And it begins again...four new chicks arrived on February 4, 2011. This time I'm an old pro. This time I marvel at these new little fuzz balls just as much as before. I'm an old softie.

The happy chickie sisters are in the old plastic house used by their predecessors...of which only two are still with us. Old Georgie and Blossom are ruling the henhouse in the backyard, but only Georgie is laying. Several times we were convinced that "henopause" had set in, for they would go months on end without a single egg. Then one (usually Georgie) would become submissive, then "present" herself so I could "roosterize" her - - ohhhhh, long story, but no chickens were harmed or molested in the process - - and sure enough, she would lay a big brown egg during the day and cackle lustily to announce her accomplishment.

Such dear little creatures. Their appearance changes daily. One day they are perfectly round, then I come home from work and they have....necks! We'll be counting the months 'til the first eggs appear. I'm figuring it will be close to my birthday around the end of July before those marvelous gifts arrive. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy tending to this new little flock, and pretending that I'm a real city farmer!

"You still want chickens?" That was all I had to hear! He had the plans all drawn for a storage "barn" with a hen house attached and a chicken run along side - if I still wanted chickens. 20 years ago we bought this house in a suburb of Los Angeles - and he remembered me saying that the yard was just perfect for a small flock of chickens - wouldn't that be nice???

I said "Yes!" And he commenced building. It is glorious. Truth be known, the best part was watching him put so much of himself into this project - and to know that he wanted to please me with the results.

I am pleased. My job was to dive into researching just how to raise up the chicks that would soon inhabit this new little barn at the back of our property. After locating a feed store, I went down and chose my 3-day-old chicks -- 5 of 'em, all different breeds. And they said they should (should) all be females. So far, so good - no crowing yet!

It had been 18 1/2 weeks since I drove 20 miles home with a little box of fluffy peeping things on my front seat. They passed their first month and a half in a big clear box that grew into a big clear box with a bigger cardboard carton attached - in my daughter's room (she was away at college, but returning home very soon!). Watching the chicks mature into pullets with full feathers was marvelous.

The move to the hen house was a tense one - for me! I hovered over them like a nervous mom on the first day of kindergarten. And - just like my own daughter - they took off running for the "play yard" and never looked back! As it should be.

They have become young "ladies" now and will soon present us with their first gifts of eggs an act we lovingly call "earning their keep!" Their bodies are changing rapidly and they resemble, well.....chickens! Combs and wattles are growing and turning red, their bottoms are becoming quite bell-bottom shaped and very fluffy. It will be soon. And I will thank them, and God, for allowing me to witness this wonder of creation.

And, if you ever truly wondered which came first....it was the chicken! Genesis, Chapter 1. By the way, the girls names are: Scarlett, Scooter, LuLu, Georgie, and Blossom. Yeah - we have a relationship.