Sex and the Ridge

Well, this week has given new meaning to the term 'January Thaw,' a phenomenon that is not uncommon. It *is* uncommon for it to be 60 degrees however. Usually we expect a few days that perhaps touch the low 4os. Our thermometer showed that it was over 50 in the shade yesterday. Crazy!! I sat outside in a light fleece and wrote in my journal while Liam slept, drinking in the sun. It was pretty spectacular in a global-warming kind of way.

is it wrong to enjoy some uncharacteristic warmth knowing its implications?

Discuss.

So, you are probably wondering about the sex part. Well, all that nice warmth has caused quite a snow melt exposing the greatest amount of grass and mud since December. The chickens were pretty psyched and scratched about as a group, under the pines and lilacs, their usual stomping grounds. I herded my own group of 2 out around 3:30 or so... empty the compost, bring a few things in to the barn, disperse the cooped up (pun not intended!) energy, etc...

Raelin, of course, bee-lined for the chickens. Her love of them is something fierce, i have to say. So while I was hanging out with her and the birds under the pines she witnessed the rooster mount of the hens for the first time. She was on it, in an instant.

"ROOSTER!! STOP THAT! That was NOT NICE!!" and charged at the eager bird who hastily dismounted and fluttered a few paces away. Raelin turned to me, a bit aghast.

"Mommy! Did you see that?! The rooster was pecking that Black Minorca! and he was doing it while STANDING ON HER! That was NOT OK!"

I had to stifle some laughter and just nodded my head, sympathetically. "Yeah, roosters do that sometimes. He's not hurting her... much," i mumbled the 'much' part, because i can't say her clucks were those of satisfaction.

Raelin got a goofy grin on her face. "Why do you think he was DOING that? Was he trying to talk to her? "

me, giggling. "something like that...." Best to keep it simple.

in the meantime... Rooster going to have to watch his back.