Thanks Dad

My dad is a gifted photographer. This is one of his photographs. 

I have to say that I am pretty lucky. My dad just came to help me fix the chicken coop so that the Hawk's can no longer kill my chickens.

I didn't ask for his help, he just showed up.

Not only did he just show up but he brought with him:

Tools for the fence and roof.
A copy of my favorite magazine Mother Earth Magazine
Starbucks ground beans for a french press he gifted me.
Half and Half
Whipped Cream

and most importantly

his time.

While we were working on the coop he received a phone call from his neighbor saying that Roxy (his dog) had escaped and was running around unsupervised.

He called his teenage daughters who were home on spring break.

He asked nicely for one of them to go and get the dog. She hung up on him.

He tried to call the other daughter but she was asleep... at 2pm. Typical teenager. Finally she wakes up and answers the phone. She got the dog in, but only after complaining about how terrible Roxy was, and how she doesn't come when called.

I would like to point out that Roxy is a handful, but with a little respect she will come when called, and sits, lays down, and even heals.

I did not yell once at this dog. I would say cool and calmly. "Roxy come"- she would glide over to me, I would point my finger at my heel and tell her to "Sit" She would do it, look up at me, and I would softly rub her face and tell her that she was a "good dog"

What all of this boils down to is respect.
I respect my father, and I would never talk down to him, hang up on him, or call him any other name but "dad".

I respect Roxy, I would never scream at her, or call her names. I am firm with her and do not treat her like a show animal. I treat her as an equal.

It bothers me that my teenage sisters do not respect my dad or their family dog.
Both have great potential and will give back twice what you have given them.
I hope they read this, and do something nice for my dad. He deserves it.
He is a good dad, especially to them. They are lucky to have him full time.

Farewell Goldie

Rogue looking after her new flock. Fluffy (white) and Goldie

Taken earlier today 2-3 hours before Goldies demise. Rogue looking after her new flock.

Its a nice day out. I am completely miserable... but it's nice out.

I feel as though I have a very bad concussion. I'm lightheaded, feel dizzy... see black spots... my stomach hurts a little. 

I took a nap. Or tried anyway, I ended up with sweaty nightmares instead. All this equality stuff on Facebook has given me dreams about being a lesbian. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I'm all for it...  but I would rather have 5 more two year olds then be the other. 

I woke up to Rogue making her distress call. 

I run outside... no Goldie. 

Goldie is gone. 

Fluffy is inside wedged between a wall and a nest box, visibly upset. Fluffy is never without Goldie.

Rogue is upset. 

Rogue is upset because she has taken to being their guardian. Everywhere those babies went Rogue went... looking after them. 

I don't think I'm going to the barn tonight. I think I need a break... I feel so awful. This is all very stressful. Nothing like watching babies die one at a time. 

Ain't Nature grand?

Farewell Blue

What a terrible day I just had. Nothing amazing happened. I was in a blah state all day. Four o'clock rolls around and I'm eating a handful of dark chocolate morsels cause it was that sort of mood I was in... and I'm just sorta looking into the chicken coop and see an odd bird in there. Who is that? Who the hell is that in my coop? That's not a chicken. I bet it's that damn Hawk again... must be... he's eating on something. Dammit.

I trudge out in my slippers.... sure enough that asshole of a hawk is sitting there like a zombie eating the face of my baby blue laced wyandotte! Blue is dead... that stupid f*cker of a hawk.

Sorry... excuse my language. I am typing this after one glass of red wine. I'm feeling a little looser than normal.

Anyway, no tears. Nope. not going to happen this time. I'm just angry. I've had enough of this shit. I'm going to get the gun and shoot that mother in the face, see how he likes it. Don't care that it's illegal. I hate this damn bird.

Blast... he's flown off trying to carry my headless baby... drops it a good ten feet off the ground, it thumps....to the ground. Oh whats the point. Just eat her...

I'm furious. I go out and close off half the coop. I grabbed some Shepard's hooks and threw them in there to hold up some netting which I have none of.

The coop looks crazy. I have plastic fence as a roof now so that ASSHOLE of a bird can't kill the rest of my family.

Bastard.

Anyway.... I tried to calm down by going to the barn. I got out little miss pony Raven that I am training momentarily.

Of course the ring is a swamp from the snow and rain. I tried to use the indoor. Raven was not liking it, and just acted like a jerk the whole time. I took two steps back in the training process from frustration. Never work with a horse when your heart isn't in it. My heart is a little broken to be honest. The next bird to go will be Fluffy or Rogue. They are my next favorite.... There I said it... jinxed it... go ahead hawk.. I know your reading this shit. Go and kill all of my friends.

I'm done....
This day sucked.
Farewell Blue, I loved you.

