One egg.
We heard a strange sound coming from the chicken coop this morning, so George went to investigate. He came to find me in the garden and without a word, opened my hand and deposited a still warm, perfectly oval, brown speckled egg.
Though I was beginning to wonder if the story about eggs coming from chickens was nothing but a myth, I had a hopeful feeling we might get our first egg this week. Bess pulled through for me; she renewed my faith in the whole chicken and egg story.
Our adventures in egg collecting are just beginning, but today marked a sad ending as well. A red dragonfly has been visiting our garden almost every day for the past few months, always landing on the same bamboo stake.
Today he landed and did not move for a very long time. I watched from the kitchen window as a little gray bird swooped down and unsuccessfully tried to make a large meal out of the dragonfly. The dragonfly fell to the carrots below, and there I found him, not quite dead, but certainly no longer with us.
He now rests in peace in a mason jar on our windowsill, still a thing of beauty, even in death.
Speaking of beauty, look at the gorgeous specimen I found flying around the backyard the other night -
I certainly don't mean him any harm, but should he come to an end by natural means, I'd love him to join my windowsill collection. I don't think I've ever seen a black and white dragonfly before. Our world is full of truly wondrous design, isn't it?
Congrats on your egglet!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flies you have there, my dear.
It's a lovely world outside our doors...
He looks as if he is made of copper. What a beauty. Neat that you can keep him.. maybe it's a her?
ReplyDeleteYay for your egg! We are still waiting on eggs. I thought maybe the chickens were laying somewhere else as they roamed around the land so I shut them in for a few days.. going to the grocery today. For eggs.
I was just thinking the same thing about my girls. In fact, I was searching the yard.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy it. How will you?
yipppeee for the egg. We have one hen laying about an egg every other day. One day last week she layed a big one - and it had three little yolks : )
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the wondrous designs.
ReplyDeleteAnd the eggs! Yipee! That gives me hope. I went to the store today, too. For eggs. Darn it. : )
wow, they are amazing pics - so crisp
ReplyDeletehooray!! all four of our girls are laying now - they were about the same age. It almost makes me excited to be back home this weekend. Almost.
ReplyDeleteYou are a farmer! (And quite a talented photographer too.)
ReplyDeleteHooray for the incredible-edible-egg! I missed our "first" delivery too and found out via a text from my husband. I've never been more thankful and mindful about what is in the kitchen since it's been coming from the backyard. Amazes me...
ReplyDeleteLOL! you wanting a friend for your red dragonfly... i don't know, it just made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteRed dragonfly's are the norm around here, but I saw a black and white or something similar last week in our backyard. I can't ever seem to catch them being still though. nice shot.
yay for the egg!!!
WOW!!! Look at that banner, so completely fabulous!!
ReplyDeleteYour blog is really looking fresh Molly!
You made me smile with the dragonfly on your windowsill, my windowsill has a beautiful moth collection... The second fly is gorgeous!
Oh yes first eggs are so very exciting! Sadly through winter and interrupting the pecking order we are still waiting on those shrills of discovery in our nesting boxes from our newest girls...ah those pure breds, they are a tad more fickle are they not? ;)
ReplyDeleteYes nature also has its way of inspiring us and capturing our hearts only to sometimes break them in return. So glad your dragonfly's beauty remains for you to admire though..and remember.
Amazing photo's Molly.
Hurrah for eggs! That's so exciting, isn't it -- the first one! We've had hens for a while, but just today started our newest venture -- our kids got some fertilized eggs they're going to try to hatch in an incubator.
ReplyDeleteWe don't get many eggs from our adult hens in these hot Texas summers!
We've got tons of dragonflies in our yard too! They're so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a black and white one. WE normally have golden ones, but this year we've got some red mingled in too!
Congratulations on your first egg. Soon you'll be giving them away they stack up so quickly! Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteYay!! We got our first egg this week too!
ReplyDeleteBeauty all around us--just have to open our eyes to it. It is the simple things really...Like an egg...or a dragonfly...
ReplyDeleteYour egg waiting makes me think about my dad who just spent a fortune putting in strawberries this year. When the first one came on, he talked about his $500 strawberry! Now I think his return on investment is closer to 4 strawberries (a bargain at a mere $125 each, right?)
ReplyDeleteLove dragonflies. Saw a black and white one while I was home. Beautiful!
oh yay for the egg!
ReplyDeleteThere were tons of those black and white dragonflies in the boundary waters when we were up there. But I don't think we have them here in southern WI.
love the dragonflies! and congrats on the egg:)
ReplyDeleteWe got so excited last night when I saw the picture on Flickr! Hooray for you!
ReplyDeleteBoth of these dragonflies are gorgeous. Nice shots.
ReplyDeleteYou need to get out a nice magnifying glass and let the kiddos take a closer look at the wings and the eyes - now THAT is impressive!
ReplyDeleteNice egg Bess! We're expecting our first in September. I hope they're as timely as your girls... and that the rest of yours follow suit in the next few days.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we've got both those dragons in our yard this summer too. Lots of the b/w ones. It's sad and cool at the same time that you witnessed the bird event. Too bad the bird didn't end up benefiting from it.
Yahoo - the first egg and well documented too! Your pictures of the dragonflys are incredible! We sure do marvel at the awesomeness of nature!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your first hatchling!! Our little "Bolt" hatched 2 1/2 weeks ago and is doing great :-)
ReplyDeleteMolly those are spectacular pictures!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your first egg! We'll never forget ours. Now we depend upon them. And your native dragonflies are exquisite.
ReplyDeleteAh ha! 5 months you say? We were just having a discussion over here wondering when our ladies (chicken ladies that is) would start laying eggs. They are 3 month old now so I'm thinking September will be our lucky month. I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteLove your photos too! :)
I LOVE this post... reminds me that we have to be patient. What a gorgeous egg!
ReplyDeleteI'd be honored if you'd pop over to my blog and post this on 'Friday's Nature Table' today.
Blessings and magic.
Congratulations on first egg. Our first egg was also laid by Bess, an Auricana, but hers was really tiny and blue.
ReplyDeleteMay the sun alway be at your back and may all your hens lay many beautiful eggs.