A Sunday Surprise in the Country

The day got off to a good start when I woke up before church to find it 25 degrees out... realized I needed to warm the car up... ran out the door and across the porch (It was 7:36 and I was going to church at 8 AM!).... and saw the big barred owl take off from the fence of the big henyard and fly low down the pasture!  I watched it sit in a tree down there... watching.  I ran back in... woke Keith up and told him don't let the chickens out yet and why.... and then left for church, praying that the owl would move on.

 

Still watching for him right now as it's going on for dusk soon, and I've already locked all the birds up.  Yes, they were mad and stood at the gates, wondering why they were being punished. 

 

I wish I had had the chance to get the camera out of my pocket... for four days we have come home and found a hen in the yard, usually somewhere near the fenceline of the pasture. It was always a red young hen from this year, the ones just coming into lay.  I have been approaching them quietly and opening a gate and shooing her in.  When I got back from taking Nathan home today... I found TWO hens out as I went out to do chores with all four dogs.  I did not see them til I had gone over to the big henhouse and filled a bucket, gone into the henyard, and then looked up to see them walking along the fence line on the yard side!  I ran out, ran around the henhouse looking for Lilly... and Abby followed me.  For the second time, she froze... watched the chicken, and then moved forward a few steps, still watching it.  I yelled to her to help me... and she came forward a few more steps, curly tail up.  Then I stopped and slowly walked the chicken down the fenceline and into the pasture.  By the time it was in, the other chicken (who had gone the opposite direction) had come back up... still no Lilly... so Abby and I got her in, too!  The hens will be in now daily until we can move them all to the new henhouse, we think next weekend.  The interior has really taken shape this week, and Keith hopes to have everything finished by next week.

 

Keith and I both did a lot of baking last night... and I forgot to take any pictures of it!  I made several dozen small cupcakes, decorated with Halloween sprinkles and faces... and chocolate-dipped pretzels... for these guys and their sisters:

 

Nate, Jake, and that little ham, Jax.

 

Then Nate and I left for Garnett and home for him.  We were able to nearly fly down there now that the new 59 Highway south is open from just south of Lawrence to I 35.... it shaved literally an hour off the trip, but, as I told Keith, now I won't get to see the farms and their animals that I always looked for, because the old highway has been shut down.  Sometimes speed isn't everything.

 

Coming home after dropping Nathan off, I took a little side trip.  From the highway, I could see the sun shining on a church spire several weeks ago.  I decided to take a look at it.

 

 

St. Boniface Catholic Church sits out in the middle of pretty farmland.

 

 

It had an absolutely beautiful stone rectory attached to it, and you can see the copper spire in this picture.  Off to the south was a beautiful old cemetary, and to the north of the church, a building that was either a school or the parish hall... looked like a school from the old days.

 

On the corner was this:

 

 

You know how I LOVE me some school houses!  My gosh, this one was called "The Old Rock School".... but is now a photography studio.  You can see where they enlarged the original one room school to a two room.. incredible!   If you click on the photo, it will be easy to see the merry go round in the yard that the kids played on at recess.  I was so glad I had made this side trip as I love history so much.

 

Please join us in prayer for all the people on the east coast tonight and tomorrow who will be in danger.  We have watched the gathering of the storm, and are worried about all the bloggers that I read regularly, who are facing these unknown things coming their way.  I hope everyone survives and in good stead.