Really purdy chickens

　　A side effect of patrolling my backyard chickens to make sure they don’t tear up our flower beds is that I get to observe their feathers quite closely. The five hens I have are nothing flashy, but I was at first surprised by the range of colors and patterns in their simple feathers. These chickens, on the other hand, are on a whole other level of fancy. [Kate Bernot]

In praise of edamame

　　On my many visits to Trader Joe’s, I never leave without yet another bag of the frozen shelled edamame. I can throw them in everything—salads, soups, casseroles, stir-fries—plus they’re an addictive snack I don’t even need to feel bad about. Tonight my son had edamame and garlic bread for dinner, which means that we’re both winning at life. [Gwen Ihnat]