#bantam shy

[homeofhousechickens]

Hi there, I have a question about the behaviour of one of my hens. She is a Dutch Bantam, 4 years old. I got her when she was 2. She always laid eggs in her egg box (not sure that is the right word, English is not my first language). But lately she calls to me when she wants to lay an egg and really wants to sit in my lap to lay it. Nothing in the group changed (it's still her and her 3 coop mates and the same setup) and all are very healthy. But she will only lay her egg if she is on my lap, she will throw a fit if she is not allowed. She is super shy and never liked me but since a few months she decided to let me touch her. Her sisters are more social and loved cuddles but she never seemed interested in me. But now she is almost clingy, I don't mind at all but it's so sudden and unlike how I know her that it got me almost worried? She is behaving as normal otherwise but this is pretty new and unexpected. Any advice?

Oh this is so sweet... she likely thinks your the safest or most comfortable place to lay her eggs 🥺

My friend has a hen inside recently who has taken to this behavior as well lol except she has this specific chair she wants her owner to sit in.

You can stop the behavior by moving her to her nest box whenever she seems like she wants to lay. Don't give in to her complaints 😂 unless you don't want to

[tolkienreader1996]

Notes on the roosters

Henley we think, is a old English game rooster (and a sweetheart)

Piett is a D’uccle rooster (and is kind of shy)

Cluckwell is a silver sebright (and hates getting pictures taken)

Yangus is a Brahma (and the softest one)

[electronickingdomfox]

"Dwellers in the Crucible" review

The crucible was for me...

Novel from 1985 by Margaret Wander Bonanno. I almost skimmed this one for mere completionist sake, but can't say I enjoyed it at all. There's nothing wrong with the writing, mind you; in fact, it's probably better than the average TOS novel in that regard. But the content... It's as if the author wanted to make a "darker and edgier" version of TOS, and I don't think it worked very well. Besides, I found it very, veeeery boring.

For starters, remember all those times Kirk tried to persuade some warring planet about the benefits of peace, because humankind, despite its violent past, had finally overcome its worst instincts? Well, it was all bullshit! As it turns out in the novel, the only reason the Federation planets aren't annihilating each other, it's because of the existence of some "Warrantors of Peace". These are close relatives of Federation higher-ups, that keep implanted in their hearts the codes for ultimate weapons. So if some politician wanted the codes for final destruction, he'd have to kill first his own loved one. Peace exists, but mainly thanks to this deterrent. Sounds bleak? There's more.

The main characters are Cleante (a human girl who's the Warrantor for Earth), and T'Shael (a shy, stoic Vulcan woman and the Warrantor for her planet). Together with other representatives, they're kidnapped in a joint Romulan/Klingon plot, to force the Federation into... something (I don't really know what the hell they wanted to accomplish with this kidnapping, or what were the terms for releasing the hostages; the novel isn't clear at all). The Enterprise crew has only cameo appearances, and they just send a spy into Romulan territory to learn where they keep the hostages. Well, Saavik is there (the story is set a bit before The Wrath of Kahn), who's half-Romulan and all that, so obviously, Kirk chooses for this mission... Sulu. Anyway, the spying amounts to nothing, since they don't really solve the problem in the end. And that's about it in regards to the usual crew. They're barely there, but even in those brief appearances, they somehow manage to act out-of-character. The Romulan Commander from The Enterprise Incident (isn't there ANY other commander in their whole empire?) makes also an appearance, and has in fact a greater role in rescuing the captives.

Apart from all this, there's something that really surprises me. Either Bonanno had powerful contacts at Pocket Books, or the editors fell asleep with this one, because I don't understand how it was published at all while the previous novel ("Killing Time") had such problems with censorship. There's a prevalent focus on sex, far more explicit than any other TOS novel before (save, perhaps, some of the worst Bantam titles), and lots and lots of rape attempts or sexual abuse in some form or another, to fairly disturbing levels. Cleante is also blackmailed into a sexual relationship with one of her Klingon captors, to save T'Sharel's life. And the novel (perhaps in an attempt to make it sound less dark) tells us that Cleante is actually kind of okay with this, and ended up liking her abuser a bit... And well, sorry, that makes it sound worse. The Deltans too, are hyper-sexualized, and we're told they need to have sex and maintain physical contact almost at all times (including, apparently, the Deltan child that's kidnapped with his grown-up cousins), lest they die. Now, there was something about Deltan pheromones in TMP but... the whole point was that they just made a celibate oath upon joining Starfleet? And that was no problem at all for them?? I'll also never be a fan of this idea that both male and female Vulcans go through pon-farr (regardless of what later series have established). It runs so, so counter to what's seen in Amok Time with T'Pring...

