Home - Page 119 of 172 - View from the Front Porch

23 09, 2016

Turkey – 1, Chicken Wrangler Sara – 0

By judythemorgan|2016-09-21T22:11:46-05:00September 23rd, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I believe I mentioned in last week’s post that turkeys are not very smart. This is only half true. They are smart enough to figure out how to get out of their pen but not smart enough to get back in.

This would not be a problem except that once the sun sets, they like to be in the coop with the chicks. Sunday night, one of the turkeys was on the wrong side of the fence and was quite distressed. I felt sorry for it and tried to catch it and return it to the proper pen.

The chickens like to burrow in the dust and leave holes throughout the chicken yard. These holes are hard to see when the sun sets. One is in a particularly treacherous location, and I have thought many times that I should fill it in.

This has not yet happened.

Sunday night, I found the hole while I was trying to catch the wayward turkey. I stepped in it and sprained my ankle. I heard the pop as I fell to the ground. I knew I was in trouble.Beekeeper Brian returned the wayward turkey to the coop and then took Monday off work to take me to the doctor. The X-ray showed no break so I’m using crutches this week in the hopes that I can go without them next week. The kids at school are being very helpful.

At least I have a good story to tell when people ask what happened. And I will definitely enjoy the turkey next Thanksgiving.

21 09, 2016

How’s your writing schedule compare to Henry Miller’s?

By judythemorgan|2016-09-15T22:37:47-05:00September 21st, 2016|Wednesday Words of Wisdom|0 Comments

In 1932-1933, while working on what would become his first published novel, Miller devised and adhered to a stringent daily routine to propel his writing.

While working on his first published novel, Tropic of Cancer, Henry Miller devised a stringent daily routine to advance his writing. This is his 1930s blueprint for productivity.

MORNINGS:

If groggy, type notes and allocate, as stimulus.

If in fine fettle, write.

(Now if you wondering what a fettle might be: according to the British Dictionary a fettle is state of health, spirits, etc We’d probably say mood today.)

AFTERNOONS:

Work of section in hand, following plan of section scrupulously. No intrusions, no diversions. Write to finish one section at a time, for good and all.

EVENINGS:

See friends. Read in cafés.

Explore unfamiliar sections — on foot if wet, on bicycle if dry.

Write, if in mood, but only on Minor program.

Paint if empty or tired.

Make Notes. Make Charts, Plans. Make corrections of MS.

I love his additional note for the evenings:

Allow sufficient time during daylight to make an occasional visit to museums or an occasional sketch or an occasional bike ride.

Sketch in cafés and trains and streets.

Cut the movies!

Library for references once a week.

(In our 21^st century vocabulary, we’d probably change Library to Internet or Social Media.)

His daily schedule points out to things:

Prolific writers write every day.

Prolific writers write most of the day.

I can only wish I had such discipline.

What do you think about Miller’s tight schedule?

19 09, 2016

The Romance Genre Part 2

By judythemorgan|2016-09-15T22:20:51-05:00September 19th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

As defined in my last post on the romance genre, a romance novel centers on the developing relationship of two people, culminating with a happy ending. Length can vary from 25,000 (Novella) to 75,000+ words (Single Title).

The heat level divides romance novels into very specific classifications. Publisher guidelines provide specificity. My classifications for readers include:

Erotica is no holds barred with the caveat that the novel must have a compelling story.

Most mass-market romance stories fall under the General Market (Steamy) category. Readers expect several sex scenes. Descriptions within the sex scenes are toned down, euphemistic.

Sensual romance novels have kissing, heavy petting, making out, but explicit body parts are not mentioned, and the deed occurs behind closed doors or off the page. If you watch Lifetime movies, you know what I mean.

Sweet is sometimes classified as clean, i.e. no sex, no swearing and no religious/spiritual content. If you love The Countdown to Christmas Hallmark movies, you understand clean.

In Inspirational stories, characters are Christians when the story begins. Physical attraction centers on character, not lust. There is limited physical contact. (Occasional kissing allowed.) NO sex before marriage. No quoted scripture, sermons. Story may center on a spiritual lesson like forgiveness.

Evangelical stories follow inspirational guidelines with additional limits on sensuality. Publisher guidelines define specifics such as only one or two kisses, scenes should include quoted scriptures, prayers, and sermons, and the resolution of the relationship must include a profession of faith.

