Four beautiful things to end a frustrating day
1. Six are huddled together on the perches and the seventh in the nest box she’s still not outgrown. They cluck softly as I peek in to check they’re all in bed. Turn out the light. You’re letting the cold in. Go away, I’m trying to sleep here. 2. We spend a lot of time [...]
Relief, fishing for chickens, the pleasure of warmth and sugar
1. To wake up and find that after all that noise, there is no storm damage to the garden. Or rather, the only damage is both minor and desirable. 2. We drive out to see our chicken man. The views are different but as equally as stunning as they were on the balmy June evening [...]
Chicken chatter, carnival-less, lookalike
My fake definition for the word “waddy” was the winning entry on Word Imperfect the other day. Yay! 1. The chickens always chatter when I go down to see them. I imagine them like excited children, desperate for attention and to tell me about their day. 2. We stand on the undulating green lawn in [...]
Justification, ker-plosh, bwark-kuk-kuk
1. The heavy rain disrupts my gardening plans. Instead, I curl under a blanket with the dreaming dog and finish reading my book. 2. On the drive to Bingley, John makes poo-hitting-water noises and I can’t help but laugh and laugh. 3. There is just enough time between the rain stopping and night falling for [...]
Dream hens, milkshake flashback, polished by nature, naan heaven, distract my dream
1. I dream that our next-door-but-one neighbours have chickens too and that they’re chickens and are chickens are wandering around the gardens together. I wake up smiling. 2. Driving away from meeting the incredibly flexible baby Eva, we both think the same thing: milkshakes. Going into Headingley and to Shaky Jake’s is like reliving a [...]
100 miles north-north-east: day two
1. The happy fat cat licks his bum in the sun while the farm’s cafe’s customers bustle around him. His fluffy white tummy reflects the light and I think how much G would like to tickle it. 2. I can’t change my train ticket so have 2.5hrs to kill in a strange city. I head [...]
100 miles north-north-east: day one
1. Hundreds of chickens – little red specks in the giant field – mill about in the early morning mist. 2. The blue robed woman stands in her garden, watching the train go by. 3. Suddenly the rows of terraced housing give away. The glorious green slopes draw the eye down to the curve of [...]
Walk, watermelon, grooming time
1. To walk further into the woods than we’d gone before and find exciting things. 2. The newly exposed seeds glisten as I walk down the garden. Russet heads peck at the garish pink flesh. 3. The rhythm of combing sends us both into a meditative state. The Simpsons run unwatched in the background.