I'm not going to dissect the plot, since there's not much in the way of events. For most of the story, we just follow the prisoners as their Klingon captors torture or perform sadistic experiments on them. In-between, there are flashback scenes that show how Cleante met T'Sharel in Vulcan, learned many things about her culture, and developed a strong friendship with her. Those parts are perhaps the best, since they develop many things about Vulcan society (while details about Romulans and Klingons, instead, are borrowed from the novels "My Enemy, My Ally" and "The Final Reflection", respectively).

To summarize, this is at times a pretty dark, depressing story, and left a bad taste in my mouth. Above all, because this is the last place I'd have expected to find such content. Granted, TOS had its own "torture episodes" (The Empath and Plato's Stepchildren) but... I don't know, this story seemed to me far worse than those episodes, which I in fact liked. It may have been because of novels like this one, that Pocket Books got all Draconian with publishing rules in the 90's: no focus on original characters in detriment of the original crew, no explicit sex, no developments about the "Vulcan Way" beyond canon, etc.

Spirk Meter: 6/10*. There's a scene where Kirk invites Spock into his cabin, right after getting out of the shower, and having barely covered with a towel, as if that was a normal thing for them. Besides, Cleante and T'Sharel, with their close relationship, mentions of t'hy'la and sacrifices for each other, are obvious placeholders for Kirk and Spock. At the end, when Kirk and Spock give them advice about how to keep a relationship between a human and a Vulcan, it really sounds like an old married couple counseling some newlyweds. Moreover, the parallelism is made explicit by the narrative. Loses points, though, because using two throwaway characters to portray Spirk instead of the originals, feels like a safe screen, and not a very ballsy move. There's also this pervading "no homo" disclaimer, for both sets of characters; either by reminding us of how much Cleante likes men, or having Kirk lusting after Cleante just after meeting her... (you know, this girl who could be his daughter, and also just came out of a lot of abuse... ugh!).

*A 10 in this scale is the most obvious spirk moments in TOS. Think of the back massage, "You make me believe in miracles", or "Amok Time" for example.

[777elizabet]

When she wasn't being 'Mrs. Schaeffer,' Corinthia would head out on the road on a motor bike. She would drive out to the country , and do a thrift run. Corinthia on the road was the definition of independence, but for staffie who would ride beside her in side car. Depending on what she was getting , her thrift runs might take two or three days Usually she was picking up things for the people on the church's outreach list, supplies for the Sunday School or the choirs. Most of the time she drove the country roads to have one on one time with her staffie.

When she wasn't being 'Mrs. Schaeffer,' Corinthia would head out on the road on a motor bike. She would drive out to the country , and do a thrift run. Corinthia on the road was the definition of independence, but for staffie who would ride beside her in side car. Depending on what she was getting , her thrift runs might take two or three days Usually she was picking up things for the people on the church's outreach list, supplies for the Sunday School or the choirs. Most of the time she drove the country roads to have one on one time with her staffie.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

11:48 AM

The staffie was a rather large gold and brown cross breed , whose company was often preferred to the people's warden . Corinthia wasn't fond of hanging around the church office. She was actually a rather shy woman, who loved to do her own thing. Be it a three day thrift run or running the young people's coffee shop, Corinthia was beloved by her husband's congregation , although she never realised it.

She had a master's in history , she had recently graduated, she also collected folklore. As young woman she wanted to be a composer, but like all parents in the early eighties, her parents told her and told her she should have a backup profession. So history came calling.

Corinthia was in her thirties when she me an ardent Theology student , who used to spend hours in the library . He was a curate in a country parrish , when their paths crossed again. The end of November , Corinthia was going to be forty , she had been engaged to Max , when he got his first church. They had been married for a year, when he became the dean.

On her back, was her cat in its carrier.She pulled into a wooded area and released her pets in a grove by the water.

Max went on a thrift run with her , they had a small car too. He found her an old motor bike with a side car in a junk shop. For her birthday , that year Max and his brother , Will , fixed the bike up for her. (Stuffy they weren't)A more unlikely Anglican couple did not exist in Mavis's imagination.

Max and Corinthia loved their pets, but it was clear to Mavis , that they loved each other more.

