Winter

Winter

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

A Chicken Post

Today I thought I would tell you about something I observed this week. This story is about a rooster I know named Elvis. He lives next door. He doesn't like his pen much and now that he has spotted the girls next door. He has been sneaking around. If I am not paying attention he sneaks up and tries to take my hens for his own flock.

I was working in the pumpkins and I had left the gate open so the hens could come out here in the garden and wander around and eat bugs and just do that stuff chickens do and it always makes me so happy.

I wasn't thinking of Elvis spotting my girls. But I looked up and there he was, strutting around, dropping his wing and trying to round up one of my hens to be his chick. The hen he was paying attention to is one of my old hens, she isn't pretty anymore, she doesn't lay very much and she isn't in the best of condition. Someplace else she would already be soup. She isn't mean though and she doesn't have many friends. As I stood there Elvis was telling her how beautiful she was and I could tell making lots of promises. She started preening and looking at herself and really it did get to me to see how much her face changed by all of the attention Elvis was giving her.

I chased him off with my hoe and went back to work. A little while later, I noticed not a hen  to be seen.
I put down my hoe and walked to the gate. Sure enough, Elvis was standing out in the middle of the lawn and he was flexing his muscles, and flapping his wings, and he was surrounded by the younger hens all giggling and watching him. Standing off to the side was my older hen by herself. As I stood leaning my shoulder against the fence. The rooster saw my older hen and he walked away from his younger fans and went right up to the older hen and dropped his wing. She smiled and she wasn't that old hen anymore but was a hen that was desired.
I of course, came in the gate and broke up the moment by chasing him back home.

I have thought about it since. It reminds me that we all need friends. Life is very lonely without someone who is there to laugh at your jokes, to make you feel pretty even when there is young chicks all around. At this age, trials are beginning to take their toll on my body and my face. Just like that hen, starting to look a little worn out.
Something I have thought about  is that you never know when a special moment is going to come around the end of the fence and make a normal day into a magic day.
I am so thankful for days when little tiny bits of magic come into my life's kaleidoscope and gives me color to paint my days.

Just a chicken story today. I know chickens have beaks and can't really smile, but their eyes light up in a certain way and you just know. 
Have a lovely Thursday,
~Kim~

15 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

oh, that sweet old girl. sometimes we all need to hear we're still beautiful and sexy. :)

Kim said...

Kim, I don't know if chickens can smile but this really made me smile!

Artful Gathering said...

How cute!

Kessie said...

Such a funny story! I can just see that rooster flexing and the hen smiling. That's so funny. I'm glad you shared it. :-)

Dog Trot Farm said...

Oh Kim I loved this post! It is such a feel good story, even old hens can still catch a fella's eye. Your garden is looking wonderful, my FOD sunflowers are growing, today was a 92 degree day and the heat gave them an extra punch of growth. Happy summer! Your friend from Maine, Julie.

Julia said...

Kim, what a sweet story. Only you can see a chicken smile and that makes me smile too.
I agree that everyone needs to feel wanted and feel special even when we start to look older and crooked.

Wow, not a single weed in your garden. You put me to shame.
Hugs, JB

Beth said...

This is a wonderful story and I really relate to it. thank you!

Pom Pom said...

It reminds me of "the first will be last and the last shall be first" and I like THAT VERY MUCH!
I enjoyed your rooster/hen story!
YOU are a sweetie pie, dear Kim. I took a two hour nap today. I'm recovering from being on the go with the girls.

Jacque. said...

What a sweet story! Not everyone would have seen the same things you saw. Special you!

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

What a sweet story ... thanks for the opportunity to see your girls through your eyes. You know, your story reminds me of how God seeks us out ... even if we're feeling unlovely and unworthy, He seeks us out and reminds us that in His eyes, we're beautiful and special.

Empty Nester said...

I love this story! Just love it! How right you are about us- once we reach a "certain age" as they call it. I know just how she felt. I find myself looking back and wondering just why it is that I stopped paying attention to myself and let my body get in the shape it finds itself in now. I wonder if I could tolerate the age better if I wasn't so overweight. And gray. :) Have I ever mentioned to you that I WANT SOME CHICKENS?! LOL

Meg said...

It still cracks me up that you call him Elvis. This story makes me think of the chickens in Chicken Run when Rocky comes in and they just fall all over him. So cute that your girls did the same thing. ;)

Miss Debbie said...

So sweet and funny! I love the way you see things and are able to tell us about them so beautifully.Your descriptions make it so easy to picture exactly what happened! Thanks for sharing the story and your insights!

Debbie said...

what a beautiful story....through your eyes!!

i am soooo happy to have someone special to grow old with (but i always tell him to go first!!)

Anonymous said...

I loved this post. It is so true, and you put things into perspective so well. People say animals don't have personalities, and are so wrong. We can learn so much from them, about ourselves and each other too. I am glad Elvis saw something in the older chicken and let her know. Thanks for sharing this story!