This just in from the New York Times: “At French Roast on upper Broadway, however, two women sat down to brunch with dogs in tow: a golden retriever and a Yorkie toted in a bag. They both said that their animals were emotional service dogs,” said Gil Ohana, the manager, explaining why he let them in. “One of them actually carried a doctor’s letter.” That’s right, folks. People are now getting away with...

I was taking a picture for a post about garden blogging over on Dirt, when the chickens wandered over to see what I’d brought them. Perhaps we should set up an old computer out there in the coop and see what the girls come up with. (Do you suppose they touch type or hunt and peck? Sorry, couldn’t...

Scott comes outside and finds himself surrounded by a flock of very demanding girls. Bess, as always, flies right up to his face, just assuming that he’ll hold out an arm as a landing perch about the time she arrives. In other news…Dolley laid one of those strange shellless eggs the other day. It was just like what happened with Bess. She looked really uncomfortable, would hardly move, and then (not in her nesting box, just out...

United Poultry Concerns has declared May 4 International Respect for Chickens Day. I know that their name sounds like the name of some industry puppet group, but in fact, this is a group that advocates for better treatment of chickens even as they are being raised for slaughter. Good people. And here are some random highlights from their press release: For International Respect for Chickens Day, educators, students, office workers and...

There’s a good discussion going on over at Sign of the Shovel about the noise backyard hens make. I have often wondered if our neighbors were going to get fed up and come knocking on the door. Our girls can get quite riled up just after, and sometimes just before, they lay an egg (wouldn’t you?), and with four of them laying almost every day, it can be noisy. But I sit still and listen to the sounds of our neighborhood. ...

This is so brilliant, folks. Thanks to Brian & Enis for sending a link so I could share it with you. Terry Bradshaw’s the other guest, and he may be the funniest part of the whole deal. The Arkadelphia Chicken