“Baaaawwwk, bawk-bawk!”
Jake jumped up from the couch and raced to the back door.
“Blue’s doing it again!”
His dad came racing. “Get the gloves!”
His mom came rushing. “Nab the nets!”
They ran out the back door into the sunlight, slipping on gloves and lifting up nets.
“Baaawwwk, bawk-bawk!”
“I think she’s over there,” Jake whispered, pointing to the tall grass behind the shed.
“I think she’s over here,” Dad said, pointing under the deck.
“No! She’s under there!” Mom shouted, pointing to the thorny rosebush.
They ran to the rose bush, but instead of Blue the Hen, all they found was a leaf.
Jake reached through the thorny roses with his gloved hand and picked it up.
SNIFF!
“It smells like mint.”
“The first clue,” said Mom. “There’s mint in the vineyard!”
They searched through the mint that carpeted the vineyard, but all they found was a tomato.
“The second clue,” said Dad. “There are tomatoes in the garden!”
They scanned the garden, but all they found was a sunflower under the cherry tomatoes.
“The third clue,” said Jake. “There are sunflowers in the pasture!”
They scoured the pasture, but all they found was a small screwdriver.
“What could this mean?” asked Jake.
Dad shrugged his shoulders.
Mom scratched her head.
“Baaawwwk, bawk-bawk!”
They all raced toward the sound of the squawk.
“Baaawwwk, bawk-bawk!”
“It’s coming from the garage!” said Jake.
Mom, Dad and Jake all walked into the garage.
Dad groaned.
Mom gasped.
Jake giggled.
There sat Blue the Hen, right in the middle of the toolbox, surrounded by 6 fluffy, yellow chicks.
“We found where she’s been laying her eggs,” said Jake, looking at Mom.
“We certainly did,” said Mom, smiling at Dad.
“We certainly did!” said Dad, shaking his head.
“Cheep, cheep, cheep!”
a pinch of homestead 