Chickens and Cats and a Mouse

While I was in Minneapolis for a week the kids dad stayed at the farm and "took care" of things.  He cleaned up a pile of wood next to the compost heap and saw a mouse run from the woodpile into the chicken house. 
On my return in the evening, I was noticing that our new cat "Margaret" (called alternately Margie, Madge, Marjorie and Large Marge courtesy Peewee Herman) was looking a little wild in the eye so I offered her the choice to go outside. She took it.
Our other cat Bella was already outside.  When I opened the door a couple hours later, there sat Marjorie on the front stoop, Amanda dog by her side.  They both sauntered in.
Bella was nowhere to be seen. I went back an hour later and called. And another hour later...Bella always comes in, but not this night.
I wondered where she was, figured it may be her wild night and went to bed.  When I got the paper in the morn I expected to see a cat right at the door... but Bella was not to be seen. I was getting worried.  I did regular morning stuff --took Wilder to school, stopped for tea, scones, and drove back home.  As I got out of my car I noticed the chickens had not been let out of their house by Wilder that morning and they sounded pissed.  Usually when they are cranky birds I talk to them and they calm right down.  But they were in a state and as I walked around the house to let them out they were really lecturing me. 
I unlocked the door and lifted the flap... and out shot a small black cat, Bella.  She had just spent 14 hours in a coop with five birds.  I hope she got that mouse!

Pic: A Welsummer and a Golden Laced Wyandotte on my porch surveying the insect population.

Rose told me when she was locking the chickens up tonight, Bella, Marge, and Amanda went with her--but Bella stayed far away from the door.

Spring frogs

Last night I called the kids outside in the dark.  My son does not like the dark, my daughter was in her pj's.  We stood there together listening to one lone frog call coming from the wetlands.  I don't know how they work that singing thing... are all the other ones just sitting in silence until all thousand start singing at the same time?  What is their signal? Because it really is "all at once".  So Feb. 13th is frog day for 2012.

Unrelated picture since I am lousy at frog hunting: This is little Chuck, who passed away this winter and was buried in the animal graveyard we acquired with the farmhouse.  I know he just looks like a rodent that my cat brings me when she thinks I am a failure as a hunter but he had a big personality, with an addiction to cheese.

Look what the cat dragged in....

Bella the cat brought in another gift to us... a baby bunny IN MY ROOM. At least this one is unharmed and as soon as I get the cat in the house I can return it from whence it came. At least its better than the pregnant mouse that spontaneously aborted IN MY ROOM or the bird that I had to wrestle from her IN MY ROOM.
And now she won't come inside because I yelled at her. In her world, she is bringing me quite a trophy, and I should commend her lavishly.
I tolerate the rat parts she scene-ically lays out on the front porch and gently thank her, I even managed to squeeze out a "good cat" when she left me a rat face looking up at me one morning not wanting to discourage her rodent hunting. But bunnies make me do the girl thing "aaaaawwwwwwwwww, sooo cuuuute" in a high girlie voice. I can't help it.
My cat is immune to cuteness. I just yell loud and flail my arms when I don't agree with her choice of prey, and I also know that I am not even remotely speaking her language and she could give a rip.
Photo: I only took one of the rabbit with a flash since it was terrified. Hence the cut-off pic.

Family - Feathers or Fur

Tired old cat.

Demanding, yet gentle, hen.

Love-button of a horse.

Usually mud-brown mini farm dog.