Mmm, mmm, Meat.

So my husband and I are having a silent discussion about meat. Here and there, no more than a couple times I guess, about me mentioning that I was interested in getting meat that's organically and humanely produced, including eggs because chickens are raised in such terrible and unsanitary conditions it would make you cry tears for not only them, but for all future omelets you'd like to eat.

After reading Michael Pollan's books, "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food," I've become more aware of what a crappy and nasty life farm animals go through and there are sustainable, much more efficient, clean ways to eat meat.

One way I propose would be to keep my own chickens for eggs, but I am losing on that end with the husband. (Note, when I am not a happy wife, I call him "the husband" not "my husband" :P)

The temptation to "accidently" hatch some chickens in the yard is great. Just like I the time I "accidently" got a pet rat for myself for Christmas when I was 13... and didn't my inform my parents ahead. They dealt with it and didn't turn it (or me) out of the house amazingly, but I did get hell for it. I will say, rats are one of the best pets ever and I hear that chicken are great pets too. I just need to confirm that the suburb allows that sort of thing...

Another way to get healthy meat would be from local Fresh Markets or Whole Foods, but the price is always prohibitive and my husband and I have a hard time not being thrifty especially when the Kroger nearby sells ground beef and chicken for so little in comparison. My husband and I usually grocery shop together and stop by the manager special meat section, but the past few times we've just avoided it. The topic of other meat sources is at a stand still for now as we are clearing out the meat aplenty that is in the freezer.

I am starting to do research on the prices and options of local farmer produced meat. I am hoping the prices start to be right to the husband as I figure, we are mostly veg already, the meat that we do it will be so little that we might as well eat the good stuff and the price won't be such a pain.

Anyways, little rant from me. If anyone has any suggestions it would be appreciated.

UPDATE: West Wind farms is a local option, but the change from $2/lb meat to :

Split Chicken Breasts

Two split chicken breast halves, with bone, skin on. Moist and delicious. Each package weighs 1.0 to 2.0 lbs.

for $14 is frightening. Maybe I should just go completely veg....

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's..........

.... a strange object was hanging underneath the hummingbird feeder today. I only noticed it when a hummingbird seemed to zip in and out at the feeder, but did not eat and appeared to be scrutinizing something green waving it the breeze beneath the base of the feeder.

Upon squinting my eyes a little, I noticed this:

oooh! and I so I went outside to confirm, and yes indeed, it was a praying mantis!

It has been raining like a mofo lately and I think it decided to duck under the feeder for a little shelter, maybe eat a spider or other winged creatures attracted to the nectar, and hopefully not a hummingbird. I can't even imagine a praying mantis eating a hummingbird and think I would be scarred if I did see something like that happen.

I thought I had seen a tiny praying mantis once hanging about one far side of the garden in the bean/cucumber vines a month ago, and left it alone hoping for the best.

I am only hoping that this is another one and that I actually have a lot of them hidden away.

Here's a better pic:
She's givin' me the evil bulbous eye!