Chicken Thief Caught

After all that ranting about an "evil, chicken-eating cat", I must sheepishly retract. It was an evil, chicken-eating coon. After losing another chicken Monday night, it dawned on DH that he did after all own a wildlife, night-vision camera and why in the world hadn't he thought to put it out there before?

The culprit, unaware that his ugly mug was being photographed, crept up to the chicken pen and tried unsuccessfully to get his nasty paws into the fence. We figure he must have reached his hand in and snatched them as they walked past his post. That was a big coon, and I can't fathom his squeezing through the 4-inch gaps between nails.





At any rate, his chicken-eating days are over, at least from our brood. He can find another coop to traumatize and vandalize. If he comes back to ours, he will find himself trapped and disposed of. I say bring it on, you black-eyed bandit! Revenge...sweet, sweet revenge :).

Aaahhh....

I know it's short-lived. I'm not getting my hopes up.

So I am not not taking it for granted. Not even for a minute.

When you live in Louisiana, and have been enduring 100+ temps for weeks, 94 feels really good. It was down to 60 Tuesday night. My, am I ready for fall!

We spent all morning outside, drinking it in. Feeling the cool breeze, hanging clothes out on the line, and watching the kiddos play contentedly. In the background, the girls clucked a comforting tune, adding to the symphony of the morning. I never knew I'd enjoy the chickens this much. I love watching them, feeding them, and listening to them bicker with one another. I'm proud to report that we have no further casualties since DH boarded up the bottom of the coop.






Neither did I know that hanging clothes on the line would be offer such a peaceful time of reflection and prayer. There's so much to pray about these days, more than I can ever remember. Lately, I'm finding it easier to walk through the day in a spirit of prayer. Somehow it seems I can feel His listening ear bending down closer to hear my petitions when I am busy with the tasks of my home, completing them with a spirit of contentment and thankfulness.




How 'bout this little house, created by little hands and big imagination? It's great to be able to return to childhood through the play of my own children. To leave behind the burdens of adulthood for just a little while, and rest in the simpleness of youth.




I hope the weather has been milder your way as well. Fall, I see you peeking around the corner! You're welcome to make your debut anytime you feel like it! Don't be shy!

We Have Livestock!

Meet the newest members of our household. Well, maybe "yardhold" is better term to use. The kiddos have been super excited, and surprisingly, I have gotten attached to them already. We got them in the hopes of producing our own eggs, bringing us one small step closer to the homesteading status.

Our dreams of mass egg production have already been threatened, as four chickens have already went the way of the Last Mohican. Each night for the past three nights, some creature has made its way into our chicken yard and stolen one of our chickens. John spotted a suspicious-looking stray cat with its hide pulled off running under our house the first morning. Upon inspection of the chicken yard, we discovered wire pulled back where some creature made its escape. The jagged edges of the wire had ripped through the cat's backside, pulling the hide off. So, we know who our culprit is. Apparantly, it climbs to the top of the coop and knocks the boards off to get in, then squeezes through the chicken wire, which is nailed down every four inches. Skinny cat. Evil, wicked, baby-chicken eating cat. We wish to place a bullet in his brain. Last night, he got two more, leaving one still inside the pen, decapitated. Die you evil cat!

We spotted the cat resting in the driveway of a house one street over last weekend, and I have decided I am going to make a visit and see if the cat does indeed belong to them and if it does, inform them of his deviant behavior. I say cats who eat chickens should be treated as the horse thieves of yester-year. Instant death!!

Here's hoping we don't lose anymore chickens in the meanwhile. I'll keep you posted.