The Dead Animals Need Love

We came back from the grocery store yesterday to see a pasture full of dead animals.

Buried among the weeds was our Maremma, looking like nothing more than a pile of old white fluff.

It kind of looks like I just threw a white fleece out in the weeds.

The other dog, Toby the Farmcollie, looked done for too.

There he was, toes up, and dead to the world.

Worse, this apparent plague seemed to get the hoofed animals too.  There was a lump that was once a cute little goat.

And alas!  Even the llamas looked like goners.

What caused this dreadful plague? Why were all the animals keeled over like that?

In a word, sunshine.  After days and days of rain, we had a beautiful day with bright sunshine and the animals were enjoying stretching out and soaking up the heat.

The cure? Well, dead animals need love.  All I had to do was walk out there closer, and up popped heads, and the lump of a goat came to life. . .

As did our llama lady. . .

… and all the other “dead” critters.

They just can’t resist seeing if I have any treats or pets for them.  They sure do enjoy attention, so like I said, all the dead animals needed was a little love!

Wish it was that easy all the time!

The Chimera Chicken Bird

chi·me·ra kī-ˈmir-ə, kə- noun –
an individual consisting of diverse genetic constitution

Yes, it’s The Chimera Chicken Bird.  Or something.

Aside from resizing and putting a border around the picture, I didn’t change this picture of the chimera chicken bird critter.  It might look like I stuck a chick’s head on a bird body, but I didn’t do any fancy photo manipulating.

Nope, that’s just how this chick looks.  For real.  For true.

But do you remember in an earlier post I said this reddish brown chick was my favorite?

Well, believe it or not it’s the same chick in both pictures.

I suppose at some point the head will also feather out and maybe change colors.  But for now, it’s kind of weird looking.

It’s The Chimera Chicken Bird!

More Parrot Pranks

We had an extra futon frame, and I decided to sell it.  I figured there was no need for it to sit around in the storage pod when there was probably someone else who could use it.

Oh, you want to know what this has to do with parrot pranks?  Well, hang in there.  I’ll get to that.

So anyway, I sold the wood futon frame, and had arranged to meet the buyers at a nearby church parking lot yesterday. 

The first problem was finding the key to the lock on the pod.  The Farmer and I looked everywhere.  Well, not quite everywhere, because we didn’t look in the right where to find the key.  He ended up cutting it off before he left for work yesterday.

Later, the Cave Geek was going to help me load the frame and mattress into the back of our pick-up truck.  When we got out there and pulled out the frame, however, we discovered we must have a leak in the pod somewhere allowing moisture inside because the frame had a coating of dry, powdery mold/mildew.

I hustled back inside to get some rags and furniture polish so I could clean the wood.  The furniture polish was under the kitchen sink.  I was in such a hurry, I didn’t notice I didn’t get the cupboard door totally shut.

(Hint: fore·shad·ow·ing – To present an indication or a suggestion beforehand of things to come.)

We got the frame all cleaned up and loaded into the back of the truck.  I had about 45 minutes before it was time to meet the people, so I took the stuff back inside and put it away.  This time I wasn’t in such a hurry and got the cupboard door shut.

So, 3 hours later, after I’d got the frame delivered, done some other work, and was getting hungry for lunch, I walked back towards the kitchen.  That’s when I heard it.  Somewhere that sounded far away, a little voice was saying, “Hello…. hello….”

I looked at the parrot cage.  Oh yeah, last I saw she was playing on the gym beside it.  Not there now.  So where did she get to???

“Hello…. hello….”

It sounded far away, so I looked back towards the bedrooms and bathrooms.  She likes to hide under the beds when she gets a chance, or behind a bathroom door.  I didn’t see her anywhere, but I sure heard her!

“Hello… hello….”

I’d say, “Baby, where are you?”   And in reply, got this faint sounding,

“Hello… hello….”

It finally dawned on me I recognized that muffled hello, and she was in a cupboard somewhere.  So I started opening pantry and cupboard doors, and when I got to the doors under the bathroom sink, this is what I saw:

Yep, there was a parrot perched on a pipe peering back at me.  (Say that 10 times fast!)

She must have sneaked in there when I got the furniture polish and left the door slightly open.  Which means the little devil was sitting in there for about 3 hours before I discovered her!

Evidently she entertained herself by chewing on boxes.

No doubt she felt she found Nirvana, because I never allow her in that cupboard.  It’s hard to get her out if she gets clear in the back, and there’s all that soap and stuff in there.

I guess being the mischievous little creature that she is, she saw her chance when I went outside and left the door open, and took it.

Just never know what parrot pranks will happen next around here!

How Many Keets Are There?

I finally got a picture of all the keets without any adults in the way.  That does not mean, however, that they are all standing singly with their heads up in the air and easy to see.

But look closely, and you can count how many keets are in our youngest group!

So how many did you see?

Courting Llamas

Our llamas have been flirting with each other from a distance for weeks now.  It’s been obvious for some time that they’d like to be back together in the same pen, but we were keeping them apart to give Keira plenty of time to recover from losing her cria.  I also wanted to give them their yearly vaccinations before letting them back together.

Well, it’s been 5 months now since Keira lost her cria, so she ought to be in as good as physical shape as she’s going to get!  They’ve had their vaccinations, and since it’s supposed to be better for crias to be born in the fall and there’s an 11 – 11 1/2 month gestation – – – it’s time!

Accordingly, this weekend we let Samson out of solitary confinement.  He went out through a pasture Keira had been in and left some droppings, so naturally, had to stop and check them out.

Step 1 of the Llama Courtship Ritual:

Don’t ask me why he feels it necessary to sniff then bare his teeth and arch his head and neck towards his back.  I guess if you’re a male llama, it’s just the thing to do.

But things really heated up when he got to where he could communicate with Keira directly across the fence.

Step 2 of the Llama Courtship Ritual:

In case you can’t tell, the male llama, Samson, is the one on the left with his motor running.

Our Maremma LGD (Livestock Guardian Dog) went crazy over the whole situation.  She sticks close to Keira and Cinnamon (our little doe goat), and she wasn’t happy about Samson making such a racket over Keira.  I think she was wondering if he had honorable intentions, ha, ha!

At first Samson didn’t realize that the gate was open to the pen Keira was in.  When he did. . . well, things got really serious!  Keira was receptive and Samson was raring to go!

Step 3 of the Llama Courtship Ritual:

The llamas are in the shadows… hey!  Let’s give them some privacy, okay?  We’ll just say that if we don’t get a cria in 11 or so months, it won’t be because Samson didn’t do his part.

As for Neffie, she remained decidedly unhappy about the whole situation.  She kept looking at the llamas, then looking at me and barking, as if she were saying, “Are you going to let him get away with that???”

Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.

Sorry Neffie, but it’s the only way to get a cute little cria.   Besides, Samson is quite honorable.  He stays close to his woman, even after she gets pregnant and cranky.

Now if Keira will just deliver a healthy little cria next fall. . .