The Aftershow

Well, the old folks (Keith and I)  went to Ottawa, Kansas, to see the Little River Band last night. 

They have a lovely downtown district, which I will take a picture of, the next time I'm there. 

I did at least get the sign. 

Here is the auditorium, and, as you see, it is not very large.  Seats 840. 

Very intimate for a concert. 

Inside... we were in the fourth row of the balcony.  I want you all to notice something...there is NOTHING on the stage except the musician's equipment.  No light show, no explosives, nothing.  See the merchandise in the orchestra pit?  That's where they sold it, and after the show, a table was set up to the left of the hanging merchandise, and the band came out and pressed the flesh.  They also wandered through downtown Ottawa and into the lobby after the show.  

I got them all here except for the guitarist on the left.  I was so lucky, I had no one directly in front of me, and had a good view all night.  They did a one and a half hour show. 

My point is.... without all the extra "stuff" , they put on a great show of 1970's and 1980's hits (in what is about the tenth edition of this band) and thoroughly entertained everyone there. 

I'm afraid the last two mornings of cold temps have done it to the beautiful pumpkin vines.  I'm praying that the fruits on the vines ripen, even though the vines are dying now, it appears.  

Ferdy's marching along the potato bed, looking for his girls under the bushes.  You can see that some potatoes are growing in this bed again. 

The two old Japanese roosters are still with us, One and Two.  Their brothers Three, and Butch, my pet, are also still with us.  There are only fifteen birds in the old henhouse tonight. 

But this beautiful little Mille Fleur, Boots... is not.  

I found him in the pasture when I went to close up about twenty minutes ago.  I won't show you the picture, though I took one.  I must have not seen the circling raptor this afternoon, and it got another bird. 

It did not get to eat much of him... it must have been interrupted by something.  He's down in the bottom of the pasture tonight, for a coyote or another predator to take away.  Poor, beautiful little Bootsy, with the most raucous crow ever, that hurt your ears... but a beautiful color (though too much white for a Millie)... that shone like gold in the sun.  Nugget the cochin was his special little girl amongst the hens... and she is gone too.... slowly, the old henhouse is emptying out. 

The Rest of the Story

We took the hawk to Operation Wildlife this morning before going to church, and were satisfied there that the ladies who received it would take good care of it, and keep it away from our birds. 

Operation Wildlife was founded in 1989 to provide rehabilitation and veterinary services for injured and orphaned wild animals, and wildlife education for the citizens of Northeast Kansas and Northwest Missouri.  (from their brochure).

Their facility is "dedicated to returning healthy, untamed animals to the wild."  Their main facility is about ten miles from our house, and that's where we took the injured raptor this morning.

You can't see them, but there are a variety of outside sturdy pens and a huge flight cage which I was not allowed to photograph.  In it were three HUGE raptors, I don't even want to think about them being near our henyards.

The lady who received our bird thought he might be a juvenile red-shouldered hawk, but in looking at pictures on the internet, it does not seem so to me.  I think he was a Coopers, but I am going to call tomorrow and see if one of the vets has assessed him.

She reached right down with those super gloves and lifted him out of the crate we brought him in.

It had a big, strong beak, all the better to eat my tender little chickens!

This photo looks strange because it was very dark, and I had to artificially lighten it, hence the odd color.  I just wanted to include it so you could see the wingspan on this bird! 

Keith hurried to get me home after we had looked at the outside flight pen (and he had gotten ideas from it), since I needed to get to church at 10:30.  Guess what we saw when we pulled into the drive?  A BIG HAWK IN A TREE BY SPEHAR'S POND.

I swear.