'Afternoon , how's the dean ?' The gentleman that called to her was in his early fifties. He was

Seated on a bench fixing a rod. He was young looking for sixty, his hair was white and he was wearing a pair of waders that crept passed his thighs. He was broad in the shoulders and across his chest. He reminded Corinthia of a bantam weight. His eyes were intelligent , calculating and didn't fool her one bit.

' You look more like your mother everyday, Thia.'

'Thank you…the dean is fine , fly fishing or is Reenie picking you up in the boat?'

'I'm not likely to fish successfully , with you and those beasts present . ' Corinthia 's dog had went in search of a good stick , her cat had climbed up beside her companion.

He was the congregation's Casanova or in the eyes of one member of the congregation 'Don Juan.'

Oddly enough , the lady in question was on her way to pick him up, Irene was among his conquests, but like an adoring pet , he could still convince her to do anything . His name was Robert, Robert was a former warden and since his last scandalous romance , he seldom found his way to Sunday Services. Lately with the arrival of the Schaeffers , he was trying to make at least on the feast days. He and his ex-wives shared a manour in old , wealthy Covington.

Corinthia went to school with his sister, Skippy was the same age as his younger brother.

She was an attractive , intelligent woman , Skippy reminded him of Harold Lloyd.

A denim clad minister's wife, who drives a motor bike, what was the church coming to.

'Thia why do you think , I've come back to church?'

'I don't know Robert.'

'Because it puzzles me that an intelligent woman like yourself would marry such a tenderfoot.'

'There is is only five years between us , I 'm not exactly cradle robbing..'

'Corinthia , you are the same age as Nieve , she wouldn't give him a second look.'

'He offered me much more than some of the others and my tenderfoot makes me smile.'

She replied .'… More importantly , Robert , he's my warm blanket and he makes me laugh.'

She took a giant stick from the slobbering maw of the staffie and threw it across the river. The cat watched from her perch beside while the dog galumphed across to a small island . The stick she threw , seemed deliberately to float to the edge of the island. The staffie followed it , stranded itself on the island .

'Oh oh . '

When Robert was talking , Corinthia put her mind on neutral , every time someone asked her about her marriage. However when the dog failed to return with in a few minutes Corinthia gave her cat to Robert to hold while she began to wade across the river , she got between the two islands , when the current turned ugly, it hit her at the back of her knees and she fell. She struggled to get up , another rapid hit her on the side , but the crazy woman was determined to rescue the stupid beast. As she stagger to get closer the dog , it beganto whimper, the n the cat began to mewel. He dumped the cat unceremoniously in to her carrier. The minister's wife continued to make her way to the stranded dog. Awkwardly he struggled to get the cat carrier on his back and got unto the motor bike . He was going to take it over to the otherside of the river and try to pick up the minister 's wife and her beast there. He drove over to the other side , with the cat screeching on his back.

Corinthia reached her stranded mutt, and lay on the bank , the dog licked her face. She caught her breath . The motor bike parked above them She heard the cat first , Robert was coming down the hill to meet her. She lead the dog up the bank. Her skin was a little blue and she had one runner missing ,her jeans were torn where she felt in the riverbed , she fell a few more times getting up the hill. The dog was barking and stopping to help her up . Robert didn't know whether to laugh at her and the beast or be relieved . She sat down at the top hill to catch her breath, her animals whining , The minister's wife blue , bruised and tattered , but the damn dog was safe. Robert rolled his eyes. While on the bike he contacted Irene , and asked her to bring the car to meet them.

When she got there Robert was crouched over Corinthia , to see if she was okay . Corinthia sat looking a little dazed , on the hillside. Robert was acting in his role fully as physician. The minister's wife had an arm resting around the dog . However the strangest sight that met Irene was the unhappy cat glaring at her , from inside its carrier on the back of Robert.

'Get the blanket ' .Irene went to get the blanket , they helped Corinthia to her feet and she limped toward the car . Irene took the cat off Robert's back , cooing softly to it , she opened the back door of the car , then helped Corinthia into the seat, the dog scuttled in beside her but not before he shook the river all over Irene. She slid

the carrier over to Corinthia.

'Are you alright?'

'I think so, I'm sorry we'll make your car all wet.'

'It's alright dear , it's Robert's car.' Irene was very partial to Corinthia.

Robert put the bike in the boat and climbed into the driver's seat , Irene slid in beside him. Irene opened the makeup mirror on her side of the car , Corinthia had opened the cat's carrier a little bit and was trying to sooth it. The dog had sprawled its' wet self across the length of the backseat , shaking it's giant head every once in a while . Getting water all over the car.

