Fowl task

One evening last week, just as we sat down to enjoy dessert for our neighborhood ladies night, my almost flawlessly wonderful neighbor man texted his wife to say that they had "bagged" a few ring necked pheasants on their trip. I requested that, since the unfortunate creatures were already dead, he bring me back some feathers so I can immortalize them in various craft projects.

I was graced with a paper bag, brimming with feathers the following morning-very exciting, until I realized that the bag also contained whole wings and tail stubs with flesh still attached.

After I almost lost my breakfast, I grit my teeth and pulled free an astonishing number of tail feathers, some almost two feet long. Each had to be shampooed and dried to rid them of any dirt, blood and possible feather mites and then reshaped. Now I know why they cost an arm and a leg to buy online. Or should I say a wing and a drumstick.

If I weren't so in love with their beauty and intricacy, I would still be going bleughhhh, BLEUGHHHH!!! And no, I won't be doing that again.