Birthday Girl

This week brought another birthday, my first without my dear Mother. Despite the innate sadness of the day, Husband treated me to a wonderful time. We took the day off work, and drove to Abilene, Kansas, where we toured the Eisenhower Museum site. We ate lunch in a wonderful restaurant with delicious food based in a restored Victorian, the Kirby House... and also toured another over-the-top restored Victorian, the Laclede Mansion, which sadly has been sold and will become a private home again. I say sadly for those of us who admire sturdy old Victorians, but not for it's new owners, who will be living in a true gem.

My love of history made the trip a memorable one, as we slowly moved through Ike's museum and his family home. We marveled at how the strapping Eisenhower boys were able to cram into the small home, and the fact that his mother lived there until 1948. It is a beautiful, well-kept site, and also features his presidential library. We also find it shocking that so many of our contemporaries do not know anything about Ike as a general or president, and were truly amazed by that. I guess our love of history has opened us to more than just day-to-day facts.

Coming home to do chores that evening after a second pleasant drive through the Flint Hills, we found our new equine had been delivered. Described as "a small pony", she appears to be a large mini horse. Beau, the Old Gentleman, was staring lovingly at her over the fence. When I let him in, they hauled off and kicked out at each other, and then settled into amicable companionship. She is a second Lily, as she has been called that by her owners, and is loaned to us to keep Beau company. We have found her to be sweet and compliant, as the wild Lacey was not, and follows us around like a puppy. In fact, I thought she was coming right up on the porch several times!

They are out there now in the sun, lazing together, both members of the Long Mane Club!

We are down two chickens this week... the pullet who was raised by Dovey fell prey to Lilly Ann on Friday, we came home from work to find a pile of gray feathers in the yard. Either snatched through the fence or flown over, she was easy work for the hunter. And Husband had to put a cockerel out of his misery, something scared them into piling, and when the pile unfolded, one cockerel could not walk. We put him in the nursing cage for the day, but realized that night that a leg had been disconnected or broken. Husband put him down, so our numbers are reduced to 42. The other 13 silkie/cochin crosses are all healthy and well. As the younger ones get older, I am thinking of re-homing them with someone who likes little birds the way I do.

Mr. T., our resident black snake, has been hiding in these cold, chilly last days of August. Twice this week I found him curled up behind the feed cans, but now he has disappeared again. I think the early chill is driving him and his brothers underground earlier than normal, as long as they don't take any young chicks with them!

Geese in Flight

Why is it that even if you have had a bad day, the sight of a gaggle of geese in a V on the way home is enough to lift the heart? It hurts me to hear them called "flying rats" when they are glorious birds, who protect each other in flight and on land. To see our own domestic geese guarding the ducks is something that we enjoy day in and day out. One of the ganders always has his head up while the others eat or sleep, watching for danger.

Today it was below zero, just, in the morning when I went out to chore. The absence of wind made it bearable, until I realized one hand was a board! I came in to warm up briefly, but still enjoyed seeing the Little Bunch in the rafters of the henhouse, and the other birds all ruffed up, leaning against each other for warmth on the roosts. Last year we left a warm light on in the henhouse at night... a heatlamp that is normally used over baby chicks, a dark red. The year before we did it too, and both years we were invaded by hundreds of starlings. We know why they are called nasty birds... the walls of the henhouse still bear their destruction. One of our projects this year is to pull down the rest of the drywall so the blacksnakes have to nest outside, and the mice have less room to hide. We don't mind the snakes, but when we go in and find five at once, it's a pain in the neck and we don't get eggs! Back to the cold... we found this year that the birds have done well without the extra help of the lamp. Last night we plugged in the new heater for the base of the big metal waterer, and this morning, did not have to carry it, frozen, to the house to thaw. What a help that was! We decided to put Birdy, the bird that Lilly attacked, back in with the others. Her bowl kept freezing, and we wanted to give her access to the water. She was fine this evening, her spottily covered rear all fluffed up like the others, and no one had bothered her. We hate to lose a good bird, and she is only six months old.

The little mare is still not doing well, and we have decided we will call the vet one more time, and get another assessment. We do not want to lose her, unless her situation is far gone, so we decided another farm call is in order. The medicine is helping her, but we see that she is still not moving around freely. The worry is at the back of our minds... we don't know what our poor old pony will do if his friend is gone.

Praying tonight for my friends without jobs, and my friends who are ill. Husband and I realize we are truly blessed to have a warm home and work to go to daily.