Chicken Coop Dreams

“You used to be much more…’muchier.’ You’ve lost your muchness.” 
— Mad Hatter to Alice in Alice in Wonderland

I watched Alice in Wonderland and it got me wondering where my muchness went.

This leads to grabbing for straws. Maybe get another dog to fill the house with more of something. More life. Helping out a critter. Being needed.

Seed catalogues and information about gardening classes are starting to show up in the mail.

Gardening dreams.

I pulled five words from the dictionary and wrote a poem about gardens.

The Garden
In a cinematic sweep of hand
She pulled the seed catalogue from the pile of mail
Stroking it’s cover lovingly
She flipped pages of tomatoes, green beans, and kale
A cliche of vegetable fare
Where were the exotics, the gourmet?
Hardiness in Minnesota
A selection killjoy
Plant and animal need a booster of brawn
Reason and desire
An awkward rendezvous

From gardening, I moved on to thoughts of having chickens. 

Where I live now, I can have four chickens, no roosters. What do you do if you end up with a rooster by mistake? I wonder what Java would make of them? Who will take care of my menagerie when I fly off to Paris?

But what if “cowgirl dreams” could turn into “chicken coop dreams”?

Grasping at straws. I’m good at that.

Even the woods didn’t help today.

Maybe if I die my hair purple… That would be a bit much, which would help with my muchness. Wouldn’t it?

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11 Comments

  1. Yowzie yowz Maery…that is a dang good piece of poetry! Impressed I am! That whole muchness thing…I think that is the essence of my fear of aging, that I become invisible. I think when we lose our physical ‘beauty’ we fear that we lose what makes us ‘noticed’ by the masses. Hopefully as we age, we learn that it is our inner nameless ‘thing’ that makes us fill the spaces around us and leave that certain something that is uniquely ours. You don’t need to purple hair to bring back your muchness, nor do I think another pet is necessary to fill your house…maybe just more mirrors to help remind yourself that you are pretty awesome:-)

  2. Our local feed store will have chicks and ducklings as of this weekend. Every year, I get a yearning, but even with ironclad coops … neighbors have had massacres.

    Too many predators.

    And I think you’ve got plenty of muchiness.

  3. Yep, purple might be just a bit much of the muchness!!! Heehehehe!!!

    I loved your poem but ya know how I’m addicted to gardening.

    That tree picture is just totally awesome girl.

    God bless ya and have a marvelous day!!! :o)

  4. Kathleen – No worries for you. You will NEVER lose your muchness. You have the kind of muchness that fills a room (or a comment box). My feelings come more from a beat up spirit than from feelings about aging. I keep urging myself on like I would a team of draft horses trying to pull a tractor out of the mud. I wish my spirit would simply throw off the harness and run again.

    Roxanne – Yes, predators, like the ever present pair of Great Horned Owls, are a consideration. How do you ever let the chickens out to stretch their legs? I hear there are foxes around too and I’m sure there are raccoons, although I’ve never seen either of those.

    Nezzy – I’m always hoping for a bigger and better garden but I now have so much shade that I’m a bit limited in my vision.

    Lori – Funny about the poetry. I think of this word game as similar to a crossword puzzle, only more interesting and fun. I’ve never liked crosswords (either in puzzles or in life). But I love playing with words and how putting them together in certain ways can change the tempo and meaning.

    Tammy – Those woods are alongside where a horse trail goes. Java and I did a bit of an off road jaunt. I wonder if I could do the same with Luke? In that last photo, I was trying to capture three does that were in the trail, but they moved off too quickly.

  5. Your poetry astounds me! After your last post, I went to the dictionary and finger pointed out 10 words. That’s as far as I got. You definitely have a gift for poetry. I completely understand your search for your muchness. I am trying to get back some of my muchness, too.

  6. I have always wanted to try chickens, but I just know that my dog would gobble them up. I saw a thing called a chicken tractor. It sounds strange, but it is on wheels and you can move it around. Love the pine forest photos!

  7. Oh ya..but purple hair may just give you too much muchness. It has been a long winter..I have just been doing the things that I can do something about..Paris..well thats a great reason not to get chickens..but only if you have your ticket. Soon it will be spring..won’t it?:)

  8. Wow…your poetry is deep and thought provoking. Reminds me of what Donkey said to Shrek….you’re poetry is full of layers.

    That forest is beautiful, but a little intimidating.

    Funny you mentioned chickens. I’m making plans to order some biddies this Spring to boost my egg production as most of my hens are over 3 years old and don’t lay as often or at all.

    Wish we lived closer. I’d be happy to chicken sit for you when you fly off to Paris. 🙂

    ~Lisa

  9. Far Side – I’m not sure if the winter has been long but it sure has been interesting with the variety of weather. It seems like Spring was pretty late last year. We’ll see.

    Lisa – I wish we lived closer together too. As you said previously, I think we have got a lot in common. You have such interesting chickens. But when you are only allowed 4 hens, I’m not sure it’s worth the effort as you do have the problem of having them get older and not laying as many eggs.

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