That is my pathetic attempt at a panoramic photo of my chickens as they are eating their scratch in the morning. If you count, I think you'll find eighteen even though I only have seventeen chickens and that's because one of them moved faster than I moved the camera and so was caught twice. Probably the one there that looks like part of a chicken, third from the left in the back.
Oh what fun we have here in Lloyd!
Mr. Moon and I were just talking yesterday about how Fancy Pants hardly ever crows and we wondered how in the world he was going to have his own flock and lo and behold, the little man began crowing a lot. His crow is short and rather pathetic (don't tell him I said that) but it's his own personal crow and maybe it will develop as time goes on. I saw the bold bird try to jump on one of the gray hens yesterday and really, he needs a step-ladder. She just shrugged him off and went about her business.
Poor guy.
And poor little Miss Tweety if she's the only hen he can mount and please dear GOD don't let Liberace try to fuck her. He'd kill her.
So yesterday when I got up I realized that a branch from the pecan tree was hanging down over the roof of the porch in an unnatural way. At that time it was still attached to that branch you see above but it had cracked and was broken and all of the rain we've gotten had soddened and weighted the limb and as it dipped it pulled another branch down and it was sort of a mess. After much examining of the situation, Mr. Moon decided to ask Vergil if he'd come out and help him get the limbs down. In a bit of synchronistic fortune, Vergil's test results came back this morning and they were negative. So Jessie and the boys came with Vergil to play while the men worked.
Before they got here, Mr. Moon got things ready. He put up a ladder and got out all the tools he thought he'd need and pulled the truck right up to the back porch. He was in the shed getting something else and I was sitting on the porch and all of a sudden I heard the crack and rip of the branch and down it fell, completely missing the new AC unit AND the porch, landing right where my husband had hoped to set it himself.
TA-DA!
We think that the ladder helped place the branch where it should go as it slid down it, almost like it was a guide.
It did not, however, pull down the other branch which was now laying precariously on the porch roof, still connected to the tree. So the men had a project to do even though part of it had been done for them.
While they did what they did (and I'm not sure what that was), the boys and I did some stuff. Mostly we read books and also, Levon wanted me to do the Mr. Ratty puppet which I did. I love being Mr. Ratty. He is the most darling puppet and can move his mouth and scratch his head and groom his whiskers and give hugs too. Levon couldn't even talk to Ratty. I think the power of his authenticity overwhelms small children. I'm not even kidding. But that was sweet fun and Levon also wanted...wait for it!...the tractor book and the dump truck book. So of course I read those. And then there was Duck In A Truck, which Jo from Ireland sent me when Owen was very young and which is definitely in the top five books that my grandchildren have loved. August listened to that one. He's over the dump truck book and the tractor book.
The boys and I talked about stuff and then Jessie and I made some lunch. We had an array of sandwiches from tuna to peanut butter to ham, along with cherries and chips. It was so nice to get to eat with Vergil.
August kept pretending to call his grandfather and his dad on the old plug-in phone and Vergil made me laugh so hard when he said, "Hold on, let me put you on speaker phone," because August was about four feet away.
While they were here, Lily called for real and we had a FaceTime visit with all the grands which rapidly got way out of hand. Maggie had put together a puzzle that I'd ordered for her and wanted to show me but then she started being a wiggling worm and so August and Levon did too and Owen and Gibson could barely get a word in, but it was fun.
The level of chaotic hysteria continued on here. I asked the boys to pose for pictures and this is what I got.
Earlier August had informed me that he'd been riding the horse in the library so fast that his hat had fallen off so I guess this was his solution to the hat-falling-off problem.
The Weatherfords had to leave soon after that as Levon was in need of a nap and wilting. Mr. Moon finished up the limb project, cutting and hauling all the pieces of branches and I was a lazy old lady and did very little.
I am making the best supper in the world tonight which is tacos made with venison and Old El Paso taco seasoning, Ortega crispy taco shells and all that other stuff that make tacos so great. I think I bought those taco shells when I was doing a panic buy and my brain had gone into survival mode. But hell- why not?
I've got a flan in the oven but I'm not sure how that's going to turn out because instead of grabbing sweetened condensed milk at Publix, I accidentally bought dulce de leche (probably during the same shopping trip I bought the taco shells) and I'd already made the sugar coating so that may or may not work. I'll let you know. Lord knows it'll be sweet enough.
I can hear thunder booming to the south. We've had rain on and off all day and in fact, both Vergil and Mr. Moon got soaked this afternoon. I do believe this is related to Tropical Storm Marco and I haven't even checked to see what Laura is doing. I hope it hasn't taken a quick hook to the east.
