Bits and Pieces of Stories

First, I need to tell you that the hurt horse I saw will be okay. 

She had become cast in a fence, and had skinned her leg from 

hoof to shoulder, but the owner was able to load her and 

get her to the vet hospital, where she was stitched up. 

She is home now, on stall rest.  He was very pleased with the job 

that was done at Strain Equine Services, in Bonner Springs, Kansas. 

I told him that I looked forward to seeing his horses, pony and little goats daily, and was so glad to hear this news. 

We have not seen many turkeys lately, but we did see this group in good health yesterday morning in a field on our way to the old house. 

This is the little black rooster that came with the red hens last Saturday.  He was a cute little guy. 

Yesterday morning, when I went out to do chores before going to the Ag Hall, he was crowing away, and in fact, had crowed and crowed and crowed non-stop since we got him last week. 

Yesterday afternoon, I was rushing to get home so we could go to the first T Bones official game of the year... last week's were exhibition games, and we only saw one. 

I thought it was strange that I did not hear the little guy, but, as you can see, the yard is so full of foliage that I did not question it too much. 

He was enclosed in the little red henhouse yard by himself because he was fighting with Blooey, the 

big blue cochin rooster. 

This morning I got there early, because my friend Diane had contacted me and wanted to take her cochins home (that I had taken care of the last 5 months or so). 

The little rooster was gone.  G.O.N.E. gone. 

I looked under the foliage, thinking maybe he had dropped dead for some reason... no rooster. 

The fences are six feet high. 

I pressed the fences to see if I could find a place where they are loose, torn away from the wood, but I have not found any as yet.  Outside one part, I found dog prints... but I am sure they were Lilly's.  However... they were on the pasture side, and the foliage was all beaten down there. 

No feathers.  The only one I found was a long feather in the water dish. 

I had left the little henhouse open for shelter, and there was another shelter in there, too... so... I am just not sure. 

I recounted the red hens... 

There were still nine.  I know they have been going in at night to roost.  You have to remember that when I lived there, I ALWAYS locked the birds up at night unless it was steaming hot summertime. 

Right now... I leave one pophole open, so they can come and go as they please. 

Here were the cochin babies and the two brahmas in the yard last night, their 

last night on the beautiful green grass. 

They are back in a pen now with no shelter other than a tarp, and no green grass, ever, their owner does not believe in babying her stock. 

Yes, I'm sad. 

I bought the two brahmas. 

Notice I say "bought", even though I fed them for the last five months. 

I'll miss Rooster Cogburn, who was so brave and good. 

Here are Silver and Goldie, the lone occupants of the henspa now. 

They were traumatized all day long.  

Even this evening, they fled to the corner, and they had always been friendly. 

They are going to be moved over to the old henhouse with the other girls once I have satisfied myself that nothing is going after the girls there.  The reason I am not moving those nine over to the henspa? 

First, they are so traumatized after their move, it will throw them into another tizzy. 

Second... there is lots of room in those two yards  and they have room to stretch out.  The birds in the henspa yard were allowed in the regular yard because of what you see above... bare ground. 

I am trying to find a rooster, large or small... old or sort-of young. 

Diane, who usually has many "dumped" roosters at her place... told me she has none to give me. 

So, I'm searching.  I would feel better with a rooster. 

I look up every time I pull into the gate. 

You see how overcast our weather was today. 

See the wind tonight?  I saw something so phenomenal... this hawk 

drifted down, kiting from at least 40 feet above the tower into a landing right there.  It was so neat to watch, like a helicopter... but we were just leaving and the camera was in the car while I opened the gate. 

Same hawk as this morning, I believe. 

This was our evening: 

We had another game tonight... but, as you see.... 

the rains had come back, and are expected to last all week. 

We have flood warnings again... 

and... 

our side yard is worse than this: 

I took this a week ago, and it is like a deeper pool tonight. 

I have the window cracked... and frogs are singing away from the direction of 

our patio and "pond".  We love this little natural pond, by the way. 

A year ago yesterday, we lost our little Abby to diabetic shock. 

We wouldn't wish this disease on any dog owner we know. 

How we miss her sweet little face.