Farewell.

We went away for the weekend. I drank way too much on Saturday night and felt like crap all day Sunday. The first thing I did when I got home was check on my chicks. Buffy came running up to me as if to say "Mommy! your home!!!" I picked her up and gave her a cuddle. She immediately made me feel better. I was dying inside... my insides hurt, I could barely think straight, I was working on 4 hours of sleep, and I still had another 6 hours to go before the boys were to go to bed....

To pass the time we went grocery shopping. Not an easy task when your energy level is on E.

Get home, unpack the groceries, cook dinner, almost time for bed... I go out to check on my birds again... I feel awful... I had a spare minute to go and hang out with them.

Orange Feathers everywhere.
NO!.
 I open the door.... The chicks are hiding in the nest box. I grab them... one, two, three.... no Buffy.

No. No. No.

I walk out... a pile of feathers, some entrails... nope. that was it. It was Buffy. The hawk got Buffy.

Awesome.

I have no energy to even cry at this point. I walk inside, go upstairs, sit down on the toilet seat, the hubster is giving Watts and James a bath... "Buffy is dead" Hubster says, "Sorry Scoots, I'm so sorry" He is in an even worse state then I am...

I just sat there like a lump.... that was the final straw to one of the worst days ever.

I went to bed at 7:15... James crying in his crib... not wanting to go to sleep... needed a bottle... I can't move, stick a fork in me. Hubster takes over... and soon crashes next to me... "My god, what a terrible day"

It ain't much better today either... I still feel like crap.
It's grey, cold, windy, not a lick of sun.
How appropriate. This one is going to take me a while to get over.

Hawk commits attempted murder in Southampton NJ

Harriet the hawk goes after  Regina while Princess Martha and I look on.

Just sitting in my kitchen when I hear Regina bawking outside. "BAWk bawk bawk bawk" meaning... "Shit shit shit shit" to us humans.
I see something the size of an airplane swoop down fast in front of the window and take off just as fast. I jump from my seat and look to see what is going on. That stupid hawk was going after my girls again. I see her fly off with open wings... and land in a tree. Did she get Regina? I dash outside in my uniform (PJ pants, hoody sweatshirt, socks and a cape) and look around for her. Martha and Becky come out from under a bush looking very shaken. "Where is Regina"? They look at me as if I have betrayed them again by not letting them sleep in my house... I look over the neighbor fence. The ground is wet and cold and my feet sink into the cold mud. Ugh... more laundry, these were clean socks!!! I hate icky toes.  I go back in.... and watch. Did that hawk get my girl? I watch....to see.... they walk across the patio to a very thick shrub and give a brrr brrr sound. Out pokes a very scared little face. Ah Regina... there you are. That was close. She steps out... seems she fine... they all circle up give a once over and quietly go under the bush and sleep there for the rest of the day.
 I told my dad and he promptly brings me a fake owl. Hawks don't like owls, worth a try. I don't want to lose another girl. So here is my new pet owl. I shall name him Owen. I'm either going to stick him in the middle of the yard or on top of the hen coop. I just know I'm going to walk out there tomorrow to find Harriet the hawk making love to my Owen. Wouldn't that be great? I can have hawkowl babies... I'm so confused... so torn.... chickens... or hawkowls! I could be famous.
Oh... bother. Meet Owen, he soo handsome...non?

Just waiting.... "Oh! I didnt see you there".

"Can I help you? You would like to talk to WHO? No she doesnt live here. Go away, I'm very busy" .

"I told you NO! Stop it! Leave me alone, no you can't touch my feathers! I'm waiting for my girlfriend Harriet the Hawk, we are to make sweet love later".

I put the fake owl out in their coop and the girls ran inside their house. 

Ironic isnt it.

I'm so sad right now.

I just posted about my favorite hen Wendy, how much I loved her, and the special bond we had together...

I was just taking out the compost when I noticed a hawk flutter out of the chicken run and look at me for a little too long. I thought... "that's weird, what was it eatin?" and then I look and see a lot of Wendy's feathers, and something coming out of the mud. I get in the pen and see two yellow feet and some blood. I pull her body out of the ground, and see that something has eaten her neck and chewed a large hole in the side of her body. She lay still with her eyes closed. She gave it a good fight... and now its over. I havent cried in a long time, but this broke the seal. Me and the girls sat around looking at the queen not knowing what to do. I dug a hole and had the brood say there goodbyes... they all walked up to her and gave her a small peck as if to say, "wake up stupid". What a crappy day. Will I ever find another chicken like Wendy? Who will take over her job? I guess we will find out. Bye Wendy, we loved you and will miss you here at Lizards Den.

You ate and killed my only friend.