With the cooler temps this week, my thoughts have shifted to cold weather supplies. I know I'm running low on sweaters and skirts. I like to get them second hand instead of paying new prices (I like to think of it as pre-shrunk bargains.) I am also wanting to try my hand at roasting my own coffee beans and I've heard an easy way to try that is with an air-pop popcorn popper. Something else to look for in a second hand store. So I decided to take the day off and do some thrift shopping.
But before I can run off, I have to take care of the morning chores. First I feed and water all the inside critters. Then I head out to feed all the outside ones. After all the feeders are filled, I collect up all the water containers and bring them to one spot. There they get rinsed, filled, and redistributed (except for the weekly scrubbing with bleach water.) Anyway, every time the water ritual begins, the chickens line up to watch. Who knew watching a hose pumping water into a bucket could be so entertaining?? But the curious thing is, those same chickens who watch the dumping of yesterday's water and the filling of fresh water, will wait until I take the waterer back to the coop and AS SOON AS MY BACK IS TURNED, they swarm to the puddle of old water and guzzle like they've just crossed the Sahara and found an oasis. WHY??? I know they drink the clean water later, it's never full when I empty it. What's so great about the yucky water that's pooled on the ground? I, and all the other wacky chicken owners in this world, may never know.
So now (after a long day of perusing 5 different thrift stores) I've returned home with a very nice bunch of new-to-me winter clothes but no popcorn popper. I don't get it. I must have donated 4 or 5 of those to various charities in the last 30 years (we don't much care for air-popped corn but they sure did show up under the Christmas tree a lot!) I know they used to line the shelves at Goodwills and Salvation Armies with air-poppers. Where did they go??? I, and all the other wannabe amateur coffee roasters, may never know.