Monday, August 13, 2018

Chicks And Children, Truth And Love.


I got another small pointy egg today and whether it came from the same young hen who laid the first one or perhaps a different hen, I do not know. If it was from a different hen, I feel certain that the hens in question would be Viv and Vera who look so much alike that I can't begin to tell them apart.

I took my phone outside just now to take pictures of the chickens which I have not done for quite awhile, not really, and although the pictures are not good, please be aware of the fact that I got so bit up by mosquitoes and perhaps yellow flies that I am in a sort of special itchy agony.
I suffered for my (not) art.

Here are Viv and Vera and also Ringo, their brother.



The fourth jungle fowl is Dearie who always rushes up to be the first to greet me which actually means that she's the most optimistic that I will have food to give her. 


I love the way she's looking at me so intently as if by sheer force of her mind she can will me into delivering biscuit crumbs or watermelon. I really am fond of these four jungle fowl. They are quite different from the rest of the chickens. They seem at once more independent and yet, have a friendly vibe. They do not seem to be timid at all, as some of the hens are. Their beauty is more subtle, except for Ringo's of course. He comes in all of the colors and all of his feathers shine with jeweled iridescence.


He looks nothing like his rooster brother, Liberace. 


They are both crowing with great gusto these days although I think that the Buff rooster has some maturing to do yet. His tail feathers are still growing and his drape, that lovely curtain of feathers which falls over his chest and sides, isn't finished yet either. The two boys seem to be bros. They hang out together all day and appear to enjoy doing call and response crowing. I have a feeling that we are in a bit of an Edenic era right now which will not last. Quite frankly, I haven't seen either one of them top a hen and when that starts happening, things will probably not be as peaceable in my little kingdom. 

Here's the lovely Dottie.


And here's her sister Darla,


Those two, along with Violet, are my two oldest hens. 

Here's the rather gorgeous Big Momma. 


She is one fine looking hen. 

And here's one of my very shy Americaunas, Miss Eggy Tina II (or is she the third?)


And her even shyer sister, Pansy. 


These are the two ladies who will give me colored eggs. 
Inshalla. 

And those ten and Violet who is not sitting for photos these days because she is sitting on eggs, make up my plucky little flock. 
Thank you for indulging me. 

And of course you know what today is! First day of school! 


 
Do we not all remember the lovely, scary anticipation of it? The new clothes, the new stuff, the new teacher, the new classmates, the annual optimistic hope that this year, this year, will be the one with no blots on our copy book as Louisa May Alcott may have said.


My Gibson! First grade! I hear he has a very young teacher. I hope he falls in love with her and listens to her carefully. Mostly, of course, I hope she falls in love with him.


My Owen. Third grade! 
Sigh. 
My little prince. My first-born grandchild, as he never tires of reminding me, especially when I'm a bit peeved with something he may or may not have done and I have threatened to put him in chicken jail. I wonder if he's the only boy at his school to have a man bun? Remember last year when he had a rat tail? I secretly like to think that he got his rebellious fashion sense from his Mer. 
Oh. I guess that's not really a secret. 
Note the cool sunglasses, too. 
When they were here yesterday I told Gibson that I loved his new handsome man haircut. 
"Miss Melissa gave it to me," he said. 
I knew that but I wanted to hear him say it. 

And tomorrow Mr. Moon leaves for nine nights of gator hunting. I made him two gallon ziplock bags worth of oatmeal/raisin/pecan/chocolate chip cookies to sustain him throughout the long nights of river travel. I also started Maggie's dress today. I got it cut out and have done the very first part of the sewing and already wish I had done something differently. 

The words I've had in my ears almost all day are from another series of the Mormon Stories podcast about a man who, despite a lifetime of being Mormon, of being a descendent of some of the most important Mormon leaders, of being a Bishop, broke away from the church in a process that began when his thirteen year old son told him he was gay. 
What a journey. 
His name is David Eccles Hardy. 
And now he's gone on to make this his life work. 
Y'all, there are some brave people on this planet who, when confronted with the truth versus the very, very familiar and comfortable lie, choose love. 
Oh. Wait. I meant truth. 
No I didn't. Well, I meant both. Love and truth. The truth of love. The love of truth. 
I wish I was that brave. 
And that is the truth. 

Love...Ms. Moon













30 comments:

  1. Thank you for the chicken tour! It has been a while. Those boys - I love them!!

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  2. Hmm. You chose truth and love in equal measure. You've shone a light on the atrocities of your life and loved spectacularly anyway. I don't think anything about that is uncourageous.

