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| Carlene and Truffles at two days old in 2005 |
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| Rhoda, a Rhode Island Red, who is NOT on a diet. |
As we were away much of Sunday for Father's Day, and Monday because of work and errands, no one got up to the garden. The rain had taken care of drenching the plants, and apparently a well hidden hen, in my well grown grass, along one fence. 
Last night, I looked out the window to the garden as I was running to another meeting, and saw something brown where there should be only green tomato plants. Low and behold, Hen Six was testing life on the other side of the fence. 
Remember though, do NOT use fresh eggs for hard boiling unless you want a peeling mess. Also, I think the fresh membrane might make this project less successful.
I think a lot of the time it is because we get an egg like this. 
The shell is soft - like a water balloon. 
You can push it in and change its shape, its so soft.
Five out of six hens are laying more regularly, so that we are up to five egg days. 
A sure sign of spring is mud, and yesterday's thaw that took us into the mid to high 40's, gave us a taste of it.
All the manure that was getting hidden by the daily two inches of snow became exposed. 
So did the slush. 
Unfortunately, the puddles started at the barn door, so it took a little coaxing to get a couple of the fussier goats out. Also hampering the task was the high winds that did not allow me to block the door open with the usual rock. At one point the gust was so strong, it was all I could do to hang on to the door with all my weight, so that it didn't smash three goats in the head as they were thinking about stepping in the mud.
Midday I had to drive along the Loyalhanna Creek just as the ice was breaking up and rushing downstream. Huge ice blocks were thrown up onto the causeway access road.
The causeway itself way blocked with ice and submerged in the rising water. 
I can't imagine what flooding problems we could have had if the freeze didn't return so quickly in the afternoon.
There is one other way to know spring is coming - the calendar. If we are patient enough, Spring will be here soon, bringing her sultry friend Summer.
I have to agree that some trends become a cause, almost religious like, and create an adverse reaction to a simple idea before it is even fully understood. The holier then "thow-ness" can be such a turn off. Looking at all sides really makes for more powerful advocates of anything.
The second article about an egg recall, also teaches us how to find out the age of the eggs in the stores. Click the title below.Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223.
If you look at the dates of the recalled boxes, and look up the dates on the Julian Calendar they refer too, you may (or may not be!) surprised at the age. I hope some of these eggs are no longer in some one's fridge.
Here is the link: http://onthepondfarm.blogspot.com/search/label/freezing%20eggs
Right now, the heat seems to be affecting production, and sales have kept the back log down, so I decided this was a good time to pull out a bag and test the product.
I put the bag in the refrigerator last night, and it was still mushy this morning. Mom was ready for her breakfast early, so we scooped a semi frozen spoonful that look like about an eggs worth and popped it in the pan. It slowly melted down into a fine little omelet. Tasted just fine. In all the fun of making the rest into an omelet later, I forgot to take more pictures, but you wouldn't have known these weren't fresh from the barn.
I think this method of freezing eggs would work really well for campers and travelers that don't have lots of space, and need to keep things in coolers. Using the semi frozen eggs make it really easy to portion too.
Now that we have lived to tell the tale, I hope you can find use for this successful experiment sometime.
The photo reminded me of my mother's soft scrambles. The word "infused" sounded magical for some odd reason. So I started to read. 
There's nothing like a morning walk on a dreary day to make things better. Already, you are out and about, regardless of temperature, or gray sky. Instead of being inside looking out with a furrowed brow, you are out surveying the landscape, and exercising the body and unclogging the mind.
Sunday Breakfast
Fresh egg and two cheese omelet with...
...beans and toast. You've gotta try it. My Brit and Aussie pals know.
This post was done holding the gate and the corner of Jake's fence.
The Blue and Gray Repair Team came out for the job with all tools firing. 
With teamwork, the job was done in half the time.
Jock watched the tools in the open truck. Can't be too careful.
Good supervision is always important.
In anticipation of kids coming next month, another gate was improved for the "maternity ward".
So damp and yukky, even the cats had to snuggle.
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