It is 7:12 a.m. and has already been an upsetting day. I received another summons to Criminal Court due to doing something as terrible and unthinkable as keeping could-be meals as pets.
I will also note that the fence that was put together using wood pallets. It is sturdy, cheap, and effective. I was summoned for that as well. I am in the process of taking it down even though it was incredibly labor intensive to collect and put up, I have chosen to move onto the living fence I have been dreaming of for our little food forest.
I was not confident in my ability to get a permit to leave the pallet fence in place. Nor was it in the budget to throw money away on a fence that was only meant to be temporary as the hedge grows in.
It is terrifying the way the court system harasses people who are not doing any harm to others while just across the street, the man that physically assaulted me walks the sidewalks freely even though I pressed charges against him.
There is no justice in this city.
My solo chicken, Oolong, who has bonded quite well with Gravy, one of the ducks, laid her first egg just a few days ago. During one of my breaks from work, I went to check on her as she usually spends her days foraging in the front garden and discovered her making a nest out of the bed sheets. Baby chick chick has grown up.
Oatis, my African goose, and my gaggle of girl geese have also reached maturity. They have the spring fever already and have been practicing to create their own gaggle at top speed on the pond.
I hear the geese calling. I step outside to check on them. The neighbor from down the street and her little girl are throwing bread over the fence for the birds. The persimmon and apple trees put down good roots. The rhubarb awakens. All is well.
I have pre-ordered anemones and yarrow roots to continue pushing back the grass. They will flower in the brightest of reds and blues and bring bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators to the garden. Some of them will become duck snacks. Many will pollinate the olives and persimmons and raspberries. Hopefully we'll have fruit this summer.
I'm expecting the leaves of the yarrow to become a popular forage for the ducks and geese. It's likely that they will also eat the flowers. They will also turn those flowers into fertilizer to help the living fence grow in more quickly.
I have started replacing the pallet fence with sugar maples, willows, and japanese raisin trees. One day we will have syrup. By spring, the ducks and geese will have willow leaves to munch on. By fall, there should be enough willow to weave baskets. I think those will make excellent nesting boxes in their hobbit-style duck-goose house.
I have been asked why I won't just get a dog like other people. I have kept nearly a hundred dogs, as I used to dog sit full time. Dogs are wonderful pets. But they do not bring the same level of joy to the day like the ducks and geese. They are not one with the food forest.
It is a beautiful thing to open the gate to your garden and hear the quacks and honks and pattering of feet as greedy, bottomless birds come to meet you. I work hard everyday to give them the most beautiful and functional place to live that I can afford.
They have organic figs and persimmons and sweet potatoes, goji berries, blackberries, apples, and rose leaves. Any of which could be sold for a profit.
Their hobbit house is inspired by earthship designs. It will be warm, cozy, and partially underground, once I finish digging. They will have a tiny pond inside soon so there will be water throughout the night and ferns for them to rest among.
There are stones for perching and for additional structure.
None of these things are necessary to raise livestock. Alas, they are not livestock, they are beloved pets.
I think what saddens me the most is that I used to believe that this would be a lovely place for us to put down roots and thrive for awhile. But it seems that Memphis and Shelby County don't want that for us.
For a place that has set its mind on beautifying the city to put so much energy into destroying the efforts of everyday people who only seek to add beautiful things to the world while doing their best within their limited incomes, is mystifying. To be polite.
The flock and I can only pitter patter forward: me, guarding them and the goose birds guarding us all. This was supposed to be a path of peace, but alas, as always, those in power do what they can to crush us all into a limited view of what city-living should look like for everyone.