You know how sometimes it just seems that something should just be different if it would only work out somehow. Well, it did that today. Silly ol' woman got up entirely too early to go pluck the hens off their roosts. Decided that they just could not stay in that plastic bin so long, so loaded their very unhappy feathers into the back seat of the truck and took off for Paducah. Driving in the dark scares the wee out of me, but the roads were empty, the lanes were bright with those little reflective things and the white lines on the sides of the road, so it really was not too bad. Absolutely no traffic from Vernon to Paducah, but plenty of roadkill. Bleah. Skunk season, maybe? But no deer, hogs, or heavy equipment. The sun was coming up as the truck headed out of Vernon, so the scenery on Highway 70 was plum enjoyable. Got almost to BR's house and decided my truck was lost--with me and the hens in it. Called her and asked her to step outside and flag me down. She asked if she should stand in the middle of the highway, but, of course, that turned out to be unnecessary.
BR had made us dinner that turned into brunch and even made real coffee to go with it. Pork chops and rice made in the slow cooker with mushroom and chicken soup and some spice. Mighty tasty. But first we had to put my hens in a "jail" and turn hers out and feed and water them. Mine sounded semi-happy just getting out of the hot box. But one of the gold speckled Hamburgs may have a sore leg cause she was holding it up. Poor critter. It was a little difficult to get them down from the roosts holding on to the chair with one hand and reaching for a hen with the other hand. Hopefully the hen will heal up quickly.
While we were out looking at BillyeRuth's chickens, one of her mean ol' roosters decided to work me over. He jumped me like a hen on a June bug and just tried to flog the pants off of me. Anyone who knows my temper understands that he had to back off after some good place kicks, but BR came after him with a rake anyway. It was a good thing. He was about to lose his head! Normally would never kill a critter, but he was going after my legs with those spurs! Then, as the little white truck sped down the road toward Chillicothe or someplace like that, my phone played the William Tell Overture. BR told me to pull over; she needed to tell me a couple of things. Figured the old woman had forgotten something, but no, she had good news. My truck had hardly left her yard when another white truck pulled up. A man wanted to buy a hen from her. Smiling as this is written. BR, sneaky woman that she is, told the man she had two roosters who HAD to leave her place. She would GIVE him a hen if he would take the roosters! Now is that neat or what! Had to sit there in my truck on the side of the highway and just laugh! We BOTH got what we wanted. She has some beautiful, healthy birds and no danged roosters to claw or peck off their feathers.
Yes, this "yard" is already missing the Hamburgs (7), one Barred Rock, one Rhode Island Red, and one runt Wyandotte, but have not had to go out and chase any hens back inside the gate either. Really kind of hoping that the Black Maran and Barred Rock pullets decide to take up housekeeping inside the old coop now, but we shall see how that works out.
BR gave me some seed heads from some mullein plants. She called them Lamb's Ears maybe. It is a very useful plant--both edible and medicinal. Maybe they will grow for me. She says they come up wild around her place, but then so does the SAND! And SHE has harvester ants and horny toads!!! Just imagine! The land where she lives is definitely different from around here. Of course, she lives in hill country where a deer blind is mounted on each crest of hills. And each town has at least one deer processing plant! Now if only they could come up with a good use for skunks and rattlers. BR killed the rattler that got her old dog. The snake was under her car right next to where she goes in the back door. Poor ol' dog. Hope BR can find another dog to adopt that will be a sweet one for her and the hens.
Thought my desk top full of vitamins was pretty strange, but BR had an entire box of bottles of pills. Not many were prescription, but still! But then, she will be 80 soon, so if a few vitamins keep her ornery, we are on to something good. My ornery pills only work part time. And they haven't come up with a "groaner" pill yet. Stand up and groan, sit down and groan, walk around and groan. Someday they will make one for that.
BR has a parakeet named Charlie who does flybys. He went up into the window above the sink and told her all about it as she ran water for the coffee. It was not exactly chirps, more like quit that, quit that. Anyway, he finally dove over my head and accepted that a visitor was there. Her cats stay outside, so the parakeet has the run of the kitchen. AND he knows about the ceiling fan! Apparently he got an unexpected shove from that fan. So he stays well below it. Smart little guy.
One thing that BR has that no one in their right mind would want is khaki weeds. Not just a few, mind you! Don't know whether they hold the sand in or not, but not likely any plant out there would cover it up and kill it out that way. She has very good well water, but there is not a way she could ever water enough to grow clover over that stuff. She did say, however, that the wildlife that she enjoys from her kitchen window makes life more enjoyable--cardinals and little finches play in a tree right outside near the driveway, and a pair of fawns came and drank at her water trough earlier this year. Love the way that the land is so quiet and calm. She lives near a road, but never hears anything go by, much less hear the noise like we have on South Kemp. sigh Living in Wichita Falls has its advantages, but out there is an entirely different world. Quiet, friendly, calling for self-reliance--something one has to be, in fact.
The muscles in my back and hips are saying it is time to find a different position and maybe a pill or two, so will tell you that this has been a really good day. God gave me a sweet friend who took my birds in to give them a good home, prepared a very good meal for me, and kept me entertained with her stories! Can't beat that with a stick!
May you all rest well and awake refreshed. You are loved.
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