Organizing, new life on old, emotional support chicken

Saturday morning I cleared out another cabinet, disposed of many useless small bags, found tinfoil, and, best of all, I found all my hand tools at the back of the dark shelf. I'd been wondering where they went. 

Then I went for a different walk, I always like to walk a circuit, not retrace my steps, and on the way around, found this dead tree which has become a host for many lichens, flourishing and growing 

After lunch I had an unscheduled nap while listening to Meghan O'Rourke's The Invisible Kingdom, a wonderful book, read by the author, about chronic illness and her search for understanding and health in a medical environment which produces indifference and little help.

Then I remembered the yes2next August challenge and did this routine, lower back stretches 

These are floor or bed stretches, depending on your ability to get up from the floor. They're familiar to most of us.

Later I looked out and saw a young woman sitting on the grass with -- a chicken. It pecked around the grass and she stroked it, well, she stroked her, I suppose chickens being female. I wonder if this was a sighting of an emotional support chicken. Pretty trendy. It was a peaceful scene, the chicken quite calm around her while she was reading.

I didn't want to intrude by getting closer,  but here's the gist, chicken on the left facing her  

Then a few minutes later, this little flock appeared, pecking busily, until they were rounded up by the same woman.  They're small and very pretty.

Maybe weekend visitors.

I've been thinking about my deceased friend H. She was one of the most self sufficient people I ever knew. She grew up in the country, hunting, rearing chickens, growing vegetables, had her own driveway stand of eggs and produce at age twelve. 

She could do just about anything. Rewired her own townhouse to get cable on every floor, as promised but not delivered by the builders. She cleaned the dryer vent and the chimney, and had a wood fire going all winter, wood she'd split and hauled. Installed her own ceiling fans. She fished for the table, and was a good golfer. 

When the appliance people delivered but failed to install my dishwasher, she did it for me. When the thermostat went weird and the professional heating guy couldn't fix it, she came over and put it right in seconds. Just took it off the wall, blew a lot of cat hair out of it, it's worked perfectly ever since.

We had a lot of jokes together, including a scandalous imaginary development newsletter. I'll miss the color she brought me. I could tell when her husband and son were driving her mad, because she'd march in, unannounced,  with Abbie the little dog, and tell me "put the kettle on quick."  I think I helped avert a husbandandsonicide more than once over those cups of tea.

Happy day everyone, it's good to dwell on the good stuff sometimes. And there's always good stuff. Sometimes hard to find, sez 

Ted and Big Ursy 

Self care and other ideas

Taking care of your own health is a great resistance move, and cooking from scratch is part of it. It's also a pleasure, and that's important too.

So, now that I have the coconut milk and ginger in the house, I finally did the curried chickpea recipe from Yeung Man Cooking.

 

Most of the spices you see here, with their containers ranged around them to explain, go into the dish at once, so I measured them onto this small plate. Then they all got tipped in together, with the tomatoes, left from a tomato cheese egg bake, chickpeas and eventually spinach.

In the fifteen minutes simmering, I did the cleanup, mainly putting away spices.

I had this as is, but you can use rice or orzo as a base, or use naan to make sure of all the liquid.  I might do that with the other two meals I'll get from this recipe.

I soon have to make more red chili oil, since I've almost used my supply.

And, if you need encouragement, who doesn't, here's a lovely source 

I get her regular emails. They're for everyone, you don't have to be Jewish!  And they're calming and centering. 

Today I messaged both my senators and House member, to ask for pressure against the current seizing of funding sources affecting everything the Treasury pays out, and the attempted closing of USAID. 

I also messaged a couple of members of the appropriate Senate Committee, Finance, see if yours is there

Anyone can do this,  though most members of Congress can only respond to constituents, but messaging and calls are noted.

And now I'm knitting and reading and breathing.

I'm planning on a walk today, as far as I can manage.  I wonder if any spring shoots are showing yet. I must check. 

Back from the walk, and look at these worlds of lichen and mosses, around the tree that's been here since way back when this was farmland.

I found a few branches to force in water and see what happens. I couldn't reach any dogwood though, trimmed pretty high. So we'll see what I have, maybe cherry.

Here I'm hammering the ends to allow for capillary action when they're in water

And now we can admire the shapes and wait to see what happens.

Happy day, everyone, it's okay to laugh even in scary times.  And to remember where we sit in the scheme of things.

This can work an alternative to the inclusive Pride flag. In case you wondered.