Poetry: Chickens

Naming Chickens

If you name your chickens

you’ll never cut off their head

‘Cause you’ll never put mash potatoes

next to anything called Fred

You’ll never shake –n – bake

good ‘ol Mary Lou

And you won’t make chicken – n – dumplings

when Ellies in the stew

You’ll never have down pillows

or a feather tick

‘Cause your never gonna’ pluck

a critter you call Rick

You’ll never have chicken salad

if Cluckie's in the mix

And no more chicken tacos

if Speckles is the fix

No more chicken pot pie

when Waddles under crust

No chicken enchiladas

if you’re wrapping Russ                                                         

There ain’t no chicken sandwich                         

if Nelly is the fill                                                            

No more deep fried chicken                                         

if you have to batter Bill                                                              

There’s so many tasty things                                    

that poultry can provide                                                    

Far beyond the egg                                                          

hidden underneath their hide                                                        

So don’t go naming chickens                                       

if for these things you long                                            

Unless you’re settin’ up                                                 

a chicken retirement home 

Five things you can do with mirrors to reflect your sense of style

Every home has at least one mirror.  You will find them in all sorts of shapes, sizes, styles and finishes. Just like a lamp, a mirror has the ability of making a space appear brighter and be lighter in feeling. That is why I usually use these two items as selling accessories to create pleasant environment that people always enjoy.

When you use mirrors the right way, it could make a space appear larger and reflect a beautiful view. If however it is placed on a wrong spot, it could reflect a “bad or unflattering view”. Below are five things I do with them to achieve the desired effect depending on design style.

1. I group a few small mirrors that have a similar theme together in a cluster format. This creates a great conversation piece and at the same time, makes the small mirrors feel more important! Most people think that the very small mirrors belong to the ladies handbag. I am pleased to inform you that they do not have to be confined in there. Bring them out and see the great difference they can bring into a room.

2. There are times when I use a mirror as a serving tray. For this to work, I first place protective felt pads on the back. This protects surfaces from being scratched by it. Then I use a centre piece on it like flickering candles, artificial flowers or any other piece that blends in well with the rest of the deco to reflect my sense of style.

3.  When I feel like producing “sparkle magic” in a room, I combine lamps with mirrors. The effect is simply magical. You should try it!

4. I love impressing people and of course, I do it elegantly. When I use floor mirrors, I achieve this effortlessly. The ones that are more dramatic and effective are those that are between 6’ to 8” tall and 42” to 60” wide. People may be tempted to walk through it. To avoid them from  thinking it is a pass- through opening, I usually place them on the floor at a slight angle with a solid piece like a small chair, bench, chaise, floral or sculpture.

5. When I want to show off, I place a small mirror on a console, chest or side piece off to one side in front of another mirror, painting or tapestry that is hanging on the wall. This helps me to achieve a world travelled layered effect.