Quiet Afternoons With Jasmine

There’s nothing I like more than sitting in the barnyard and observing my animal family. After a while I completely forget they’re animals.  They’re each so different, so individual, so special.

Jasmine has gotten my attention lately.  She’s a three-year old Black Copper Maran, sister to Belle and Rapunzel.  With ebony feathers, brown eyes and vivid red combs, they are a handsome trio.  For a while, they laid gorgeous dark brown eggs.  Now, only Rapunzel gives me an egg, and only occasionally at that.  Beautiful hens, beautiful eggs, lousy layers.  Two outta three ain’t bad, I guess.

Last summer, Jasmine went broody.  I brought home five fertilized eggs and she diligently sat on them, day-in and day-out.  For her efforts she was rewarded with five beautiful babies.  She was a great mom, always keeping those chicks close as she taught them the ways of the barnyard world.

During her mama time, I realized she was slowing down a bit.  It’s hard keeping track of five flighty youngsters, and she developed a slight limp. When she was a chick, she broke her middle toe and it was amputated.  Her feet are gnarled and somewhat disfigured. I’m sure losing that toe didn’t help.

After her mama duties were over, she slowed down even more.  Now, she’s settled into a predictable routine.  She’s the last one off the roost and out of the coop every morning. While all the other chickens are scrambling for their morning treats, she is still slowly but surely making her way into the barnyard. She walks carefully, deliberately.  (Kinda like I do after a day’s worth of hard yard work!) I hold back a handful of treats and give them to her away from the action—I think she deserves a little extra TLC.

This daily journey, for better or worse, is almost always interrupted by Napoleon.  While the other ladies scatter when he starts doing his morning mating dance, she hunkers down when she sees him coming. My guess is she knows she could never outrun him.  Might as well get it over with quickly 🙂

After the romantic interlude (ha), she makes her way to one of her favorite sitting places—always snugged up against something—a stump or a tree or a pole.  And there she sits. While the youngsters are flying over the fence and the others are busy scratching and pecking, she quietly enjoys the day.

If she wants company, she sits in the shade of the lean-to.  One of the other older hens, usually Aretha, will come and sit next to her.  I think they all feel a little protective of Jasmine.  I do, too.

It’s funny, but I think of my grandma when I see Jasmine and Aretha quietly sitting and enjoying the afternoon.  I spent a lot of time with my MaMa when I was growing up. In the heat of those hot Texas days we would sit in the swing on her front porch and watch the world go by.  I remember it as the best of times—being with someone I loved so much in a place I felt so safe.

(Shared at Clever Chicks, Simple Saturdays, Old-Fashioned Friday, From the Farm, Frugal Family, HomeAcre Hop, Homestead Hop, Tuesdays With A Twist, Maple Hill Hop, (mis)Adventures Mondays, Thank Goodness It’s Monday)