As a kid, I took care of chickens. I used to sell eggs to the neighbors. My eggs were popular with the elementary school teachers because they knew I had roosters in the coop.

They liked those fertilized eggs. They could be used for incubating to hatch chicks out in class. I guess it was the “birds” part of the “birds and bees” lesson that was taught with my “high probability of producing a chick” eggs.

I’ve got lots of chicken stories. My oldest brother has lots of chicken stories too. He wrote a little book and gave it out to family members. It was entitled “The Chickens of my Life.”

I think my latest chicken story involves “Sister Missionaries” for the LDS Church. They came home one night and found a large, clucking, red rooster in their bathtub. They knocked on our nearby door out of breath and bewildered as to what they should do.

I saved the day by making a phone call, picking up the heavy bird, and delivering him to a friend who maintains a small backyard coop. Last I heard, that rooster was still strutting his stuff there.

The sisters had been pranked by some other missionaries. When word got around, those pranksters were humbled and wrote letters of apology to everyone involved.

Weirdly, my oldest son was similarly pranked by sister missionaries while he was on a mission in Italy years ago. He and his companion came home to a chicken tied to their front door.

That situation was resolved by simply transforming the bird into a nice chicken dinner. When the pranksters found out what had happened, they were the ones ultimately pranked. They had to go back to the people they had borrowed the chicken from and explain that the chicken wasn’t coming home and was now in “a better place.”

I’ve got a point in mind with all this chicken talk. It’s just taking me a while to get to it. The point relates to the fact that our chickens would lose many of their feathers about once a year. They would drop old feathers and grow new ones. That is called going into a molt. They would look a little naked for a while and usually would take a break from laying eggs.

Here’s my point. I’m noticing the same molting concept is applicable to us as humans. With the change of seasons, I’m noticing that Sanpete is “changing its clothes.” It’s only natural. We layer on the woolies in the cold weather and we then “go into a molt” when we finally feel like we’re warmed up. The past few days have really warmed up

I see some people wearing shorts lately. If “looks” mean anything, some of these people have no right to be wearing shorts in public. But hey, I’m not the fashion cop. Go ahead and wear what you want. I do hasten to say that there are some of you who definitely “have the right” to wear shorts.

I don’t think that there’s been quite as many young Sanpeters wearing shorts all year round as there was a few years ago. I used to see kids in shorts standing in blizzards at the bus stop in the dead of winter. Fashion was more important than functionality, I guess.

People are also breaking out their sandals and “Crocs” again for another season. Who knew that Crocs would still be a thing now. The flip-flops are out as well. (My Hawaiian neighbors never put them away.)

I still have to remind myself not to call that type of footwear “thongs” like we did 50 years ago. Back then, the “thong” was the component which went between the big toe and the second toe on those summer shoes.

Today, “thongs” are still considered apparel, but not footwear. Today’s “thong” involves a component which goes between… – umm — never mind.

It is fun to experience the seasons and change our wardrobes. Now’s the time I find my short-sleeved shirts and try to look springy and summery. I found a shirt on sale two or three weeks ago and felt good adding it to my clothing options.

I love seeing that tag which reads “original price” and then seeing the deep, markdown price of $14.00 or whatever. I then feel terrific about buying a shirt that probably in reality should sell for $8.49. I know that price saving discounting is the oldest sales tactic in the book, but it still works on me.

I’ve saved some fashion advice I received some time back. I received an e-mail which gave me a list of fashion combinations which do not go together and should be avoided.

This list may be helpful to some of you readers:

DON’T WEAR TOGETHER:

1) A nose ring and bifocals

2) Spiked hair and bald spots

3) A pierced tongue and dentures

4) Miniskirt and support hose

5) Ankle bracelet and corn pads

6) Speedo’s and cellulite

7) A belly ring and a gall bladder scar

8) Unbuttoned disco shirt and a heart monitor

9) Midriff shirt and a midriff bulge

10) Bikinis and liver spots

11) Short shorts and varicose veins

12) Inline skates and a walker.

Keep up the good work in the fashion department Sanpete. We may not be the center of the fashion universe yet, but New York and Paris can’t ignore the “Sanpete look” forever. Our country look is pretty much mainstream by now.

Enjoy your spring and summer wardrobes. And remember not to mix up your flip flops and thongs. — Merrill

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