I am a small and concise cottage, what The Mrs. calls a dog trot bungalow. Annie, the chocolate labrador, proves that every day. Before the renovation began, there were walls between my kitchen, dining and living areas. I never had a hallway. This morning, Sir surely wishes there was one. The Mrs. is up making breakfast, without muffling the noise. Fresh brown eggs from the Rhode Island Red chickens, homemade biscuits, frying potatoes and bacon, those lovely aromas will cause Sir to stir out from under his covers.  It's what their friends from England call "a full English" but with a Southern twist.

It is a cool morning drizzle that greets the family today, not unlike the stories of the North England countryside friends share. Plans will change, and except for tending to the animals, the outside chores can wait until the afternoon sun shines. That means I may have more work done on my inside. 

One of the chickens has become a miraculous layer. She has been laying eggs within eggs, full shell and all.

Sir and The Mrs. had to be advised by the extension agent about how to care for her.  They have even held her in a warm tub of water and rubbed her belly to help her lay a larger than normal egg. In all my years, that is a new experience for this old cottage...for Sir and The Mrs, too!

Can you see the egg in the shell next to the other yolk?