The Adventures are Back

A few years ago, I wrote a story, here is another chapter to that story.

In the original story, I wrote what it was like to live in the mountains. The pros and cons, the highs and lows of living in the country. I like to use the phrase, “Living in the mountains, sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you.” Lately, it seems like we have been having only cons and lows and the bear is getting us. That may have all changed yesterday.

A great benefit of living here is that Elaine went from having an irrational fear of all birds to have a love and thirst for knowledge of all birds. Elaine has become an advocate of owning poultry of our own. The same could be said for Ivy, except Ivy has never been fearful of birds. Ivy was instrumental in seeing a well-chosen flock of chickens, ducks, turkeys, and guinea fowl roam our property.

Every bird in our flock was given a name that assures they will never end up on a dinner table. Not by me, and I’m not sure how it happens, but favorites are chosen. Elaine has a pet turkey. Ivy has pet chickens and ducks. No one has guineas for pets. I think that might be why I like them.

The last two years have been hard living up here. Beervirus took its toll even though no one here got sick. It certainly changed the way things are/were done. The poultry flock was systematically being destroyed.

Something was picking off the birds; sometimes several a day/night. Elaine lost her next-to-favorite turkey.

We had seen a fox on the property and it was pretty clear what was happening to the poultry. A good portion of the time the fox was at his/her best, I was in the hospital or simply could not walk. Quietly and secretly I prepared myself for the inevitable realization that the fox would wipe out our pets.

We didn't just give up. We installed motion-activated lights. I bought lights that simulated coyote eyes, hopefully scaring the fox from the larger predator.

I told myself, “Sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you” but I added, “you never get a fox.”

Early yesterday morning, there was a commotion in the chicken coop. Ivy investigated and found feathers and dead birds and one cocky fox.

Ivy ran into the house screaming, “Dad, the fox is in the coop. Get the (Three-letter word that rhymes with the sun). I was just getting dressed for the day. I was wearing boxer briefs and had just put on socks. I don’t know why I felt it necessary to tell you what I was wearing, but you can decide for yourself if you think it is important.

I ran outside into the coop. Standing in the coop wearing underwear and socks the fox was in the corner just looking at me. It was like it was thinking, “What the (construction language) are you going to do?” Being a safety-conscious household, having a (rhymes with the sun) that was ready to use wasn’t the case. (We fixed that!)

I noticed the fox was sitting on a dead guinea. I mentioned I like those guineas. The fox was sitting there taunting me.

This is where I need to admit a mistake. I had previously written that “You never get the fox!” Well, sometimes you do! Spring just got better.

I mentioned to Ivy:

Me: This could have been a lot worse. Ivy: I lost six birds. Me: This could have happened last winter and I would not be standing here in underwear and socks. Ivy: I wish I had a picture of you right now. Me: I think I have chicken (construction language) on my socks.

I hope you enjoyed this possibly true story.

Our crazy lives!

Monner