Farm Inspired Phrases

There are so many phrases and sayings in our culture, and at times, it's very easy to forget where these things originated. When you stop and think about some of them though, it's clear that our culture had agrarian roots. It's funny how many of these phrases come from chickens, but not all that surprising, considering that chickens are probably the easiest thing to raise, and they give us the "incredible edible egg." So things like "henpecked" and "pecking order" and "ruling the roost" and "running around like a chicken with its head cut off" and "cackling" and several others are a part of our American colloquialisms. We related another one last night, as David went to turn yet another of our extra roosters into dog food. He rang its neck, pulled, bent & snapped--twice! When he went back out, that blasted chicken was back in the barn! Hence, he was a "tough old bird." Thankfully, there are knives...