My nemesis

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a farm girl. I couldn’t milk a cow if my life depended on it, and I have a knack for killing any living plant foolish enough to take residence in my house.

I have, though, learned a thing or two about farm animals in the past few months.

Take the glorified rooster, for example. Until recently, the closest I’d ever been to this bird was at a friend’s house where its multi-colored plums and grand stance where depicted on hand-painted rooster décor throughout the kitchen.

The Chinese use the rooster as a sign of confidence and motivation, and even children are taught that their morning crow is the “Good morning, farm!” wake up call for the barnyard inhabitants and the jolly farmer.

Here’s the truth, though, about this famed animal. For starters, contrary to popular belief, they don’t only crow only at daybreak to welcome another day. They are perfectly able—and willing—to crow throughout the middle of the night, lunchtime, and early afternoon as well. In other words, a rooster can crow any time it feels like it. . .and it does.

Whether it’s a car passing or someone walking by, an interested hen, or a stray cat, it doesn’t seem to matter. It’s quite content to waste the day away demonstrating the grandeur of its stance with unlimited cock-o-doodle–doos and making more ruckus than the neighborhood dogs.

Red, as I call him, is my own personal nemesis. The cock who sits outside my window at four in the morning crowing and then continuing throughout the day, whenever it’s in the mood to strut its stuff and show off to all the local hens. . .or whatever it is that sets it to crowing.

I could also continue with descriptions of the smells continuously wafting into my kitchen because of this rooster and his many friends, but I won’t submit you to such a foul subject.

What I do know is that it’s time for this rooster to head to the stew pot. So don’t tell my neighbor, but we’re having chicken and rice for supper tonight.

Lisa—who every once in a while, has to submit to the therapy of blogger.