Muerta is my favorite chicken. She’s called Muerta (Dead One) because, since she came here last summer, she has refused to sleep in the coop and will wander off for days at a time. I kept saying, “Oh shucks, I think the ugly little hen has been eaten,” and then she’d return.

Anyway. She does her own thing. She is physically ugly but a most beautiful soul and spirit. When we got her, we thought she’d been picked on because she had no neck feathers…she still has no neck feathers. I think it’s just the breed.

Please imagine the joy of being run at full speed by a small, homely creature every day—it is really, truly, a laugh-out-loud joy. Some mornings she sleeps late, and I have to stand around calling her name. Those mornings she does not run to me full speed—she’s slow to wake up, which feels highly unusual for a prey animal. I want to say it’s the safety of this place, but that would be one of those silly make-ups we humans do…the bears are waking up, and the foxes as well…

And beyond chickens, I must quote Lily, who said the other wet and glisteny morning, “Doesn’t all the green just seem so happy?” Yes. The green is so very happy right now…and right on the other side of that breath of joy, I feel how fleeting it is. Keep up your rain dances and bow to our magnificent April showers—such a gift, such a needed gift.

There is joy and glory abounding. I am loving the work clients are getting up to—Fire Horse Year (or whatever Constellation you feel is moving our collectiveness right now) seems to be a no-nonsense, let’s-get-to-the-heart-of-it time…productive, deep, and from my chair—AMAZING. You, we (humans), are amazing. Don’t believe everything you are seeing and reading, because under and behind the mayhem, we are steady and fearless in our personal and shared work. A bow to the brave.

I am offering a Constellation event on May 17th, 2–7pm. There are two spaces left to set a constellation—PLEASE, please just say yes and register now. It is exhausting herding cats. Prioritize coming. Learn the skill of planning ahead—if not for yourself, then for the community… and this fearless leader of the call.