- Every chick deserves a mother: one man’s crazy dream for how chickens deserve to be raised.
Follow "A Man and His Hoe" via Email
Sections
- About My Chickens (560)
- Cooking-Roasting Tips (18)
- Happiness (127)
- How Things Grow (507)
- Purchasing Chickens (5)
- Raising Chicks (138)
- Recipes (19)
- Reflections (433)
-
Recent Posts
- First Frost October 23, 2020
- Too Wet to Burn October 18, 2020
- Eyes Wide Shut October 13, 2020
- The End of Flowers October 11, 2020
- 20201010 October 10, 2020
- Am I Growing the Wrong Grapes? October 6, 2020
- Fog and Less Fog October 5, 2020
- First Blush of Fall September 29, 2020
- A Perfect Fall Day September 27, 2020
- Blue Sky to Rain to Shaggy Parasol September 26, 2020
- Six Short Weeks September 24, 2020
- 317 Days for a Miracle September 23, 2020
- We Can Breathe Again September 22, 2020
- You Can’t Help But Be Sad September 13, 2020
- Duck Serenity September 6, 2020
- August is Coming to an End August 28, 2020
- It’s Easier with Another August 21, 2020
- Hottest Day of the Year August 16, 2020
- Morning Surprise August 12, 2020
- After the Rains August 8, 2020
- An August Morning August 2, 2020
- August Evening August 1, 2020
- When You Are Insane July 21, 2020
- Summer Is Here July 18, 2020
- It Blooms, It Dies July 15, 2020
- A Cool Start to Summer July 7, 2020
- Each Flower Has Its Own Strategy June 29, 2020
- Disaster Averted June 19, 2020
- Cool, Wet June June 10, 2020
- The End of May May 31, 2020
- Newer, Bigger, Better May 22, 2020
- Summer in May May 13, 2020
- Apple Blossoms and Magical Shoots May 2, 2020
- Where is Kaku 隠? April 27, 2020
- How Does a Bee Pick a Flower? April 21, 2020
- Dog or Bear? April 18, 2020
- What Sunshine and Warm Air Brings April 5, 2020
- Where Everyone Gathers March 29, 2020
- Enjoy Them Today March 21, 2020
- The Snow Geese Migration Is On March 18, 2020
- The World is Curvy March 7, 2020
- Little Known Connections – Japanese Curry and Vermont March 4, 2020
- Hello Again March 1, 2020
- Edison Chicken Parade 2020 February 24, 2020
- Apple Aged February 15, 2020
- Swan Heaven February 8, 2020
- Winter’s Last Day February 3, 2020
- Take a Shower for Six Months February 2, 2020
- How Does a Trumpeter Swan Wash Its Face? January 26, 2020
- Mystery Solved January 19, 2020
Recent Comments
amanandhishoe on Too Wet to Burn Arah on Too Wet to Burn amanandhishoe on 20201010 Cindy on 20201010 amanandhishoe on Six Short Weeks Archives
- October 2020 (7)
- September 2020 (8)
- August 2020 (7)
- July 2020 (4)
- June 2020 (3)
- May 2020 (4)
- April 2020 (4)
- March 2020 (6)
- February 2020 (5)
- January 2020 (7)
- December 2019 (7)
- November 2019 (4)
- October 2019 (7)
- September 2019 (8)
- August 2019 (6)
- July 2019 (6)
- June 2019 (7)
- May 2019 (5)
- April 2019 (9)
- March 2019 (8)
- February 2019 (13)
- January 2019 (15)
- December 2018 (10)
- November 2018 (9)
- October 2018 (13)
- September 2018 (8)
- August 2018 (9)
- July 2018 (8)
- June 2018 (8)
- May 2018 (8)
- April 2018 (10)
- March 2018 (9)
- February 2018 (8)
- January 2018 (9)
- December 2017 (10)
- November 2017 (10)
- October 2017 (17)
- September 2017 (12)
- August 2017 (11)
- July 2017 (8)
- June 2017 (11)
- May 2017 (10)
- April 2017 (12)
- March 2017 (11)
- February 2017 (11)
- January 2017 (15)
- December 2016 (20)
- November 2016 (15)
- October 2016 (14)
- September 2016 (17)
- August 2016 (20)
- July 2016 (20)
- June 2016 (23)
- May 2016 (19)
- April 2016 (19)
- March 2016 (24)
- February 2016 (22)
- January 2016 (24)
- December 2015 (19)
- November 2015 (19)
- October 2015 (24)
- September 2015 (22)
- August 2015 (26)
- July 2015 (26)
- June 2015 (23)
- May 2015 (30)
- April 2015 (35)
- March 2015 (36)
- February 2015 (31)
- January 2015 (35)
- December 2014 (31)
- November 2014 (34)
- October 2014 (37)
- September 2014 (35)
- August 2014 (52)
- July 2014 (54)
- June 2014 (50)
- May 2014 (67)
- April 2014 (55)
- March 2014 (34)
- February 2014 (23)
- January 2014 (33)
- December 2013 (20)
- November 2013 (3)
Monthly Archives: February 2016
And the Oscar Goes To …
And the Oscar goes to … is it SalmonBerry in “Vermillion and Yellow”, Pepper in “Pepper Lays an Egg”, the Pear Buds in “Like Peas in a Pod”, the Daffodils in “Dancing Lemons”, the Plum Blossoms in “Fifty Shades of … Continue reading
Posted in Reflections
1 Comment
Ten Days
Ten days and the arugula seeds have sprouted and are sticking their first leaves above the soft earth. What do leaves feel when they first poke out of the earth, breathe the air, and feel the sun’s rays? Is it … Continue reading
Posted in How Things Grow
Leave a comment
In the Hunting Stream
Special is being courted, but she’s far more interested in seeing what juicy morsels she can dig up in the stream than she is by the young rooster’s performance. Chickens enjoy hunting in streams. It’s not something you read about … Continue reading
Posted in About My Chickens, How Things Grow
Leave a comment
Pushing It
