I took that picture this morning when I let the chickens out. That's Miss Violet up there at the top and Dottie in the foreground. I would say that they are friends but I am not sure that Violet actually has friends. She and the rest of the flock tolerate each other and no one has pecked at her in a good long while. Chickens do absolutely have favorite friends and I bet anything that someone has done a study not unlike one of Jane Goodall's with the chimps, tracking and recording the activities between the different hens in a flock, observing those who are dominant and those who are subservient. There is a lot going on in a backyard flock of chickens. They are such flocking creatures because in numbers there is safety and it's easiest for the rooster, if there is one, to protect the hens if he can see all of them in one area but some chickens just seem to be born more as loners than others. Miss Gracie, as we speak, is looking for seeds under the bird feeder all by herself, no other chooks in sight, seemingly as content as she can be. Sometimes a hen will suddenly realize that she is all by herself and she may set up a squalling call to try and locate the rest of her community. As I have said many times before, the noise that a hen makes when she has laid her egg is the signal for the rooster to run to the henhouse to collect her and escort her back to the others. Since they circle the yard more than once every day, there is no real telling where they will be located at certain times. I call it the stations of the cross and they make their pilgrimages as devotedly as any saint of old.
Jessie, Lily, Lauren, Levon and I met up today at Tallahassee Nurseries which is the oldest and biggest nursery in Tallahassee. I've been taking my children there their entire lives and although they used to sometimes complain about my endless shopping for plants, they are now as enthusiastic as I am, if not more so. It is a lovely nursery and big enough so that I do not feel frantic when I'm there the way I do in the smaller nursery that I sometimes go to. Esthetically, it is a beautiful place with lots of room and many areas in which to wander and explore and wish for endless amounts of money in order to buy all of the beautiful plants we desire, along with gorgeous pots and statuary, fountains, and of course, wind chimes.
The wind was blowing today and we are forecast to be getting a cold front and behind that, a storm with high winds, tornado warnings, lots of rain...
"Yes," he said and he should have.
I will never forget that. He is a grown man now, married and everything, as manly a man as there can be but to me, he will always be THE Little Mermaid.
What a magical place to spend time in. The other thing about nurseries is that as well as more money and more space at home, you also need a staff of gardeners to execute the plant plans.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad he gets to wear his dresses and nobody tries to put him off. Lucky boy, nice family.
It really is a beautiful place. I like to think that if I ever get wheelchair bound, my kids will take me there and roll me around to see the all the flowers.
DeleteLevon knows what he likes and I'm glad his family lets him be who he wants to be which currently, is sometimes a boy in a pretty dress.
The mermaid dress looks so comfortable and he wears it well. Going to the nursery to buy plants *sigh*...too early here and it is too muddy. That is a swell nursery- lovely day for you.Whatever your friend said about your blog , I agree- touchstone!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda Sue!
DeleteAnd just remember- when you are still able to go to your nurseries and wander around and enjoy, we'll be stuck in the air conditioning, trying to get the energy up to go jump in the river with all of the screaming kids.
My calendar can post recurring dates in perpetuity. Every May 15th on my calendar days DO NOT BUY PLANTS BEFORE TODAY. It probably should be on June 1, but mid may is the longest I can hold off.
ReplyDeleteThe little mermaid is beautiful.
I hear you!
DeleteOh sweet Mary, now you brought tears to my eyes. It was so great seeing you all today and yes, that mermaid dress is perfect for Levon.
ReplyDeleteSharon Z.
Sharon, I have thought about your words all day yesterday and today. I appreciate you so much.
DeleteHe looks beautiful in that dress, and what a wonderful lunch and compliment about your blog!
ReplyDeleteAh, we folks do love our lunches, don't we? And it was such a nice one. The compliment even better.
DeleteWhat a perfect day, that Nursery is the kind I love to spend time in too. Levon looked like he had a great time all around.
