Musical Monday-Sad Songs

Tragedy has hit at Digital Art House, as a pack of coyotes killed eight of our nine free ranging hens.

So, on this gray misty morning I’m feeling a bit low.

I truly never thought I’d ever feel this way about a chicken. A chicken!

I know, I know, I used to think they were the silliest, most stupid, most ridiculous creatures. I mean, something that runs around after its head is cut off?

A punchline to the joke-“Why did the chicken cross the road?”

Living with hens, made me realize they are really smart, complex creatures. Hens are funny and personable. You can’t help smiling when you spend time just watching them “be chickens.”

I had no idea….

So, yeah, I might cry over my lost flock today and listen to some sad songs.

Here are seven musicians in my collection with soundtracks for blue days.

Sufjan Stevens
Jeff Buckley
Bon Iver
Joni Mitchell’s albums Both Sides Now & Blue in particular.
Beth Orton
The Temper Trap
Elliot Smith

And if you truly want to wallow in self pity, you can always listen to Chris Isaak.

Foto Friday

Every Friday I will be posting random photos from daily DigitalArtHouse life, and I’m contemplating some sort of Friday Foto challenge from you blog followers out there too. There may even be prizes…

Stay tuned.

AnimAl Fresco

Kidding Around

Yesterday we headed to Clare’s Well, a spiritual farm and popular place of respite founded and cared for by the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls.

Spending some time with Sister Carol and Sister Jan it is easy for one to notice and be in awe of their strength, generosity, and kindness.  They couldn’t let us leave without giving us gifts of fresh eggs and herbs from their garden.

Meanwhile, yesterday it was all about sharing some love with their new kids-two sets of twins, one set less than 24 hours old.

Adam took some great photos of the feathered friends at Clare’s Well too.  Here is a pea hen that insisted on flying over Adam’s head.

I love this chicken’s markings.  It was so fun to see chickens in every corner doing what chickens do best, scratching, fluffing their wings, and looking for tasty bugs in the barn and in the tall grass.  Happy birds give healthy eggs to us, that is something I am positive of.

Twas a grand day at the farm just “kidding” around.  🙂 As you can see, Violet thinks Mom’s humor is lacking…

Baker’s Dozen Part II

Thanks to my chicken whispering assistant, Miss Violet, I was able to take a TON of pictures of the remaining chicks.

Introducing the rest of our “yummy” flock:

Crème brûlée is Silver Cuckoo Maran like her sister, Quiche.  Most likely she will be called Quiche or Brûlée depending on the day, as we aren’t so good at telling these girls apart if they are the same breed…

Chocolate Soufflé is a Barred Plymouth Rock hen, sure to be a calm pet and a good layer.  I love how dark her face and beak are.

Isn’t Eclair cute?! She will grow up to be a stunning chicken, as she is a Black Australorp.  They are really rather striking with their greenish-black feathers and bright red combs.  Unfortunately, we lost both of our Australorps pretty early on in our Fairytale Flock…

Pudding is just the fuzziest little thing.  I love her chocolate downy fluff.  Pudding is a Partridge Plymouth Rock.  She will eventually have really rich red feathers.

Flan, who may also be called Trifle from time to time, 🙂 is another Speckled Sussex.  I can’t wait to see how these girls turn out!

A Baker’s Dozen

This morning my elated family awoke to a phone call from the post office.  A special and long awaited package arrived for us today.

Its contents?

23 baby hens!!

Darling Violet could hardly wait to tell her kindergarten friends about her new pets.  We won’t be keeping all of these girls.  Ten will be loved by another poultryphile, my aunt Sheila.

So, we end up with a perfect 13…sometimes referred to as a baker’s dozen.

Consequently, we are naming the girls for baked yummy goodies (which of course all recipes call for eggs).

These are the new gals so far.  I will attempt for more poultry portraits in the next couple of days, before these kids enter the “jurassic” stage…

I had a few run-away chickens during their photoshoot and I admit I’m a bit afraid one will disappear under my piano.

It’s going to be hard getting my work done today, with all that adorable peeping going on (their box is five feet from my desk.)

Life is good.

Trifle is a Speckled Sussex she and her sister are so far the quietest and calmest of the chicks.  It will be interesting to see how they mature and if they stay calm and friendly.

Quiche is Silver Cuckoo Maran.  These birds originally from France lay a very deep dark brown egg and are sometimes referred to as “chocolate layers.”

Little Cream Puff is an adorable and  feisty little thing.  Her breed is Columbian Wyandotte.  These are really cool looking chickens.  In our previous flock we enjoyed the beauty and curious nature of our Wyandottes.

The cupcakes are Silver Laced Wyandottes.  In our “Fairytale Flock” we referred to these hens as our “Cinderellas.”  They are a bit timid as pets, but absolutely stunning to look at.

I have to admit, I’m really exited about these Cookies and they might be my favorites of the flock.  These baby hens are Buff Orpingtons, a beautiful hearty blonde breed that is a great egg layer and a wonderful pet.

Although, since they originated in Britain, I may have to call them biscuits…

Violet’s favorite hen, Marie Antoinette, indeed the “queen of the coop” was a Buff Orpington.  R.I.P. dear Marie.  She was part of our original five ladies and the first victim of the mink.

Meringue is a busy busy chick.  She was the first one who decided it would be fun to run off my paper during the photo shoot and head for the “hills” aka under the piano.  She is a White Plymouth Rock hen.  She will grow up to look like “SnowWhite” from our Fairtytale Flock.  Adam and I aren’t crazy about white chickens, but our little chicken whisperer Violet insisted.

Hen-ly Advice

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the year.  Time to eat, spend time with loved ones, and reflect on the blessings we so often take for granted.

Meanwhile, on behalf of their poultry turkey cousin, hens Catherine Howard & Marie Antoinette wanted me to share a totally turkey-free Thanksgiving recipe.

This recipe comes from the AWESOME duo Barb Westman & Sue Hankerson- sisters, friends, fellow foodies and proprietors of Cottage Gourmets catering.  If you haven’t experienced a Cottage Gourmet dinner you are so missing out! I have a difficult time sharing these…you’ve been warned.

Walnut Mock Meatballs

3 large eggs, beaten

4 oz. Colby-Jack Cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups crushed bread crumbs or herb-season stuffing cubes

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In large mixing bowl combine all ingredients.  Shape into meatballs.  Brown the meatballs in a large skillet with a tablespoon of oil.  Place in baking dish.  Cover with BBQ Sauce (recipe follows) or leave plain.  Bake for 20 minutes or until warmed through.

Golden Mustard BBQ Sauce –Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

3/4 cup white vinegar

3/4 cup prepared yellow mustard

1/2 onion, minced

1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes

1 Tablespoon paprika

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon freshly milled pepper

Mix the ingredients, plus 1/3 cup water, in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to low and cook until the onions are tender and the mixture thickens, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.  Use the sauce warm or chilled.  It keeps, refrigerated, for several weeks.