Monday, April 20, 2020

Wild, Wild Chickens And Hippie Ways Serve Us Well


Can you see the little chickens in the tangle of wildness behind the coop? I left the sliding door open today that leads from the coop to the hen house and thus, out the front door of that and although it sometimes takes a new batch of kidchicks an entire day or more to find their way out, these got it done quickly. Safety in numbers? I don't know but as far as I can tell there were no problems. I saw them pecking away right by the big hens and even Liberace and no one fussed or got pecky.
It just occurred to me that the word "peckish" may be another word that has a chicken-related derivation. And I just looked it up and although chickens were not mentioned, birds definitely were. 
I am telling you- chickens and their culture are far more firmly rooted in our own human culture than we even know.
I don't know about where you live but around here, people seem to suddenly be avidly interested in keeping chickens. The FB pages dedicated to the trading and selling and care of chickens are blowing up with people who want laying hens or advice on raising their chicks and how to build coops and so forth. Same with people who are suddenly making their own bread, and sourdough seems to be a favorite type. And folks who never raised a radish are interested in how to turn their yards into gardens where they can grow some of their food.
I love this! But of course part of me is brushing my fingernails on my overalls and blowing on them, thinking- heh! Glad I got some of this shit figured out before now!
I have a bowl full of eggs on my counter, a day-old loaf of sourdough in my refrigerator, and carrots from the garden waiting to be roasted with a chicken. (That I didn't raise, to be honest.) Not to mention a freezer full of venison.
As my friend Liz Sparks has said, "If we damn back-to-the-land hippies had just figured out how to hunt we might have done a lot better."
She's right.
Anyway, I've just been lucky in having the inclination to grow things and having a friend who forced me into chicken-raising and a husband who can build chicken coops and gardens and hunt and fish.

I took a good walk this morning and after that I was pretty much useless. I did the regular household chores but that didn't add up to much. I made Lily another mask for work and finished up one I'd started for Jessie. Lily needed something that wasn't flannel because they get so hot at work so I went through my napkins and found some that would get the job done well.


Plus- it's pretty. 
They do look so much like bra cups, don't they? I told the kids that maybe after all of this is over I'll go into the brassiere business and wouldn't that be ironic? 

Mr. Moon actually had to get things DONE today and as he said, "I'm stressing out and I'd forgotten what that feels like and I do not like it!" 
He has to get license renewals for various things including being a car dealer and of course everything is made more difficult because offices are closed and no one's answering phones. He had some things he needed and wanted to get from Lowe's and the feed store and he tried to get everything ordered and ready for pick-up. He left the house with lists and a mask and hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes and a pocketful of determination. I'm probably going to have to go into town soon myself. I find myself missing certain employees at Costco if you can believe that. My beautiful friend Brenda with the mermaid eyeshadow who gives the best hugs and Kevin, the guy in the liquor store with whom I have conversations where we both feel free to express how we REALLY feel. Not to mention the beautiful woman whose name I do not know who loves August so much. 
Isn't it funny that I can miss Costco employees? 
Or is it sad? 
Oh hell, it's okay. These are truly nice people and although I know that they are nice to everyone, I appreciate their being nice to me. 

It's cool this evening. We have the doors open and I'll open the window in the bedroom tonight. I saw some Magnolia Grandiflora blossoms this morning on my walk and I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow. My favorite blossoms. They perfume the air with their lemony scent as the Confederate Jasmine is beginning to open and cast its powerful, almost too sweet odor throughout the yard. 

So today has been a better day. I knew it would be. 
I hope yours was a good one, too. 

Please stay safe and try not to judge yourself on however it is that you are coping with these absolutely strange and unforeseen times. 
Okay? 

Love...Ms. Moon

7 comments:

  1. Your newest mask is just lovely. You do nice work!

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  2. Mr.Man is off to Cost Co right now, He misses it very much, his go to place. I miss nothing out there in the grand world. lucky. Fancy mask and cute chickens and yes you are correct about our old hippie days coming in handy. We can pretty much make anything work, congrats to us. Bra factory, ..I have not owned one for about fifty years. Terrible devices-BEWBS , don't have them.

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  3. I do hope Mr. Moon worked through his list OK, and also hope that he works out how to avoid stress when these otherwise stressful days are done.
    That napkin mask is beautiful, and you really are one fine sewer.

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  4. I've given chickens some thought but don't think I'll go for it. There are enough people round here selling chuck eggs anyway, but I do kinda like em. And yes your mask is lovely!

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  5. The masks do look like bras, the ones I made do too. And the mask you made Lily is just beautiful with that embroidery.

    I'm glad your day was good. Well I'm glad people are thinking more about where their food comes from these days. I don't think most understand how hard farming is. I've never met a farmer who didn't have a full time job off the farm, plus doing all the farm work, unless they're older and retired and still farming:)

    Sending hugs.

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  6. I'd definitely wear that pretty mask. still haven't made any but I'm not going out either. and yeah, us hippies were right. too bad so many of us got sucked into the corporate world. but I'm glad people are starting to think about being more self sufficient.

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  7. What a great mask! I would make a mask if I had any sewing skills at all. I know they can be made (kind of) without sewing but I'd rather not chop up one of my t-shirts. As for back-to-the-land, I wish I had more of those skills too!

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.