So many of the fruits we love to eat are so beautiful long before they become fruits. The plum branches we pruned bloomed when we brought them indoors. Soon they will be blooming outdoors too. I’m pushing it, planting vegetables … Continue reading
Posted in How Things Grow
Leave a comment
From the Core
A frosty morning after a clear night. Even the daffodil leaves are dusted with frost, giving their green leaves a muted hue. Where do branches come from? Split a tree apart and it’s clear they come from the core. So … Continue reading
Posted in How Things Grow
Leave a comment
Special’s Voice
Special, one of Hazel’s chicks, has a call all her own. There is no doubt who has laid an egg or who has something to say when she opens her mouth. “Special, what are you up to now?” I think … Continue reading
Posted in About My Chickens
Leave a comment
What to Do with Tree Bones
A stack of tree bones lie on the ground, left overs from pruning a plum tree. What to do with tree bones? The thicker bones can be turned into coasters. Cut the coasters from the same bone, and you can … Continue reading
Posted in How Things Grow
Leave a comment
The Colors Are Back, so Is the Sting
Spring should be called Colors. The drab hues of winter give way to the brilliance of cobalt skies, iridescent hue of flowers, and emerald green of new leaves. The crocus are out which means winter has gone for sure. Billy … Continue reading
Posted in How Things Grow, Reflections
Leave a comment
Oem le ria era si form is – a Morning Chant
With blue in the morning sky, a walk in the woods is called for. Deep in the woods, Indian Plum or Osoberry are in full bloom, dangling their white flowers under budding leaves. These dainty white delights are among the … Continue reading
Posted in Reflections
Leave a comment
沈丁花 – Chinchōge
Few flowers smell as sweet as sweet daphne. It blooms in late winter and early spring, filling the air with sweetness. You can’t smell it and be sad. A native of southern China, it is popular in Japan. The Korean … Continue reading
Posted in Happiness, How Things Grow
Leave a comment
Sunshine in the Pacific Northwest
A sunny day in the Pacific Northwest. If there is a circular glow in the sky, it’s a sunny day. If you don’t get wet when you step outside, it’s a sunny day in the Pacific Northwest. Light gray is … Continue reading
Posted in About My Chickens, Reflections
Leave a comment
There Is Hope
A day’s break from the rain gave an opportunity to do some gardening, and the delight of finding a ladybug looking for something good to eat. Ladybugs eat a large variety of pests, not just aphids. There are some 6,000 … Continue reading
Posted in Happiness
Leave a comment
Before It’s Too Late
Wow! The sun still exists! I know because I saw it this morning, glowing brightly behind the morning clouds. I took a picture in case I never see it before I die. This time of year, when clouds rule for … Continue reading
Posted in Reflections
Leave a comment
The First Salmonberry Flower
I found a Salmonberry in bloom today. A sure sign that spring is well on its way. It’s a wet, wet, spring. The kale and ruby streaks are so washed with rain, that they can go straight from garden to … Continue reading
Posted in How Things Grow
Leave a comment
No Longer a Dream
The salmonberry leaves are sprouting. Spring is no longer a dream. The great unfurling has begun. When leaves first unfurl and take their first breath, they don’t scream like newborn babies, or do they? Is the forest filled with the … Continue reading
Posted in Reflections
Leave a comment
Cherry Blossoms in February
It’s time to prune the cherry, plum, and apple trees. Last week we brought some pruned cherry branches indoors, and today we have cherry blossoms in February.
Posted in How Things Grow
Leave a comment
Time to Weed
The hazelnut catkins are in full bloom. The ruby streaks which overwintered are sending up flower stalks too. It is from tiny blossoms like these that many of our foods come. BB has found something interesting in the ruby streaks. … Continue reading
Posted in How Things Grow
Leave a comment
Spring Clouds, Spring Flowers, Spring Everything
Yesterday, the sky was filled with spring clouds. The sun coaxed the daffodils to spread their petals. Winter is shedding away. All I have to do is stand and close my eyes. I can feel winter’s footsteps becoming fainter and … Continue reading
Posted in About My Chickens, Reflections
Leave a comment
立春 – Risshun – The Start of Spring
Yesterday, February 4, was Risshun – 立春, the start of spring according to the seasonal calendar used in Japan. Yesterday’s sunrise, with clouds burning brightly, was fitting for the first day of spring A sure sign of spring are the … Continue reading
Posted in About My Chickens
Leave a comment
Helping Feet
Just because it’s cold and the snow lies heavy on the hills doesn’t mean that I can stay indoors and not tend to the compost. All of January I’ve been collecting the bedding from under the roosts and setting it … Continue reading
Posted in About My Chickens
Leave a comment
