Since last year, I’ve been following a blogger who talks with his chickens.
I’ve no problem with that – I have discussions with the family’s dogs (mainly about whether it’s feeding time yet – they’re a pragmatic bunch) but back when we were between dogs I’ve been known to talk to fish in the fish tank – when we had one.
During those brief dogless months, I found myself following the antics of sooty mice between the tracks at Holborn underground station while I waited for my train – a lesson in adaptability. (Theirs or mine? I leave you to judge.)
On his blog, John Spiers shares conversations with his chickens and the lessons they teach him.
Seasons of Friendship is his first collection of these. l decided to buy a copy to catch up in comfort on chicken wisdom I’d missed.
l was tempted to opt for the e-book and save shipping to the UK, since John’s book is published in the USA through Barnes and Noble. But, like the blog posts, his stories are accompanied by illustrations that deserve paper. I ordered a print copy, which arrived after Christmas.
It was worth the wait. John’s family of chickens support each other through the triumphs and tragedies of life, learn something of the weird world of humans and teach us about friendship at its best.
See what you think at https://mylifewithgracie.com/.
Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings 
I follow John’s blog too, it is always interesting and many of his posts are really profound. Seeing the world through other eyes is always a useful excercise. As a break from talking to myself I regularly talk to my son’s dog who we look after regularly.
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They’re always interested, and they don’t answer back.
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Sounds like fun. However, what I cannot abide is folks talking to their dog in public, especially in coffee bars or cafes, where I don’t think dogs should be permitted anyway!
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Ah, but the occasional ‘Sit’ or ‘Stay’ is acceptable (if only to the children). In the UK dogs are banned by default from cafes, restaurants and most pubs (presumably because they serve food). I have to admit to preferring pubs in the days when we could take our dogs in and children were banned.
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I’m afraid the default position doesn’t seem to apply in our village! Both our cafes are infested! Two problems, the smell of dogs that have been dipping in the Thames nearby, and my wife is virtually dog-phobic having been bitten twice by roaming dogs in Kathmandu and having to go through anti rabies procedure, once as a child, and once again about 5 years ago. We just don’t go into our village cafes any more!
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I confess, I find it less trouble to leave the dogs in the car if we’re going in anywhere. If the weather’s too hot for that, there’s generally outdoor seating available. Commiserations to your wife. I’d feel the same way about roaming snakes, and I regret that some dog owners have little more control of them than they would of a snake.
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It’s funny you should mention snakes, so a short unconnected true tale. First, there’s nothing that irritates us more than a dog walker saying to my wife, he won’t hurt you as the dog bounds up to her. They don’t understand her phobia. Now the tale. A few years back in Bruges, we were in a fairly full bar having a drink, when a young couple came in and bought a drink before sitting close to us. After a minute or two the young woman opened the zip on her jacket, and ….. out crawled a chameleon or lizard thing, bright green. It was around a foot long. Half the room screamed and jumped up from their seats. The couple were thrown out of the bar! Now, why can this happen to protect folks from a fear of reptiles, but no consideration whatsoever be given to people with a fear of dogs?
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I suspect the bar owners were concerned about their existing customers leaving, but it’s rarely an issue in this area as most pubs ban dogs other than assistance dogs – which are, of course, exceptionally well trained.
I can’t say I’ve ever seen a sign banning reptiles, although I did go out with a photographer once who got some funny look when he took his spider monkey into the pub with us.
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Cathy, thank you so much for your kind words and for purchasing our book. We truly appreciate your friendship, encouragement, and support! John
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I think our dogs have taught me that a great deal can be communicated without words. Or barks for that matter.
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I just started following his blog and I love it 🙂 I’ll have to look for his book! I knew he was working on one but didn’t realize he already had one.
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Seasons of Friendship is available from B & N in the USA. He’s sumbitted his new one to a publisher, so we all have our fingrs crossed for him.
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dogs are great to talk to; they pay attention and they never talk back!
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And they lower your blood pressure (as do fish tanks, apparently). I suspect talking with chickens does something similar.
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