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In the hush of dawn, with a sky so vast,

Joyce finds solace, a break from the past.

With her morning brew, rich and fine,

She sits in her garden, where ivies entwine.

There's a rooster, proud with a comb so red,

Strutting about, with a dignified tread.

His feathers a mix, of grey shades light and dark,

In the morning tableau, he's the hallmark.

Perched near Joyce's chair, he's a sight to see,

With a bun in his beak, as happy as can be.

This scene, so quaint, in the first light's glow,

Brings a story to life, with a natural flow.

Together they sit, in the new day's birth,

A duo that symbolizes the joys of the earth.

With every nibble, a bond they weave,

In the canvas of morning, they both believe.

His eyes gleam with wisdom, old as time,

A feathered sage in his prime.

Joyce, with a chuckle, watches him play,

In her heart, he brightens the day.

As the garden wakes, with chirps and hums,

To this daily ritual, the neighborhood succumbs.

Joyce and her rooster, in their peaceful reign,

In this backyard, their world, simple and plain.

Here, in the embrace of nature's arms,

Lies a charm that never harms.

In Joyce’s garden, with her feathery friend,

Life’s simple joys, on them, depend.

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Wonderful. Thank you for sharing. I’m so happy for Joyce and her “Chicks”. As bleak as things are for the World 🌎 at this moment...She brings out the best.

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Nov 17, 2023·edited Nov 17, 2023Liked by Joyce Vance

Thank you for that prose! I don't have chickens, but I do have two lovely Ridgebacks who I walk with every early morning to the birdsong in the forests. Best part of my day.

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…birdsong in the forests… that’s poetry!

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author

You are very good at that!

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Thank you so much! Being a part of your enchanting realm, even briefly, was a joy. The poem seemed to magically compose itself.

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Amen! What a wonderful poem! Thanks, Gloria! And thank you, Joyce, for sharing that moment with us!

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Beautiful. Thank you!

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Thank you.

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You brought images I never would have otherwise had. Warm hugs.

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That’s so lovely to hear. Hugs, right back!

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I want to come back as a Joyce Vance chicken!

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I was thinking the same thing

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I'm convinced that's where the really truly good ones end up! Called Pearl's Gate.

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founding

Me, too.

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Ditto! It looks like the good life at the Vance coop

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The way she eats that, I really see the chicken-dinosaur lineage in action.

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😂😂😂

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Planning is the key to success. Happy chicken. Happy life.

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LOL, perfect!

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My husband and I were just in Kauai and met their famous chickens. He sat down to eat his bagel and decided to offer one of the very interested chickens a piece of it. To his surprise it took the whole thing!

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Must have been a Republican chicken.

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Yes dems think the glass is half full, republicans think the glass is theirs

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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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See my comment above. I once had my sister's parrot steal my bagel out of my hand after he first sipped my orange juice.

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I love this story!

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I was babysitting him while my sister went on a temporary duty assignment with the Air Force Reserves. The first thing he did was escape from his cage, so he did whatever he pleased for 10 days. He got his own bagel every morning after that, and he took to joining us at dinner every night. He was fond of rice and most vegetables. I finally, after 10 days, tricked him back into his cage, and when he realized it, he got so mad that he had a conniption, jumping up and down and slamming his face into his food dish.

Joyce will agree, birds are smart. I have loved them all my life beginning in my childhood when we had parakeets and finches living in our house.

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We serve five budgies and one extremely clever conure. One room in our house is their kingdom. In our spare time, we slave away for our three cats and two dogs. I feel like I am on the British show "DinnerLadies" running a canteen.

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No one wants to live in a cage, I guess! Parrots are so smart!

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For 10 days he flew around my house "free as a bird," and every time I tried to capture him, he was faster and smarter! And imagine on your dinner table and sampling your food. He'd sit on my shoulder until he saw something that interested him, and then he'd walk down my arm until he got to my plate. He liked rice and almost all vegetables except brussels sprouts.

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Ha ha... No surprise to those of us who have chickens!!!

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I hear that!!

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I hope you have a good chicken sitters. Good ones are hard to find.

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They can be very persuasive!🐔

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Joyce Vance: Your friend looks so happy sharing her roll with you, Ms Vance, as she generously takes only her share, and lets you have the rest with your husband.

Your garden and coop are well governed with guardian kitties and dog and a well-populated flock of friends.

I still see a child's book in the making with water-colors accompanying the long story of daily life in a just government with the hierarchy of dog and kitties ruling of the chickens, by the chickens, and for the chickens shall not perish from the earth.

