...look at this... more eggs

Recalling that I'd seen a hen come out from behind the boards a few days earlier, I finally remembered to take a look on Thursday, and what did I find but six eggs in a nest of leaves. I had to move some of the boards to get at them and while doing so, had a hen, presumably the layer, standing at my feet all the while. I also found an egg out in the yard, and this morning another in an indentation in the straw on the floor of the coop. A friend told us that young layers will often drop the egg wherever, and that they eventually get in the groove of using a nest. I continue to love their varying 'voices', insistent in the morning to get out of the coop and whispers at night as they settle in, all six of them toddering on the top rung. Now that I think about it; I wonder if it's the same one who gets the outside perch each night. Except for one who seems to have a longer wattle and higher comb, since they're all the same color it's very difficult to identify individuals. I don't think they'd go for wearing different color ribbons.

Earlier this week and in a funk what with the constant heat and humidity of the summer, I decided to pick up where I'd left off a couple years ago in my reading of A Year in the World by Frances Mayes. When I completed what was a particularly long chapter, I was more depressed than when I started. I was ready to sell everything and move to a Greek island where we would buy only what was required for furnishing a whitewashed house; one with a blue door and roof, with geraniums growing in olive oil cans and a vine covered terrace where we'd eat all our meals outdoors, shop daily for our food and wear gauzy, loose fitting clothing and sandals year-round.

Knowing I had to bring myself out of this funk, I asked Bob to read the chapter so we could talk about it. He wasn't ready to do anything so drastic as I, but the long and short of it is we embarked on planning a month long trip to Europe for sometime in 2012. And, Bob, who gets as much enjoyment out of planning trips as he does going on them, in looking at the cost of lodging and especially car rental in Sicily (our original first destination), stumbled on house exchanges. We are now registered with and will soon have the full description and photos on-line of our home, and will hopefully find someone who wants to visit this part of the USA. As we looked at the site, it became evident that residents of foreign countries don't all want to visit the same places and some are so particular as to say Manhattan (not just NYC). We've also discovered that more Irish want to visit the USA, so we've adjusted our preferred destinations accordingly; but we will also go just about anywhere. If anyone is interested in such arrangements, check out HomeForExchange.com We are finding the prospects very exciting, and who knows where we might end up. But the best part is that if we are successful in this venture, the cost savings will allow us to take a second extended trip in 2012. How great is that for being retired? And our "chicken lady" on being asked of her interest is very excited to serve as our airport chauffeur and resident tour guide. We're hoping another friend with a dog and fenced yard will agree to being Saku's 'camp' during our absences.

Bob worked his Texas smoker BBQ at the fair with the tractor folks every night, and last night we had so much rain they had to cancel the demolition derby. We had just over 4" here in West Augusta, welcomed and badly needed. Now we have sunny skies with some clouds and it's 79 degrees. By the way, the tomato plants are flourishing and we have a couple dozen fruits growing. A neighbor stopped by earlier today with a bag of wild plums and a bunch of beets which we will enjoy in a few days. She's going to bring us more plums and I'll make plum butter and hope it turns out as good as my mom's. I often think about a lunch I had at mom and daddy's on the farm before they moved to Minneapolis; fried blood sausage and her plum butter on homemade bread. Ummmm! I have not had blood sausage since, but we've noticed that "black pudding" as it's called in Europe, is very popular. We expect to find it on menus in Ireland.

Tomorrow I see my opthamologist and Tuesday is my turn for colon screening. Oh joy!