Who Needs A Teddy Bear?

Evelyn’s new love are the chickens her grandmother sent home with us.  I don’t know what is so fascinating about the poultry but she’ll spend literally hours running in the yard with them.  Lily, an Ameraucana hen, has quickly become her favorite.  Ameraucanas are also known as Easter Egg chickens because of the wide range of color of eggs they lay, from green to pink to brown.  To add to Lily’s charm, she was also hatched on Easter.

I’d seen Evelyn cuddling Lily abundantly the last few weeks.  She’d lay her on her back and coo at her while Lily conceded defeat and didn’t bother putting up a struggle.  I didn’t think anything of it until I walked outside and saw Evelyn playing in the gravel patch that was to be our new patio and Lily lay lifeless nearby.  “Oh, great,” I cradled my head in my hands, “she’s dead.”  I was afraid I was going to have to explain to Evelyn (and my mom) why the hen was deceased.  Just then, Lily popped up and walked back over to Evelyn.

Oh, Evelyn and your perpetually dirty face.