ReplyDeleteI think Levon truly loves being the "only" on Tuesdays and Thursdays when he gets to go out with his mama and aunties and grandma. These days will be gone by next year.
DeleteSigh. Sob. Sigh.
I know the feeling of being in a well-stocked nursery and knowing there is only so much space and so much energy and (need I say it) so much money. But it's so much fun to explore it. That boy is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteYes. It's hard to rein in all the wants that come from being in a good nursery. Getting older has helped. I damn well know I can't keep up with too many plants.
DeleteWhat a beautiful day you have had with people you love. That blue mermaid dress is Levon’s color. I love your family’s ease.
ReplyDeleteI was wearing a teal dress and he liked that we matched. We do love that color.
DeleteWe are pretty easy with each other. I know your family is that way too.
That nursery sounds like a fabulous place to spend a few hours and I love the gazebo structure those chimes are hanging from. i love the colour of the tulle skirt on Levon's new dress.
ReplyDeleteThe nursery is HUGE! We didn't even go to the tree sections or the rose section or the azalea section...
DeleteWe mostly just saw vegetables and green house plants. And a few flowers.
Isn't that a nice mermaid dress?
Your blog is the first thing I read every morning sitting with my first cup of tea. I love your writing and the love,humour and caring that shows in every post. I can relate to many of your experiences and just know that the world would be a much better place if people like you were in charge and much better fed. With love from Scotland.
ReplyDeleteOh, Jessica! Scotland! How I've always yearned to go there. I think I have some Scot's blood. Scots' blood? Whatever. It seems so magical to think of. Scotland and Ireland. Yes. I'd love to go to those places.
DeleteThank you so much for those sweet, kind words. They mean so much.
I think that I mentioned to you, some years ago, now that a girlfriend of one of my boys did a comprehensive study about whether chickens have friends. Sadly I have no contact with her and wouldn't know if there are any results online.
ReplyDeleteYes! I was remembering that, Frances! But I couldn't for the life of me recall where to find it. I should google it!
DeleteHow great to meet someone "in the wild" who reads and appreciates your blog. I think Levon looks terrific in his new dress! That's quite a garden center -- much larger than anything around here. (Ours is more like a Lowe's or Home Depot.)
ReplyDeleteThat nursery takes up acres, Steve! It was started when land was cheap out where it is. Now, of course, it's one of the most desirable areas of Tallahassee.
DeleteYour garden center reminds me of one we have here in Naperville, IL called "The Growing Place". Like Joanne, tho, I don't buy flowers/plants until after May 15th. It is fun to look, tho!
ReplyDeleteIt IS fun to look and I am always astounded at all of the people who come out when spring is finally truly here to buy things to put in the ground. It's sort of a reassuring thing, isn't it?
DeleteI can't wait to go to the nursery. My tomato plants are surviving. I had 25 and the cat has destroyed 9 so far. I want to kill that cat. They're now covered in plastic. The cat and I have endless fights over plants. She thinks she should be allowed to dig in all of them, and/or, knock them over. I disagree.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you guys had such a good time and that color mermaid dress looks wonderful on Levon.
Cats. What are you going to do? They do not accept being told what not to do. I think their motto is, "We are cats. Fuck you, humans."
DeleteThat color does suit Levon, doesn't it?
Such a lucky boy to be able to proudly wear a mermaid dress! Totally styling as well with those shoes in the same color!
ReplyDeleteI thought you were way ahead of me as far as planting goes, but I googled your USDA and although I'm about as far away from lloyd as I can be (NW Oregon), we're in the same (hardiness) zone, 8b. Never would have guessed that.
I know- how serendipitous that Levon's shoes yesterday matched the dress! I love those shoes. We call them Crockenstocks. Or, alternatively, Berkincrocs.
DeleteThat seems impossible that we're in the same hardiness zone. Really? Wow.
They call gin "mother's ruin", but I'm pretty sure it's the garden centre that's really mother's ruin - I'd go broke if I went there too often!
ReplyDeleteHaha! You might be right!
Delete