~ Retired and Starting My Future In The Foothills ~

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Lizbeth had not developed kitten drinking faucets yet

nor any obvious lumps. She just had a nice, firm, larger abdomen than a non- pregnant cat would sport. So, not that close to term.

It was bitterly cold last night. Below freezing. There were SIX porch chickens on the railing. Yet no frost on anything this morning; what's up with that?! So dry.... And too dark for me to check the kiddie pools for ice before I headed to work. I didn't see ice crystals glistening in the headlights until I was quite some distance Down The Hill.

I managed to get the wooden bunny hutch out of the car last night. Had to - I am picking up the inside, metal rabbit hutch today. As I only have to work half a day today, I want to move the wooden hutch to the porch, set up the Caroling Chickens in the yard where the geese just might not yank 'em around out of curiosity. Possibly on the folding picnic table brought up from the rental last weekend.... But I'll need some clever way to secure the extension cord to illuminate the figurines.

I brought in individual caramel & chocolate dipped apples (from Mrs. Prindables) for my supervisor and the other analysts in my Section. I love those delicious things so much it was hard to give 'em up as gifts! The apples are Pink Lady apples, all dipped in caramel, and then rolled in various toppings. The 3 choices are: dark chocolate chips and dried cranberries, dark & milk chocolate chips, and milk chocolate and peanut butter chips. I could eat all twelve myself if I didn't make them presents for others.

The department just might be short a box of paper clips this afternoon. Or not.

 

[HHandbasket]

Linda, lemme go look in the shed. I might have some ornament hooks. I'll let you know in about an hour.

 

[gryeyes]

I've been wanting to post these photos for a week or so. They're of some Free Range chickens on a city street where I often take my lunch break. This particular visit, I'd bought a small hamburger from McDonald's to feed to the chickens because I had seen a couple chicks in the flock. Here are the photos with very little narrative:

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This is my favorite photo of the group.

 

[HHandbasket]

That roo looks an AWFUL lot like Gregory Peck, and the hens look an AWFUL lot like Olga.

 

[Casey3043]

I hope over the long holiday weekend you can lure Lisbeth back into the house with some food, or at least catch a glimpse of her and see that she's all right. No reason for her to have gone far.........

 

[HEChicken]

Quote:
A sight you will NOT see in the city where I live. Are they feral? No one minds the rooster?

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Well, nobody claims them, but their home base is a very large yard surrounded by one level of apartments and a central courtyard. The street is a cul de sac. A resident across the street from that compound told me some time ago the original owners of the original chickens moved at least 12years ago. He lets his visiting grand kids toss bird seed to the chickens. He keeps the seed in a sack at his front door. So he gets visiting chickens all the time, not that surprisingly.

Who knows what other food they get. Although the back of the huge yard has a garden.

There are at least 3 roosters in the flock. One day in the summer, one hen was shepherding 13 chicks across the street.

I imagine at least one person living on that street is not fond of the roosters, as a fella in a pick-up truck (a citified and shiny vehicle) accelerated and aimed AT the birds I was feeding from my car window. They scattered and he didn't hit any, but he flipped me off in his rear view mirror after passing.

They regrouped and one of the roosters tid-bitted for the hens and chick, but the other did not. Both roosters, however, chased away the crows which thought they could land and snatch some of what I was tossing to the chickens.

I really like taking my lunch hour there. Kinda got out of the habit when I had to use that time for house-buying business, or moving, or other stuff during the last few months. The flock is much smaller than it used to be, so maybe there has been a major culling or other reduction action taken.

 

[gryeyes]

The Caroling Chicken Family is set up!
I had to drag the folding bench/picnic table up two terraces to set it up, then run power to 'em. This is to one side of the house.

And this is how they look up close.

And, best of all, how they look at night!!

 

[theoldchick]

Too funny!

 

[kathyinmo]

Linda,
Those feral chickens look an awful lot like Icelandics!