Stone Chicken

A few weeks ago I went to the Gap, PA Mud Sale - a huge auction in Lancaster County to benefit volunteer fire departments in the area. It is held once a year in early spring (hence the name - Mud Sale - trust me, it's muddy). Lots of Amish crafts, quilts, woodworking, furniture, tools, household goods, yard ornaments, horse drawn buggies (popular with the Amish. For me, not so much). And the food is amazing. Thick milkshakes, homemade cream filled donuts, buttered soft pretzels, hand cut french fries, homemade root beer and barbecue chicken that is the best chicken I have ever tasted.

This year, as I stood with my brothers, watching the lawn ornaments, birdhouses and other crafts go up for auction, I saw a chicken made of stone coming up for bid. I felt the urge and raised my auction number. What the heck was I going to do with a stone chicken? It was tense as one other woman was vying for the same chicken. But my final bid of $17.50 won. I was the proud owner of a 35 pound cement hen. I collected my prize and the lady next to me whispered that the three stone eggs still sitting on the bench behind the auctioneer should have gone with the chicken. I turned to my brothers and said I thought the eggs would be too tacky. They looked at me incredulously. The eggs? Tacky? What about the damn chicken I just bought?!

Oh well, tacky or not, she is part of my yard, sitting proudly under my oak tree where I can see her out the kitchen window or while sitting on the deck. The ruby red lilies I planted last year are coming up all around her. She will look quite pretty surrounded in red. I haven't named her yet. Still waiting to see what her personality is.

I think she's wondering where her eggs went.....