The Great Chicken Escape

A few weeks back, Shawn decided it was time to let the chickens try out their new headquarters he'd been building for them out in the garden. The Millers were coming out that day, so we figured we'd have some help steering the chickens into the direction of the garden. We grabbed sticks and created a kind of "human chicken run" to lead them in.

Sounds reasonable, right?

Here's Charlie, ready to round up some chickens with his "chicken stick":

Christine and Blake's air-tight security gate:

What hen in her right mind would dare cross the path of these two?


Here they come!

In my defense, I was not merely standing around, taking pictures. I was also laughing at them. Really hard.

Almost there:

You see the orange one on the right, looking off to the side with that sneaky gleam in her eye?

She was headed for Starbucks, I'd like to think:

"Here chicky, chicky..."

"There's a mocha with your name on it over at your new coop..."

Finally, there she is checking out her new area - or, trying to find that mocha:

Typical breakfast at the Fletcher house

Trivia Question

Who doesn't love a little trivia? Even better, a little "Making Fun of Shawn Trivia"?

Now, those of you who know Shawn, know that he's gone a wee bit extreme with this whole "gardening/chickening/composting" business. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about it, too. I just have my limits. One of them, you may remember, was when he suggested instituting the "composting toilet" (aka: a bucket of barkdust in which you do your business) in our bathroom "in our yurt". I laughed in his face. Or when he continues to suggest rigging up some sort of "energy-producing exercise bike" through which to power our entire...well, realistically, our toaster or possibly my flat iron. Depending, I suppose, on how hard one wishes to pedal...

We compost. Yes, we do. I throw in our food scraps, fruit peels, old bread, etc. We save it up in a bucket on our kitchen counter and every afternoon, we take the loot out to our delighted chickens, who happily feast on it.

Now, here's where the trivia comes in. Look closely behind Charlie, on the ground under the tree where Shawn's leaning down, in this next picture. You'll see something light blue on the ground - looks like old Henrietta is heading right for "it".

What do you suppose this might be? This new "item" that Shawn has recently decided is most likely compostable?

I'll give you a hint: It was already well on it's way to being composted before he even threw it out there (as many men's are by the time they finally part with them...)

Another hint: Sometimes when people throw a mixture of things into their compost pile, some strange combo-plants start sprouting up. "Squashermelons", "Zuchicumber", stuff like that. Well, I'm thinking we may have something called "Underpeas" or "Beanboxers" or "Strawpanties" on our dinner table come summer...

Negligent Blogicide

I know. I know. Once again, I've gotten myself hopelessly behind on our blog! And for that, I am deeply sorry. From the bottom of my heart.

Okay now that's out of the way. Let's move on, mmmm-kay?

I've been trying to think of the best way to get caught up on the blog. I considered doing one endlessly long post of all the happenings of the past few months around here. But then thought better of it (boooooring!) Instead, I'm gonna get caught up in a series of shorter posts.

And then, I will just stay caught up from now on! Forever! I promise! Kind of.