Pictures from Ann and Warren's visit

Ann and Warren came to Berkeley for Mary's memorial a few weeks back. Here's some pictures I snagged off of Ann's iphone. She went to the Alameda antique market (she's an antique dealer) and Clara had a blast trying on some of her finds. Also pictured is my cousin Sara's son, Sy, enjoying an In-N-Out meal, our hens, and Molly's current project to hang a thousand cranes from our ceiling. And, Susie is in there, plus Nouri's girlfriend, Victoria.

They grow up so fast! (April 2013)

It seems like just yesterday that we brought these girls home as little chicks!

Chicks (February 2013)

We got more chicks this year - our friends raised them until they could go outside. Here's a picture we took when visiting them in their nursery. Somewhere in that crowd is the future "Queen Emphasis", "Cupey Cakey", "Sunrise", and "Blue".

Sprunging Spring

March 25th, 2013: Spring has sprung around here, and with it brought new chicks and beautiful flowers. Lucky for us, one of Molly's classmates raises chicks every spring and sells them at 5 weeks old - saving us the pesky brooding phase, but allowing us to bask in their cuteness. Here they are when we brought them home on March 25th. And here are some more shots of the amazing pink explosion that began around that time and is just now quieting down.

RIP Clucky

Our last hen from our first batch of chicks has died at the ripe old age of "almost 6". Molly immediately wanted to memorialize Clucky the Hen with a small poster, as we had done for the hens that went before her. This hen was certainly loved. 

More Jockey

Jockey the Hen continues to be an exceedingly accommodating hen.

Molly & Jockey (the hen)

Chicken Slaughter

Ludwig in the Garden

Ludwig was a late bloomer. But in the last few weeks he's made it clear that he really is a rooster. Beautiful though he is, he came with us to Carmel Valley to be slaughtered.
We're thankful for Ludwig, too.

The Z-F Girls

Photos by Ruth Orlowicz of the Z-F Girls and their hens:

This evening (bikes and chickens)

The girls were in such a good mood after spending the day with Nona that we got out the bikes and decided to try biking to the neighborhood school. For the first time Molly zipped off on her bike, with Zach running behind her. Clara and I decided to try a bike with training wheels for the first time. She was thrilled to be riding a bike like ours. She kept exclaiming: "It's Just Like Molly's Bike!" or "It's Just Like Your Bike!". She was much slower, but very determined and very good humored about it all.

When we caught up with them at the playground, Molly was practicing stopping (and making skid marks!). She also had some fun taking pictures on my new Phone-Camera (she took the last photo of me & Zach).

And when we finally dragged them home we found out what the chicks do if we don't get them into the coop in time.

Silly Chickens

This is what happens when the little hens can't figure out how to get back in their coop... (because we closed the upper door that they're used to, even though the lower door was open)

Jockey, the Rhode Island Red

The chicks have gotten big - and one in particular has settled into the life of a beloved pet. The Rhode Island Red, who the girls call Jockey, or sometimes Bambi, is the calmest chicken I've ever met. The girls carry her around, act out all sorts of stories, and generally love her. I draw the line at bringing her in the house.