put them in the arms of the wet nurses and nannies. 
Or something like that, anyway. 

We haven't been back out in a few hours to see if there are any more but we'll be checking again here in a few minutes. I'm taking them some of the oat bran cereal with hardboiled eggs in case they're peckish (another term we use derived from chicken tending?) and I'll take Darla some more cantaloupe and cat food. Chickens adore cat food and it's got lots of protein in it. Of course she may eat all the baby food but...whatever. Mr. Moon did go to the Tractor Supply and buy some chick starter and I think that tomorrow we'll move the whole circus to the little peep coop including any eggs that haven't hatched and I'll put their food and water in there. After a few more days we'll have to throw out the eggs that don't hatch and I always hate that. I mean- hell, I can barely thin my garden. You can only imagine how hard it is for me to throw out eggs that haven't hatched but reality must be faced. 

Jessie brought the boys out to see the babies this morning and I had just finished making our breakfast. Mr. Moon wanted to eat his first tomato with biscuits, as I thought he might. 

Look at that beauty!
So I made biscuits and cooked some of his Tennessee sausage and scrambled up some of our eggs and potatoes and banana peppers (which are also starting to come in) and two green onions. He took a picture and it looked like this. 

The boys and Jessie got tomato and biscuit sandwiches. They'd had their pancakes already at home but that was HOURS before. I love having grandkids that'll gobble up biscuit/tomato sandwiches. With Duke's mayonnaise, of course. 

It's been a fine day, we've moved slow and easy. We just went back out to check on the mama and babies and bring them some food. Still only seven chicks and that may be it. Darla has a veritable buffet now of regular chicken feed, fruit and cat food, and the cereal and eggs. She was eating when we left and look who else was inspecting the offerings. 

Little cuties. Just because they don't HAVE to eat for 48 hours doesn't mean they won't. 

The garden is so beautiful right now. We did a quick inspection there, too. We pulled one of the garlic plants to see how that's coming along. 

I'd say they're ready to pick. 

Even the roses are going crazy. 

Such a generous abundance of life. 

And forty-three years ago, I was in labor with May. Tomorrow is her birthday. Of course, I was in kindergarten when I had her. How else to explain the math of her age and mine? 
I remember that day and night and day like it was yesterday. Truly. 

And tomorrow we're meeting up for lunch. 

Abundance and sweetness. Love and glory. 

We are the lucky ones. 

Love...Ms. Moon