Farewell Chicky Babe

Today was a cold day, today was a sad day, early this morning we found one of our trusty chicken dead.

Earlier in the week our chicky babe was looking sick her beak was down and she looked like she couldn't walk, Farmer Joe said to me

"I think the chicken is on her way out if she doesn't improve we will have to put her down".

With these words I started to cry and felt terribly sad, you see we have had these chickens for 4 years, she was one of the original chickens, and she represented what we are striving for, our little urban farm. I remembered when we got her from the farm produce store at Dayboro, the old man helped us choose the chickens, he said make sure they eat plenty of greens and give them lots of hugs, so we did.

This chicken brought us so much happiness and made me cranky at times, she made me happy with the wonderful eggs we would get every morning, I love how she runs around the backyard or when she would sit on the outdoor couch and I would yell at her

" Hello!!!! get off the couch you are a chicken"

She made me cranky when she would poop on the tiles and I would ask myself and her why the tiles when there was so much grass around or when she ate my rose bushes, that was not a happy moment.

Yes she pooped everywhere, yes she ate and scratched everything in her path, yes she made me cranky at times but mostly she made me happy, she made all of us happy.

With her passing it made me realise that even though we live in our little urban farm I don't have the resilience of a farmer, life and death on the farm is just part of life but here at the Whitecottage our chickens are our pets, more than animals that provide us with eggs every morning.

Farmer Joe told me "You knew this day would come" but I thought to myself no I didn't think this day would come... so soon.

I made a vet appointment for tomorrow so they could help her go in a humane way but she passed away during the night in her own home.

As I write this I feel terribly sad and now faced with the fact that I have to break the bad news to the munchkins and I am now faced with telling them about life and death.

I hope I'll do it justice.

 

 

The good, the bad and the ugly

Well we are in for a long haul of rain. This morning was pouring down, we left early to go to school to beat the traffic in all this rain, the morning ran smoothly there were not too many "huurrryy up we arrre running late" kind of deal so I was happy.

There was no time to apply my eyeliner and mascara, but after a couple of red lights I was very impressed with my handy work, by the time we got to the school the rain was furious, I could barely see past my nose, I quickly got the munchkins out and my tin full of vanilla cupcakes for today's tuckshop.

There was a slight problem we had 3 umbrellas and 4 people so needles to say I missed out on the umbrella, we ran across to the school well with the exception of baby munchkin she was walking at the pace of 20 turtles making her money's worth on those pink Hunter boots and the water paddles.

I told the boys just to run for cover and I would meet them, baby munchkin was still shuffling along I knew my face was going to be a hot mess when I got to the tuckshop but I am always hopeful and I thought it would stay perfectly.

When I arrived to the tuckshop I asked Louise,

"is my make-up alright" before she could say (scream/giggle)I knew the answer

Louise said NOOOooo...!!! laughing her head off along with some grade 5 girls.

I quickly dashed to the toilets and this is what I looked like

Yes this was me hair and all I had mascara all over my face, I couldn't believe that after all that effort earlier on I was trying to rub off mascara with paper towels (Beauty therapists look away)yes paper towel after a hard rub I was all good to face the day once again.



Baby munchkin and I went to playgroup and we had the best time, we made art, we danced to rhymes and ate loads of healthy snacks.

 

 

I received a message from the school to all parents to let us know it would be a good idea to pick up our children early due to the weather, so off we went after playgroup to pick up the boys and since we were home early I baked some scones and they went down a treat.

 

 

 

After the scones it was time to start thinking about dinner, yes I was happy with the scones but apparently these kids eat like they have never eaten. I was lost for ideas so call a friend Eddie, so I did and I called the Country Lady to ask the hard questions

 

A: Chicken Cacciatore or

B : Beef Lasagne

 

The country lady said B)make a huge one then you have something to reheat over  the weekend so I did, and we are having it with a side of steamed beans.

 

 

 

Well this is the good the bad and the ugly. Stay safe peeps this weekend. cheers Karla