Mavis was coming up the vicarage walk when Robert and Irene pulled up in front of the house.

'Is the rector at home?'

'No. I believe he's gone to a conference this weekend.'

'What's going on?'

'Mrs. Schaeffer had a bit of an accident .' Mavis looked alarmed.

Corinthia , cat on her back , dog nuzzling by her got out of the car .

'Where's your shoe ?'

'At the bottom of the river, Bill got caught on an island today'.

'Why do you take that animal out by yourself?' Asked Mavis , angrily.

'We weren't alone , fortunately Robert and Irene saw us home .' Robert and Irene were coming behind her , she was leading Bill to the back yard. The cat on her back was settled at the base of her carrier. Irene put her arm around Mavis .

'Let's get the heroes some tea . ' Robert had put her bike in the garage , and met her coming through the gate.

'Thank you .' She said . Giving his hand a squeeze, she hadn't done that since she was a little girl.

'Are you going to be alright?'

'I'm built like a moose , I think I'll be fine. A bit mortified , but no bones broken , thank you.' She was definitely not build like a moose, he thought . Thia had a marvelous smile. He took her arm and helped her back to the house. Back in the house , Mavis had dug out some banana bread , a tin of digestives , and Irene had made a strong pot of tea , and it was steeping. Corinthia unshouldered her cat and opened the carrier . It promptly went into hiding. Then she went upstairs to change but not before she offered to pay for the cleaning of Robert's car. Crazy!

She showered briefly and changed into her striped dress. Before she went downstairs , she braided her dark hair . She didn't have the energy to beat her curly hair into submission. When she came downstairs , Robert and Irene had gone on their fishing trip. Mavis was in the garden.

Somewhere she found an old tin tub, and was filling it with water. She had taken her white gloves off , and had rolled up the sleeves of her morning dress ( A Floral print , size 5

6 number with a peter pan collar.) . Corinthia's biggest pasta pot had steam coming off it , she was pouring the contents of it into the tin tub, mixing occasionally with the cooler water from the garden hose. Corinthia glanced over at the happy , muddy , unsuspecting Bill.

'Mavis!'

'Don't worry dear , just going to tidy him up.' Before s he could blink Mavis had haul Bill across the yard and shunted him into the tub. Bill began thrash, but Mavis held on .

' Get some Soap dear . ' She called through gritted teeth. Corinthia got his towels and the special dog soap that Max bought from the sweet little intern at Tesco. She was too late to stop Mavis from her mission.( Then again , attempting to stop Mavis from her missions, is like attempting to stop freight trains .) She thought of the delicious pot of tea , left to steep on the stove. She knew she had to kiss it good bye.

'Once again into the fray…' Was the line that flickered passed her mind.

She ended up soaked again to the bone , and bruised ,oddly not a speck of water got on Mavis's dress . ( Mavis was 6'11, and had the strength of Heracles, but gorgeous in florals.)

Bill got a good cleaning , though , he was so blond , that only Mavis and Corinthia knew that before he went into the tub , he had spots of brown on his flanks and around his eyes ,

before the giant woman gave him a bath.

Before , Mavis had left , Bill was smelling like a daisy and wrapped in a bright Floral jumper, .

( This was the reason why Mavis stopped by in the first place , she had made him the jumper for his Birthday.)

Max got home from his conference , the house was oddly quiet . A small light burned in the study . He opened the front door , some whimpering met him .

'Hey Billie boy …' The dog was actually wearing a hangdog expression.

'Oh My God!' he exclaimed appalled. His dog was wearing an orange and red floral horror .

' Corinthia!' She didn't hear him , she was in her happy place . She was listening to Mozart , earbuds in and savouring her hard earned cup of Yorkshire tea.

When he saw her , he decided not to disturb her . She had her feet up , and seemed to be in a trance , she was absentmindedly conducting her orchestra .

He helped the dog out of the jumper and took him into the living room.

