Sculpin

Delaware, May 21:

Delaware today:

I do occasionally wonder what the neighbors think. As when, for instance, I open the back door and rush out shouting, “Grawrr!! I kill you with my mind!”

Stupid squirrels, digging where they ought not be digging. Grawrr.

I need to get some falconry gauntlets, or at least break out the welder’s gloves. One of our chickens, the Delaware — we’re calling her “Trouble” — likes to hop up on your arm. And when Trouble wants something, she’s hard to stop; “want” hardly covers the ferocity of her desires. It’s not so much because she loves you. (Chickens, as far as I can tell, are not cuddly. At most, they’re docile.) It’s because she wants out of the box, and you are her ticket out of the box.

I haven’t seen any physical signs of her being a rooster, though I’ve wondered. As far as I can tell, she’s just a hen with an oversized personality.

So every time I reach into the chick box for something, there she is, running for my arm at top speed. This was adorable at week 1 or so, but now that the chicks are almost four weeks old, it’s beginning to become a problem. And when she reaches her full six pounds or so, it’s going to be a problem indeed. Chickens, it happens, are sharp. My forearms are covered in scratches; it looks like I’ve been raising a dozen kittens. Which is to say, it looks like I’ve been sticking my arm in a food processor.

I bet Trouble would be a good trained attack chicken: very aggressive, extremely fast and agile, tremendously food-motivated, an excellent flyer. Perhaps I should consider taking up chicken falconry.

These are my links for May 26th through June 8th:

• stereotypist: comix for the 21st of january - The Death of Garfield. Perhaps the greatest Garfield comic ever made.
• Militia Fail « FAIL Blog - Fail Pictures at Failblog.ORG - Via Making Light. Sweet mother of God. That isn’t… no. Nobody I know. But jeez… the resemblance to a certain former KateHauser is uncanny.
• Margarita Fick - handcut unique papel picado (cut paper) creations - Killer papel picado. Damn.
• Union Station Photo Flap - “A local news crew was interviewing an Amtrak spokesman at D.C.’s Union Station who told the reporter that photography is allowed in the station. During the interview, a security guard interrupted them to say that photography/video was not allowed.”
• Brain and Mind - Video lectures from prominent neuroscience researchers, recorded in 2004.
• Silicone Plastique - Food Grade Silicone Mold Making Rubber - *covet* *covet* *covet*

Josh just went outside to work on the bikes. His ensemble includes a wool hat, wool socks, and a thick wool overshirt. This is not my idea of June. We didn’t move into the southern hemisphere while I wasn’t looking, right?

It’s a lucky Seattle gardener who’s doing well this spring, and I’m not one of them. I’ve yet to catch much of a break in the seed-planting department. Planted cilantro and it snowed; planted basil and we got unusually cold, wet June weather. I’m rethinking this whole business of direct seeding. At least the chard seedlings have come through like champs. My new favorite plant, right there.

The chickens are almost three weeks old now. In theory, they should be ready to go investigate their new home very soon, and I’m becoming very ready to see them leave their corner of my office. Chicks do create a lot of dust and sometimes a lot of racket. But unless this weather straightens out, they’re going to be in the brooder a good long while.

Strawberry season is almost here! Last year’s strawberry-rhubarb jam was fantastic; I thought I’d can some plain strawberry jam this year.

If any of you would like to come over and learn to can, you’re more than welcome; let me know and I’ll drop you a line when it’s getting to be canning time.