Lesson 723 – Fatti Madi, the President of the United States and Me

This picture was sent to me quite a few months ago and I’m just getting it up. This was taken by a friend’s daughter; Sally who has a great blog here. Sally and her mom Jane had attended this campaign rally in Concord, NH.

You’ll have to click on the photo to get the full effect.

In the center of the picture is President Obama. Just over to the left, you’ll see a windswept person in the press bleachers focusing behind what looks like a bit of Albert Einstein’s hair. Now do you see it? That’s me with Fatti Madi. I brought that bird with me all over New Hampshire in order to get photos.

Here’s another photo with me peeking under Obama’s arm.

And here’s another view from that same event, from my point of view.

Advertisement

Lesson 684 – Quotable Chicks

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks

“You’d better not.”

Marc

Tomorrow I will be going to the Northeastern Poultry Congress.If you haven’t been to a Poultry Congress and don’t know what to expect, just think of it as a giant candy store for chicken people.

Last year was the first time I had ever gone to an event like this and I was astounded. The variety of birds on display was breathtaking – large, small, dappled with different colors, wearing feathered hats, standing on stilts for legs, it goes on and on. Although I had seen photos of some of the more exotic chickens, to see them in real life was amazing.

Is there any wonder that people who own chickens are happy people indeed? Be prepared for lots of photos from the show in the next few weeks.

Not only does the Congress have an exhibition hall where birds are judged, but it also has a seller’s hall where crate upon crate of birds are available for purchase. If you have a few dollars, you can go home with a chicken, goose, or duck. They couldn’t make it easier.

Last year, if you recall, after assuring Marc that I wouldn’t come home with a chicken, I ended up bringing home day old Charlie, our Black Copper Maran. Charlie, who needed foot surgery, ended up living in our house for the next 6 months.

I know, I live in New Hampshire, it was January, I had no business bringing home a baby chick, but I did, and we actually had many adventures with a chicken as a house pet.

No worries though, this time I’ve assured Marc that I won’t come home with a baby chicken. Really, I’m not going to bring one home. I’ve absolutely promised this time.

A few of us chicken friends will be meeting up at the Snack area at noon. If you happen to be there, do stop by and say “hello” – I’ll be the one with the blinged out stuffed chicken.

***

See you next week.

*

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

Lesson 616 – Fatti-Madi meets President Obama (again)

On Saturday Marc and I went to see President Obama as he made a campaign stop in Windham NH. I went as a member of the press and Marc was in the crowd taking pictures.

I don’t care you are, being near to the President of the United States is an awe inspiring experience. This is one powerful person and with him comes all the protection needed these days for one in his position. Even though this is New Hampshire where just a few years ago, you could go to someone’s house to meet this “new candidate, Barack Obama”, you can’t pretend that now he is President, there aren’t a few loons out there wanting to hurt him – if you don’t believe me just read the vitriol in the comments section following any news story on him. Hate can be a scary thing.

There were black suited Secret Service men (and women) galore. There were bomb sniffing Secret Service dogs (I spent some time behind the building watching a dog handler exercise his dog – I can’t even get my dog to come when I call him and this handler was doing sits, stays, and comes, like it was (literally) all in a day’s work. There were wands and equipment checks – all the kinds of things you expect these days. Initially women were even being told not to bring purses into the venue, but eventually they allowed purses because there is not a woman alive who is not going anywhere without her purse (what if someone needs a Kleenex?) – eventually, even the Secret Service recognized this. Don’t mess with a woman and her purse.

Which is why my getting Fatti-Madi into the auditorium is nothing short of Mission Impossible amazing. I mean I didn’t do anything illegal (hear that Secret Service?) it’s just that I didn’t really declare her. I have this great cloth bag that I stuffed Fatti-Madi into and when she’s in, no one can tell that a stuffed chicken is on board. It just kind of looks like the stuff a journalist brings

Oh sure, she was sniffed and wanded but as nothing set off alarms, she was allowed in.

I waited for the event to start before I even pulled her out. Technically there is nothing wrong with bringing a stuffed chicken to a Presidential event but sometimes those Secret Service people don’t have the best senses of humor.

I positioned myself in the risers that were set aside for video (major news agencies) and once the President got talking and all eyes were on him, I pulled Fatti-Madi out and started shooting (ahem, taking pictures.) I got a few comments from some of the other journalists:

“Is that a chicken?”

“We come to New Hampshire and someone brings a chicken, why not?”

But I was on a mission. No one bothered me, thank God, because although having a stuffed chicken is not a capital offense, if someone was having a bad day, I’m sure it could be. This is a photo that Marc took from his position at the event.

And this is the photo I took from mine.

We really are all of one flock.

Lesson 615 – Quotable Chicks

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks 

Found this little lovely at a thrift store last week.

Never lose a chance of saying a kind word.
William Thackeray

 

President Obama is in town (again, it’s political season in NH) and I’m going with Marc and Fatti Madi (will post any photos.)

It’s raining now but if the weather lets up, I’ll start on the Grand-mucking out, probably on Sunday.

I have to start organizing the older kids’ stuff for college, get rid of the things they didn’t use or used up, go through the clothing and figure out what’s needed and what needs to be replaced, you know – that mom-college-management thing that all moms do at this time of year.

