Chickens, Bananas, and Love

I did not have the heart to break the news to the clucks.  The banana supply is low, very low.

And we're probably not getting groceries until next week. 

Now my chickens are very accustomed to getting a sliced banana three to four times a week.  Every week.  And they love them.  I do not use the term love lightly.  They love them.

This horribly wiggly waggly video may give you a sense of the strength of the banana adoration.

I can only hope I do not run into a chicken revolt when they realize they gobbled the last banana today.

Spotlight On Two Donks and A Cluck

Far be it from me to discourage glamour shots of all the girls (and boy).

Gabby stopped her daily pursuits long enough to strike 

quite the provocative pose for me.

Wait a minute, what's that orange hat she's wearing??

(if you can guess, you win the BIG prize -- first name 

mention here in the blog)

Oops, Sugar was caught off-guard and without a comb to prep for the photo

And then we have little Fluffy (Rick calls her Fluffykins).  Her constant jabbering can be quite an earful.

Peace in the Valley

Before I whisk you away from the world of the "v" word, to the world of miniature donks I must tell you I felt compelled to close my Little Free Library.  LFL stewards have different views, but after much waffling I felt I could not take the chance the little library could carry the virus to someone taking a book.  So this afternoon I posted the Temporarily Closed signs and cleared out the books.  They're stashed safely in the garage.

The good story about the LFL is this.  I was there about a week ago (before all hell broke loose) and discovered one of the doors was gone.  Hinges intact -- door gone.  I was steamed.  I went home in a bit of a huff and friend J2 suggested I call the office of the mobile home community where it's located.  Good suggestion.  Indeed, the door had been vandalized and their maintenance crew was fixing it.  If I showed you a close-up of the doors, you might be able to guess which it was, but gol' darn they did a good job.  The moral of the story -- the LFL must be appreciated.  So, as exasperated as I get with the mess of books shoved in every which way when I go to replenish it, it's appreciated.  And isn't that the point.

Now on to the donks!!

Today's little donkey vignette is supposed to allow you a moment of morning calm, donkeys contentedly chewing, chickens clucking.  Until this darn woman's voice breaks the peace.  Pardon the voice.

Chatty Chickens

If only I could decipher morning conversations with the hens.  It might be fascinating.

Everyone always has so much to say, especially in the hay aisle.  But you'll also be able to overhear conversations from the four clucks wandering nearby.  I guess we'll have to come to our own conclusions about the topics.

Contrast that with the peacefulness of Sugar and Spice sharing a bowl of "hot slop". 

I should mention though that the atmosphere in the donkey yard can get a bit heated when hot slop is served.  It's not uncommon for some snorting to be overheard when one of the donks declares, not sharing!

Chonkey Mornings

A typical scene, although a little muted.  Usually the hooligans are more vocal.

Luigi and Gabby in front, yanking on the gate.  Gabby tells Sugar (behind her) to back off and little Spice just stands there 

And then we have a little swarming herd of chickens.

The girls are always eager to rush out of the coop in the a.m., ready to jump into the morning pecking at manure, jumping on hay and straw, checking out what the donkeys are eating and of course pooping.

Winter Won't Let Go

Another snow dump today, probably six inches all told.  Just when we thought spring was around the corner.

Taken about 6:00 p.m., lending that bluish hue.

It was a given donkeys would be huddled in the barn.  Go out in that white stuff while it's still falling??  You gotta be kidding.  Particularly when they know fresh bedding will magically appear along with plenty of dinner.

The kicker is much of the snow had melted and we were all getting a little giddy with the thought of spring sunshine.

I took this shot to prove the donkeys are still on their mission of total wood destruction.  It was taken just four days ago.  No snow!

*   *   *   *   *

Rule of thumb when working with equines is always end on a positive note.  The Golden Book of  Blogging requires the same.   Here's my "aah" moment.  Love it when I can get an orchid to rebloom.

Soup and A Smile

Simple and delicious.  What more could you want from a soup recipe.

I'm sure you've tried some one-pot wonders, which are often regrettable.  This one, though, hits the mark.  And couldn't be easier.

Tuscan Farro Soup



I did sub a can of great northern beans for the dried beans indicated, and omitted the parmesan at the end (trying to eliminate dairy).  Oh, and added a bit of tuscan herbs I had in the pantry.  The farro does not overwhelm, but adds a very nice texture. 

As you take a break from supping and dreaming of Tuscany, take a look at this little gem.

Mr. DeFede tells the story of the day air space over the U.S. came to a halt on 9/11 and planes were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland.  The hospitality thousands of passengers received in Gander and surrounding small towns was remarkable and a testament to compassion lurking around the corner, perhaps when we believe it to be disappearing.  I will admit it's not the best crafted book, but the storyline will grab you.

Hopefully both the soup and the book delight.