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Combining Threads
Dec. 10th, 2009 12:00 amThis afternoon MarkliAnn came over to give me a hand with the farm chores, something I truly appreciated. We finished with the ducks and bunnies, then moved with great determination into the coop. It took us about fifteen minutes to clean up the Rhodies' mess, then popped Ruby in with the BCMs. And we waited. She gave out a few bwocks, drank a few sips, then turned to check out the youngings with a beady stare.
The biggest of the cockerels ran right up to her, insolently. After giving him the full appreciation of her fierce gaze, she then leaned over his head - a very dominant position in poultry body language. When he only backed up a step, she boxed him which sent him back under the chicken ladder. From then on, the other juveniles behaved themselves beautifully so I put her up on the shelf roost where she settled in and laid a beautiful egg in gratitude. This evening we added Scarlett who immediately scampered up the ladder to join her sister after a round of bwock-ing! The older gals look quite satisfied with themselves and their new, warmer and fancier coop.
That settled, we got in the car and drove to the mainland to run errands. A few shops in Everett, a few in Marysville, dinner and another store then back home again. This time, MarkliAnn's hubby came over to help break pond ice, feed the ducks and watch to see how the flock combining was going. After a bit of good natured rough-housing with the dogs, he then headed off into the frozen night with Ruby's egg tucked in his jacket pocket. What can I say, the gals have style.
I was rinsing dishes when he pulled out of the drive and found myself in a thoughtful mood. MarkliAnn's family has become very good friends. Always happy to help out, to learn by doing and teach me what they've learned through their extension courses. Good, uncomplicated companionship without a single drama or string attached. Their family is inherently, naturally balanced. Which makes it easy on me, the eternal pragmatist, who is good at acquaintances but has a harder time of the long-term relationships. That a single week barely goes by that MarkliAnn doesn't hold my hand, look me in the eye and tell me how much our friendship means to her makes me realize how bad I am at returning that simple gesture.
Here too, threads are combining. What the end pattern is, I haven't any idea. But I do have complete and utter faith that it will be beautiful.
The biggest of the cockerels ran right up to her, insolently. After giving him the full appreciation of her fierce gaze, she then leaned over his head - a very dominant position in poultry body language. When he only backed up a step, she boxed him which sent him back under the chicken ladder. From then on, the other juveniles behaved themselves beautifully so I put her up on the shelf roost where she settled in and laid a beautiful egg in gratitude. This evening we added Scarlett who immediately scampered up the ladder to join her sister after a round of bwock-ing! The older gals look quite satisfied with themselves and their new, warmer and fancier coop.
That settled, we got in the car and drove to the mainland to run errands. A few shops in Everett, a few in Marysville, dinner and another store then back home again. This time, MarkliAnn's hubby came over to help break pond ice, feed the ducks and watch to see how the flock combining was going. After a bit of good natured rough-housing with the dogs, he then headed off into the frozen night with Ruby's egg tucked in his jacket pocket. What can I say, the gals have style.
I was rinsing dishes when he pulled out of the drive and found myself in a thoughtful mood. MarkliAnn's family has become very good friends. Always happy to help out, to learn by doing and teach me what they've learned through their extension courses. Good, uncomplicated companionship without a single drama or string attached. Their family is inherently, naturally balanced. Which makes it easy on me, the eternal pragmatist, who is good at acquaintances but has a harder time of the long-term relationships. That a single week barely goes by that MarkliAnn doesn't hold my hand, look me in the eye and tell me how much our friendship means to her makes me realize how bad I am at returning that simple gesture.
Here too, threads are combining. What the end pattern is, I haven't any idea. But I do have complete and utter faith that it will be beautiful.
