Pages

▼

Friday, April 27, 2012

The day that Peach auditioned for the remake of "The Wizard of Oz" - a re-enactment

It was Thursday afternoon around 3:15. I was on a relatively important conference call. The wind was blowing so hard I was having trouble hearing the voices on the other end of the line. To make matters worse, Smooch started barking like a maniac and running from room to room. She usually barks at stuff that's out of place, so I assumed a pail or jolly ball had blown by outside and upset her.


Anyway, the call finally ended and I went outside to check on things. I found Eugenia, Minnie, and Clara huddled against the barn, out of the wind. I assumed Peach was busy laying an egg inside the coop. I herded the hens into their stall and checked the laying boxes for eggs. Whoo-hoo! Another four-egg day. But where was Peach?

I looked under the coop, around the coop, on top of the coop. No Peach. I searched the front yard. I searched the back yard. I searched the side yard. No Peach. I had so much sand in my eyes by this time that I figured I had overlooked her, so I went back to the coop and searched again. Still no Peach.

Now I was getting frantic. Sure, it's dry in New Mexico, but chickens don't just evaporate. I looked at the direction the wind was blowing and tried to imagine where Peach might have ended up if a gust had swept her off her feet.


Let's see...if strong southerly winds are sustained at 45 to 55 mph with gusts as high as 75 mph, and I get an email advisory from the county that says "these winds have the potential to create damage to roofs, power lines, carports, and other light weight objects, (emphasis added)" why, that must mean Peach is somewhere over yonder! Don't you just love word problems?


Sure enough, I made my way to the other side of the five-foot fence that surrounds the house, and there was poor, pitiful Peach, scared to death but unharmed. I scooped her up in my arms and took her back to the coop. Whew.


Meanwhile, back in the yard, all 165 pounds of Wynonna were not in danger of blowing away and she was more worried about missing her dinner than getting a little sand in her eyes.




at

25 comments:

  1. June4/27/12, 5:30 AM

    It wouldn't be humorous if you hadn't found her, but the idea of Smooch barking at Peach blowing by the window makes me laugh.

    ReplyDelete
  2. C in WI4/27/12, 5:32 AM

    I was so caught up in the chicken story that I had to laugh out loud at the Wynonna comment at 165 lbs not being in danger. :0

    Good thing you found her before the coyotes had a chicken dinner!

    ReplyDelete
  3. theresa EH4/27/12, 6:02 AM

    PHEW!!!! If yer telephone call had been any longer I am sure a coyote would be dinning on chicken a la peach eh......

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sandra4/27/12, 6:35 AM

    Wow what a wind storm. I guess Smooch was trying to tell you Peach was on the wing. What are you doing by the way with all the eggs? Are you able to stay ahead of them? I imagine beautiful cakes, cookies, souffles, and the like but somehow "I don't think so after all".
    Best always, Sandra

    ReplyDelete
  5. clairz4/27/12, 6:35 AM

    Those dusty photos will greatly help to offset all the clear-sky beauties you usually post. We don't want the place to get too crowded, you know. The EPA gives my county in southern New Mexico an "F" for particulate pollution; pretty ironic for a place with 350 days of lovely sunshine, but that's the way the wind blows in the spring in New Mexico. Glad your chickies are same and didn't blow too far away!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous4/27/12, 6:42 AM

    I love your drawing of peach being blown over the fence! Nice self portrait too! What a perfect way to start my morning!
    Shelley

    ReplyDelete
  7. Vicki4/27/12, 6:43 AM

    That wind was too much! And this morning, huge thinder booms started waking me up at 5AM. Do you think we could have a tornado?

    ReplyDelete
  8. shadowlake20054/27/12, 6:56 AM

    Poor little Peach! That must've been horrifying for her. But somehow, I can't escape the image of her on a little bicycle, pedaling furiously across the sky.

    ReplyDelete
  9. OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts4/27/12, 6:59 AM

    That wind yesterday was scary bad. Here we are in the city and couldn't see across the street. Had stuff from goodness knows where blowing all over....I can't imagine how horrible it must have been out in the "boonies". Sure am glad Peach has a rescuer Mom....bet she was too. And thank goodness for eagle eye Smooch. Oma Linda

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous4/27/12, 7:24 AM

    OMG! That is one heck of a wind storm! So glad Peach is okay. I love your sketches!! They crack me up! I hope you have quieter weather today.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous4/27/12, 8:04 AM

    Since Wynonna and I way roughly the same, I guess I can safely say that I will never blow away either.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Carolynn Anctil4/27/12, 9:23 AM

    Now that's a wind storm! Poor little Peach. I'll bet she was glad to get back into her palace with the other girls.

    I'll bet the entire event felt like a day at the spa for Wynnona. A little exfoliation is good for the skin, right Love?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Meghan Grace4/27/12, 9:35 AM

    Great job of Smooch to warn you of Peach's dilemma! I feel badly though that darling little Peach had to be frightened. I am sure that she was very relieved that her momma came and rescued her. What a wild wind/sand storm you had. The one of Wynonna cracked me up. She is a hearty girl!

    ReplyDelete
  14. janejane4/27/12, 9:59 AM

    Poor Peach! I can see them all back at the coop sharing their stories about the BIG WIND. Good looking out, Smooch!

    ReplyDelete
  15. gtyyup4/27/12, 10:27 AM

    My chuckle for the day Linda!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Danni4/27/12, 10:27 AM

    Seriously?
    OMG.
    *So* glad you found poor Peach..

    That shot of Wynonna through the grit and dust is crazy!

    ReplyDelete
  17. BumbleVee4/27/12, 11:05 AM

    Yikes...worse than living Kansas when the poor chickens get blown away..... well, not quite..but, you know what I mean.....

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wendy W4/27/12, 11:51 AM

    That wind sounds crazy. I'm so glad you found her. I ALWAYS love the little drawings you do. I hope today isn't as windy.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Amy4/27/12, 11:57 AM

    WOW!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Colleen G4/27/12, 1:50 PM

    Thank goodness for Smoochie girl! Your drawings made me laugh out loud!! Glad Peach is a-ok.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Grey Horse Matters4/27/12, 4:55 PM

    Poor Peach. Adds a whole new meaning to "the wind beneath my wings." Glad Wynonna was in no danger -lying behind the bush probably saved her. Not anything to do with the crack about her weight!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Dave Gibbons4/27/12, 5:16 PM

    And planting a wind break of tall plants would a.) require watering and b.) block your beautiful views. I say suffer the occasional winds and keep sending us those fantastic photos. I too am glad Peach is safe. I hope the trauma does not affect her egg production.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Jan Blawat4/27/12, 5:30 PM

    Carson, this is off topic for today, but check out this blog:
    http://helsieshappenings.blogspot.com/

    Helsie, who lives in Australia, has an article about donkey therapy.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Janet4/27/12, 7:30 PM

    I got a little scared when I saw the drawing of Peach in to piecesGlad she's whole.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Sandy from Edgewood, NM4/28/12, 11:46 AM

    Did Peach have on Red Ruby slippers? Maybe she did not click them hard enough to get to Kansas and just flew over the fence!

    ReplyDelete