This morning when I went over to keep the boys, they were sitting at the table eating breakfast. They were having a banana that had been sliced and divided onto two plates.

They really weren’t much interested in their little meal, so when Josh told them to eat everything on their plate, Denton took everything off of his and put it on the table. I told him to put it back on his plate and eat it. Pointing to one piece of banana, Denton said, “I can’t eat that…it has mud on it!”

And he didn’t eat it.

Later we went outside. They went into the dog pen and I gave them orders NOT to play in the dog’s water. Of course, that was the first thing that Hudson did. I fussed, repeated the orders and walked back toward the house. Hudson went right back to the water. I fussed, repeated the orders a little louder and walked back toward the house. When I went back to check, this is what I saw.

And I overheard Denton saying, “Hudson, you know what you Mammy said!”

 

 

In China I think that it’s actually the year of the tiger, but on my little farm, I have proclaimed 2010 as the year of the chicken. Why? Because, this is the year that I’m going to put my little flock to work for me. Movable chicken runs, free range, organic eggs; these words are now a part of my vocabulary. No more emptying my bank account at the feed store. I’m not set up yet, but I’m heading in that direction. I’ve relocated a rooster and five hens to the garden where their assignment is to pull grass, loosen up the soil and do a little fertilizing. So far, so good. As a matter of fact, there’s no grass left.

I scatter their feed where I want the ground loosened up and they go to work.

 

They’ve even started laying again.

Matilda is in charge of hunting eggs.

This spring, when it’s time to plant I’ll give this little group of chickens another job.

Friday is my birthday. I was born in 1957, so do the math. It just so happens that in China, 1957 was…you guessed it…the year of the chicken.