Photo Friday Challenge

At the moment, I have no tools capable of putting pictures up on the internet. So the blog has been quiet this week, and photo Friday will be sans photo. Hopefully, next week will be a bit livelier, even with the holiday. Instead, I'll post a random update:

1) Yes, we still have chickens. The way they looked in September, it seemed they might not make it through the winter. As it turns out, molting is an ugly process for some birds! Our two white rocks blew their feathers in a wretched, bald display worthy of a Loony Toons prank. We thought they must be dying; in our defense, one of them did have a concerning tendency to, um, hold on to her eggs. After a month of worry (and some macabre research into the final phase of a chicken's life), we woke up one morning to a pair of fluffy white birds, full of new feathers and with their egg laying techniques perfected. The flock is once again happily self-sufficient.

2) Miss Maya Ballerina is strutting around the house imitating scenes from "Singing in the Rain" and asking repeatedly if it is time for her fall recital. The big mystery is whether she will freeze at the sight of her audience, as she did last year during the Valentine's pageant, or if she will continue the dramatic performances she puts on for us each night.

3) Elliot, though assertive and fearless most of her days, now walks around the house saying "I only want you, mama," whenever I'm out of her sight. That's what I get for leaving her somewhere new... she needs more practice at that! Suddenly, her exploration radius (the distance she's willing to get from me) has shrunk again. I think I have my work cut out for me.

There are a few stray tidbits in place of the pictures I intended to post. Look for more next week!