Laying Eggs

yep…

those are some filthy eggs

but don't worry

they didn't come from the store looking like that

Daisy and Lily produced these

and they clean up nice!

Have you ever eaten duck eggs?

They are RICH and delicious!

A duck egg is about the size of two chicken eggs…

take a look

big difference right?

Isn't THAT a pretty shade of yellow/orange?

but like I said…JUST one.. ONLY one of these

is worth about two chicken eggs..

so for todays Omlette..

I'll just be needing to scramble up 

ONE egg

Are you wondering if the kiddo's eat Duck eggs?

yep

Little Man's comment was 

"Mama… You mean Lily laid this JUST for me? awww"

and he ate it right up….

when he saw her next

he said thank you..

too cute!

the ducks first winter

So with all this crazy weather

all this amazing snow fall..

You are probably wondering how

Daisy, Poppy & Lily 

are fairing...

Well.. I won't lie …

They are as happy as can be.. 

we have to shovel snow out of their zone

now and again

but they are quite quacky 

i mean 

quite happy

camera friendly 

EVEN at chow time!

isn't Daisy a HOOT?

check out her head tilt!

EVER the comic

and Poppy ever the quacker

puffing out his chest

and Lilly..

quiet…

patient and calm 

always 

Neighbors come a calling.. LOUDLY

Morning time is such a glorious time on the farm..

The lighting here in the valley is very peaceful

and joyful

and bright and .. BEAUTIFUL…

It's also time blessings wake up

happy and READY for a NEW day!

Eager to HELP, and be noticed for BEING Helpful

Here is my morning breakfast pal..

eagerly up

and ready to feed the ducks

and Guinea Hens..

We have some nice cooked potato

and apples for them

and to it we will add some feed…

not much..

as they forage all day long!

Little Man LOVES dumping the bucket

into their food bowl..

it's a REALLY cool material

that won't ever freeze or get brittle…

and it's EASY to clean

(LOVE my True Value!)

We wait and see how Daisy Poppy and Lilly

deal with the Guineas this 

the FIRST morning with them..

and all appears well..

occasionally the Guineas will SIT in the bowl

and hog the food

but then the ducks will just MOVE THEM

with their big beaks

the Guineas 

(typical bullies)

are in fact QUITE cowardly

and they will run run run away… 

it's hysterical…

so after Little Man and I enjoy this we hurry in the house

to TELL Big Kids what happened!

Whilst telling the story

we hear LOUD noises…

I mean LOUD!

looking out the window..

WHAT do we see?

Neighbors come a calling…

yep..

Our Amish Neighbor's have Guinea fowl too!

and they 

the Guineas.. not the Amish..

have arrived BRIGHT and EARLY 

to meet their new neighbors

There is a LOT of Guinea talk

several QUACKS

a LOT of investigations into this thing

that separates them all..

It reminds me of the book

Watership Down…

The free Rabbits trying to TELL the caged rabbits

about FREEDOM

ah..

you will all be free soon enough..

right now my darlings need to KNOW that 

BLESSINGS FARM is their home

give it a few weeks.. 

then they can come out and play with you ..

silly birds!

Plucky Peking Photo shoot

the lighting was SO lovely

and the sweeties get pretty excited when I have my camera

they all start posing

and they let me play with my camera and try capturing light in

different ways

aren't they cute?

this is a bit darker but it does SHOW the contrast more than that last shot

a bit more balance

what are they looking at?

do you LOVE this shot or what?

oh they are so darling!

huggable too!

I think they are just so much fun!

oh.. distracted by a bug

hmmmm

they found a happy spot

eating bugs

and 

it cracks me up

how they LOVE each other SO much!

they adore just BEING together!

plucky pekings

love nudging

a whole lotta quaking going on

MAMA

what about me?

don't forget about me!

I can be plucky for a photo too!

A ducky sort of morning..

The air is clean…

clear

cool

a bit damp

and my sweet quackers are 

QUACKING!

EACH and every morning

I bring them out their food

a bit o feed

but mostly freshly boiled potatoes

and what not..

they LOVE it!

but mostly 

they love to eat

bugs..

slugs

spiders

crickets

and what not

all while

quacking and making funny little noises

I open the gate after putting some food down for them

making certain their water is fresh

and filled

filled.. 

and then

I open the gates

Poppy, Daisy and Lily are ONLY ever in their

"safe place"

or pen

at night

or when we are gone a while..

we have 

coyotes that live near

and we don't want these darlings 

on someones gobble menu

look

Poppy is showing off for you

the one leg skill..

SO proud

Leading the way..

we must look for bugs

we must stomp everything beneath our feet

here we go a waddling

oh!

that was MY bug!

LARGE quack from behind..

a real "LET IT GO!" sort of quack..

they are also interested in the sounds that are coming 

from another part of the property..

What's a foot at Blessings Farm?

MR Tis here!

it's 

DEMOLITION DAY

now I've got you excited …

don't I?

Daisy 

Poppy

and 

Lily 

were SO flustered

so frightened

so FREAKED OUT

they waddled back home to their

"Safe Zone"

as fast as their wee webbed feed would take them!

BATH Time

They are getting bigger!

see the white on the tail? 

not so sure on their legs

or in the water

but so so cute!

They have arrived!!!

So happy

my dream of Ducks has arrived!

they came via 

United States Postal Service 

we waited

by the phone for "the call" 

for days 

Poppy 

Daisy

and 

Lily

are here

and as CUTE as can be! 

little bundles of yellow fluff

these wee

Pekin Ducks will be white as snow

very very soon 

aren't they sweet? 

love! 

yes..

I am in LOVE! 

they do NOT quack yet..

they tweet 

THIS is Lily 

Daisy 

little swimming... 

This is Poppy! 

look into my eyes

you love me don't you? 

i love you!