Lesson 896 – A shoot of a different kind

This Thursday the Merrimack Library Trustees (of which I am one) are holding a Turkey Shoot.

Honestly, I don’t know if this is a New Hampshire thing or not, but having grown up in Connecticut I can truthfully tell you that I have never attended a “Turkey Shoot” (nor had I *ever* attended a wedding where they played that “Chicken Dance” song – don’t even get me started about that one.)

By definition a “turkey shoot” is: noun, informal

1. a situation, typically in a war, in which one side has an overwhelming advantage.

Nope, no birds are going to be injured in this event (except the ones that are already frozen), instead what we’ll be doing is holding raffles for all the parts of a holiday turkey dinner including:

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Lesson 648 – Quotable Chicks

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America

Hurricane, snow storm, soccer playoffs, an admittance to Norwich University (the gymnast), an election, and fresh gingerbread. It’s been a busy last few weeks. Winter is well on it’s way and I’ve already gotten a desperate call from one college student “send more blankets, mom.”

We’re in a transition, you can feel it in the air.

And yet, here we all are, same as we were before. The most important thing? To be there for others when needed – small comforts speak volumes.

This weekend, please remember to look out for the flock, us all.

See you next week.

*

As always, happy weekend everyone, health and happiness (and safety) to your flock.

Lesson 644 – Quotable Chicks

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks

 

It is only in sorrow bad weather masters us; in joy we face the storm and defy it.

Amelia Barr

Wishes of strength go out to all those affected by the storm. The devastation is horrifying. The lives and memories lost irreplaceable and yet, know this, you will rebuild and you will be stronger than ever.

We are all members of a great flock and we stand beside you in whatever ways we can.

See everyone next week.

*

As always, happy weekend everyone, health and happiness (and safety) to your flock.

Lesson 634 – Quotable Chicks

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks

Today’s quote is going to be more of a riddle.

When you finally decide to overcome your abject fear and make that pie from scratch that you’ve been talking about for weeks, what is the one thing needed to make the crust that you swore you had, but you couldn’t for the life of you find, which meant that you and your daughter (the one who was locked in the hen house years ago and is still holding that over your head) had to go to a local antique store (because if you’re going to buy one, you might as well buy a good one) in order to get?

Give up?

Here you go.

A genuine hardwood, green handled beauty

Houston, we are now, finally, finally, ready to make that pie.

See you next week.

*

As always, happy weekend everyone, health and happiness (and safety) to your flock.

Lesson 631 – Fatti-Madi and the Library Director(s)

As many of you know I am a Library Trustee for our town. Our library director; Janet Angus announced her retirement this summer and so the trustees went about the daunting task of interviewing candidates in an effort to find someone to replace her.

Retiring Director Janet Angus with Fatti-Madi

As a committee we spent early mornings interviewing, time on Skype and on the telephone, and we also spent hours reading applications and supportive material, and when all was said and done, it was abundantly clear that the person most qualified for the position was right under our noses the entire time.

Yvette Couser, who was the Merrimack Children’s librarian and who is now the Merrimack Library Director is exactly what we were looking for: current, enthusiastic, Social Media savvy, knowledgeable, and someone who works great with the public.

Yvette will be a fabulous director for our library and I have a feeling that she is going to fit into her new position just fine.

New Director Yvette Couser with Fatti-Madi

Lesson 628 – Fatti-Madi and the Vice President of the United States

This weekend Marc and I covered Joe Biden’s visit to our town. Marc was the photographer, I was the writer. Two of our kids were free to attend so we grabbed them and took them with us.

Right before we left, Emma (my 12 year old) decided to take a photo of our family taken with Joe 6 years ago in the hopes that he would be able to sign it.

“Sweetheart,” I told her, “you’re not even going to be able to get close to him.” I was thinking of some recent events I had covered where the crowds were rock-star enormous.

This is what she ended up getting.

Joe the VP thinks we have a lovely family.

What do I know?

During the event, Spencer held the “A” and Emma held the “C” for “MERRIMACK4BIDEN.” Spencer kept his “A” as a souvenir. Hopefully it will also be a reminder of the type of grades he should be going for while at college.

