Birds of a Feather, etc.

 This purple finch(I think) is one of the first birds to take advantage of the bird feeder Beth gave me to discourage the pigeons.  It does keep the pigeons away, but it also kept the other birds away, too, for the most part. I altered the design a little by putting tiny wedges in the space that allows the birds to get the seeds.  The seeds fall down onto the tray in the wind, so I'm hoping once they get used to eating there it will dawn on them that there is a feast awaiting them above their heads.  So far I haven't seen any of them look up.

The chickens are also glad to see the weather change. They have gone outside all winter, but I'm sure it has been far from pleasant for them.  Today every one of them escaped when I was working on their pen.  They went out through a very small hole in the fence, on the other side from the gate, so I had a very hard time getting them back.  I was able to capture them one by one and put them back over the fence....all but one.  The ever-adventurous Penny refused to be caught.  She ran out to the street and headed up the hill.  Luckily she remembered the days when she was able to come and go at will.  She went around the corner, past the neighbor's, into our front yard where she used to lay her eggs under the bay window, down the side of the house, and back into the pen. 

I haven't written in awhile as I try to digest the outcome of my court case.  It never went to trial because Phil offered to settle.  This came as a surprise to me and I was not present for the discussion about it except by phone.  Only today did I receive a copy of the agreement we made, and I hardly recognized it for what I thought we had agreed upon.  It has already been signed by the judge and I don't know how to proceed from here.  This brings back all of the fear and uncertainty I felt before the settlement.......after I thought I was finally free of it all.

New Pony at the Farm

 This is the adorable new pony at the shelter.  He was kept in a stall for 15 years before someone discovered him.  His feet are in terrible shape and he has a respiratory problem, but he is safe now.  I am just appalled at the way people abuse animals.  I think that if I could I would cheerfully kill the person who did this.  Nevertheless, the pony (no name yet) is sociable and loves people.  At first he was lying down a lot because his feet were so sore, but the farrier put some medicated pads under some built-up shoes and he is happy.  He runs around his pen, kicking up his heels.  His breathing has gotten better with a special diet.

This is why I love working at the farm.

One Day

 I remember doing this before, but I guess the state of the world bears repeating.  These articles all came from this morning's paper.  I wonder if this is all the news, or if the editors have chosen just the most depressing (or titillating) events to print.  It seems that there must be other noteworthy things happening in the world.

I would like to think that good news is plentiful but boring.  I'd like to think that people like to read about tragedy and violence out of boredom with their own humdrum lives.  I'd like to think it excites them because it is outside their own experience. 

There is a violent, aggressive component to most species.  Dog-eat-dog behavior has certainly been handed down from the beginning of time...........one of the fundamental requirements for survival.  I suppose, then, that it's good that most of us get the thrill of it all vicariously.