Snake in the...

...zinnias?

I went to cut some flowers for my office this morning, and was greeted by this!



Imagine my surprise! I've seen a snake around from time to time, but always slithering across the grass. I did not know that they are able to perch like this!



Initially it was very still, so I tried to get closer with the camera. Then the tongue began to dart and just as I tried to catch a shot with the spiked tongue out, the snake dropped all at once off the flower and I gave it lots of room to run away! I guess now I could go out and get a few of the red zinnias, which were in the snake's territory, but I think I'll just leave the flowers alone for a while.

Not Dead Yet

This chicken is not dead.

But when you first walk into the coop and see her half-covered in shavings and dust, it might be difficult to believe she's happy.

On a hot summer day, chickens take dust baths. It is a blissful time for them.


They kick up their lizard feet, squirm and squiggle in the dusty litter on the floor of the coop, throw tons of dust into the air. It is hen heaven.

I believe that there is a drying action of the dust in their feathers that absorbs chicken sweat. Bugs are knocked off or smothered.

But more than anything, they seem to really enjoy the action.

Dead? Au contraire, Pierre!

10 Years Old!

Ten years ago tonight, Leila gave birth to Charlotte, and then Oskar. In the wee hours of August 7, eight more puppies were born, so the litter got the 7th as their birthday. We always celebrate on the 6th, however, combining Oskar's big day with my sister Melissa's!

As a large dog, living into the double-digits marks quite an accomplishment. These days I hear more and more of Briards achieving 13, 14 or even 15 years. Oskar is a healthy 80 pound boy who still takes great joy in being outdoors, likes a walk, and enjoys a good bowl of dog food twice a day, thank you, right on schedule. One of his favorite activities is napping (we are quite alike there!). He is not cuddly, preferring his own space, but occasionally will lean up to me and smile, which absolutely warms my heart.



Here's to ten years, and many more to follow!

Look who's roosting where!

In the past couple of days, Tweedledum has made great strides incorporating himself into the flock. Just look where he's roosting this evening!

The chickens have always liked hopping up to the shelf made by the window flaps being open. It makes for quite a mess (they poop wherever they are). But I think they feel safe being up high, so I allow them to continue.

The hens don't appear to be thrilled with Tweedledum's joining them, but their need to be up high supercedes their reluctance to, well, sleep with him.

It's progress!

Good news about eggs!

In the well blog in this morning's New York Times, Tara Parker Pope wrote about the positive health qualities of eggs. She quoted from the March, 2008 Berkeley Wellness Letter.

The sound bite is that eggs got a bad rap. It turns out that some folks are sensitive to dietary cholesterol -- about 1/3 of the population. For them, eating eggs can raise cholesterol. But not for the rest of us. And, when cholesterol rises in sensitive people, they form larger globs of LDL, which are less risky than the tiny suckers.

What's more, eggs are full of wonderful nutrients including lutein to protect against macular degeneration, vitamin A, B vitamins, zinc and iron.

So get out your frying pan (and olive oil, not butter!). If you want to read the whole report, here it is: http://www.wellnessletter.com/html/wl/2008/wlFeatured0308.html