I'm glad I didn't say, "I told you so!"

Bob thought it would be fun to let one of the chickens hatch little chicks. Once this hen started sitting or setting (I don't know which one to use), she was not very friendly. She would squawk and peck at you if you came near her. Bob didn't care what she did, he would pick her up to see if any of the chicks had hatched. One morning when he went to the barn to feed and water the chickens and to check on the setting hen, she was especially spatty and fussy, but Bob picked her up anyway and four little chicks fell from under her wings. She had two little yellow chicks and two black.

When I found out about the chicks, I thought we should bring them into the house and bring in the washtub for them to grow-up in. Bob wouldn't hear any of that. He said hens have had chicks in barns for many years and somehow they survive without being raised in a kitchen. The hen is very protective and if any of the other hens or roosters come close, she lets them have it. She has even pulled some feathers out of a hen that got to close.

The chicks do just what their mother does. When she scratches at the food on the ground, they copy her. It's so cute. And when she calls them, they come running and get under her wings. The chicks have been getting through the fence and the mother hen has a fit. When I saw this, I of course told Bob we should definitely bring them in the house till they got older. Nope. That didn't happen.

On Monday evening, Bob went out to gather the eggs and make sure all the chickens were inside. All but the mother hen was in the chicken house. She was huddled outside with all four baby chicks underneath her. It was beginning to rain, so Bob didn't think he should just leave her there, so he braved the pecking and gathered the hen and her chicks and took them inside and put them in one of the nesting boxes.

The next evening, once again the mother hen was outside with her baby chicks underneath her. It wasn't raining, so Bob decided to let her stay there. The next morning when Bob checked on them, they were all running around in the fenced in pen.

That evening when Bob went out to gather the eggs, the mother hen was inside in the highest nesting box - just sitting there. Bob looked all around for the little chicks, but he couldn't find them. When he came in he told me that either a snake or the cats must have eaten the chicks because he couldn't find them anywhere. That's when I wanted to say, "See I told you so" but I didn't. It was really sad to hear about those little chicks because they were so cute - and seemed to be quite happy.

Once again in the morning, Bob went out to feed the chickens and out in the chicken yard was the mother hen and all four chicks. They must have been underneath her in that top nesting box. How did they get there? They can't fly yet. I wonder if they got on the mother hen's back and she flew up there with them?

I was so thankful that they were safe. They are so cute.


We also have a strawberry patch this year. Here grandpa and Madeline are picking strawberries for our supper. The strawberries are really good - very sweet. I wish there were enough to freeze or make jam. Bob says next year we should have plenty. We've been sharing this year's crop with the deer. They seem to like them as much as we do. Bob will probably have to fence the strawberry patch.

Our three dogs just can't get enough attention. And, if they see Bob petting one of the other dogs, they become jealous and come running wanting attention too. They are such good dogs. Yesterday, I got a call on my cell phone while I was at work - and I was able to find my phone, in the bottomless pit of a purse I carry before it stopped ringing. It was the county clerk's office telling me that Punkin Doodles - and I was thinking, oh, great, Punkin has gotten out in the road and has been hit by a car - dog license expires the end of the month. I let her know that I had the renewal license and check on my dining room table ready to bring in.

Grandpa and Madeline went to the barn to check on the chickens and play with the cats. That's right, cats. Bootsie had kittens and we had homes for all four and then one of the families didn't want to wait six weeks for them, so they got some elsewhere. So, we couldn't find homes for the two leftovers and Bob has named them so there's no way he's going to give them away. Madeline asked grandpa if she could have the one she is holding and he said sure. Then she said her mom said she could have it, but it had to live at his house. She named it Oreo - grandpa calls it Patches. I hope the cat doesn't get too confused with his names. The other kitten he named big foot because it has seven toes on each foot. We have got to take all three cats and Checotah in to be fixed. I do not want more animals. Enough is enough!!!

Bob wanted a picture of us in front of the barn before he shaved off his beard. I refused to let him catch a chicken to hold for the picture - he wasn't happy about it either.