Thelma and Louise, gallus domesticus adventurus

Two laying hens have proved quite the adventurous Gallus Domesticus. Eager for free-ranging outside of their already exterior fenced yard, Thelma and Louise have daily flown ‘the coop’ in search of unknown but certainly edible surroundings. Anxious lest they be claimed by a fox, I spent some time honing chicken capturing technique. Two months later, and no closer to having their wings clipped, the two dames remain alive and strutting. In the meantime, a hawk (Coopers or Sharpshin, not sure which) succeeded in claiming a sister from inside the fenced run. But Thelma and Louise continue to stretch their world view; our English Setters know these are not birds for the taking, and marvel droolingly at the lack of a fence between them and their bird fascinations.

As a result, my various outside maintenance projects punctuate the calm country air with loud declarations, ‘NO!’ Then back to splitting kingling. ‘STAR, NO!’ Then back to oiling my commuter vehicle – trusty mountainbike. ‘CALHOUN NO!’ Then back to replenishing the firewood stack outside the house. Despite all of this and a  clogged chimney pipe, life at Cricket Thicket is humming along nicely. Once we get a new, larger-meshed cap put atop the stove pipe, I’ll return to my cozy office more readily. And I suppose I should say, once I clip those wings, I’ll return to outside chores with undivided attention.

I am also about to catch the seed-ordering craze, as many of my gardening-prone friends have already updated me on their upcoming summer glories. I’ll check in with farmers who sell at the local farmers markets, but also plan to purchase from Turtle Tree Seed, a biodynamic seed initiative.