'

[sooyun-ichtama]

{ credits } Ascendant - Harlow Pants&Top @ tres chic [Black Bantam] Elf Ear Sphynx Kitten @ kustom9 = DAE = Bow pearl bento earrings (Enfer Sombre*) Deer Eyes @ harajuku keikumu - liquide eyeliners (gold) [LEGACY] Meshbody (f) Special Edition LeLUTKA Ceylon Head Malina - Suki eyelashes more more. yena skin_honey tone MOVEMENT- Not so scary party treats @ the fifty {nyaru} - Shy Bear - Tattoo Blusher - Pink REVOUL - Queen Mixiana Hairbase Collection: BLESSIANA Hairbase @ equal10 rotten . flutter magic . black ink .STOIC. SHOKUSHU CHOKER WarPaint* Sweet Nothings tattoo WINGS-TO0618-HAIR

flickr | instagram

[backyardchickennews]

What Does It Take to Join the Australorp Club Of Australia? Discover the Secrets of the Black Australorp! Unlock the Secrets of the Standard Australorp! Discover the Benefits of Bantam Australorps Unlock the Secrets of the White Australorp! The Australorp is a very easy-care breed of chicken. They lay a great amount of eggs and are easy to integrate into your current flock. Although they may be a bit shy at first, they will quickly warm up to you. They have a gentle disposition and are not aggressive, meaning they won't bully other chickens. https://backyardchickennews.com/what-does-it-take-to-join-the-australorp-club-of-australia/?feed_id=6386&_unique_id=667d47219807c

[crossbeakcrazy]

Meet our newest arrival! Her name is Autumn! She is a sebright bantam and about 4-5 months old, she is living inside with us as she is disabled! Her special need is that her one leg is backwards and upside down combined with possible curled toes, I like to call it "Italian hand" as it looks like she's doing this 🤌

She's a very sweet girl, though she's very timid/shy! She enjoys dust bathing on a fuzzy blanket and eating treats that are broken into bite size pieces! She also likes stuffed animals and towels!

We have only had her about 2 weeks so far but she has already become an important member of our family, though Criss hasn't fully accepted her just yet!

Thank you for reading this post and I'm excited to post more of her in the future!

[anormalbinsan]

Extraordinary Freshwater Fish in Your People group Tank Depicted

Three freshwater fish locally tank are depicted here alongside their attributes, ideal tank conditions and taking care of and reproducing necessities.

Bantam Pencil Fish - Nannostomus marginatus (Family: Lebiasinidae)

Conduct: It is a piece tentative and likes its kindred smaller people so having not many of them in your aquarium better. They will develop to around 3 cms when grown-up and are slow swimmers so you will have a lot of opportunity to respect them!.

Water and Tank Conditions: This fish will flourish well in the event that there is a lot of swimming space and furthermore a very much established region as we have said it is a piece shy. A water temperature scope of around 24 degrees centigrade will be great.

Elements and Tones: There are contrasts between the genders however are a piece inconspicuous. The females are not so thin as the guys and are not as splendidly hued. There are three groups running at the edges of the fish. The center one is gold shaded with dull earthy colored ones either side. The back is a brilliant brown with the body browny dark.

The blades are red around the border and the base parts are additionally red. An uncommon component of the Nannostomus variety is that the flat groups will change shape when they are terrified or at nightfall time. They change to stripes that incline all things considered.

Taking care of: It will acknowledge a wide range of food yet recollect that they have little mouths so the food should be a reasonable size.

Rearing Circumstances: Like the Croaking tetra the pencil fish doesn't promptly raise. A shallow profundity of marginally acidic water, around 12 cms, is required for the rearing tank and a temperature of around 24 degrees centigrade. In a perfect world you would have reproducing trap and the female will be mated with two guys.

Eliminate the fish once bringing forth has occurred. You will see the eggs are dispersed all over the place. It will be two or three days before the fry hatch. When incubated feed them infusoria at first followed by fine dry food and as they develop miniature worms, sieved daphnia and chipped food varieties.

Green Rivulus - Rivulus cylindraceus (Family: Cyprinodontidae)

Conduct: The green rivulus is a tough fish, quiet and great at jumping so keep the cover on! It is viewed as a touch of joker in the fish world because of its propensity for taking up surprising positions and keeping up with them for some time. It is ideal to keep these with fish around a similar size.

Water and Tank Conditions: Plant wise, a combination of both lowered and it are expected to drift assortments. For the water, a typical temperature of around 22 degrees centigrade will be okay despite the fact that it can endure a genuinely wide reach.

Elements and Varieties: The green rivulus, as its name proposes, is olive-green with detects that are hazier green. It likewise has rosy spots close to the back end. It is otherwise called the Cuban rivulus. There are numerous species seen in aquariums from this class and they all vary in variety however their way of behaving and fundamental elements are something very similar. Specifically they all have a 'bogus eye', which is truth be told a spot situated close to the upper piece of the peduncle balance.

