Hoot feeling his testosterone
One of the house chicks is definitely Hoot the rooster's. The blondish chick has a big chest already. Just like Hoot. My guess is that Hoot is some type of banty meat breed. He's rock solid muscular, a fact that is SO obvious when you hold one of the other adult banties. They feel like sparrows after holding him.
I like to spar with Hoot and his fellow rooster Vader when they come running with that rooster gleam in their eye. Nobody gets hurt ... mostly I just let my sneaker be their punching bag. That did backfire the other day when I went out back barefoot and Vader was in the mood to show off in front of the hen.
That was a little trickier. It amazes me how these banties can send that inch long spur on the back of their leg into your leg which is in front of the bird at that moment.
This morning, I joined about 70 other parents and kids for a rules meeting related to the local livestock fair. We will be raising a pig again this winter and today was a chance to pick up the required paperwork and listen to a showpig expert's tips on raising and showing your pig. We won't actually buy our pig until sometime in November.
The meeting was held at a horseman's park in another part of our large county. The horse park came complete with rodeo arena and "Cowboy Church". The sign said services were held there every Sunday and all were welcome. I guess they're held at the arena, because the only enclosed building was the rodeo snack bar. Now, who would'a thought such a thing existed. I've lived here for 20 years and didn't have a clue.
Just more confirmation that the richness and uniqueness of this country is found on the back roads and alley ways, not on the interstate.
The fair meeting took most of the morning. When it was over, I headed to town for some groceries. We teachers got our first paycheck since June 10th yesterday, so it was nice to actually buy food again. The sky opened up on the way home from the grocery store, stopping long enough for me to unload groceries from the JEEP, and then the deluge continued. The rain was that good tropicalesque downpour kind and it continued for a long time. This week has been the rainiest in a long time and the forecast calls for continued stormy weather.
Yes!!
Since I was trapped inside with groceries, I whipped up chicken and sausage gumbo for supper and I am trying to finish my third bowl right now in between paragraphs. I didn't take a picture of it because it's embarrassing how often I have posted about gumbo on this blog.
Emma called a few minutes ago from the Raymond James stadium in Tampa. She's at her first University of South Florida football game with her dorm buddies and the happy excitement in her voice was music ... pure music.
Katie came home from her college apartment to slurp gumbo with us and she's in the next room harassing her brother. I can hear them laughing through the walls.
It's good ... it's all very good.
I think I'm adjusting
Sounds like everyone is adjusting to the new lay of the land. Laughter is good, so are phone calls from the stadium.
ReplyDeleteOkay- the first part of this post smacks of illegal activity.
ReplyDeleteThe second part: Praise the Lord! A piglet!
Third-it's not gumbo if there's not a new picture. But I will make due with the shrimp creole post, complete with datil pepper salad, below.
Fourth- Abby's at that game! Small (big, new) world!
Junior and grapes both look stunning. I hope to have photos next week of some seeds that are rumored to have sprouted in Florida...but I will wait til January to plant the datils.
P.S. Moi? I am dining, this moment, on big fat slices of heirloom tomatoes with roasted pinenuts and blue cheese crumbles-yuuuum!
ReplyDeletei've been very confused about USF, mainly because i'm not good on floridian locations. tampa is farther south than i thought, and i've actually even been there once. [they told me it was during a drought; it poured the entire time.]
ReplyDeletebut very cool about the phone call! still 2 weeks until dorm drop-off for us -- but my daughter decided to go wander around berkeley today. there is some kind of football game going on, and the place was jammed!
so -- she called me: "i'm at yogurt park, and the line's too long. how do i get to top dog?" those were the first couple of places my sister ate as a freshman at cal, 3 million years ago. she'll have to ask someone else in 2 weeks.
Did Mrs. FC make it to the game yesterday? I'm sure she was pleased with the outcome even if she didn't. I should make to the game on the 29th.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to read that the girls and their dad are adjusting well....must be a tough transition.
ReplyDeleteGlad for your rain...hope the pond fills up and drowns all the dog fennel.
We are picking up our pigs tomorrow or Tuesday...three of them this year.
I'm so glad you're getting a paycheck again. (My teacher son is still waiting for his first one.)
ReplyDeleteNow that you can buy groceries, do you think you might get some sox for yourself? And maybe some shirts for the boy?
Robin,
ReplyDeleteWe are adapting pretty well. Emma was sick the first week of school with some strep type bug, so we got over the "my baby is sick and far from home" hurdle right away.
She's well now.
Vicki,
First,it is the way of the rooster.
2nd - I knew that news would make you happy. Still a few months off, but tempis really fugits around here.
3rd - gumbo pics and recipe in archives.
4th-Now, how cool is that?
Lastly, I hope the sprouty rumors are true.
Kathy A,
If it doesn't rain every afternoon, we call it a drought.
I imagine wandering around a vast campus like B. is different from a small school like USF. I hope she found sustenance!
Kevin,
Ya sure ya wanna leave the mideast? I hear once you get sand in your shoes...
That is fantastic news Bro, it will be good to have you stateside.
ThreeCollie,
The treefrogs are singing like crazy down at the pond this morning, so I hope it means more agua.
Pablo,
I must remember not to read your comments with mouth full of coffee and biscotti!
I think shirts are optional when you have a semi-Adonis build like Junior.
I actually have those little girly invisible socks on, but I may buy some shirts with sleeves :)
That picture is hilarious. And I LOVE PIGS!! I can't wait to see some piglet pics! :) We used to go to TN every summer when I was growing up. My uncle had pigs, and once when I was there he had a litter and one of them was crippled in his hind legs. I wanted to bring him home with me so bad! I named him "Butterball". I'm sure a more appropriate name would have been "Bacon", but I was young and in denial. ;)
ReplyDeleteSharon,
ReplyDeleteWe will have lots of pig posts after the arrival. Check the archives if you want to see past pigs.
I drove by your old home turned apartment complex yesterday. Sad state of affairs. My mom said that it used to be a beautiful old house. Sorry to bring it up, but I just thought I would let you know.
ReplyDeleteHTeen,
ReplyDeleteIt was beautiful, but my was my grandfather's home, not mine. I must have an old pic somewhere...
FC, for more on Cowboy Churches, google "cowboy church" and "cowboy church florida".
ReplyDeleteHere in Leon County (Florida) I go to the fair every year just to tour the livestock exhibits and watch the judging. The pride on the 10-year old's face whose goat just won first prize: priceless! One recent year I ended up walking in the cow exhibit barn after 9 p.m., where families from outlying counties camp out for the night, and here were 5 young farm kids using as a backrest and pillow their two contented calves. Great photos! (after asking their permission).