Happy Birthday Acorn! Although not quit that many years but 47 years and one day ago, a nurse in the maternity ward said the same thing to me but wanted to send me home! All the best. Anneliese

It's so very good to see both Theo and Lynnie. Thanks for the good wishes. Lynn, those fellows are very handsome indeed. I've had the Orps and they're really an imposing bird, but way big eaters, LOL. Mine were quite docile. I've never had the Ameraucanas. I don't see a waddle on your cockerel. I googled them and most of the roos don't seem to have a waddle or much of one. Is this a trait common to that breed? As for roos. You gotta love them. Most roos are full of themselves and their strutting and posing just puts me in mind of some men I've dated. But when push comes to shove, they are so gentle with the chicks, and will defer their food to a hen. Morning isn't morning without their chorus either. I had a red roo once who took on a racoon trying to break into the pen. He lost a toe or two, but his bravery as the hens screamed awoke me and saved the flock. You had ducks in another life, didn't you? Thanks for the pic, I loved it.

I warned everybody beforehand to be gentle on me with the cards this year, because the crew can get carried away with "old" jokes. The worst one I got was a take off on an old boy scout song "do your b**bs hang low?" Good to see you Mary, check in more often! Some of my friends know I cut off about a yard of hair and got a perm a little while back. When it got shorn, guess what I found? A huge shock of grey. I was laughing because I figured it was long overdue. It's a beautiful silver, however, not at all like the grey a lot of blondes get. IF I comb it just right, it looks like an expensive frost job.

Lynnie, thanks for the roses. Just a morning or two ago, I sat at my kitchen window looking at the little tangerine rose bush, who won't admit winter is coming. It has one beautiful bloom on it now, and another branch with a spray of lovely buds. I don't know how it escapes the freezes at night. It's like it just refuses to leave just yet. Thank you all for the lovely wishes. For many years now, you've brought a smile to my face, and many laughs and a few tears. The day isn't quite complete without dropping in and seeing what is up in your worlds. You're the best.