Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[ChickenAl]

Okay, guys this is something that was running through my head last night, and as I am sitting in Cosi right now because I had to finish writing a recommendation letter for someone, I just found myself typing it out. Go ahead and mock my writing all you like, it's a first draft. I don't know what the heck I was going for, it's just a story and I thought you'd like to read it. On that note... here is the story of the Fairy Chicken Godmother (sort of)


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Four fairy godmothers walk into a tea salon to have crumpets and cake.

Cinderella's godmother looks like an elegant, older woman, with upswept hair. Sleeping Beauty's godmothers are all elegant as well, with pretty dresses and gossamer dragonfly wings. Merryweather is a little messy looking.

Cinderella's godmother says, "I helped Cinderella get ready for another ball last night. She looked so beautiful, the lilies all turned red with shame and the roses turned green with envy." She smooths the pleats in her blue robe and says, "The crowning touch of course, was the shoes. I'm thinking of starting a footwear line of my own, you know."

Flora says, "We babysat for the Princess Aurora & Prince Philip. They have twins, you know - they get into just about everything!" She gives a sigh of exasperation but looks please. Merryweather sits down and says, "ouch!!" She pulls a toy soldier from her back pocket and sets it on the table. The soldier jabs the air with his tiny sword. "Little Philip Junior is just like his daddy, so strong and brave!" Merryweather looks at the little soldier crossly as it stabs her scone repeatedly.

"Yes," Fauna says, "but they are so very clever, just like their mother!" She pulls out arts and crafts paper creations. The paper dolls get up and dance with each other, their dresses changing colors and patterns as they dance.

Suddenly a fairy with chicken feather wings in a calico print dress with a white pinafore apron sits down. A few bits of straw and loose feathers float into the air around her, swirling lazily before settling down. "Hello, hello, hello! I hope I'm not late! I've brought some fresh eggs for everyone!" She produces a wicker basket from inside her skirts and lays it on the table, partially covering Fauna's artwork. Inside are the most beautiful, multi-colored chicken eggs ranging from chocolate brown to sky blue to deep green to creamy white with freckles. Merriweather perks up at her arrival, but the other three frown a bit.

"Hello, Roberta!" says Merriweather. "How are you?

"Why I'm just about knocked off my feet, I've been so busy! First I took a beautiful little bantam cochin chick to some little girls who needed a baby sister for their other chick. The two chicks are just sweet as can be, they snuggle up almost every chance they get. Baby Chipmunk tries to be just like her big sister and practices sitting on the perching branch with Tiana. Tiana looks out for her baby sister and helps her stay clean by picking the fuzz off of her. She keeps her warm when she's cold too. I think they will be a great set of friends for the big girl sister hens in the yard when they're older, but more importantly, I think they'll teach the little girls all about being a good sister to each other." Roberta the Fairy Chicken Godmother beamed at the other fairies.

"But what about being pretty, dear? Isn't that what young girls are supposed to be learning these days?" says Cinderella's Fairy Godmother.

"I think these sisters will learn very quickly that pretty is something that comes from the inside. Pretty is as pretty does, I always say." Roberta pulls a little fluffy chick from her apron pocket and holds it to her nose.

"And what about being brave and strong, isn't that important too?" says Flora.

"Why, these girls are nothing but brave! Did you know that one of the first chicks they had died? They were so sad, and they tried to help her get better, but she wasn't meant to be. They were very brave and helped their Daddy bury her in the backyard."

"Oh dear! What happened?" says Merryweather.

"She just stopped eating her food like she should have, and so she got weak. Now the sisters know that you have to eat your healthy food like your mommy tells you, and you will stay strong." The Fairy Chicken Godmother takes chick crumbles out of her other pocket and sprinkles them on the table for the baby chick, who pecks at them.

"Well, I don't see how having chickens can help them develop their artistic talents," sniffed Fauna.

"Actually, they helped create a perch for the chicks to practice on. They like to draw pictures of their chicks and chickens, and sometimes they even dance like chicks. When the big hens leave their pretty feathers lying around they use them in other pictures." Roberta showed the fairies a very nice picture of a flower made with feathers. "Aah," they all said.
"I am beginning to see that every child should have a pet chicken," said Cinderella's Godmother. "Yes, yes, I agree!" shouted the other fairies. "Please, dear, stay and tell us more about chickens."

"Oh, I'd love to, but I have to go deliver some eggs for hatching, some hens for laying and a few dozen fluffy chicks to everyone that wished for a friend to talk to." The Fairy Chicken Godmother smiled. "But this little chick is for you, Merryweather - take good care of him, he is going to grow up to be a very strong, brave and handsome rooster!"

Merryweather scooped the baby chick into her hands, gazed at it, and said, "Oh yes indeed! Thank you Fairy Chicken Godmother, Thank YOU!"

And with that, the Fairy Chicken Godmother was off with a flap of her silver-laced, mille-fleur, brown and white speckled, lavender splash and salmon colored wings, leaving a basket of eggs and a few specks of hay behind.

