It's what's for breakfast.

Last weekend, on our way home from our weekend away in Door County, we stopped at a quirky farm in Lake County, which Eric had found on Craig's List. We were after one thing (well, four, as it turns out): Muscovy Ducks. 

A funny looking breed of ducks native to Latin America, these ducks don't really need swimming water, barely make any noise at all, live peacefully with chickens, lay eggs, and make an excellent meal (when that time comes).   

We purchased four adults, one drake and three hens, put them in cardboard boxes, set them in the trunk of our car and drove an hour home (yes, this is inevitably how our romantic weekends end...purchasing fowl and pretending to be farmers in the city. I love us.).

So far, the ducks seem to love it here. 

Two of our ducks started laying the other day. We are planning on letting at least one of the Mamas hatch a clutch of ducklings, and see how that goes (plus my daughters are already ecstatic about the thought of baby ducks running around the yard...as am I, who am I kidding?!), some of their eggs are also destined for our tummies. This one we found outside of the nest box. Voila! Breakfast.

Compared to a chicken egg, the yolks in duck eggs are HUGE! 

 Duck eggs, it turns out, are thick, rich, and SO FLAVORFUL. I have never eaten a more delicious egg in my life. Granted, I've really only eaten chicken eggs from the grocery store, so I don't have much to compare to, but really - they are SUPERB.

 I ate my egg with some homemade whole wheat toast and fresh strawberry jam (not made by me, but still lovely). Eating a whole foods diet (or Real Food as some people call it) takes extra time and effort, but it is SO WORTH IT. Food tastes better, because it IS better. And you can appreciate what you put into your mouth so much more because not only do you know where it came from, but the extra effort to prepare/grow it adds to that appreciation as well.

Meanwhile, outside in the coop....

Meet Cookies & Cream, one of our Mamas, who has been hovering around the nest box all morning

Ice Cream, the big white one here, is our drake. He takes full advantage of his harem quite often. And still the ladies won't leave his side. Machismo in duck fashion.

Ice Cream is in the back, herding two of his ladies, Yogurt and Oreo back into the coop since it started to rain (btw, my three-year-old claimed naming rights. Don't you love them?!)

Silly chickens.