Now that I’m feeling almost ‘normal’ after losing my brother Tommy and the struggle with Dad’s Alzheimer condition, my animals have decided to be themselves again and show me just how ‘normal’ it is around here. So far today, Bouncer chased one of the baby chicks and it ran to the trees where both mama hens were sitting with the other peepers. Both chickens FLEW out of those bushes like ninja warriors and pounced on Bouncer with wings flapping amid blood curdling squawking! Bouncer bolted in full retreat and they chased him to finish him off!
Dillon, our loveable but not-so-bright goat, worked the fence to get himself stuck on the other side our boy llama Stormy. He trotted back and forth BAAAAAING trying to get back to where our mountain goat Sierra was. I went over and lifted the fence up as far as I could with my back and right leg to let him come back to his side of the pasture. I looked like a weightlifter! Of course, he stood there staring at me. I then took my left arm, went under as far as I could, grabbed his collar, tried to force him under and back over to me at which point he got half way under and did his infamous stiff front legs out, digging into the grass trick, to let me know that ‘he ain’t going nowhere!’ It looked like we were playing farmyard Twister!
Right at that moment, a young mom with her little girl drove up, got out, and asked from afar if I had eggs for sale! Incredulous, I thought, “Does it look like I can go check right now?!” After threats, grunting and pulling, Dillon ended up relenting and ran to Sierra on the right side of the field. I went to the house with fresh plucked eggs and satisfied the wants for our brown beauties with the patiently waiting momma and oh-so-curious little girl.
When I returned to the field to finish chores, I noticed the black mama hen and her seven fluffy chicks had found their way outside the fence in the farthest back pasture and were staring at me in an effort to get back inside. I realized I couldn’t get at them and really needed Super Farmer hubby to help me. As he was at his day job as Super Principal, there we all stood separated, the eight of them, lined up along the fence, clucking to get back in and me wondering if Super Farmer would mind mending the fence after I pushed it down with Wonder Woman resolve! The fence remained intact. The chickens were left staring.
After about an hour’s rest, LeAnna, Isaac and I, decided to do some Goodwill shopping. She accidentally left the gate open and I just happened to look up as Lincoln crossed the street into our not-so-hospitable neighbor’s yard and sat munching at their freshly pruned bushes. Sammie was still in their driveway a few steps from joining him. I called LeAnna, “HELP ME!” We ran out to where the escapees were, they looked up, spotted us running toward them and took off galloping down the street.
At this point, I saw a truck coming towards them and a car coming up behind us. Without paying admission, both vehicles stopped to let the circus perform. We ran in a zig zag pattern with outstretched arms. I called to her, “Herd them back my way!” LeAnna, not familiar with farm talk, looked at me funny, so I instructed further, “Bring them back my way.” Her feigned understanding then broke into full bewilderment! I yelled, “Just help them to come back toward our yard,” and understanding increased and innate herding skills emerged.
I ran in front of the bushes to keep Lincoln from going around them and back into the street. The woman in the stopped car leaned out amused with her window down. I smiled as I ran past her, “Never a dull moment!” Her mouth was open as if seeking an appropriate response, but her concerned look caused silence at the sight of this crazy woman running down the street behind two llamas with a trailing nicely dressed young woman in heels. Lincoln sprinted through the open gate and I told LeAnna, “Just wait, Sammie will follow,” and he did.
We grabbed for the gate, slammed it behind both animals, and ran to the backyard as the others joined them. Stormy watched all the excitement, which made him agitated cause the boys were a few feet away from him enjoying some freedom. He screeched out his alarm call as he charged along the fence trying to find a way over it so he could fight!
When I finally got back to the house, my back porch chairs were knocked over from the donkey, the mini-horses had forced my bird feeders off their stands to eat ALL the birdseed, one or more of them pushed over Isaac’s pup tent, which is now in a heap, the trash can was on its side again and the goats had eaten my flowers. Yep, back to “NORMAL” at Addie Acres.
