blogbaby: August 2009

Friday, August 28, 2009

This life ain't no fairy tale

What you are about to read is a true story.
The names of those involved have not been changed.
The location: my yard
The time: last night
The characters: Me, Big Daddy D, a frog and perhaps Reepacheep

Last night as Big Daddy and I were lying in bed, waiting for sleep to draw the curtains on the day I heard it. Right under our bedroom window, the chirruping, rhythmic call of a frog ready to procreate.
After commenting on how charming the frog sounded I slipped into sleep.
Some time in the wee hours of the morning(3:28 if you really must know) I was pulled from a slumber that for once this week was untroubled by bloody vampire dreams. What was it? My sleep fogged mind could not process the sound. Is it the "smoke" detector? Is the gas stove on, bleeding particles into the air? As I stumbled through the house looking for the source of the metallic chirping I realized the sound was only in our room. A brief stop by the window confirmed my dawning suspicion that the culprit of my wakefulness was the lonely sound of that frog calling out for a mate, his song greatly diminished over the hours(count them, 5)of unsuccessful broadcasting.
I lay there, fortunately not long(final clock check 3:42 cause I know you want to know), listening and wishing for silence, and as I once again drifted into dreamland his mournful tune stuttered to a halt.
Relating my tale of yet another wakeful night to Big Daddy I was, as usual, mildly perturbed by his assertions that he at least had not suffered the froggy serenade and had had a peaceful night's sleep.
Later, just moments after morning goodbyes Big Daddy D comes back in and says,
"You're not the only one who got tired of that frog-it's in the driveway and something pulled it's leg off"
"You're shitting me?!?!"
I run outside to look-barefoot in the cool drizzly rain-and sure enough there is Mr. Frog, belly up with one front foot and the opposite back foot chewed off, dead as Mr. Kennedy, lying in state behind the mustang.
"Yikes! Don't run over him, don't pop him! You have to get him off the driveway! Throw him in the grass or something!" (I'm such a girl sometimes)
I suspect Reepacheep, in doing one of the weird things that cats do, read my mind and got rid of my pesky suitor.
I mean, I wasn't gonna kiss that frog.
This life ain't no fuckin' fairy tale.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Reepacheep would rather sit out in wet snow than come inside some days.

I will be back soon with pictures and recipes and blathering I promise. After nearly an entire summer away from home I have a real need to get settled in first-get some workable routines going and all that stuff.

And naps, lots of naps.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Karma is a bitch sometimes....

As some of you might already know B and I have tried unsuccessfully to rescue and rehabilitate two late hatching bantam chicks that got severely pecked by a hen that wouldn't take them into her brood. The first was so injured I'm actually surprised it didn't die right away.
The second appeared to be less injured and surprised us by living through the night.

We decided to name her Stevsie after that first night.

Love and Hope blossomed and twined around my heart as each day progressed. Four days and four nights are more than enough time it seems to become entwined in those two emotions. I began making plans for Stevsie's return with us to Asheville and thinking of how to keep her safe from cats and dogs until we could find her a good home amongst the growing community of urban chicken keepers there.

Really though, I could tell yesterday that she was getting weaker, not stronger.

As a matter of fact little Stevsie died this morning in my hands. The little chick just wouldn't wake up this morning and shuddered her last peep as my tears fell on her soft downy body.
I am still crying as I type.
On to the Karma bit.
The hen that pecked the three chicks and ultimately killed them was herself killed by a neighborhood dog last night. It was quick but there you have it.
The flip side is if we can catch them we will have the 4 bantam chicks from her brood-all healthy thank goodness-to take home.
Big Daddy D's gonna love it dontcha think?
I at least have the beginnings of a smile again.
How's that for Karma?