Going to follow up on a wasp nest or two, and

I’m going to make a pie this weekend. Still not quite sure what kind, I’ll know what I’ll be making when I check out what looks good at the farm stand. Berries are a bit past season around here and right now, I’m leaning toward an apple-cranberry pie. Don’t worry, you’ll hear all the gory details next week. 🙂

Busy, busy, but really, would I want it any other way?

 

See you next week.

*

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

Lesson 611 – Quotable Chicks

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks 

A family in harmony will prosper in everything.

CHINESE PROVERB

 

Although this looks like a chicken massacre, it’s actually a community dirt bath. Yup, like pigs to mud, chickens do love their dirt (especially on a hot day.)

I’ve been having a little bit of a problem with molting this summer. I blame the heat which has been absolutely brutal this year. Our worst affected is our Ms. Frizzle. Although she looks terrible, she is in good health and seems to be doing just fine.

Recently on Facebook, someone sent me this photo of a rooster having a rough week.

Looks like our little frizzle could certainly give him a run for his money.

See you next week.

*

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

Lesson 603 – Quotable Chicks

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks 

 

For too long we’ve been told about “us” and “them.” Each and every election we see a new slate of arguments and ads telling us that “they” are the problem, not “us.” But there can be no “them” in America. There’s only us.

BILL CLINTON

I know I’ve been a little AWOL this week. Been a tad on the busy side with swim meets, interviews (yup, looking for a writing job) and events like seeing Bill Clinton endorse Gubernatorial Primary candidate Maggie Hassan in Nashua. The above photo was taken by Marc at the event, I just wanted to show you that we really were there. And guess what? So was Fatti-Madi. She hasn’t made a political appearance since her last sighting with President Obama, so this catch was particularly exciting.

Here is Addy holding Fatti-Madi in front of President Clinton (that’s why I included the top photo, so that you’d know it was definitely him but let’s face it, it’s pretty easy to recognize Bill in a crowd.) What’s incredible to me is that in this photo my daughter is 3 people away from a former President of the United States.

But then my kids have already met Bill before (have I told you about how cool it is to live in New Hampshire?)

Oh Wait, don’t want anyone to feel left out:

And lastly here is a picture of Fatti-Madi and Maggie Hassan who is currently running for Governor in New Hampshire. (in my defense I had forgotten that I had worn my sparkly Barbie rhinestone sunglasses and that’s why I’m sporting such exciting head gear.)

We were asked several times about “the chicken.” What did it mean? Why did we have it?

We have the chicken because we’re chicken people and that’s just how we roll. No reason on earth why you can’t have chickens and fun at the same time.

See you next week.

*

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

Lesson 505 – Quotable Chicks

Friday’s Quotes for the Chicks 

“This is the coolest thing ever.”
– Sue Lyons, Photographer

Yesterday, I got to cover the President’s visit to Nashua, NH  (just south of where I live.) I was also fortunate enough to have Sue Lyons there as a photographer. These are some of her terrific photos.

Hey, it was snowing, aint' nothing I can do about that hair (mine or Madi's)

[caption id=”attachment_4629″ align=”aligncenter” width=”535″ caption=”A nature picture of a chicken and an unclubbed baby seal.

Fatti-Madi and President Obama

Although I didn’t get President Obama to hold Madi (you wouldn’t believe how many secret service agents surround you when you are holding a stuffed chicken at a Presidental visit!) I did get a picture of Fatti-Madi at the event.

Fatti-Madi - and oh yeah, President Obama

Lesson 503 – Cookies, turkey and Obama

It’s late, I know.

Sometimes I have to do the paying work before I can do the other more fun things. Today was a paying work kind of day (not that I’m complaining. )

A few quick things and then I’m back to writing some taglines for a website.

Here are some of the cookies we have made so far this vacation:

Pink Sugar cookies

Spice, Pumpkin, Butterscotch chip cookies

Gluten-free brownies (I swear that’s what they are, even though they look remarkably like something else – I’m actually not sure what Addy was thinking when she staged this shot.)

Not only do we have cookies galore in our household but we also have a cold or two. We’ve already had one visit to the Doctors for an ear ache and two more kids have scheduled doctor visits tomorrow (and then one gets his braces on tomorrow afternoon – his biggest disappointment? No beef jerky for the next 18 months.) Such fun and the week isn’t even over!

And to top it all off, it’s finally snowing, which is interesting because since that massive snow storm that stopped the world (at least our world) for 3 days in October, we haven’t really had any snow to speak of. Usually during the first big snow storm, I put Christmas carols on and bake some gingerbread.

I think if I do that now, it could easily qualify as torture as defined by the Geneva convention.

Instead, Marc has gone to the feed store to get chicken food (in case we really do get snowed in) and I’ve decided to cook a 21 pound turkey in the oven. Between the turkey and the cookies, I think we’ll be all set until the Spring thaw.

Tomorrow I’m going to cover President Obama’s visit to NH as a member of the Press, I’m hoping that I can get some photos of him with Fatti-Madi (while not getting thrown out by the Secret Service.) I’ll let you know.