I don’t want you to think living here in the country is all about frolicking in the wildflower fields, looking winsome and thin while petting the animals who obey and adore us.
Without being too graphic, I want to let you know that country living occasionally has its hardships.
Okay, one example. Finding a king snake eating a mouse under your stove is a good way to ruin a perfectly good Sunday morning.
One more example, just for fun: Giving $750 on Monday morning to a 5’3 tall man with a handlebar mustache and alligator skin cowboy boots to crawl all around and under your house with insulation foam and hardware wire.
Okay, that’s the ugly part of living in the country. When you’re surrounded by woods and acres of hay fields, you have to expect, to some extent, that critters happen. You just don’t want them to happen so closely, if you know what I mean.
On the other hand, my chickens continue to delight and amaze me. The baby chicks are no longer babies. I can’t introduce them up-close-and-personal with the trio of big girls yet, but we do put their playpen outside next to the big girls’ run and have had a few meet-and-greet sessions.
And during their free-range time before sunset, the big girls have learned that they can walk onto the porch and deck and look through our French doors to see what we’re doing inside.
Minnie Ruth and Olive are still rather, uh, homely. I expect they will grow into their lovely chicken-ness. Because, you know, chickens really are quite beautiful, funny and entertaining.
This weekend we should complete construction on the Palazzo di Pollo, the new chicken house with its own porch and loft.
Until next time, here’s wishing you a critter-free weekend. Unless they are critters you like, that is.
Hi! I'm Robin Ripley author of Wisdom for Home Preservers, published by Taunton Press. I am also co-author of Grocery Gardening. Bumblebee is about my life in rural Maryland, my garden and my love of food, my little dogs and pet chickens. You can follow me on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. Thank you for visiting!
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What? No pictures of the snake?
I’ll have to admit, that would be horrifying.
But on the bright side, the chickens look like they are doing quite well, and I assume they are providing you with good eggs!
That reminds me I need to pick up some steelwool to stuff into the cracks in the foundation & the space around the garage doors. Soon the mice will be seeker nice warm places to spend the winter. I don’t want to start running a mouse hostel here.
I’m glad things are going so well with the chickens. Do you think you might ever sell eggs?
Ok, a snake eating a mouse under the stove definitely beats the time my mom opened a cupboard only to have a mouse fall out into her coffee cup (which I believe was empty at the time). I can’t imagine what I would do if I found a snake in the house. Probably I’d slowly back out of the room, demand my boyfriend deal with the snake, and curl up in bed for the rest of eternity. At the very least I’d likely have nightmares for a while.
We live behind a corn field and get all kinds of nice creatures to so I totally understand. We had a family of mice in our lounge last year. I need to get the steel wool to.
Hope your weekend is better.
Snakes, check. Mice, check. Rats, check. Bats, check. Possum didn’t get any further than the back hallway, which functions as a coat closet/mud room kind of place. Oh, they weren’t all in the house at the same time. This is over a period of over 20 years.
I love that the chickens like to watch y’all through the doors … wonder what they’re saying to each other in chicken speak?
It must be that time of year. My sister had a mouse in the house this week. UGH…
I can just see the girls peeking into the house wondering just where they could roost. Can’t wait to see their new abode.
We’ve had no mice for years…hopefully all the cracks are filled. Ants are another story but guess I won’t complain in the face of larger livestock.
Critters…we had Critter Ridder hear to remove a Raccoon from the crawl space..I am so glad the chickens are doing well! I was hoping to see the Red Chicken Chair!
ps Here not hear! I saw that just as I hit submit comment!
Ahhh, life in the country, waking to the crow of the rooster, with the fresh aroma of chicken manure, while watching snakes eat mice on the kitchen floor.
It don’t get any better. ;~)
You do make it sound rather inviting with the chickens and all. I have enjoyed following your chicken-ness interest. It suits you well.
Once, when Bear was little, HH and I were in the kitchen after church. We heard this horrible crash, and Bear screamed “I just stepped onto a snake!”
Aaah!!! We ran into the living room, and there was a large rat snake climbing up the fireplace. While visiting, he fell from his perch, Bear, indeed, stepped on him. Not as gross as your experience, but hair raising enough. Cute photo of you with one of your “girls.”
Robin, eeeks. Snakes are OK – King Snakes are harmless but I don’t think I’d feel good about him feasting in my kitchen!!!! Your description of the insulation man made me giggle.
Your chickens look like lots of fun! They are pretty, indeed. I’d have chickens if my dogs would allow.