    It's lovely to get a chicken count! May the boys' year be a sweet one.

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    1. Ah, well. Some things you just have to be forthright about. At least I did. That was more because I had no choice than because I was brave. But thank you, Jo.

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  3. Great blog title and closing sentiments.

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  4. Ringo is just gorgeous. What a beautiful bird.

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    1. Isn't he a pretty thing? I love his bedazzled dinosaur self.

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  5. Dear Ms. Moon,

    You are that brave.

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    1. If you're not frightened, then you're not being brave. Doing things that *don't* scare you isn't actually bravery!

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  6. Oh my, I do love your birds, they are so gorgeous! They all want to be painted I think, they are so worthy. - I am off to read a good book, thanks to you, so loving it!

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    1. It makes me so happy to think of you loving that book. As you know!

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  7. Your chickens are beautiful! I miss having my own flock ... someday I hope to again.

    Blessings~

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    1. Hello, Ms. Joyful Chaos! Nice to have you here. I don't think I've ever had a former Amish reader before.

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  8. what do you mean you wish you were that brave?! you are! and you do have a gorgeous flock of chickens and that Ringo! he's to swoon over. so different from the chickens kept here...R's big fat and fluffy brown hens and Rocky's black or white scrawny 'game' chickens as he calls them. such little dinosaurs. your grandboys are quite handsome.

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    1. What are game chickens? I would have no idea about that. It is funny how very different the varieties of chickens can be. Like dogs, I guess. A Yorkie looks nothing like a Great Dane and yet, they are related. I like having mixed flocks. The "assortment pack" as I call them. Since I do not depend on them for meat or need to sell their eggs for income, I have the luxury.
      I think those grandboys are handsome too but you know- I'm their Mer.

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  9. Great Post about the Chicken flock, which I Love hearing about. The first day of School, which is always in any Era a Big Deal! And yes, about Truth and Love to Celebrate those who fearlessly pursue it!

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  10. That Mormon Stories podcast looks interesting! I am so glad to get a rundown on all the chickens. :)

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    1. I know that everyone has been waiting with bated breath for that very thing!

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  11. Darling Mary, I loved the portraits of your flock, both the human and the chicken kind. How on earth could Owen be in third grade?? I remember when he started school. Shoot, I remember when he used to sit you on the step and brush your hair and help you sweep the house. Oh your babies. They are in my heart. And yes, there are some brave people in our world, and it is important to bear witness and amplify their courage, as you have done here. Thank you. Lovelovelove

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    1. I have no idea how Owen got this old. Yes, he was such a darling little helper boy when he was so young. Those boys still brush my hair when I read to them before bed when they spend the night. Sort of. Maybe Maggie will be good at it. I am so glad that my babies are in your heart. That makes me feel comforted.

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  12. What a wonderful flock you have, fowl and humans!

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    1. We are definitely a mixed group, both human and fowl.

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  13. I loved this post so much. Like your family, I feel like I know your chickens.

    This Mormon podcast you are listening to, is it pro Mormon or is it about Mormons we have left the church? My step sister’s BIL has a Mormon girlfriend and they had a baby 4 months ago. She and her family are hardcore and don’t drink coffee or take medications. Though, it’s odd that she ended up with a non Mormon boyfriend and pregnant. She is really a a nice woman and I adore her but because of my past dealings with religion it freaks me out.

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    1. The guy who runs and hosts the podcast has been kicked out of the Mormon church if that gives you any clues...
      He doesn't spend a lot of time slandering the church though. He just lets people tell their stories, many of them about their "crisis of faith" as they call it and how it affected their lives. He and his wife are both counselors. I wasn't aware that Mormons don't use medications. I don't think that's the usual thing. Coffee and alcohol are definitely prohibited though. I will say that the Mormons do a good job generally with family and community although I think that many are still intolerant of homosexuality and do not accept the idea of gay marriage. Views are changing, however. But it's still definitely a major big old white boys club and it's still a religion.

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  14. I can't wait to hear about Gibson's first day of first grade! What a sweet moment. I'm glad he has a young teacher, I hope she's sweet and pretty and doting. :) My very first crush was my kindergarten teacher--a young man. Given that I was born in 1975 I figure he was a hippy dude. He was also kind and patient and fun and I cried my little eyes out on the last day.

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    1. It was reported that both boys had great first days! So hurray!
      How wonderful that your first crush was a hippie-dude teacher. That makes me smile.

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