Guest poster: Ulani

C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! You're always posting about the chickens and stupid ducks. The only good duck is a stuffed duck -- everybody knows that! What is the deal with you anyway?

Why don't you post about all the great stuff we find on our walks? The delicious cat poop by the farm of the cows! Oskar and I both love that, I'm sure others would, too, if you would just share! The squashed frog I rolled in this morning was delightful! Don't you think your friends would like to live vicariously along with me? What about the day at Moocows and Horsies up the road when all those baby cows were out in the pen with their mommies and they started running around? That was one of the most exciting days of my life! Did that show up on your stupid blog? NO! I think people would get excited about that, too. C'mon, give 'em a chance!

Just last night was an exciting episode I see nothing about here. When we went outside and that black dog was in the backyard, looking at your precious chickens? Boy, if you had just opened the gate me and Oskar would have chased him right through the corn. I almost climbed over the fence, didn't you see me?

I think you have some poultry-loving disease. I could make your stupid blog a lot more interesting for people who care about the right things. Just let me write a column. C'mon, give me a chance.

Respectfully submitted,

U La La Ulani de Guerande

Ed. note: I will give your request due consideration and get back to you. JH

Overcrowding

The yellow hen has gone broody. They're the best setters, the Buff Orpingtons. On Friday she just stuck to the box and hasn't moved. What happens is the other hens decide to lay their eggs beneath the one who's setting so they don't have to do it themselves. Here you see two lazy Ameraucana hens pushing their way in to leave more babysitting work for the yellow girl!

Indeed, when I came home from work I reached under her and discovered one small brown egg and two greens from the Ameraucana. I marked each egg and will leave up to six underneath her. Any more I'll take away so she can just stick to business and not be overworked by trying to cover a dozen or more eggs.

With any luck, there will be baby peeps in three weeks or so! Stay tuned!

Duck Bath

First foraging foray

First the ducks came out for a swim. OK, "came" is a relative term -- I tossed the first one through the hatch door and the second raced along to see where she went!

They were enjoying a peaceful swim on their own. Sort of a "Calgon, take me away!" moment.

Then one chick was enticed through the hatch by some clover on the ramp.



Then another, then another until four or five were waddling right behind their fearless-leader-duck-friends.

Dolly Chicken stretched her legs to examine the greenery.

And while the babies were wandering, the adults had a drink at the pool!

A personal note

I haven't written in quite a while. So I'm going to break one of my blog rules and post a brief personal note as to why.

Since the beginning of 2009, the following things have happened to people close to me:

• emergency surgery, weeklong hospitalization
  
• overnight hospitalization
• extended hospitalization to adjust psych meds
• ankle reconstruction surgery and rehab
  
• late term abortion
• income reduced 20%
  
• extended unemployment requiring financial restructuring
  
• diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
• death of mother
• death of best friend
• violent, brutal murder

The psychological toll of getting through this is catching up with me. Some of these things I've had direct involvement in, others I've simply listened while friends talk. But I've needed to stay somewhat detached to help others deal with these things, and my "detach" button is just about worn out.

I don't mean to suggest to anyone that having you as my friend is a drag! I want to be supportive and I want to help. I'm just tired.

I hope to get back on the blog bus soon. There have been many adventures here at Busy Solitude over the past six months, as well, but they've taken the back seat.

Now we're moving up.