Romance novels also fall into recognized subgenres. These are what I consider major subgenres:

Romantic Suspense – the two main characters must are involved in something that threatens one or both of them. If the romance is removed from the plot, the suspense is gone and vice versa.
Paranormal – stories include vampires, werewolves, faeries, shape shifters, etc.
Fantasy – a romance story in a fantasy setting
Time-Travel – one or both of the main characters travel through time. The most famous is probably Outlander.
Science Fiction/Futuristic – To be classified as romance, the fantasy must center on the relationship.
Licensed Theme – Publishers sign licensing agreements with a professional sport or organization and writers’ books feature that sport or organization. Harlequin’s NASCAR series would be an example.
Medical – one of the main characters must be a medical professional and a medical situation must be resolved along with the relationship.
Regency – stories set in England between 1800 and 1820.
Medieval/Highlander – stories set between 900 to 1400 in England, Ireland, or Scotland.
Gothic – generally written in first person and the heroine is in peril (real or paranormal, genuine, or imagined)

There are other subgenres combinations — as many as a writer can imagine and mash together. Pam McCutcheon combines fantasy, science fiction and paranormal while Leanna Ellis blends Amish and vampires.

If you’re a romance reader, what would you add to my list?

16 09, 2016

Talking Turkey

By judythemorgan|2016-09-14T10:23:37-05:00September 16th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

A friend of ours recently borrowed our incubator to hatch turkey eggs. In exchange, we received two turkey chicks called poults. What a deal!

We figured it couldn’t be very different from chickens. Now among our flock there are two turkeys. And I can add to my list of fowl experience – chickens, ducks, geese, quail and now turkeys.

You might call me a poulterer – a person who deals in poultry. It was not on my list of things to be when I grow up but that is fine.

Turkeys are actually not as smart as chickens which is an amazing feat.

Baby turkeys do not know how to eat and drink when they hatch and must be taught by other chicks.

Our friend borrowed two of our chicken chicks to show the turkeys the fine art of drinking and dining. They apparently caught on because they are growing.

I suppose at some point they will be bigger than the chickens but until then everyone is getting along fine.

14 09, 2016

11 Commandments for Writers

By judythemorgan|2016-09-13T21:04:06-05:00September 14th, 2016|Wednesday Words of Wisdom|2 Comments

Writers are always seeking tips on how to be more productive. I’m no exception.

A recent web search turned up this interesting list of commandments from Henry Miller (December 26, 1891–June 7, 1980). By the way, not only was Miller a prolific writer he was also a painter.

What do you think? Do these commandments work for you? Would they work if you’re not a writer?

Miller also has some daily schedule suggestions. Next Wednesday we’ll will look at those. For now, I’m off to focus on Commandment #10.

12 09, 2016

September 11, 2001 and December 7, 1941: Days of Infamy

By judythemorgan|2016-09-11T20:35:27-05:00September 12th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

On December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called December 7, “a date which will live in infamy.”

December 7 and the words of his Infamy Speech have become synonymous with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Within an hour of that speech, Congress passed a Declaration of War thrusting the United States headlong into World War II.

Roosevelt’s words had a profound an impact on our nation. Recruiting stations were jammed with surges of volunteers. And, when World War II ended, the world was not the same.

Pearl Harbor was before my time. Thirty years after Pearl Harbor another event occurred giving us a new date I will always remember– September 11, 2001. Once again a day of infamy changed our world dramatically.

My heart rate still surges on the 9-11 anniversary as I recall waiting to know all our family members were safe . I have vivid memories of watching Katy Couric describe the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.

Those same memories return to bounce around in my head every 9-11. We’d had lunch in the Towers with family members only two months before. That made the terrorist attack more personal.

It’s been fifteen years now, but no matter how long it’s been from either date of infamy, one thing remains constant.

Nearly 3,000 people in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania lost their lives on 9-11, 2001. World War II causalities numbered over 60 million.

Pausing on the anniversaries of both events allows us to honor those we’ve lost.

Never Forget.

9 09, 2016

I Do Like Them Sam I Am

By judythemorgan|2016-09-06T09:07:14-05:00September 9th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

When we lived in Mexico, we enjoyed the mangos very much. They were manilla mangos, which are unavailable here in the US.

The closest we can get is an Ataulfo mango.

