Killer ducks!

That's right...two of the ducks pictured above are cold blooded killers! The big white one with his head under the water (Puddles) and the dark brown one next to him (Mr. Bean...alias Mr. Mean) committed murder by drowning last night. Don found poor Rowan drowned in the duck pool this morning. Since we keep the drakes in a separate pen, there is no one else to blame for this heinous crime.

Last night's incident leads us to believe that it was Puddles and Mr. Bean (Mean) who jumped Strayhorn and brutalized the poor rooster so badly he wasn't able to recover. Rowan didn't have a chance last night and now we are left with our least favorite foul fowls!

Rowan is now buried at the garden next to Strayhorn and I told Don I didn't want any more male birds. Don, however, wants another rooster. He misses the crowing...says it makes the place feel more like a farm with a rooster crowing. I just hope we find another nice rooster, but I never want any more drakes!

Rest in peace handsome Rowan. You were never a nuisance and that's a quality I admire in a duck...or a neighbor...or...

Horses had a visitor...

Yesterday after Don fed the horses we heard the dogs barking. I went to the window to check on them and noticed someone walking across the hayfield toward the horse pen. Then I noticed something odd...there were FIVE horses at the fence. We only have four horses!

Don and I immediately knew what was going on. A neighbor of ours recently got a horse and has been keeping it tied in his yard. He doesn't have a fenced pasture. Obviously his horse had gotten loose and trotted over to greet our horses.

It was also obvious that the neighbor was not having any luck catching his horse, so Don hopped in the truck to go help. By the time he got to the hayfield the horse had taken off across the field, up the road past the neighbor's house and was in another neighbor's cornfield. Don was able to catch the horse by bribing it with an ear of corn.

He had a bit of a chat with the neighbor about the situation and learned that they have a pasture up the road. They will be taking the horse there as soon as they sell the stud horse that's currently in that pasture. I hope that happens soon because the horse has no shelter and the other day I saw their pit bull tugging the horse by the rope around its neck. I pulled in and blew the horn, but no one was home. Fortunately, I distracted the dog, but don't doubt that it went right back to aggravating the horse when I left.

At least the horse had a good trot around the neighborhood and our horses were happy to visit across the fence!