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

[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.)