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Chicken Scratch: Stories of Love, Risk & Poultry
When major life changes loom, people hunker down and cling to what they know. But not this author!
As she prepares to send her youngest children to
kindergarten in the fall, Kelly Chripczuk faces renewed questions about identity and vocation. Hoping to confront her questions head on – or perhaps avoid them altogether - she preemptively launches a surprising new adventure. On the morning of her thirty-ninth birthday, Kelly impulsively purchases a flock of ten laying hens intending to launch a small-scale egg business.
Follow this writer, spiritual director, and mother of four as she dives into the deep end of chicken farming and wrestles with the risks and rewards of living a life she loves. At turns hilarious, thoughtful, and always compassionate, Chicken Scratch will change the way you see the mess and chaos involved in living life to its fullest.
As she prepares to send her youngest children to
kindergarten in the fall, Kelly Chripczuk faces renewed questions about identity and vocation. Hoping to confront her questions head on – or perhaps avoid them altogether - she preemptively launches a surprising new adventure. On the morning of her thirty-ninth birthday, Kelly impulsively purchases a flock of ten laying hens intending to launch a small-scale egg business.
Follow this writer, spiritual director, and mother of four as she dives into the deep end of chicken farming and wrestles with the risks and rewards of living a life she loves. At turns hilarious, thoughtful, and always compassionate, Chicken Scratch will change the way you see the mess and chaos involved in living life to its fullest.
145 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2016
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 19, 2016
I read this in digital format over several night nursing sessions with my 3 month old son. I follow Kelly's blog, A Field of Wildflowers, and found in Chicken Scratch everything I like about her posts there. Her writing is a gift of calm space in the midst of loud living and you don't have to love chickens or raise them in order to enjoy this small book.
December 15, 2016
My review is now up at Grab the Lapels! Here is a brief sample:
It’s the chickens though, those talkative, escapee, messy birds that remind her that animals do what’s natural, and that she can take less-than-perfect scenarios and see the beauty in them. She learns, “I’ve never found a hidden nest by shaming a bird. I’ve never sat a chicken down and had a stern talk eye-to-eye.”
It’s the chickens though, those talkative, escapee, messy birds that remind her that animals do what’s natural, and that she can take less-than-perfect scenarios and see the beauty in them. She learns, “I’ve never found a hidden nest by shaming a bird. I’ve never sat a chicken down and had a stern talk eye-to-eye.”
January 5, 2017
Thoughtful and encouraging.
November 9, 2016
Stop signs and flashing lights preside over busy intersections. Commas and semi-colons mark the collision of clauses. Wouldn’t it be lovely if there were some ready marker or built-in gulp of air at the major crossroads of life?
Kelly Chripczuk began living the transition from ten years in full-time mothering mode when her youngest children went off to school. “Who will I be,” she wondered, “in the face of so much open time and space?” Chicken Scratch: Stories of Love, Risk & Poultry is a thirty-day record of Kelly’s vital signs in the early days of this transition, because one of the first things Kelly did to mark the beginning of her new listening-to-life is to buy ten laying hens.
She soon realized that chickens (like children) are inconvenient. They get out when they are supposed to stay in. They are uninhibited with their bodily functions. Even so, we welcome them into our lives as a reminder that we also are inconvenient at times, and that we refuse to bow down to gods of convenience or efficiency. Convenience and efficiency are not the boss of us.
capture
In Kelly’s longing to join the psalmists at the “intersection between heaven and earth, writing, singing, and praying from the very center of their lives,” her chickens became a symbol for a way of life that was spacious, rooted in nature, and that demonstrates the truth that “there’s no arena of life in which God is not able to be known.”
With equal measures of self-deprecating humor and here’s-what-I-learned wisdom, Kelly shares stories that kindled within me a deep thankfulness — for the fact that tools and bicycles now inhabit the hen house on this country hill, but also for the glorious reality that life with critters is helping me to see that there are “different ways of being.” I can’t control our family’s pet St. Bernard’s predilection for using window sills as a handy chin rest, and maybe that’s a good thing because, as Kelly points out, “there’s only so much you can control.” I need that reminder in as many different contexts as possible.
As she grows deep roots into the person she is becoming, Kelly expands her heart around the ache of life and death (after all, things happen to chickens), and, in the process, she gains a heart that is more open to joy. In the day to day experiences of love, risk, and poultry, she begins to find the courage to live the life she loves.
//
This book was provided by the author in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Kelly Chripczuk began living the transition from ten years in full-time mothering mode when her youngest children went off to school. “Who will I be,” she wondered, “in the face of so much open time and space?” Chicken Scratch: Stories of Love, Risk & Poultry is a thirty-day record of Kelly’s vital signs in the early days of this transition, because one of the first things Kelly did to mark the beginning of her new listening-to-life is to buy ten laying hens.
