Easter in Porterville

We usually had Easter in Porterville at grandmas house; volleyball, food, and of course the Easter Egg hunt.  She raised chickens for eggs and Bar-B-Que (sometimes rabbits).  It would be an adventure before they even got on the grill.  First daddy would chase the chickens and it depended on how many were there.  I remember one year when he asked us if we wanted to know if the chickens would run without their heads.  We were game.  Yes we wanted to see.  Were in the back, grandma had a green grass yard with the volleyball net and tables, then farther back were the coops with plants of vegetables and chickens.

First thing first, daddy had to catch the chickens.  He had to be fast because grandma had them in the back but they had a big area to run around in, and they're pretty fast.  Finally he catches a few and proceeds to "chop" their heads off, holding the neck he warns us, "o.k. I'm letting them go so you could see them run."  We're screaming and running in circles along with the chickens.  I don't remember being scared, more excited, they really do run around without their heads.  Daddy laughed, we laughed, then proceeded to play volleyball with grandma and everyone else. 

The scary part for us is when they had to gut them, pluck them, then cut-up to cook.  The realization that the chickens that we saw every weekend were now going to be on our plates along with other fixings is what was scary.  I don't think Badoll ate chicken for two years.  Personally, the chicken was the best chicken I have tasted since.