Cherished Blogfest, Cherished Chicken

Posted on July 25, 2015 by joey

There are two types of things in my house: useful things and special things. The best things are generally special useful things. I’m a purger. I don’t like to waste energy on things. When it came time to write about something for the Cherished Blogfest, I thought surely it would be simple. It’s not.

When I was small, I had a collection of stuffed animals. Whenever my father brought me a new one, I’d turn all the other stuffed animals around to spare their feelings. With their faces to the wall, they wouldn’t see the extra attention I gave the new one. That’s how I feel about this challenge.

I’d already written about the painting, which is surely my most cherished possession. I’ve already written about our quilts, and the pottery the children made.

I asked Sassy for help. Some suggestions were my pewter measuring spoons, an antique china dish, rare books, Pyrex bowls, a vase I don’t let other people touch…All good suggestions, but without creative spark, until finally she said, “The chicken?”

“YES! MY CHICKEN IS VERY SPECIAL!”

Before I moved back home, I’d had a comforting dream about my grandmother’s milk glass nesting hen, and I’d decided that was something I’d buy myself as a housewarming gift when we finally got settled.

One morning when I opened Instagram, I realized Drew and Beauty Queen had already been out and about thrifting.
In the picture, between their broad smiles, they held up a milk glass chicken together.

@jolenemottern Lookit what we found for Joey! #justforyou #milkglasschicken

I squealed! I hopped up and down a little! My chicken! They found me a chicken! It’s not hard to find a chicken, in the sense that one often stumbles upon dirty ol halves of a chicken, but it’s hard to find a pretty, clean, intact one — in person.

Yes, I cherish my chicken. It’s one of the first things I see when I walk in the door.
It’s precious.

chicken1

And useful.

chicken2

This was a fun challenge. I enjoyed sharing my chicken story with y’all, and I’ve really enjoyed reading about the cherished belongings of others. If you’d like to read more Cherished Blogfest posts, click here.

About joey

Neurotic Bitch, Mother, Wife, Writer, Word Whore, Foodie and General Go-To-Girl
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39 Responses to Cherished Blogfest, Cherished Chicken

  1. The Glitter Aficionado says:
    July 25, 2015 at 7:14 PM

    That’s a pretty cute chicken. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  2. The Glitter Aficionado says:
    July 25, 2015 at 7:15 PM

    That’s a pretty cute chicken. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Dan Antion says:
    July 25, 2015 at 7:19 PM

    Thanks for sharing the chicken and the story of choosing the chicken. I think I can hear that back and forth conversation in my head. I was pretty sure that read about the painting, but I checked to make sure (I had). Thanks so much for supporting this blogfest. The chicken is beautiful.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Fannie Frankfurter says:
    July 25, 2015 at 7:27 PM

    I love that chicken!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Wendalynn Donnan says:
    July 25, 2015 at 7:27 PM

    I love this! Thank you so much for sharing.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Sammy D. says:
    July 25, 2015 at 10:04 PM

    I do remember your painting post, and I agree ‘cherished’ was harder than I thought. I smiled at your attempts to spare stuffed animals feelings – that’s how I felt if I picked one object. I have a few Cherisheds that will take more than 500 words. Some day😀

    Liked by 1 person

    • joey says:
      July 25, 2015 at 10:45 PM

      I just loved your post. I mean, the way you wrote it and the art — that was so superb! I read another fantastic piece about a VW van and where books take us, and I gotta say, my chicken seems meh in comparison! lol
      I’m glad you relate to the feeling of picking one object above others. I get that it’s odd, and most people don’t personify objects, but I am how I am 😛
      I think I may write more of these types of posts as well. (in the 500+ category)

      Liked by 1 person

      • Sammy D. says:
        July 25, 2015 at 11:09 PM

        Thank you again. I loved seeing the variety of posts for this – there seemed to be a few from male bloggers who wrote about something connected to a Father they lost when they were young. Those were quite touching and bittersweet.

        In a way, I think your dilemma spoke to something about you that you said my post was – authentic. I think we, and most bloggers, try hard to be honest and true in what we write. You had already written at least one post about a beloved object and perhaps nothing else came close – at least in your truest sense. But you worked through it until you could write an authentic post, and that speaks to your character as well as to your standards as a writer. That means a lot.

        Plus that chicken is dang cute!

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Jill's Scene says:
    July 25, 2015 at 10:08 PM

    Pretty and useful – perfect!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. John Callaghan says:
    July 25, 2015 at 10:28 PM

    If I had a chicken like that I think I’d put my wisdom teeth in it.

    Liked by 2 people

  9. cardamone5 says:
    July 25, 2015 at 10:40 PM

    Beautiful, Joey.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. hollie says:
    July 26, 2015 at 1:25 AM

    Hmmm I don’t have a cherished chicken… I wonder what I would use for a post like this? What a good post, glad you had Sassy’s help, she seems like a good egg!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. shoma abhyankar says:
    July 26, 2015 at 4:26 AM

    A cherished chicken!!… I was expecting the picture of a live one 😉 I never thought of writing about cherished things…nice idea!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Benson says:
    July 26, 2015 at 7:18 AM

    I have 2 items that I cherish. My 1957 Lionel train set and my nutcracker collection. Well I guess they are more than just 2 individual items. They are the only things I have that extend back before 1995. The trains I gave to my twin grandsons and the nutcrackers just hang out,looking for some nuts to crack. You really turned your animals around so they wouldn’t get jealous? That is so sweet. I think.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. pathbreakingwriter says:
    July 26, 2015 at 8:06 AM

    Both, the chicken and the story connected with it are beautiful. I and my wife Sarah are in love with it. Hope I find something similar here in India. Thank you for participating.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Fourth Generation Farmgirl says:
    July 26, 2015 at 8:59 AM

    I love that chicken! My grandmother had one just like it. Great post, and thanks for inspiring a special memory. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Lies Jack Kerouac told Me says:
    July 26, 2015 at 9:27 AM

    Like Fourth Gen Farmgirl, I have memories of a similar piece sitting on a relative’s shelf, though I’m fuzzy on details…my aunt, my dad (who loved him some antiques), my cousin, SOMEONE in my family also cherished it. Thanks for triggering the flashback.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. edwinasepisodes says:
    July 26, 2015 at 12:16 PM

    I love that chicken too! My mum had a brown one where she used to keep the eggs. So cute 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  17. JunkChuck says:
    July 26, 2015 at 3:38 PM

    I’d have thought it was a butter dish–perfect for those little turkey-shaped butter statues they sell at thanksgiving.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. 2bcreativeblog says:
    July 26, 2015 at 4:44 PM

    My grandma had a brown clear glass one. 🙂 Not sure where it is now. I may have to look the next time home. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Damyanti says:
    July 26, 2015 at 9:15 PM

    My ‘cherished’ post was one of the hardest I’ve ever written, so I can understand the back-and -forth in your head. That’s a very cute chicken, and what a lovely story!

    Thank you for supporting the Cherished Blogfest– it is posts like this that make it fun and worthwhile.

    Like

  20. reocochran says:
    July 29, 2015 at 5:48 PM

    The way the beading is around the chicken makes this a special and unique antique. I used to like my grandmother’s various ‘treasures’ which my Mom had for some time. I really liked this story and how your search was done by loved ones, Joey. I like your Drew and Beauty Queen’s way of thinking and “looking out for you,” Joey!

    Liked by 1 person

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