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A Top Hat Full of Easter Eggs

Published April 21, 2019

I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.

Happy Easter. The mules and I are waiting out a patch of wet weather at Ryan and Pam Crick’s in Mosheim, TN. Because I can’t give you a chocolate bunny, you’ll have to settle for a top hat full of eggs.

A top hat full of eggs. They’re a gift of Pam and Ryan Crick. The big one’s a turkey egg, the small ones are bantam eggs. The medium-sized one might be a Sexlink or an Orphington. (Mosheim, TN)

My top hat spends most of its days riding on top of mule Brick’s pack saddle. It’s triggered stories from passers-by I would have never imagined.

Ryan Crick. Here finishing breakfast in his shop. He invited me to join his crew for a bite. I haven’t had biscuits and gravy, bacon, fried eggs and Coke for breakfast in a while. Ryan is a direct man. I like how he stabbed his knife through his breakfast box to signify breakfast was over.

I met Ryan a few days ago while riding through Greeneville, TN. It was getting late in the day and I needed a place to stay. He offered me a great place to picket out my mules for the night.

During my stay, he told me some rainy weather was headed our way. Really rainy. As in inches of rain.

The next day I rode to his home where I holed up for the Easter weekend. Ryan was right. It “came a toad strangler” as folks say. Here are some photos of where we weathered the deluge.

A dry place out of the rain is really appreciated out here on the road. The mules have their own round pen full of grass and I’m spending the Easter weekend…

… camped in the pavillion.

How the eggs met their end.

The end of the eggs. The world will just have to live with one less turkey and a few less chickens.

Pam and Ryan own McMillan Catfish Farm and Horse Camp. Mules Brick and Cracker will tell you first-hand how much they enjoyed their stay here. Thanks guys for putting us up!

Eating these eggs made me think of Johnny the Chicken Slat Man.

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