Different species you will go over are the eye spot or ocellated rivulus (Rivulus ocellatus), the herring-bone rivulus (Rivulus strigatus), the yellow grouped rivulus (Rivulus xanthonotus), the fire-tail rivulus (Rivulus milesi) and Hart's rivulus (Rivulus harti).

Taking care of: These fish become substantially more dynamic at taking care of time contrasted with their occasionally dormant nature. Overall they are not particular about the food they are given.

Reproducing Conditions: The distinction among male and female is simple as the female hasd the enormous rivulus spot and isn't as brilliantly shaded contrasted with the male. A thickly established rearing tank at 26 degrees centigrade is expected with two females for every male. They breed effectively and when the eggs have been dissipated about, take the plants and treated eggs to a different hatching tank. Surrender it to fourteen days for the eggs to incubate and take care of the fry with infusorias for the initial seven or so days.

Source: migizilla

[xtruss]

In the Netherlands, Alex ten Napel makes miniature runways in barns and backyards to capture the essence of chickens such as this Polish rooster. “I consider them walking pieces of art,” he says.

See These Chickens Go From Coop To Catwalk

Fancy, feathered, and fascinating, these birds surprised portrait photographer Alex ten Napel with their beauty and charisma.

— By Jason Bittel | Photographs By Alex Napel | January 6, 2023

A chicken “is not just an animal that gives us eggs,” says Alex ten Napel, who’s been roaming his home country of the Netherlands in search of farm fowl since 2014. Taking inspiration from Melchior d’Hondecoeter, a 17th-century Dutch artist known for his work with birds, ten Napel uses lighting, backdrops, and an elevated, catwalk-like stage to bring chickens out of the coop and into an entirely new context.

Top: A Twentse rooster takes his turn on the runway. While breeders prioritize conformation, ten Napel prizes character. Bottom: The Brabanter breed has been associated with the Netherlands since Dutch artist Melchior d’Hondecoeter depicted some of the birds in 1676.

“What I hope you see in the photos is that chickens can be proud beings or funny beings,” he says. “They can be like gymnasts or ballerinas. Not what most people think of when you talk about chickens.”

Left: It may seem as if this Polish hen is missing a face, but she’s simply shying away from the camera. Right: Like a singer belting out a show tune, this Dutch bantam rooster uses his time in the spotlight to crow.

Compared with people, chickens like the Polish hen above are quite patient models, ten Napel says.

Left: Polish roosters and other showy chickens are bred for competition, not consumption. Right: Scientists think humans first domesticated chickens between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago. Pictured here, a Polish hen.

While each animal has different characteristics, ten Napel has noticed the emergence of some patterns throughout his travels. Roosters, or male chickens, tend to be large, visually striking, and imposing, he says. But it’s the females ten Napel finds himself drawn toward. “I have a heart for the hens. They’re so vulnerable,” he says. “They move me in a way that I want to protect them.”

Left: Appearing to sport a ceremonial headdress, a Polish rooster stands tall for his portrait. Right: Show chickens, such as this Polish hen, are bred for their external attributes, including color patterns and feather shapes.

Left: Ten Napel first came face-to-face with a chicken while he was camping in the Pyrenees Mountains about 10 years ago. He felt an immediate connection to the species, which then became his main photographic muse. Pictured here, a Polish chicken. Right: The European Association of Poultry, Pigeon, Cage Bird, Rabbit, and Cavy Breeders recognizes more than a hundred breeds of chickens, from the Polish (shown here) to the Brabanter and the Dutch bantam.

A specialist in portrait photography, ten Napel focused on people—usually children and older adults—for 25 years. The chickens, he says, have reignited his passion for this type of photography. “I can’t direct them. I have to be patient and feel how they will show themselves,” he adds. “Everything they give you is a gift.”

On his bird-friendly runway, ten Napel coaxes a model to strut its stuff for the camera.

Though ten Napel has occasionally tried to train his lens on other subjects since falling for fowl, nothing else seems to capture his interest so completely. “This year I went back to the breeders,” he says, “and I’m shooting the next series until, well, I can’t photograph anymore.”

[asteraion]

what is style??? have a picture of Bantam I drew bc we’re finally having another session today and we’re all gonna die

[luckycharmer]

Just found out that the horrible screech one of our pullets was making is actually an attempt at crowing, and she’s actually a cockrel

[epipremnum-aureum]

The Ladies on a bug hunt

[chachacancan]

I like to think that Bruce, who is a decent parent thank you very much, has his kids taking up at least one extracurricular activity growing up so they can at least socialize a little.

