Bedlam Farm is a fertile place, and it seems to attract and grow symbols who venture out into the world and touch people in a different way. The first symbol here was Carol the grumpy old donkey who had a stroke in the Pole Barn and was the first beloved animal I lost. Many were to follow and I learned too much about death and dying. Or maybe just enough. Winston the rooster was the second symbol, and he lived to a ripe old and dignified age until he was attacked by his son Winston Jr., one of the first living things I ever had to shoot.

Many symbols followed. Orson. Rose. Elvis. Simon. More are coming – Red perhaps. And now, Strut, the rooster we thought was a hen (we called her/him Freaky) but now strut, as that is what he does, strutting and preening around the farm. Maria and I are getting attached to Strut. For one thing, he is a beautiful creature. For another, he is a good rooster, watching over the hens, keeping them near the barn, vigilant when dogs or stray things approach. He is a major reason, I think, why the fox has been stymied in his pursuit of our chickens. Strut is on the case. When he sees something that concerns him, he puffs himself up, starts to crow (he is just learning) and flaps his wings. He is brave and conscientious, just as Winston was.

He is also good with people. A Swedish Flower hen (he came from the writer – she claims to be a farmer, I think she is a writer – Jenna Woginrich’s Cold Antler Farm, a wonderful place to get a chicken if you need one) and he follows Maria around like dog, and likes to pose for me. He is quite photogenic. The camera loves him, as they say.  All the happy and successful animals here seem to love the camera. Hmmm….Strut is the newest symbol of Bedlam Farm – Strut and all the animals are moving to the New Bedlam Farm – and like all good symbols, you don’t always see them coming.