On the first day of Christmas, Blamebrampton gave to me ...

[blamebrampton]

Two blackboards, and a pair of fat chickadees ...





Well, chickens really ...

The chickens come from Oxfam, you can read about them here ...  and here ... while the blackboards are from CARE Australia, however I fear I cocked up my email address as I have still not received an ecard from them. But they go to schools in developing countries and are a great low-tech way of teaching children and adults!

And yes, there will be presents every day between now and Twelfth Night! (It is quite probable that after a few days of this, the definition of 'present' will be stretched to its limits and people will be receiving limericks. At which point, remember that I started well with chickens!)

Comments

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

:D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I am telling myself that they will be keeping the chickens for the EGGS! Happy Christmas/Late Solstice/Early New Year!

[deensey.livejournal.com]

THEY WILL! THEY WILL KEEP THEM FOR THE EGGS!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Until they die of great old age!

[deensey.livejournal.com]

A peaceful death, after a well earned retirement!

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

What a fantastic idea, Brammers! I love those kinds of gifts, but it's never occurred to me to do an flist thing with them. Inspired! And thank you. :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I stole it from shu_shu_sleeps, who took the idea from deense, who cottoned onto the Oxfam chicken as a pressie when I asked for one for my 40th (and she gave me an actual present too, because she's fabulous). Cheerfully circular!

And you are very welcome!

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

I got chickens for Christmas too! No goats this year, or trees or stretches of road. Boo. Gifts have run more towards cameras and mp3 players; I think I shall have to feed my conscience some charitable donations after Christmas!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I gave my friend a goat, she grew up with them, but lives in suburban Melbourne now where they are frowned upon. Chickens rule, though! Next time I move, I shall make sure it is to a house that has enough grass to allow for a little run.

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

But chickens are certifiably crazy, and they stink! :D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Bantams! Saner and, if you have portable runs that you move about the garden, very little smell. I fear the kitties would see them as a challenge, though, good thing they are indoor cats!

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

You could stage kitty/bantam fights and make enough to finance frequent trips to Europe!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I believe that they would look at each other, then all come to us and sit at our feet saying 'Is that toast? Can I have some?'

Monster has now trained Cookie in the above trick. Carbo cats, good grief!

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

Phu, back from 1,5 hours of walking through the winter wonderland. So beautiful, but of course I didn't remember to bring my snazzy new camera! Will picspam later if it should turn out that my mobile camera managed any useable pics.

Carbo cats indeed! It doesn't sound as though you've trained them with any thought for profitable illegal fights, how very remiss of you. ;)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

But if I can figure out how to make a profit from cuteness, I have the market CORNERED!

Picspam sounds lovely! I wish I was somewhere snowy ...

[azurelunatic]

Yes, but sometimes it's a trainable crazy! My hen Calico (of the pictured breed) would jump for green beans and other treats, and would lay eggs in my hand, and even come when called and read with me. My hen Hematite and her sister Onyx would come inside for coffee with Mama.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

What a magnificent hen!

[azurelunatic]

She was. This icon is me at age nine or so, and her, standing on my foot. She was a very patient hen, and my best friend for a while.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

She's brilliant! We had a rooster that we were all very fond of, he would hang out down at the stables and enjoyed being blow-dried whenever we were doing the ponies up for gymkhanas. To this day the memory of his out-stretched wings with hot air streaming under them makes me smile.

[azurelunatic]

All of our chickens hated the blowdryer, although that was mostly related to hating to be bathed. (A broody hen with rotten egg and eggshells on her is no-one's friend.)

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

I think you're doing an eggscelent job of Christmas!

*hugs*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You sounds as though you've been into the egg nog ;-)

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

Were you making a little yolk, dear?

While it's true I may have dabbled in some bubbles earlier in the day, I am disgustingly sober right now, and watching a damp Drew weep.

*smooch*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Me too! J and I decided that we would have a celebratory Boxing Day dinner, since we are still stuffed from last night ;-)

These jokes are getting fowler ...

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

*cackles*

Did you hear the one about the little chicken, who went to say hello to his mother one day, and
found her sitting on a seville orange instead of an egg?

He ran around the yard squawking 'Look at the orange mama laid!'

We had a very quiet day, but with plenty of lovely food for just the two of us. Saturday I'm doing the big roast Turkey dinner.

Didn't even get to the pavlova today. *sigh*

More for tomorrow, I guess.

*sends love to you and J*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I cannot top that joke! Did you get to the pavlova yesterday or today?

And we send love back to all of you!

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

*snerk*

We had some last night, and the rest will be on offer alongside the giant boiled pudding this evening.

*argh!*

[sarcasticpixie.livejournal.com]

Hullo, chickens!

I bought a case of Gemtree shiraz as emergency gifts, and after killing bottle #2 with my mom and our friend last night, I noticed that $2 per bottle went to Greening Australia. I have contributed $24 towards your wetlands! My amateur philanthropy just went international!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

On behalf of the Australian people, I think you and your mother and say that your mild dipsomania has been put towards a good cause! Yay you! Happy Holidays!

[leela-cat.livejournal.com]

They're brilliant gifts.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Leela! And a Happy New Year!

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

I see only one blackboard..

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Yes, two took up too much space in the post ...

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

i sense the best twelve days of christmas eveh. thanks for sharing, hon!

and can i tell you how gleeful it makes me to have someone around that actually understands when the twelve days are? ecstatic. seriously.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I can count!

And it's going to be grim by the end, I can tell ...

[shu-shu-sleeps.livejournal.com]

That's fabulous, I particularly like the blackboards - gosh sometimes I miss them - chalk was messy, but its soooo nice to write with - even if the little darlings would then grizzle - "we can't read your writing Mrs R....." yes I was single when I was teaching, but in a school full of married female teachers so the kids all called me Mrs too :)

I am looking forward to twelve days of benevolent gifts - even the limmericks which are also benevolent gifts as they share joy and laughter with the readers - VERY important gift that!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Blackboards RULE! And I stole the idea from this v smart woman ...

I am afraid it will be mostly words and photos, fingers crossed I will be paid in time for a few more chickens ...