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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

I Asked Myself,

Is it dead?

 
Did I run over it as I parked?
 
 
 
 Well, is it dead or sleeping? This is not the "playing possum" position even though the possum is not moving...at all, even when I spoke to it, stomped, and kicked leaves and rocks its way. I prepared for it to leap at me, all teeth and hisses.

The front wheel is going to hit it if I just back up, and I don't want to move it. How lucky can I get with a dead possum? Finally, I just backed out and cut my wheel so as not to squash it.  ugggh.

As I leaned over to look at the possum to determine if I could see wounds, I noticed that little black specks were all over the ends of the light fur. I leapt back as I realized the thing was lousy with fleas. I sprayed the area around the possum and soaked its fur in Raid flea killer. This is the kind with the lavender clear cap. It kills fleas and eggs.

I left a trash can in the front yard with two WM bags to use as gloves inside the trash bag to put it in. It took Tony two horrid days to get it. Luckily, I never hit Ms. Possum in my comings and goings, making sure it was behind the car instead of under the car. I was quite sure she would not crawl under the car for me...lol.

Did it just snuggle up to the tire to die?

 
two days later
 
 
 I was sitting inside when I heard a ruckus in the yard. Chickens were fussing, first one, then two, and finally the third and last one. This went on about three minutes as I got my shoes on and some oats for them.

They were all three in the yard on the side next to my crazy lady neighbor, the one who did not hear ten minutes of my screaming and the dogs' barking and growling. Well, I went out talking to them softly. No help. They were obviously very frightened. I stood talking in a soft voice, showing them I had oats, something that will always make them run to me or their pen. This time, none of the three had any interest in food. That showed me they really were afraid. So, I stood very still and stared at certain places in the yard, hoping to spot movement.

 The crazy lady next door snatched her back door open, glared at me, and slammed it. Yes, the hens were noisy, but how loud can three hens get? And, it was about 2:30 pm. I walked toward their pen on the other side of the house, calling them softly and giving their shrill food call--deee lie lah--while they tried to decide what to do. Maggie May and Patsy Cline ran for their lives in the center of the yard rushing straight for me. Thelma walked slowly close to the fence, with measured and cautious steps, looking at the hole from two feet or less. When she got to the hole, she stood still and stared at it for about three seconds and ran for her life, tripping on a board, hitting her chin on the ground, regaining her footing and rushing right into the pen. So, there was something probably going into the hole. Yes, chickens do have chins, don't they?

I do live an exciting life.

Remember, today is the last night for Giveaway II. Enter by midnight.

Your turn
Do you have any thoughts on these incidents? What could be in that hole?



7 comments:

  1. I'd say it started out as an armadillo hole, but the leaves indicate no activity for awhile.

    If I had to guess, I'd think a large rat, or possum is now the occupant. That, or a snake. All will keep a chicken scared, but considering the leaves are undisturbed, there is no inhabitant at this time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jess,
      The hole has been enlarged in the last week. I wonder. I I have a rat in the yard that size, maybe I will relocate. Thanks.

      Delete
    2. If you have a rat that big, I'm diving from Seattle to you, with dogs, guns and teenage boys. They live an adventure :)

      Delete
  2. Possums have even made it to Oregon, but here in the downtown, I mostly see nutria and raccoons, although an occasional river otter makes it up the drainage canal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I see raccoons here about as often as I do possums. I bet the woods are empty of them.

      Delete
  3. I've shown dead birds on my blog, but you now get the award for showing a dead possum on yours. What a place to die!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LL,
      I thought that since it was not squashed, swollen, or bleeding it might be okay. The position at death was what intrigues me. I will take the award. You can have a live possum in return.

      Delete

Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.