Crowdown at Busy Solitude

It's my first day with absolutely no need to go to work since Christmas, so I went to visit the chickens with my camera. A thin overcast of clouds fills our skies. That allows bright light to come in the chicken pen window -- nice for photos.

Egglebert came and perched on one of the PVC bars. As I talked to him, he began to crow. This first photo is fuzzy because I turned off the flash on the camera, hoping to get his comb backlit from the window. You might notice the back end of his comb looks like some schmutz on it. That's frostbite. Roosters with huge combs like his risk it in the winter. Each time he crowed, I crowed back at him "cock-a-doodle-doo!"

You'd be surprised how close that actually approximates his call! This second photo shows how he frequently does a major wing-flap before crowing. It's an impressive sound -- the air being forced through the wingfeathers, slapping on his sides just before he stretches out his neck and lets another "cock-a-doodle-doo" bust out. Wow!

Now, while I was interacting with Egglebert, Tweedledum pecked around at my feet, carefully watching the camera. He cocked his head to get a better look when the flash lit, seeming to assess the situation carefully. Then he left us for the other side of the pen.

Next thing I knew, a huge "flap flap flap" came from the other side, and then a froggy "cock-a-doodle-doo" which was decidedly not from Egglebert, who remained with me!

Sure enough, I caught Tweedledum in his wind-up, flashing those beautiful black and white wings, stretching his neck long, then pulling it back to tuck his chin before erupting in an adolescent croak -- "cock-a-doodle-doo!" I love the way his neck feathers are sort of a yellowy-tan color instead of white. It's subtle enough that I sometimes think he's gotten into something to taint them. And his black tailfeathers have the gorgeous green irridescence of a Black Australorp hen. He's quite a handsome fellow.

Well, Tweedledum kept up the crowfest, standing proud above the flock, showing off his pipes. Egglebert stopped crowing, perhaps stepping back to say "it's not high noon and I will not participate in a crowdown today!"

I realize now that I have heard Tweedledum crow in the morning some days when the windows were open. Now I'll recognize Egglebert's smooth, Sinatra-style crow as distinct from Tweedledum's rather Robert Plant/Led Zeppelin-esque pipes!

The children were nestled all snug in their bed!

Envision a sweet 2009! Wish best wishes from Busy Solitude Farm -- Johanna, Oskar, Ulani, Luke, Abe and all the chickens!

Nummy Nog!

Please, won't you join me in a nummy nog? Use the absolute freshest ingredients -- I only use today's eggs.

To make a single large or two regular sized nogs, use

1 egg, separated yolk and white
1/8 cup sugar
3-4 oz. milk (any strength)
3-4 oz. half and half
enough whipping cream to daub on top
spiker of choice (I prefer dark rum)
nutmeg, orange rind

Whip the cream and set aside. Rinse beaters.
Whip the egg white and set aside.

Mix the egg yolk and sugar until blended. Slowly pour in the milk and half and half to blend. Fold in the beaten egg white to fluff everything up. Spike with rum, cognac, whiskey, brandy, whatever you prefer, if desired. Float the whipped cream on top, grate some nutmeg and/or orange rind on top.

Serve in a beautiful glass. Don't be afraid to use your finger to get every last fluffy drop!

(Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe. The painting in the photo is by Debra Henderson.)

Cheers!

Thank god for serious science!

"Does your face hurt?"

Remember that old joke? One kid asks another kid "Does your face hurt?" The second kid says, defensively, "No!" and the first kid says "Well it's killing me!!!" Ha ha ha.

Except right now, my face IS killing me. That "peaches" blush across my cream cheek is actually a strep infection in the skin of my face. It's swollen and hot to the touch and very uncomfortable.

How on earth did it get there? I don't precisely know. True, I was exposed to a home (which will remain anonymous!) where there was a child with strep throat. Apparently I picked it up there, though I had no direct contact with the child. The next day one side of my neck swelled up, then it crept across the cheek and bridge of my nose, down the other cheek and into my neck on the second side.

Caring friends encouraged me to get in to the doctor. OK, pushy friends insisted I not let another day go by without being seen. The doctor was glad I did. Apparently strep on your head can be a little close to the main operations of your life for comfort. So she dosed me up with penicillin and instructions to take it easy, which I've kind of followed.

One side of my head feels better today. The other side, not so much. I am hoping that the penicillin cowboys will ride over there today and chase all those evil strep bugs out of there.

In the meantime, tomato soup and chamomile tea are the order of the day.

Don't touch me!