Only vetoed activity: combat sports. Bruce does not want Damian breaking a 10 yo white belt in half at the local dojo.

So Dick did swimming lessons and then a little competitive diving. Took his lifeguard class later as a teen and even worked part-time at the local pool. He still likes swimming and it’s great workout.

Jason, before he died, volunteered at the school library, and he used to play peewee and bantam hockey with the Gotham Intrepid youth club. When he came back he took up bouldering and indoor rock climbing, not that Bruce is stalking him or anything. He still volunteers for a bunch of local associations that operate downtown.

Tim did swimming, too, but when the other guys started getting real tall at competitions and Tim remained kinda short, he joined a cycling club instead. They do bike outings a few times a year — it’s nice. And he’s also a volunteer for the uni Pride Centre.

Stephanie’s part of the debate club in high school and then at uni she participates in the model United Nation association. Then she uses her debate club experience to argue with Bruce about fencing, and while Bruce still believes that allowing his children to be around civilians with weapons is still a horribly bad idea, he allows it.

Cassandra volunteers at the local community centre in a free ASL class every weekend, class that by now, most of her siblings have attended, and then she also does gymnastics with other peers her age. She doesn’t want to participate in competitions. She’s a little crowd-shy, but she does it just for fun and Bruce comes to see her at practice when he can — that’s enough for her.

Duke is part of the cheerleading squad in high school. And he and his teammates also do increasingly complicated yoga to compliment their training. It’s an acquired taste for Duke, but it winds up being of of his favourite activities, and he keeps it up on his own.

Damian refuses to participate in any activity at school. And it takes a while to find something he enjoys. Eventually Bruce makes a deal with a ranch that’s an hour away, and Damian gets to do horseback riding there, where he has a horse in pension. He gets to ride his horse, and he learns to take care of the ranch animals there, so the commute is worthwhile.

And Bruce? Bruce logs in Zoom once a week and attends a virtual cooking class with other parents and manages to make something edible.

[eveningdreams8]

Whats your tips for those who want to start making doll clothes? Ive been into bjds and doll creations for a long while, with my mother being a sewing expert herself, I wanted to do it myself too, but I have no clue where to start.

On the same note, do you have any tips for face ups? Whether it be the small details, or stuff like blushing. Thank you for your time !

I think if you are starting from scratch those "how to make_____ simple/no pattern" tutorials is a good place to start ( there is even a few on my blog here tagged #tutorial ) just to get your feet wet and build up confidence.

Ultimately making doll clothes is not that different from making human clothes so you can definitely ask your mom for tips as well or find books that cover needle craft for personal use like vouge and bantam. The main difference I think is some things you do for human clothes is not needed or inadvisable as it would add too much bulk or unnecessary work in doll scale .

I guess my main two tips that might not appear in general sewing tips would be watch your fabric weight so it doesn't look too out of scale and iron things when possible!

As for face ups the truth is there is no one right way to do it, I would advise checking YouTube and sites like den of angels for tutorials to see different techniques and materials so you can find what works best for you! If you want to try something different don't be shy, just as long as you are using resin safe materials don't be afraid to get creative. If you sealed your doll right the worst that will happen is that you have to re do it.

These are pretty big questions so sorry if my answers are not detailed enough! If there is a specific aspect you have a question about feel free to ask again :)

If people would like to reblog with additional tips and suggestions feel free (⁠・⁠∀⁠・⁠)

[trilliansthoughts]

Running to Stand Still

My first cousin, Margaret, died unexpectedly yesterday from post-surgical complications, unrelated to Covid. I still haven’t fully processed this but, if you’ll pardon the indulgence, I needed to share some thoughts to help me through it. Growing up, Margaret was the closest person that I had to a sister as we both constantly grumbled about the five brothers that we had between us. We were thick as thieves and I spent almost as much time on her family farm as I did in my own home.

I remember us gathering the eggs every morning, rousting the roosting chickens, and chuckling at their soft clucks of protest.

I remember us scooping up a pullet chicken or a bantam hen, carrying them around all day under our jumpers, feeding them grain and stroking their feathered heads.

I remember us raiding the vegetable garden for pea pods, savouring the sweet, tender contents and hiding the discarded pods so my aunt wouldn’t scold us.

