It’s that time of year when the obligatory gift shopping begins. I refuse to get sucked into the commercial frenzy. You can, too.

I don’t like malls. I don’t like the physical spaces, the echoey cacophony and the hard surfaces. I don’t like the strained marketing the stores use to get people to buy stuff they don’t need. That said, in all honesty, I do go to the mall. That’s where the Apple store is and where I buy Clinique. But it’s not where I shop for gifts.

I also don’t like most gift cards.  Gift cards are the equivalent of giving cash, which destroys the spirit of  a gift – the surprise and pleasure of getting something you didn’t ask for and never knew you needed until you opened the package. Gift cards don’t have to feel like extortion, though. My oldest son will get one -there’s no way I can select clothes for him, so the card will be for an unexpected shopping trip to a store in the city.

I like getting books that I’d never have thought to read if it weren’t for them being given to me as a gifts. I like giving books, too. I’m lucky to have indie bookstores nearby, but I also shop online, especially for used books – that’s where I’ve found those old chicken keeping texts that I tell you about. (By the way, for you horse people out there, check out my friend, Robin’s, used equestrian horse books.)

What I really enjoy are unique handmade items. I’ve found some wonderful crafts, and made some even more valuable friendships, through a combination of this blog and an online community of artists. Celia Hart is a printmaker and is now also collaborating with a jeweler. Jenny Tiffany makes the most adorable stuffed animals with personalities that are so quirky. Brandy Goodwin is a soap artist. I know that there are many, many more worth a comment. If you are an artist or crafter and have products available online, this is your chance to toot your own horn. Tell us what you do and leave a link in the comments.

(And in a bit of shameless self-promotion, I do hope you’ll think about giving something from Little Pond Farm to your loved ones. Tillie Lays an Egg is the perfect gift for a little one, or an adult who collects all things chicken. There’s also the Goat Notes, the ringtones, and bumper stickers. The bumper sticker image can be put on any product at that store. Just ask! Links for all of these are on my HenCam homepage. Or, simply tell a friend about my site. Your gift to me are more readers!)

I’m looking forward to reading your comments and seeing your art!

… Pat! More than half of the entries liked The Meeting of the Minds notecard the best. What you should know about that photo is that I took it with my iphone camera – it was in no way posed. Pip’s natural inclination is to head butt with some force. After all, he is a goat, and that’s how he plays with Caper. But, I think that Candy did some sort of lop-eared mind meld that let him know he could say hello, if, and only if, he behaved. I actually saw him think about butting, and then gently get closer. Sweet.

Anyway, what I should say is “and the winner is…. me!”  Thank you all for telling me how much you love my animals and how much you appreciate my cams and blog.

Yesterday was my birthday. I had a very  nice day. I took the dogs for a long walk to the Hemlock woods. The path smelled like wet brown leaves and decaying pine needles. (Why doesn’t Yankee Candle sell that scent?) Can you see Scooter in the leaves in this photo?

I got the best presents – Steve gave me a DVD about the Jewish chicken farmers of Petaluma. My oldest son gave me a coupon for a dinner, and my youngest gave me a big bag of horse treats to feed the goats. Steve and I went out to dinner at Oleana. The chef’s husband is a vegetable farmer, and they use locally-sourced meats, but what I love about this restaurant is the use of vibrant North-African flavors.

The icing on the cake were all of your birthday greetings (I got a slew on FaceBook.) I have four projects sitting on various editors’ desks. I am waiting and waiting to hear if they deem any of my work worth publishing, so to get all of your affirmations that what I do is meaningful to you, really and truly keeps me going.

The rose on the top of the cake was a note from one of my very favorite novelists, Jo-Ann Mapson. She found me through google while researching chicken behavior for a new novel. A Jo-Ann Mapson book with chickens? I can’t wait! AND she said she likes my writing style. Really, it was just that sort of a warm and fuzzy day.

Lily Dog is at my feet. She says that long walks to the Hemlock woods should not be limited to birthdays. She’s right.

Goat Notes are now up on Etsy.com!

They are available for purchase, either individually or as a custom set of your choosing.

To celebrate the re-opening of my Etsy shop, I’m having a drawing for a set of all five cards (and a small, surprise gift!) All you have to do is tell me the title of the photo that you like the best. To read the titles, click on each picture. It’ll link you right through to Etsy and you can see all the details.

Leave your entry in the comments below. One entry per person, please. The contest closes Nov. 17 at midnight, EST. International entries are welcome! A winner will be picked using a random number generator. Best of luck!

I thought you might like an update to some of what’s been going on around here.

Remember the cold frames? The soil looks dry and the lettuce hasn’t sprouted, but look at my winter turnips! Even if they don’t get to full-size, the animals will greedily eat these greens up.

It was a busy week for my “actresses who play Tillie.” After her bath, Betsy was clean and beautiful for her appearance at the Walpole Public Library. Her sister, Coco, has finally stopped being broody, so I put her to work and she met over forty children at the Billerica Public Library.

Remember those Brussel Sprouts? I’d like to think that I grew a special miniature variety, but, actually, they never matured to full-size. It was a lot of work trimming the outer leaves and discolored spots, and it seemed like half of the crop ended up in the compost bucket, and I was left with a small bowl of little sprouts. I might have been disappointed, but the goats and hens were very happy about that!

I roasted the Brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Roast them in a single layer in a heavy, dark metal pan (glass just doesn’t give you that same lovely browning.) Bake at 400 degrees F until they soften through and darken (time will vary with size of sprout.) Dust with a Parmesan Reggiano (the best you can get – never the powder from the can!) Delicious.

The big story here of the past two weeks has been my son’s broken elbow. Thank you everyone for your well-wishes! I’ve been in awe of his attitude – he hasn’t once whined or complained, despite the pain, the surgery, the boredom of sitting, and the inability to play his favorite computer game because he can’t use a mouse. This is what he’ll be carrying around for the next four weeks:

Doesn’t it make you itchy just looking at it?

Scooter has been doing a very good job doing what he does best, sitting on a lap. Jacob spent much of the last two weeks in a zombie-like drug-induced haze in front of the TV. Scooter was right there with him. Lily, however, has not wanted to sit around. She’s under my desk as I write this, and she’s very clearly communicating  that we need to get out. Walk!

Okay, Lily.

You can have chickens for years and never have to bathe a hen, but once in awhile a hen really needs a bath. Maybe she has manure stuck to her vent, or had lice and the feathers need cleaning, or you purchased a hen that arrives smelly and dirty and you want to clean her up before adding her to the flock. I’ve made a video to show you how to bathe a hen (and blow-dry!) Here it is: