Chicken Antics

 It seems Peggy Sue needs a spa day and I hadn't realized it until recently.  How could I have missed the signs?

I took this photo to show you the girls digging in to spinach and pumpkin and to my horror instead got an eyeful of dirty butt.  Coincidentally we just had a spa day for one of the black birds.  I think I've mentioned the embarrassment of not being able to tell them apart.  There's Joannie (Baez), Lulu and Etta James.  I used to be able to differentiate Etta by her smaller size and browner feathers.  But now I can't tell anyone apart!  Anyway JoannieLu (as I've come to call each of them) had quite the dirty buttee so Rick and I performed gymnastics trying to corral her to plop her in a pan of epsom salt water.  She was not enthusiastic.  But she does have a cleaner derriere.  Now it's Peggy's turn.  I'm waiting for the warmest day of the week and I think Pegs will be easier to catch.

The girls always enjoy their Sunday treat of tearing apart a flake of straw to get the chaff.
I've told you Violet a-d-o-r-e-s me and there she is, stuck to my side.

And then there's Fluffy.  A unique personality all to herself.  Her night-time roosting spot was always on the top of the yellow door, but lately she alternates between the yellow door and the interior yellow window.  Sometimes getting down in the morning for breakfast is a bit of a problem.

I've mentioned that none of the girls used the ladder and tree limb I so graciously provided in their run.  Lo and behold the "new" girls are perching there.  Yes, I still call them the new girls although they joined us Memorial Day weekend.

Huzzah!

 

   

Tales of the Tail

 Donkeys are not fortunate enough to possess the long flowing luxurious tails of a horse.  (And their manes are pretty sparse too.)  But those shorter sparser appendages do have a tale to tell.

I have observed two primary functions.

In the warm weather, a donk's tail is the most important tool in fly relief.  Well, that and a skin "shiver" to shake them off.  And of course there's the mouth grab.  So in the summer, those tails will be on active duty almost constantly.  Exactly why I always spray fly repellent on tails as well as legs.

I've had friends meet the donks, see the tail wag and react as one would to a dog.  They'll assume the donk is happy.  Not so.  The comparison doesn't hold.

If one of the donks is getting upset with another, one of the body signals is a very rapid movement of the tail.  A word to the wise, stand back.    

Sometimes there is just a leisurely swish.  And to be honest, that one I'm not sure about.

My intent was to show you another donk video from August but that plan went all kerfluey.  I recently got a new phone, all photos were transferred but try as I might I can't transfer that video from the phone to the blog.  When I see my computer consultant next, I'll bring it up --  yea, you're correct, it's my son...

Huzzah(!), I gave it one last attempt and had success.

Just ignore the ridiculous voice in the background.

Donkeys enjoy wild grape leaves

 *  *  *  *  *  * Say Yes *  *  *  *  *  *

 I tried a new vegan recipe last night.  It looked so promising.  But it got less than stellar reviews from my dinner companion so I shan't be sharing it.

Instead let me show you one of my new favorite canned soups, for an easy lunch.

It isn't labeled as vegan, but when I examine the label, I'm not sure why not.  So I'm calling it vegan.
And it's quite tasty. 

Happy eating.