Why I was late for Forestry - or - How I caught a pet chicken

It's true! After years, and years, of asking, I finally have a chicken!!

Meet Chelsey the Chicken

The coolest thing about getting her is actually HOW we got her.

My mom and I were on our way to a 4-H forestry meeting, and we were driving down a very busy road when suddenly I saw a blob of black feathers in the median. As we passed said blob I realized that it is in fact a lone chicken, braving the wild world and whizzing cars in search of adventure. 

Okay, so maybe she wasn't in searching for adventure, but she was in danger of being hit by a car if she decided to venture off the median. My mother, after she translated the frantic sounds that cam out of my mouth into English, executed a probably illegal u-turn and pulled the van to a stop on one side of the median.

I feared the the chicken would become afraid of us and run into the the oncoming traffic, so I jumped out of the van and positioned myself  on her other side, pinning her between the van and myself.

While I did that, my mother opened the doors on that side of the van in search of a t-shirt or something to help catch this intrepid chicken. while she searched, I began herding the chicken towards the van. 

Right about then some lady pulled up behind us, also interested in the adventures of  this wayfaring chicken, "Watch his' spurs!" she warned, apparently our chicken was a rooster.

As she and my mother stood on the sidelines and watched, I herded the rooster closer to the van, thinking that I could pin him in and grab him. 

Lo and behold, the chicken strutted up to the van and hopped right in, claiming the middle seat as his throne from which he would rule over his domain.

Already late for forestry, we jumped in the car and continued on our way with much laughter and giggling as we fully realized how odd the situation was. I decided his name was Ferdinand.

After forestry, we called my little sister (who had stayed at home and missed all the excitement), and had her ready a dog cage in which to put the chicken.

We drove by the house and put the Ferdinand in the cage, then the cage in the car and drove with him, to archery practice.

A while later, I had just strung and drawn an arrow when I heard an odd *plop* sound from the direction of the Ferdinand's cage. I loosed the arrow and then went in search of the source of the noise.

I found it. In the cage was a small, light tan egg!

 I guess I need a different name! 

Of course, I still needed dad's permission, and I still need a coop, and food, and such, but she's staying. 

And thus, Chelsey the Chicken became a member of our household.

At the moment she is staying in the dog cage at night, and free ranging (under supervision) during the day.

Chelsey in the dog cage. 1st day we had her.

She also, so far, gets along well enough our dog, Sadie, that I am comfortable with them being around each other. The cat however thinks Chelsey is a very large mouse, and would try to eat her if given the chance.

Sadie and Chelsey,
chillin' out

I also purchased a small dog harness and am able to put the harness on her and take her on walks.

Everybody should take selfies with a chicken

I have been very pleased with how sweet she is She will let you pick her up, pet her, move her cage around. She'll even sit on your shoulder!

This has been 'Adventures of the Chicken Whisperer'

Hope to see you next time!

Jane Doe

Cake Making

Hey guys. I know I said I'd post some pictures from 4-H Round Up, but I may have lost a lot of the pictures. we will just have to wait and see. Instead I'm going to show y'all picture from the 4-H Fair yesterday, where I entered two cakes. (As well as salsa, tomatoes, pickles, cucumber, peppers, and the like. but I want to focus on the cakes.)

^^ One was a decorated cake, ^^

(I got second place)

I saw the idea for making a 3D chocolate Butterfly with a book, and I loved it. 

I just so happen to know someone with a chocolate tempering machine, so my Mom and I asked him if this was something we could feasibly do. He said 'absolutely'.  

That night we met up with and he taught us the basics. 

and then he let us get creative.

It was so much fun. Seriously, once you get the hang of it that is. The first couple of shapes I made where terrible, but as you can see the practice helped a lot and the on I used on the cake looked pretty good.

^^ the second cake I made was a layered cake. ^^

(I got first place)

This on was also very fun to make.

 I got to use this^ pan for the first time. I think it was pretty cool.

It baked like cupcakes.

These are the little cakes that came out, I had to cut the tops off because I did a very bad job at getting each section of the pan filled evenly.

 BUT I now have a large bowl of cake cuttings that I am free to eat. :)

and a big bowl of icing too.

With that, I will have to leave you. My little sister's birthday party is tonight and we need to leave.

Adios mi amigos,

            Jane Doe

4-H Round Up

I'm writing this, laying on my bed at UT Martin, in the twenty minutes before supper.

Now, as I am a highschool freshman, you might think it's odd that I have a bed at UT Martin. It's really not. I'm here for 4-H roundup. So far it's a lot of fun.

As of right now I don't have any pictures to show you. I promise to post some later.


But, right now it's time for assembly and then supper.

Talk to you soon, Jane doe.

Gi nathlam hí -Welcome

For those who don't know elvish, that means Welcome.

My name is... well, I'm not actually going to tell you my name.

BUT, I have decided on an adequately cliche pseudonym:
Jane Doe.

  

I'm not entirely sure what the point of this blog is, or what I'll even post here. 

Perhaps I'll post pictures of my adventures with anecdotes added for flare, or perchance story snippets (whenever I actually get around to writing anything). Or it's possible I'll just journal here; sharing my feelings on any random topic, and ranting about why hot dogs aren't a socially acceptable breakfast food. 

I suppose only time will tell.

If you don't know where you are going,
any road will get you there. -Lewis Carroll

So, If you care to, join me. I welcome you to my blog.

Namárië, tenna enta lúmë.

(Be well until we meet again)

Sincerely, Jane Doe