Yesterday I indulged in one of my favorite pasttimes --- watching the animals play in the barnyard. It's endlessly entertaining, because with nine critters (ten, if Lucy has decided to join the fun) doing their thing, there's always something to see.
As I watched the chickens pecking the guts out of an old cucumber, perching on the hay bucket, and lounging under the ramp, I got the sense that these are some very happy chickens. As it should be.
The crew.
Rosemary, Cayenne and Thyme. At first they just pecked the open end of the cucumber, but eventually they learned that they could make new holes in the skin. Notice how Rosemary is lying on her belly. She likes to do this when she's relaxed, and it took me a while to get used to. The first time I saw it I thought something had broken one of her legs.
Peaberry can reach her head into the hay bucket from the ground, but really it's much more satisfying just to crawl in there.
I committed the horrifying act of going a whole 15 seconds without paying attention to Dasha, so she decided to check in and see what I was up to. Note the straw between her ears --- she likes to forcefully scratch the top of her head on the straw bales and ground. Sometimes she leans over too far when scratching, and she'll actually do a somersault and land on her back.
"Aw, Mom... cut it out!" (See Lucy in the background?)
Cardamom is a blur as she scratches her ear. Her feathered feet make her the favorite of all of our barnyard guests.
It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.
3 comments:
Great pictures; I am glad you are taking at least a few minutes to indulge in some relaxation.
I was ENRAGED from traffic by the time I got home from work last night. Ten minutes in my backyard with the plants and animals and suddenly I was a calm as Budha. Isn't it wonderful?
I agree... it's the BEST! :)
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