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Armand, for you~

In a world painted with watercolors, dogs and cats were the kindest rulers. They looked after a group of happy chickens. The dogs made sure everyone was safe, and the cats helped keep things calm and nice. Together, they made a place where all the chickens were happy and could do chicken things freely. "For the chickens, by the chickens" was their promise. In this beautiful, colorful land, every chicken had fun and felt important. It was a special place where fairness and friendship were as bright and cheerful as the colors in their world.

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Gloria Horton-Young, Exactly what this doggie s looking for.

The kids would like it.

I live in a suburb of Memphis. When I drive south on a certain side street there is a goat pen, with all the nannies the rams and the kids and sometimes a German Shepherd watchdog — keeping watch over the flock.

The dog and flock keep a just system. Realistically, it is probably sometimes rougher and sometimes juster. But it seems to be roughly just at all times.

Kinda like Joyce Vance’s coop.

Now, how hard would it be to transfer these roughly just systems to our whole polity?

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All we really have to do is simply "Do unto others as we would have them do unto you."

I was born in Memphis in the 1950s. It was a glorious time for a kid in the South.

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Boy. If the “Do unto others” were followed worldwide this planet would be a fine place.

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I want to purchase this picture book once it is published!

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Thank you for lightening my mood from the beet red state of Indiana. ( At least we don’t have Tuberville) Thank you for your brilliant coverage of the issues we all care about!

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All states are purple states! Remember California was a Red State under Reagan--long time ago!!!

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What a great way to start your day! Thanks for asking. I’m enjoying a peaceful morn with my recent rescue, Adira, 2 yo pit/mix-sweetheart and so smart, on the back porch listening to birds and waterfalls. Adira is 💤!

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I am the service person to a lovely albinistic dalmation lady. She treats me well, and makes sure I know when someone is coming to the door. In exchange, she allows me to rub her ears as much as I want and watch her run and jump outdoors, only pretending to ignore me when I call. She goes the other way, but all I have to do is walk around the house to the front door, where she is delightedly grinning at having fooled me once again.

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I am in service to a 6 month old golden retriever. She is in her adolescence and true to form, she looks at us as if to say, “I know what you want, make me!” She is also endlessly entertaining as one week her legs are longer than she is aware, or her body is longer, an she looks like she meant to trip over a small step or fall off the couch backward as she ly down. She is a cuddly bundle of sweetness (when she chooses, not necessarily on your time) and still thinks she is a lap dog. It is a pleasure to be her person.

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My favorite morning routine.

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thank you for rescuing!!! 💙

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Joyce, you remind me of an older friend of mine who had a handful of Guinea hens and a lone rooster named Fire. I came to know her through her chickens when I volunteered to “chicken sit” whenever she would travel. They had amazing personalities like yours do and we’re quite entertaining. Birds are smarter than most people give them credit for. Thanks for the video of this sweet little hen sharing breakfast with you. It made me laugh remembering my good friend Dee, who passed years ago. 🥰🐣

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Thanks for the smiles. And thank you for all you do to keep your readership informed!

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When stressed I approached breakfast pastries just like your chicken. Sometimes, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

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Great visual. HA. I can relate.

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Q: Why did the chicken eat the pastry? A: It wanted sustenance before crossing the road

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....and as it ate the pastry it kept thinking "just one more bite, for the road." Finally the chicken was so satisfied that it chose to hang around, perhaps there would be more treats. It did not cross the road after all.

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not today anyways; maybe tomorrow

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I admire you making a safe place in your mind to escape the insanity of the law and Trumps trials. My wife and I used to start, with coffee, listening to a sermon for the 50's, with Jimi (our love dog) who was certain we did this all to help his morning nap. He was 14, and a few weeks ago we had to help (with vet) to his eternal rest. We are not going to get a new pet as I need to travel next year, the launch of our platform, the election year etc. I guess vicarious living with you and your chickens it will be! May I ask that you encourage them to pray for an 85% turnout of (I) and (R) voters in Iowa. This is the only path I see to restoring sanity to our democracy. Trump MUST be 4th, or lower, to wake the media up to the fact he IS NOT (R's) choice. He is MAGA's choice and they are less than 15% of America.

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I'll pray for 100% turnout (I) and (D) voters in Iowa!

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I need a bigger ration of likes for this one, please… ❤️

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And THIS is why I love the Joyce Vance community: 1200 Likes and 164 Comments for a 20-second chicken eating pastry video! This is the BEST start to the weekend. Thanks, Joyce, and all.

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Joyce,

Thank you for sharing your morning ritual with all of your fans, some even have wings. Nothing beats fresh baked muffins with hot beverage in the morning. We are in this together. I have 29 minutes at 425 degrees before my muffins are ready.

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I love you Joyce Vance!

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