Feathered friends.

All seems to be just fine today in The Coopacabana. Mammy has taken her head out of the corner, Audrey stopped screeching every time one of the new hens (Daisy or PittyPat) came near her, Scarlett let me pick her up today, and Prissy is back to her always-clucking self. Three eggs were laid today, a brown one from Scarlett, a beige-y tan one from Prissy, and a very light ivory-colored egg from either PittyPat or Daisy. We think that egg is from PittyPat because it's smaller than the others (and so is PittyPat).

Today was such a warm pretty day (after a very cool morning) that I decided to let the hens out of the coop this afternoon. Once I opened that gate, Prissy was the first to walk out, followed closely by Scarlett. After that, it was a hen parade, with everyone following Scarlett and Prissy around the yard. No clucking, no pecking at one another.... they were all so happy to get out and look for crickets and crawly things that they forgot about their squabbles.

Both Daisy and PittyPat quickly learned how to get back to the coop and they were in and out of the coop all afternoon. PittyPat loves to sit in the hay that's spread out in the little yard outside the chicken coop. PittyPat is such a pretty little thing, very delicate and ballerina-like, especially when she balances herself on one leg when she's resting. The sounds she makes are more quiet and gentle than the other hens..... no loud clucking has come from that little hen.

My friend V told me that I was upsetting the chicken cart by adding the two new hens--- How are they all going to learn Christmas carols? she wanted to know. (Such as "Cluck The Herald Chickens Sing") I told V that by taking the two hens from the neighbors, I might have saved them from a worse fate than having to get used to a new coop-- such as being presented on a serving platter surrounded by roasted potatoes and carrots.

Today on Oprah's show, her guest was Barbra Streisand (along with a surprise visit from Robert Redford). After they paid homage to "The Way We Were," Barbara showed the audience her sixteen-years-in-the-making dream house. And what did you see as soon as the gates to Barbra's property were opened up? Chickens! At least two dozen chickens, roaming free around her perfectly landscaped and flower-filled yards. (What you didn't see were the chickens scratching up the newly-planted flowers as they searched for crickets and beetles.)

But I'm sure Barbra has "people" taking care of both her property and her chickens...... and the water wheel, the pond, the pool, the jacuzzi, the main house, the guest house, the barn....