Lesson 627 – Quotable Chicks and pie (but not mine)

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks

I know, it was another week where I didn’t post every day but things are starting to settle down and so I should be getting back to my regular schedule.

First, today’s quote of the day. The weather has turned and there is a snap to it in the morning and the leaves are just starting to change. Apples are in season and in the evening you can smell wood stoves that are shaking off their sides, getting ready for the winter.

Fall is clearly one of the best reasons to live in New Hampshire.

Apple, peach, pear, plum

“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.”

Elizabeth Lawrence

And speaking of apples. This is an apple pie. No it’s not mine (this weekend, I’ll try to see if I can overcome my paralyzing fear about this whole adventure) this is a pie from Mrs. Currier. If you live in my town, you know about the Currier apple orchard. It’s only the best place in the world to get apples, and apple pie, and apple butter, and apple cider jelly, and pumpkin butter, and cider, and local honey (I’m sure there’s more that I’ve missed but these are our absolute favorites.)

Lesson 621 – Quotable Chicks

“A timid person is frightened before a danger, a coward during the time, and a courageous person afterward.”

Jean Paul Richter

Although timid I am on occasion, I have never in my life been called a coward. And that is why tomorrow is being set aside as pie day.

I’ve got to tell you, though, I’m more than a little intimidated by doing this. I’ve heard time and time again about how pies fail (thus proving that you are not worthy of the cook’s apron.) but, enough is enough (and besides, I went to an event this weekend, where someone had made three (3!) pies with varying amounts of shortening/butter ratio that we then judged for dessert.) If that doesn’t put me to shame (3!) then I don’t know what will.

I’ll be making the crust with the vodka in it (something from Alton Brown, who is a veritable food chemist.) The vodka does not add flavor, (or alcohol) it is supposed to burn off during the cooking and supposedly leaves a flakier crust.

Who knew?

I missed last Friday’s post (one of the few times since I started) hence the quote for today (which actually fits in to the pie discussion nicely anyway.)

A few notes :

I ran into the woman who purchased the painting done by our chicken this weekend. It’s in her office and she loves it. We were very excited to see each other again (there is a certain bonding that goes on between chicken people.)

I also ran into another chicken owner who had taken my class and who told me how her chickens had tipped over the light in the hen house causing a fire. All the hens were able to escape but she’s learned her lesson, you don’t need a light on in the henhouse during the winter. Chickens are pretty good at staying warm by themselves.

On our home front, although our frizzle has rebounded, one of her sisters (one of the three witches) is in molt.

Honestly, if it’s not one thing, it’s another.

Lesson 610 – Here come the clowns

In the “not-absolutely-everything-about-chickens-is-great” department, I present you with this little gem.

I found it (her?) at a yard sale and well, you know me, I just had to give her a home.  It’s kind of sad, I tend to be rather compulsive when it comes to collecting interesting things, instead of a “Save the Whales” bumper sticker, my car sports one that reads “Save the Junk.”

Which is actually okay, until I come across things like this. I brought her home to show my kids, they’re just not going to believe this one, I thought.

One, two, three, – all six declared her ugly. “Do we have to keep this on the table?” I was asked more than once.

But now what to do? I’ve tried to put her in the Halloween box thinking that in a darkened corner she might just be scary enough to keep a job. The only problem is that she gathers laughs far more than gasps of fright. It’s pretty demoralizing for even a pretend Halloween decoration.

Lesson 570 – Which came first, the chicken or the egg – I have the answer

If you make the decision to have chickens, be prepared to hear every single variation there is of the question “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”

You’ll be sent funny Facebook cartoons, of an egg smoking in bed next to a chicken (needs no further explanation),  jokes, and even philosphical musing on the subject:

“Chickens and eggs coexist. They have always coexisted and must always continue to coexist, for if you destroy all of one or the other, the one left will become more powerful than it is possible to imagine and the imbalance will annihilate the universe.”

The other day a  friend and fellow cohort of mine (as chaperons on the 7th grade 3 day cabin camping trip, we both snuck out, went to the local Walmart and got heating pads with extension cords to tuck inside of our sleeping bags at night – it was that cold) stopped by our house with her daughter (who was also on the camping trip but alas, did not get a heating pad.)

Julie presented me with these incredible earrings. She had made them a while  back and wanted to make sure I got them.