So it goes, so it goes. I obviously am more cheerful today than I was yesterday and I am grateful for that. And for so much more.
May all be well with you.
Love...Ms. Moon
chicken double trouble, I see why you love them so, they decorate , give eggs and are comedians. All of that in a ball of feathers.
ReplyDeleteThe little boys, of course, are all I needed for the day! Cool hat! a sort Keith hat.
From reports looks like you will be OK, Laura is going to snub you.
Also add to the reasons I love chickens- it's like having my own tribe to observe. It pleases the anthropologist in me.
DeleteWe've had that hat around forever. It's Owen's lucky card-playing hat.
That's a cat in the hat hat! funny children. And thank gawd the tree did no damage. I had that 60 ft chestnut that missed the house by inches. Very considerate, that tree.
ReplyDeleteLove you so.
I do love a considerate tree!
DeleteYou have the coolest play things and dress up stuff.
ReplyDeleteIs Miss Tweety on top of the dome shaped water (?) dispenser?
No. That's Dottie or Darla. Tweety is in front of the three gray hens. We do have some cool stuff. I think the kids like to find everything where they left it. They know what's here.
DeleteSo glad branches didn't harm anything....athough sounds tenuous as to removal/severing of second branch. Whew! I counted all 18 chickens, I"m so proud! LOL! And the grands......I see that as a Michael Jackson hat on August! He and Keith both sported good ones!
ReplyDeleteSusan M
I'm really glad that the branches didn't hurt anything either. They are heavy.
DeleteWhat a wonderful day, the photos made me smile! Have a sweet night.
ReplyDeleteI did have a good night!
Delete:)
ReplyDeleteYou will NEVER not be thought of here, dear Jo.
DeleteThe weird ghost of a chicken back row third from the left is so bizarre and some might say a remarkable artistic achievement. How kind of the tree to help Glen and Vergil out like that.
ReplyDeleteRemarkable artistic achievement. Ha!
DeleteIt was a kind tree.
Serendipity that Mr Moon had placed the ladder and moved on before the branch fell. Branch down. No one hurt. Thankfully. Love the photo of the boys--such characters at that age. Good, silly fun.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding! Completely serendipitous!
DeleteThose boys are silly. They. know it, too.
Those kids are an endless source of entertainment. Nearly as good as chickens...
ReplyDeleteAnd I am grateful for both!
DeleteI meant to mention that pretty little pink egg yesterday. I have a new source for yard eggs. turns out one of the women in my yoga group has chickens. how nice of the pecan tree to remove it's limb for you. one of them anyway. I was surprised to learn this morning that Marco made landfall yesterday. it was overcast here most the day yesterday but was clearing by evening. not one drop of rain. so now we wait and see where Laura decides to go. cute pics of the boys.
ReplyDeleteGlad you've got yard eggs. They are the best, aren't they?
DeleteYou know about pecan branches. These trees must be so old.
I know you have your eye on Laura. Damn.
I love the picture of your chickens. I wish we had chickens here but we hardly eat any eggs, so no. My daughter suggested quail and becoming rich selling pretty little quail eggs.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably have chickens even without the eggs. I just love having them around. Might be fun to have quail, although I imagine they'd have to be penned up.
DeleteSounds like a great day spent with the family and the kids. No wonder you were more cheerful. Glad the limb problem solved itself (sort of) and I think your chicken pano is fab!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steve! I always take terrible pano pictures. I can't keep that little line straight to save my life.
DeleteIt's weird how the kids have their favourite books isn't it. The only one I really remember my kids loving was Roly Poly Hippo Takes a Bath (and yes, it was just as exciting as it sounds) but it was a firm favourite. I'm glad Vergil's test came back negative and you were able to get together with your family! Sweet times ahead!
ReplyDeleteEven some of MY favorite kid books grow weary after the ten thousandth reading. But kids just don't get tired of them, do they?
DeleteSweet times ahead- you are right!
I obsessively counted your chickens and still get 18 even without the legless bit of fluff! I like the black one with spots and the stripey black and white one best.My children and grandchildren like/liked Noisy Nora- and I like A Sick Day for Amos Mcgee (The children like to find the balloon in every picture.
ReplyDeleteThe black one with spots is Fancy Pants and the stripy black and white ones are the barred rocks, Alice and Anna. I think that's what I named them.
DeleteI'll have to check those two books out. Never too many good books!
Oh that is a Good Day. What a difference it makes seeing family for real, eh. I'm glad you got the chance to do it.
ReplyDelete