Chicken Impostor(s) - Part One

Remember when I introduced the Van Cluck Sisters?  

How could you forget these sweet, fluffy babies: 

May 2011- The Van Cluck Sisters Join the Family 

They were cute, but as soon as the fluff turned to feathers, we moved them out of their garage playpen and into "Cluckingham Palace" the royal hen house King Charming and his pals built for them in the backyard.  A sense of contentment came with officially becoming backyard chicken farmers, and we started dreaming about farm fresh eggs for breakfast.  

Two years later I can say we have more eggs than we can eat for breakfast, and we like our girls so much there are now ten "royal sisters" wandering our backyard each day instead of only five.  But of course our chicken story couldn't be simple.  What fun would that be?  (And what would I have to blog about) 

No, our backyard chickendom was fraught with drama.  Some might even call it treason or espionage!  : )  

While they were still chicks, we began to wonder how the pecking order would play out.  Who would be the queen of the coop?   Some of you readers even placed wagers.  

Most put their bets on one of these two becoming queen:  

   

"Angeline"

Lady Angeline Ann Van Cluck 

"Lady Di"

Lady Diana Van Cluck

I can see why.  Of all the chicks these two had the most spunk and personality. In the pictures they even look royal, don't you think? 

We were all so right!  (And yet so very wrong)

As they grew older, it was obvious that either Di or Angeline would reign supreme.  Every day, we changed our mind, though.  Who would win? 

"Maybe Di is the top of the pecking order."  

"No, now I think Angeline is taking first place."  

Then it happened.  It was the end of July and we were packing for our annual vacation when the girls came crashing into the kitchen to announce, "Guess what we just heard!!!"

"Di was CROWING!!"  

No!  Could it be?  A rooster!!??? We live in suburbia.  Just having chickens in the backyard was stretching the CC&R's, but a crowing rooster waking up the neighbors every morning at sunrise?  That wouldn't work AT ALL?  I could just imagine the knock on the door from the Homeowner's Association Police.  Or the dreaded LETTER IN THE MAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

King Charming and I decided it was easiest to remain in denial and believe that the girls were just hearing things.  So we left on vacation while his brother and sister-in-law house sat for us.  Unfortunately, denial didn't last long when we started getting texts like this, "Uh.  Dude.  I think one of your chickens is crowing."  

By the time we got home, there was no denying it any longer.  Lady Di was not a lady at all.  She, I mean he, was an impostor! 

There was only one thing to do- what any self-respecting, backyard suburbanite farmer would do:  

GET ON YOU TUBE AND LEARN HOW TO KILL PROCESS A CHICKEN, of course.    

It was messy.  There were feathers flying.  But the deed got done.  

The kids had fun watching.  

And I hid in the house.  : )  

So Lady Di became: 

Dinner.    

And Angeline became queen of the coop.  

It's a sad tale, I know.  But of course, there has to be more to the story, right?  

Stay tuned... More chicken drama in my next post.  


Love, 


Your Favorite Chicken Farmer  

Tweet

My "Wannabe Artist" Journal

I crave creativity.

Nothing makes me feel more alive than when I'm making something.  I think that comes from being created in His image. He's the Master Artist, Storyteller, Musician, Poet, etc...

But the mundane of life can suck that creative desire quickly. It did for me.

Lately, I have been trying to bloom where I'm planted.  I don't have to wait to be creative.  Maybe the big things will have to wait until I'm more free, but there are little ways to work creativity into the everyday and to let those moments of creativity be acts of worship.  

One thing I'm trying is a visual journal or an art journal.  I stumbled on one on Pinterest and fell in love.  (Click here to see what's inspiring me.)

Living inside of me is a wannabe artist, but I don't let her out much because I also have an internal jailer named Perfectionism who kicks her down all the time and reminds her often that she isn't a real artist because she isn't good enough so she might as well not even bother coming out to play.

(I hope you aren't worried about my multiple personality disorder at this point) : )

The concept of an art journal was a perfect way to set her free.  She can play and practice and make mistakes and it doesn't matter because it isn't supposed to be perfect.  It's supposed to be messy and experimental by design.  I had so much fun making my first page:

I made lots of mistakes but just painted over them.  I have a lot to learn about technique and tools and materials...but that is Perfectionism telling me I can't try until I have the "right" stuff.

Is there a wannabe someone living inside of you that wants to be let out?

Tweet

Has it Really Been Two Years? Jumping Back In...

It was only supposed to be for the summer, my break from blogging.

But every time I tried to come back, I was overwhelmed with the idea of catching up, so I just didn't.

Then as more time went by, there was more happening and catching up on my blog felt impossible.

So I just didn't.

Now, two whole years later, I'm missing having a place to share and connect and I'm wondering if anyone is still out there, there, there, (echo)

I decided instead of trying to catch myself and the blog up.  I'd just jump right back in and pretend that no time had gone by.

So here I am, two years later, but really it's been no time at all...

I'm still just Everyday Becky.  : )

Tweet