It's my birthday!

 Spots been in a tussle; he didn't want his picture taken!

 And some of the hens had specific feelings about birthdays.

 

This Gold Laced Wyandotte is so pretty I had to share a close-up!

 

This is Eggy Jr.  He's taken over the boss job from his dad, who is retired to the iso -pen.

 

The middle white rooster.  As yet nameless.

 

Scruffy is spending a few days in the crate.  She was feeling punky.  She's rebounding nicely.

 

Can't get too near the ducks or they scatter.

 

But if you look closely, you'll see the Wacky Quackers were serenading me.

 

In the house, Abe offered his best wishes.

 

Luke wasn't as effusive.  He never is.

 

Ulani loves picture taking -- look right at the camera and smile!

Something moved in the far back yard.  But I'm sure Oskar was thinking "Happy Birthday Johanna" while he refused to look at the camera.  I'm sure of it!

And that is the birthday tour of Busy Solitude Farm for 2011!  I hope everyone enjoys my birthday!

Snowstorm slideshow

Join us now for a tour around Busy Solitude Farm as we wake up to the results of the year's first blizzard.

Morning has Broken, 7

Blizzardy Solitude

White roosters -- or are they?

This is White Rooster #3.  You'll remember that first we had Spot, then White Rooster #2, and now a third.  None of the white birds is a girl, drat.  I think they're just beautiful and I really wanted a sweet white girl.  But no such luck, and they're kind of skittery, not cuddly at all.

I was watching them this morning and realized an interesting thing about their color.  They're not actually white!

This is #2.  Look at the feathers on his neck and back.

You can see it here even better.  And if I make these photos a bit larger...

You can see that he's got dilute stripes!  The pattern of a Cuckoo Marans (see below photo of Chick-Chuck and Eggy Jr.), but with the color diluted.  In the right light, the stripes glow golden on top of the white background.

I am enchanted!  But there are still too many roosters.

The end.