She soon realized that chickens (like children) are inconvenient. They get out when they are supposed to stay in. They are uninhibited with their bodily functions. Even so, we welcome them into our lives as a reminder that we also are inconvenient at times, and that we refuse to bow down to gods of convenience or efficiency. Convenience and efficiency are not the boss of us.
capture
In Kelly’s longing to join the psalmists at the “intersection between heaven and earth, writing, singing, and praying from the very center of their lives,” her chickens became a symbol for a way of life that was spacious, rooted in nature, and that demonstrates the truth that “there’s no arena of life in which God is not able to be known.”
With equal measures of self-deprecating humor and here’s-what-I-learned wisdom, Kelly shares stories that kindled within me a deep thankfulness — for the fact that tools and bicycles now inhabit the hen house on this country hill, but also for the glorious reality that life with critters is helping me to see that there are “different ways of being.” I can’t control our family’s pet St. Bernard’s predilection for using window sills as a handy chin rest, and maybe that’s a good thing because, as Kelly points out, “there’s only so much you can control.” I need that reminder in as many different contexts as possible.
As she grows deep roots into the person she is becoming, Kelly expands her heart around the ache of life and death (after all, things happen to chickens), and, in the process, she gains a heart that is more open to joy. In the day to day experiences of love, risk, and poultry, she begins to find the courage to live the life she loves.
//
This book was provided by the author in exchange for my review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
November 7, 2016
Sometimes I have myself convinced I could take care of goats or chickens, especially when the price of eggs spikes or I'm enjoying some delicious goat cheese.
But the reality of taking care of such animals doesn't factor into these daydreams. Which is one of the reasons I absolutely loved reading this short book by Kelly Chripczuk, Chicken Scratch: Stories of Love, Risk and Poultry. The book follows Kelly and her family for their first few weeks of proud ownership of a flock of 10 laying hens. It's funny and inspiring and challenging, even to those of us who might never keep a chicken anywhere except in the freezer.
Life with chickens, it turns out, is messy, and Chripczuk realizes that the mess--chicken poop and all--is proof of life.
Pick up a copy of the book for the chicken lover in your life or for yourself as a quick, light read that also challenges with spiritual truth without being preachy.
Chicken Scratch made me want to head over to the author's farm and watch these birds in action.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of the book from the author. Review reflects my honest opinion.)
But the reality of taking care of such animals doesn't factor into these daydreams. Which is one of the reasons I absolutely loved reading this short book by Kelly Chripczuk, Chicken Scratch: Stories of Love, Risk and Poultry. The book follows Kelly and her family for their first few weeks of proud ownership of a flock of 10 laying hens. It's funny and inspiring and challenging, even to those of us who might never keep a chicken anywhere except in the freezer.
Life with chickens, it turns out, is messy, and Chripczuk realizes that the mess--chicken poop and all--is proof of life.
Pick up a copy of the book for the chicken lover in your life or for yourself as a quick, light read that also challenges with spiritual truth without being preachy.
Chicken Scratch made me want to head over to the author's farm and watch these birds in action.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of the book from the author. Review reflects my honest opinion.)
November 11, 2016
A great quick read about the lessons that can be found in everyday life mostly having to do with raising chickens. I would call this a collection of blog posts edited into a readable format, written by a Christian pastor, wife, and mother of four. Lots of wisdom from a mother hen.
Full disclosure: I know Kelly (the author) and her family personally and have had the pleasure of seeing in person the chicken tractor and chain link fence so often talked about throughout the book. I imagine it made the book more personal to me than the anonymous reader.
Full disclosure: I know Kelly (the author) and her family personally and have had the pleasure of seeing in person the chicken tractor and chain link fence so often talked about throughout the book. I imagine it made the book more personal to me than the anonymous reader.
November 9, 2016
I had the wonderful privilege of being one of Kelly's advanced readers. This book is absolutely brilliant in its simplicity, stunning in its straight-forwardness, and breath-taking in its ability to show day-to-day beauty. Filled with humour and grace, this is a book you won't soon forget.
For a more detailed review, please read: https://debdebbarak.wordpress.com/201...
For a more detailed review, please read: https://debdebbarak.wordpress.com/201...
November 18, 2016
Kelly Chripczuk gives us a gem in Chicken Scratch. The honest, genuine stories show a "simple life" is not quite that simple. Life gets messy and hard, but Kelly, her family and their adventures with chickens proves that Love shines through. Each chapter reveals something new and God has His way of delivering His message. I laughed out loud and cried through Kelly's wonderful telling of the brood and how it changed their life.
November 7, 2016
I love this collection. It reminds me of growing up on our farm, even though we didn't have chickens. The lessons of life and death, our longing to be gathered and brooded over, and finding the extraordinary nestled in the ordinary make frequent appearances in this treasure of a book.
And while reading, I, too, became very attached to the Polish chickens. I also love them with my whole heart.
And while reading, I, too, became very attached to the Polish chickens. I also love them with my whole heart.
November 13, 2016
read this book in 2 sittings. really enjoyed it
May 3, 2017
Light reading. An intimate look into Ms. Chripczuk's life and thoughts. I love her perspective on mundane tasks or daily occurrences. Some good humor throughout. I also learned a lot about how to care for chickens! I definitely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews