More Dull Moments

please read the "Dull Moments" entry first...

The morning immediately following the coyote incident started out "normal." I had a morning out planned, so the kids were at a play date and I was home, busy, doing my chores in peace and quiet. About 1030, Stephen and I searched our pasture for eggs. We have to do this daily, since we have free range chickens (don't tell anyone!) and not every gal goes back to the coup to do her business. We brought them in... Just 2 short hours later, my daughter went on an egg hunt. I was putting on my shoes when she had already made it down to the coup. I was yelling her name, because I saw she had left the pasture gate ajar, and the dog just doesn't always behave when she is in the pasture. Daughter didn't respond... then I see her running up to the house screaming, "Mommy! There's an owl in the coup!" I fly down to the gate, tell her to stay there--- not an owl... but the biggest HAWK I had ever seen was in the chicken coup, perched on the wood post where they sleep. There was one of the Rhode Island Red hens squawking up a storm in there, trying to get out, while the hawk just looked on... I let the hen out, and saw a frightening sight. Feathers flying everywhere and another poor little hen, who we admit was the crazy one of the bunch, was dead. I screamed and ran... I was very scared, because there was not another chicken in sight. No feathers, no nothing. Just that other red hen, who ran to the woods when I let her out. I got Stephen, and after some coaxing, got the hawk out of the coup. It wasn't easy. Then the burial. That wasn't easy. Then the thought that we had no chickens. That wasn't easy.... But about 5 pm, sure enough, the rest of the pack showed up at the water cooler! Really! So we still have eggs, and we still have 7 chickens...
Life in the country seems dull and boring to most people. They wonder what I do without high speed internet and satellite cable. They honestly believe that I must have nothing to do during the day. For one, I am a mother, so I'm never bored. For two, people just don't understand that there is always something happening on a farm. Be it a tractor getting stuck somewhere, phone lines being dug up and cut by a tractor, or happenings with animals... dull moments just are few and far between. So for those of you who have been asking for new posts- I hope my dull moments in the country made your city day!