June 4th 

When it cools off in the evening we let the ladies free range and they run all over the yard looking for bugs and eating grass.  Sometimes one will come over and sit on me or on the side of my chair and let me pet her.  Daisy digs her hot little talons into my ample thighs before she settles down on my lap. 

At a little before 8:00 they all start to make little agitated noises as they make their way back to the coop. 

When they’re all in, we shut the door and wait for them to ascend the stairs to their night-time suite.  So far this ascension has been rife with comedy.  None of them are very good at it but Violet is getting the hang of it fastest.  She gets halfway up the red gangplank and then, as soon as she sees the second floor, she just says, “I don’t need no stinkin’ stairs!” and she flies to the second floor. 

Poor Rosie makes several attempts and finally copies her sister’s maneuver with much less grace and coordination. 

 Alas, my little Daisy has not gone up by herself the entire week.  The first two nights we actually picked her up and put her through the nest box door.  The next three nights we watched her get almost to the top of the stairs (after falling off a few times) and then SIT on the second stair from the top.  She can actually see the top floor, but it’s like she just gives up and says, “This is an OK place to roost.” 

 Last night we were determined to wait it out until she made it all the way up by her ownself.  So we sat, and we sat, and we watched, and we…you get the idea.  Daisy had once again plopped down on the second stair and was staring at us like, “What’s the problem?” Jim decided to help her.  He crouched in the side opening, (an easier task for him than me) and he put his hand under Daisy’s fluffy little bod.  She sat calmly in the palm of his hand while he tried to “push” her up to the next step.  It took a while, but he finally had success and Daisy got on the perch with her sisters.  While he was doing this patient and compassionate act, I grabbed the camera and took a picture of his butt. 

Now, Jim does not read my blog because he is a big pooper head so if you don’t say anything, he’ll never know.  Shhhhhhhhh.  It’s a very nice looking butt in my opinion.  Enjoy.  Oh, if you don’t hear from me for a few days, Jim has found out about this photo and has locked me in the attic.  Please call 911.