April 30, 2012

Today I learned that this is what a hermit crab looks like inside it's shell. How nice to carry a safe place with you where ever you go.

I also learned that if they get too stressed out their legs will fall off. The condition is permanent and seems quite unfortunate.

April 29, 2012

Today I learned all about impacted crop which can lead to the even less pleasant sour crop. Sometimes a chicken will eat something odd or perhaps too much long grass or a cattail which will result in a blockage between their crop (like a food storage balloon) and their tummy.

This causes everything they eat to get stuck in their crop which expands and expands into a huge silly-looking, puffed-out chest. Unfortunately the chicken is no longer getting any food no matter how much it tries to eat. Also if all that junk sits in there too long it will start to rot and turn sour (see above).

Jerk Chicken has been sent to chicken prison and is forced to undergo what she deems torturous treatment until the situation is remedied. I believe this has cemented her preexisting hatred of me.

And we're back . . .

Apologies to my few but loyal readers for this extended delay. I have had a case of the doldrums compounded by the quite busys and the feeling uninspireds. But, now I am back and I am hoping to remain on course without any further delays.

 This past month or so has not been a complete educational black hole.

I learned all about prion diseases (like Kuru, Scarpie and Mad Cow) which are quite scary but very interesting protein diseases with extremely long incubation periods.

I learned (through watching two close friends become first-time moms) that my own mother is an even bigger hero than I previously gave her credit.

 I learned that my grandmother is a crochet genius, who made me this amazing lego blanket in only three days. You can make one too!

I learned that that an orca whale can kill a great white shark. (true story!)

I learned that my chickens are smarter than me and can escape even when I believe the task impossible. Also, they are great excavators.

And, that while escape is easy, something making in back home can be much more challenging. In that case, evidently a BBQ grill is a good substitute perch. (I told her perhaps this was not the best choice - literally or symbolically.)

And that finding a very small chicken in the dark in the middle of the night is not easy.

I learned that my hard work is appreciated by it's target demographic . . .

I also learned that J.K. Rowling is no longer a billionaire due to all of her charitable donations. All the more reason to love her so.

 And that I am my own worst enemy. This final lesson I seek to remedy. Why can I not be my biggest fan? (besides my mother, of course)