Jane Viehl

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HENRIETTA, ACT II

Nov 12, 2018 | 3 comments

What? I hear clucking? Not possible. I’m in the kitchen, well, cooking eggs as a matter of fact. So I’m imagining things, right? No. I do hear clucking. I can’t hear the coop from my kitchen, so, what? I look out the window at the coop and see only Edith. Apparently Sally has escaped somehow.

Into my boots, dried corn in hand, I head around to the back of the house, and OMG. It’s Henrietta?!! This isn’t possible! But there she is. Feathers ruffled alright. ??? I coax her back to the coop, where Edith and Sally, anticipating the corn, shrug, move over and let Henrietta’s head join theirs in the cup.

What the hell happened here? No clue. Feathers strewn in the orchard? Maybe she’s molting? But the closed door, the night outside in the frost? Make that three nights for Mademoiselle Henrietta. Really, maybe an owl and she escaped? We’ll never know. Maybe she’s just laughing at us, thinking we can secure the orchard? Has she learned a lesson? I expect Sally may have something to say about all this. We’ll see.

Anyway, who was it who said rumors of his death had been exaggerated? Sorry, everyone. Now, back to the skillet and my scorched eggs. Hooray! ! !

Jane Viehl

3 Comments

  1. Maybe chickens have 9 lives?

  2. Couple of tough birds there! Good thing since the managers are apparently still in training. Do chickens get colds?

  3. Pretty sure it was Mark Twain’s death-rumors that were greatly exaggerated. But Henrietta’s now rival his. So glad she’s back among the living. Hope those chicken-management skills get a brush-up or you can expect a visit from Chicken Protective Services soon to evaluate your custody arrangements.

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