THE END

I liked it. You should write children's stories.

 

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
I thought men weren't allowed to go to those things. You would have a much better time with a bunch of chicken women. I'm trying to see if i can go.

Men don't go. It's just that I was going to go to Sussex with her, if we were both able. She would probably get a little steamed if I went there with a bunch of chicken ladies all by myself. LOL.

Yeah, but does she know how nuts we all are?

Well, she does know I'm nuts!

 

[ChickenAl]

She is so cute!
Quote:

Why can't they just stay that way?

 

[ChickenAl]

Wow. I don't check in for a day and look what happens!

Heather, I loved the story. And the pictures of the babies made me get all weepy. Too sweet for words.

Karen, I obsess about the incubator temp all the time. I must check it 20 times a day!

Al, us crazy chicken ladies will miss seeing you on May 19th. So glad there's a farmers' market there too. My kind of weekend trip.

And now for the big news: We found a kitten. He's only 6 weeks old, and a feral rescue, so the foster mom is keeping him for another 2 weeks to finish the socialization process. He spits and hisses when you reach to pick him up, but doesn't bite or scratch. In fact, he cuddled right up to Laura and fell asleep in her arms.

Baby Brutus:

Yeah, he is a cutie! I really want to make at least one show to meet up with all of you. It would be fun for all us chicken heads to hang out. I can't believe how in such a short time the casual chicken owners here went from just having a few chickens to incubating their own eggs and getting into this so heavily. I think the Fairy Chicken Godmother may have had something to do with this, hmmm?

 

[ChickenAl]

Okay, I think I'm all caught up on the million posts since yesterday. And how the heck did you guys get up this morning with all those wee hours of the night posts I saw?

Anybody still suffering sinus problems from last week, or is it just me? I'm getting hammered by them and I wanted to know if anyone else is still having issues.

Anyway, I got the peelers in the other day and still have yet to put them on. It looks like the pecking is becoming wide spread in the flock. Two girls were dust bathing yesterday and and the other four were picking feathers off of them like they were standing at the salad bar. I can't bring myself to put these plastic things in their nostrils, but for their own safety I have to.

 

[queenchick16]

Well, she does know I'm nuts!

We Love you AL and MRS. Al

 

[queenchick16]

My husband and son are still having problems. I shouldn't say it out loud but I went from going to an allergist once a week for shots when I was in Ithaca to being able to rolling in cut grass since I moved down here.

I can't stay up as late as these" chicken chatterers" either. I have to catch up on the reading early in the morning. I love this site.

Okay, I think I'm all caught up on the million posts since yesterday. And how the heck did you guys get up this morning with all those wee hours of the night posts I saw?
Anybody still suffering sinus problems from last week, or is it just me? I'm getting hammered by them and I wanted to know if anyone else is still having issues.
Anyway, I got the peelers in the other day and still have yet to put them on. It looks like the pecking is becoming wide spread in the flock. Two girls were dust bathing yesterday and and the other four were picking feathers off of them like they were standing at the salad bar. I can't bring myself to put these plastic things in their nostrils, but for their own safety I have to.

 

[Imprfctme]

My husband and son are still having problems. I shouldn't say it out loud but I went from going to an allergist once a week for shots when I was in Ithaca to being able to rolling in cut grass since I moved down here.

I can't stay up as late as these" chicken chatterers" either. I have to catch up on the reading early in the morning. I love this site.

I just thought to myself I need to take a Zyrtec today. I'm allergic to cut grass and it seems everyone is out mowing today. Could be one of the reasons why I'm slowing converting every inch of my lawn into a plant other than grass.... I don't stay up late per se, I just rarely get to sleep in one big lump in a row. Someone small is usually sick, scared or just in my bed for no particular reason. Yes they are cute when they are this small but part of me is looking forward to regular sleep again. When does that start? When they leave for college?

 

[vmdanielsen]

I just thought to myself I need to take a Zyrtec today. I'm allergic to cut grass and it seems everyone is out mowing today. Could be one of the reasons why I'm slowing converting every inch of my lawn into a plant other than grass.... I don't stay up late per se, I just rarely get to sleep in one big lump in a row. Someone small is usually sick, scared or just in my bed for no particular reason. Yes they are cute when they are this small but part of me is looking forward to regular sleep again. When does that start? When they leave for college?

Oh no! Then you stay up all night wondering what kind of trouble they are getting into

Actually, it does get better! Then you miss their small snugli bodies.

 

[stoopid]

I haven't been sleeping well. Actually, I thought I had a heart attack a few weeks ago, Must be job stress related.
Looking forward to the stress my husband puts me thru after Friday, supposed to be my last day.
Maybe I can clean all the chick poop out of the rugs. But he wouldn't notice anyway.
Went to Dr. yesterday, chest x-ray came back "normal". Hmmm normal for someone that lost her father at the same age from a heart attack?
And he didn't smoke. Or drink. Oh well....