Copernicu eats Sumach

I sat in a tree and told the orchard not to burst its buds yet because
April is a cruel sonofabitch, but only some trees complied. You can't
tell chickens what to do either, and at this time of year a roosters
fancy, or that of our fancy rooster Copernicus, is to eat some bitter
red things, Just watch as he seems to be savaging the bloody heart of a
large mammal. During our invasion of Iraq I remember Sadam Husane
saying that he would capture our soldiers and see to it that Iraqi
roosters tore their entrails out.

But on this day here at Dog's Plot our rooster is attacking the
fruit cluster of a Staghorn Sumach tree. Sumach berries can be used to
curdle milk in cheese making, balance flavors when making cider, and as a
tea. It is common as a spice in the Middle East. Most everywhere ,
since about always, Sumach has been used medicinally for (like many
traditional medicines) most everything: as an antifungal
anti-inflammatory
antimalarial
antimicrobial
antimutagenic
blood thinning
prevents tumors
antiviral

prevents hardening of arteries
Copernicus knows what is good for him and, Good Lord, he';is going to be
one healthy rooster
Maybe we should sit back on a day like this and have some sumach tea.