All Purls. No Swine.
December 21, 2025 Dear Chickens, I know it's the shortest day of the year. And that, lately, it's generally been cold, overcast and gloomy. The worst laying conditions possible. Still--in the circumstances and all--you're giving me an egg or so a day when all the experts say the four of you should be molting and… Continue reading Winter Solstice, 2025–Yesterday
Good grief. Have you bought any eggs lately? Apparently, the average U.S. price of a dozen individual servings of the perfect protein source (AKA œufs ordinaire) is fast approaching five dollars. A few days ago, I saw a box of twelve at the local Giant Eagle (lovely brown ones, surely from happy hens, not battery-raised)… Continue reading Grateful For My Chicken$
I have no bloody idea what "National Holistic Pet Day" is. Wait one, while I investigate. Oh, here: [National] Holistic Pet Day was set up to try and bring more publicity to the idea that holistic treatments, where a pet’s lifestyle, diet and environment are fully considered, are more beneficial for their temporary health and… Continue reading Happy National Holistic Pet Day!
Chinggis is my (by this time) rather elderly rooster, he who once was lost (as have been a startling number of others in my life) and was one of two whom I tripped over on a walk down the road, on a day towards the end of January 2021. His lucky day. After a frantic call… Continue reading Chinggis Makes His Move
Oh well. Lord only knows, when you're as old as I am, somewhere on the shady side of your seventh decade on this earth (for those of you in Rio Linda, that means I'm in my mid-to-late 60s--deal with it), you must take life as you find it, and celebrate your victories--no matter how minor… Continue reading Adventures in Chicken Brain
I had a peripatetic childhood, and by the time I finished high school I’d attended well over a dozen schools on three different continents, with time off for good behavior during a glorious year (in about third grade) where there wasn’t a school anywhere in sight. My mother, who was largely disinterested in her parenting… Continue reading Entertaining Angels: Life Comes Full Circle Edition
I was lucky enough to view the pre-publication chapters of this book--Virga Joy (Or the Adventures of El Colonel de Corona), and to be able to weigh in, in a very small way, on its final content. It's a very pleasing work of escapist fiction, written, in its entirety, by a friend. Enjoy! And please… Continue reading Please Consider This Book–Perhaps As a Christmas Present