NOT CUT OUT TO BE A FARMER

(Uncle Bob & the Girls)

I was raised by wonderful parents who totally lived off the land. Wonderful gardens and fantastic berries. But seriously I don't think there is a family photo from 1899 to about 1965 that doesn't have a dead critter or 12 in it. I think it was on my first real date that I had a 'beef' steak. The thing is that I always hated it. I hated the deer hanging in the garage, the grouse, the pheasants, the ducks, I understood it and still do but it's just not my thing. I am a total suck for animals, small, large, furry, feathered, doesn't matter, anyway it was a bad night.
We have (at the moment)10 hens and 4 female chicks, 3 hours ago we had 11 hens and I am ridiculously attached to them. They are dumb as posts but they are friendly and they trust you. They trust you to feed them and water them and protect them and they give you great eggs in return. They also trust dogs because Will & Brenna are wonderful with them. Tonight I let them down. Even as one of my new 'girls' came running to me I didn't think Marty's Casey would hurt her but in a blink of an eye he grabbed her and ran. I pried his mouth open and she died in my arms and then he got another and she will probably die tonight.
It was horrible and all I can think about is how bad it will be if, not if but when more die, the alpacas or Simon... I love these damn critters so much too much.

I must have been adopted...