Aliens From Inner Space

Our yard has been invaded, by creatures from Tim Burton's mind. What is spotted, has a humped back, red tea cup flaps of skin hanging off its face, a white faces, pointy heads and screeched continuously? Those darn Guinea’s in our back yard! Oh look its snowing again.... screech, screech, screech, Oh look it stopped snowing, screech screech, I think you get the idea.

I know, I’ve been stuck home, abandoned with a broken ankle, all by myself but jeepers creepers, do they ever stop? The answer is no, almost no, they only shut up for a few precious hours during the overnight. Now I know why they have always been called the “guard dog of birds”. If one of those ran up to me, red wattles, white head (I’ m talking clown face white), started its screeching, I would run like hell the other way! Guard birds my butt, scary noise birds with looks that match.

Truly only a face a mommy guinea could love.Yet I find myself slowly becoming enamored with their oddness. I’m going to call half of them Tim, the other have Burton! There, it is all settled, like I have said previously you try to come up with names for all our creatures. By the way the Geese are named Hansel and Gretal, I keep forgetting to mention that.

As for my Tim's and Burton's, they have started something new, for the new year. Guinea Love and as far as I can tell, this is the only time two are quiet, while everyone else cheers them on. Sigh, I guess this is one way to figure out girls from boys?

Winter Wonder Land

The Geese still hog the water cooler (heated water) but every now and then they wander off allowing the other birds a chance at it. There are 4 other water stations but every one always wants the same one!

No sooner did the winter solstice take place, the ducks and geese have decided love is in the air. I keep telling them it is to early, wait for spring but it is the same every year. Mr. Quackers is already trying to whisper sweet nothings at Clovers ankles. Clover is our girl turkey and Mr. Quackers is a little confused, he does this every year. Cecil and Dinner our two tom's have the situation under control, ducks can run fast when they have to.

The Guinea's absolutely hate the snow. During every snow storm they perch in the duck pen doorway screaming their brains out the entire day. When the storm is over we give every one snow blown paths and alfalfa piles for munching, lounging and to keep their feet off the snow. After a few days the guineas will venture out into the other pathways enduring the torture of the horrible white stuff. But their screeching starts anew when the next storm hits.

Chester our newest addition and youngest cat is getting a little braver and thinks he may stalk the birds. His idea of stalking is to slink slowly towards the birds while never getting any closer then 50 feet. He is a very brave boy!

This is the time of year that all those fruit and veggie scraps that I froze are thawed out, warmed up and fed to everybody daily along with fresh treats. And people wonder why they are so tame?