At the food pantry this Friday they had mangos that are more common in the US. They do not taste the same and Beekeeper Brian does not like them. So I decided I do not like them.

However, we tried a blackened chicken and mango recipe that was quite good. I decided since I had an abundance of mangos, I would cut up and freeze some for use in this particular recipe.

As I was peeling and cutting mangos, I tasted one and discovered they are quite good. Not the same as manilla mangos but good just the same.

I thought of the book Green Eggs and Ham. After saying repeatedly, “I do not like green eggs and ham” the main character tries them and realizes he does like them.

I suppose I would eat mangos in a box, with a fox, in the rain, on a train…

26 08, 2016

Chick Incentives

By judythemorgan|2016-08-19T15:31:04-05:00August 26th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday, one word Wednesday|0 Comments

A Blog By Chicken Wrangler Sara

When I am not taking care of the animals on Miller Farm, I spend several hours a week teaching private piano lessons. When I was 13 I wanted to be just like my piano teacher, Mrs. Black. It is not always easy, but I enjoy the challenge.

For instance, I started a new student this summer who is enormously creative. I had him in my music class at the private school where I teach and he once told me his mother has a bow and arrow. She hunts for food because they don’t have any at their house. She was quite surprised to hear this and for weeks after that I asked what they were having for dinner.

So this new student, like many others, enjoys coming to piano lessons. I mean who wouldn’t enjoy seeing a pack of dachshunds and a flock of chickens every week.

However, practicing at home was not nearly as exciting. His mom, the huntress, expressed some concern. She didn’t want to make it miserable for him but knew without practice, he would make little progress. So I told her I would pull out my bag of tricks.

In this “bag of tricks” I have little individual incentive charts where students can mark each day they practice. For some, the promise of a piece of candy for five stickers is sufficient.

I was afraid this student would not be motivated by candy. So I came up with a new incentive.

We happened to have baby chicks in the brooder in our garage. (I wonder how many other people on our street can say that.) When the chart had five stickers, I promised that my student could hold a baby chick. He was quite excited.

Then he realized that his assigned piece on this week was two pages long. He asked what would happen if he only practiced one page. I told him he could only hold half a chick. Fortunately he didn’t ask for details but agreed to practice the whole song.

So the following week, and the two weeks since then, he has practiced five times a week.

I’m pretty sure I am the only piano teacher in the world who uses chick incentives.

19 08, 2016

Kaboodle Update

By judythemorgan|2016-08-08T20:10:42-05:00August 19th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Kaboodle, our Polish rooster, seems to finally be settling in to his new home. There is always a certain amount of adjustment when new birds are added to the flock. They start at the bottom of the pecking order and have to work their way up.

For Kaboodle, this seems to have taken an unusually long time. He spent most days hiding between the bantam coop and the fence.

Perhaps his unique appearance caused the other birds to pick on him a little more. He is, as my mom stated, a most distinct rooster:

Then Rachel read that Polish chickens have a hard time seeing through the feathers on their heads. To help with this some owners trim their “bangs.”

So I held Kaboodle while Rachel gave him his first feather cut. It didn’t seem to bother him much at all.

Now he runs around the chicken yard with all the other birds. I’ve even seen him chase some other chickens away from the food. Instead of hiding behind the coop, he proudly roosts on top.

This is a much better place for such a handsome rooster.

12 08, 2016

Welcoming Committee

By judythemorgan|2016-08-01T14:56:31-05:00August 12th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

In the summer, I go to the pool a little later to swim. This means it is light when I come home. I don’t mind so much in the summer. Walking from the car to the house in my swimsuit and cover up makes sense. In the winter, however, when I am wearing my pink fuzzy robe over my suit, I am glad it is still dark when I get home.

Because it is light, the puppies are up. They don’t know how to sleep late.

Brian and Rachel put them outside and they are watching for me to get home. They are usually sitting at the gate while I hang up my towel. This morning, Penny was overcome with the temptation to jump on her brother.

They are quite the pair. They chase each other all around the kitchen until we put them outside where they have much more room to run. And they do run. And run and run and run.

Until they collapse.

While I was unsure about having six dachshunds, I am glad we ended up with both puppies. They would be lonely without each other.

Penny has discovered Aunt Bella is fine if all you want to do is take a nap.

But for playing, there is no one like a sibling.