I remember when your mother wouldn't let you cut your hair so you defiantly cut off both of your long ponytails so she had to take you to the hairdresser to salvage some semblance of style. You never grew your hair long again.

I remember us riding ponies bareback along the wild country roads, hedges bursting with fuchsia flowers, whooping with delight at the wind in our faces.

I remember us riding those same tackled ponies, galloping across fields, fording ditches and streams and Margaret bursting with laugher after I fell off into one such stream.

I remember us herding the cows along the quiet country lanes at twilight, bringing them back to the farm for milking, their lowing the only sound in the still evening silence.

I remember us feeding the newborn calves from buckets filled with milk from their mothers, me marvelling at how strong their eager heads were.

I remember you teaching me how to milk a goat, who promptly kicked me every time I tried. “You’ll never be a natural farmer,” you teased me. You were right.

I remember us picking blackberries, returning with filled buckets, our mouths and hands purple from the sweet berry juice, lathering the finished jam on freshly baked soda bread.

I remember us exploring the fairy forts on the farmland, leaving gifts of daisy chains and berries, firmly believing the many tales of the "faerie folk" that our fathers' had told us.

I remember us gathering the seeds from lupin flowers, travelling around to the neighbour farms, to sell the seeds for 10p a packet, delighted with our entrepreneurial spirit. Until your mom discovered our ‘business’ and made us return all the money.

I remember us whispering and giggling late into the night, trying to think of other schemes to surplus our meagre pocket money. None were as lucrative as those flower seeds.

I remember us lying on our backs in the grass on dark nights, trying to count the stars sprinkled like diamond dust across the black velvet sky, tracing an invisible line from the Big Dipper to the North Star with our fingers.

I remember us learning to bake in a mess of flour and laughter, delighted with the results, our faces covered with chocolate as our half-collapsed cakes were proudly presented.

I remember when you became a vegetarian and I followed you down that same path. For me, it lasted a decade until my first pregnancy; for you, even longer.

As we grew up, we spent less and less time together as our teenage years moved on apace. Haircut 100 was your favourite band, and I remember teasing you about Nick Heyward’s Aran jumpers.

I remember you moving onto a new obsession with U2. The only time I saw you speechless was when I presented you with tickets for our first concert – U2 in Pairc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. I still have the concert mementos we cherished from that day.

I remember the first time that I visited California, I made a pilgrimage to the desert to photograph myself with a Joshua tree. You were thrilled to receive it with my letter.

And then suddenly, we were adults. I had emigrated but returned to Ireland after my mother passed, and we picked up a conversation that had never really ended.

I remember when you bought your first house in Prosperous, Co. Kildare. The name of the town seemed fitting as you were thriving by then, in your accountancy career.

I remember that no one in Ireland had even heard of IKEA yet you hired a van and drove yourself across the UK to one of their continental locations, filling the van with flat-packed furniture that you assembled yourself over the next several months.

I remember when you sold that house and returned to West Cork to renovate your mother’s family home in Meenies, Drimoleague. A labour of love that took many years.

I remember when you returned from a holiday in Cuba, enthusing about a man that you’d met there. You had no Spanish, he had no English but when he smiled at you, you felt a connection across the cultural divide.

I remember the multiple back-and-forth trips you made to Cuba, bribing customs and government officials until you were able to secure an exit visa for your future husband.

I remember first meeting him and knowing that this shy, beautiful man was your soulmate. He soon adapted to becoming a West Cork farmer and remains one to this day.

I remember the many phone conversations we had in recent years as you commuted from your city job back to West Cork, saying that the chat shortened the road.

I remember the last time we met at your dad’s funeral 18 months ago. You were the glue that held your family together that day, a stalwart support for your grieving mother.

I remember the last time we spoke as you excitedly told me about the broodmare that you were planning to breed. You described the stud catalogue as ‘Playboy for mares’ and planned to spare no expense in securing the services of a worthy stallion.

I remember telling you that, once all this lockdown madness was over, I would be down for another visit to see the results of that pairing that will never happen now.

Most of all, I remember your strong, fiercely independent spirit that I have been in awe of all my life. I’m sorry that you won’t get the send-off you deserve due to the current restrictions but I will be there, standing by the side of the road, as your hearse passes by – the last time I will be in your presence – to pay my final respects.

The people that we love are only gone when we stop carrying them with us, and I will carry you forever in my heart. Goodbye, my dear Margaret. I will miss you and love you forever.

[backyardchickennews]

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