If The Moon Is Full Is There Love In The Air?
Is this not a moonlit night that has love in the air? Is it just "coincidence" that this breath taking moon makes its appearance the night before he arrived in all his splendor? Perhaps but being a hopeless romantic I think otherwise.
A year ago January on super bowl Sunday I awoke before day break to start baking. I was going to a quilt workshop and wanted to take my favorite Pecan Sticky Buns to share. Buns in oven I then proceeded to go outside to do barn chores. It was a crisp morning, sun barely rising and quiet. Too quiet. I finished up the chores in the doe barn and turned my attention to the buck barns but before that a stop at the big barn where the my chickens were housed"Odd" I thought so quiet sun coming up barely kissing the sky "my flock should be rising now." The sun higher in the sky and I suddenly realized I couldn't see the outline of the birds that every morning greeted the dawn sitting on the very top of the nesting box always outlined by the new sun. We had a few fox issues but had beefed up security around the coop. I opened the barn side door to find all 23 of my birds (or so I thought) dead at my feet.
Later after a very emotional moment or more I found two live birds Wise One who sat in a nest box most likely not even daring to breath and Survivor who had flown up to the highest crossbeam in the roof area to avoid the fate of the other 21 . In my then 31 years of having chickens I had never had a loss of this nature. And I found that the fox had found a place of only 2 inch width that it had gotten in and proceeded to terrorize the birds.
It has taken a year plus for me to even entertain having another roo. My original roo Robert Redford was given to me by my neighbor as a very young roo. He was handsome and gentle with his ladies.
But today a new roo joined the flock of nine laying hens including Wise One and Survivor. He is a handsome devil too and because of his lovely white(blond) tail feathers he is Paul Newman. He is a Rhode Island Red x White Leghorn. Robert was a Wheaton x unknown.
As I said destiny the day after a moonlit night. I like to think Robert would approve.
posted by Goatldi @ 10:08 PM
5 Comments
5 Comments:
So sorry some birds were killed. The rooster Robert was truly magnificent. The area you live is just so gorgeous. Life there must be truly a blessing.
Oh gosh Goatldi, that recounting made me very sad. How do you come to terms with that? I'm so glad you were able to have another roo in your life. And I'm a romantic as well, Alex and I love the full moons, we find them very romantic! I'm a nature-lover and when nature puts on a show, I'm paying attention :) I hope the new flock will be safe. I love the names :)
Thank you for your thoughts Danice. Ye indeed Robert was quite the looker. He was a gentle companion to the sweet flock of layers and a fierce protector. Herding his ladies in at the first sign of anything suspicious. I am truly blessed to live in such beauty and to feel that I am truly finally home.
Me too Rain. In fact this is only the second accounting I have shared about this event. I tend to get very attached to my critter companions as I view myself as their steward and when I loose one it is difficult.Lots of "what did or didn't get done that should of?" . The coop is now totally predator proofed (knocking on my head) we trust. The flock is put up just before the sun goes down and I have taught them to come in when I drum on the grain bucket and call to them. Paul Newman picked up on it in only two times and now makes certain his ladies are tucked in and gives any ones who lag behind a verbal reprimand.Full moons are part of the cycle and ones such as the photo in my post are incredible. Perhaps one day I will have a better camera and will capture the true beauty of a huge moon rising above Mt. Lassen and seeing the rays dance off her snow covered top knot from my deck. The iPhone just doesn't quite cut it.
"Could'a Would'a Should'a"...this is a very famous phrase in the trading industry. It really applies to all areas of life too, I mean, we are always in a learning process, but I would be just as emotional as you were/are about the flock. That's cool that you can train them to come in! And you're right, I have an Android, but my phone's camera doesn't cut it either for night shots. I have a very nice Canon that Alex got me for my birthday a few years ago and the lazy habit of just taking picture with my phone MUST stop!!!
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