The Dog; or the Wine Man Cometh

The chickens were strangely silent.

It was early morning, 6:40, the time I normally go out to feed them and water them before work. I headed out towards the coop. I had a small flock of 7 chickens, mostly brown mixed breeds. And I have a great rooster. He is large and bold and struts like he owns the place.

But he was strangely silent this morning.

I wandered back to the coop, only to be met at the gate by the biggest black lab I'd ever seen his head up, saliva drooling from one corner of his mouth, and his tail waving furiously. At his heels was a smaller pit bull mix, a dead chicken in his mouth.

I yelled. The pit bull dropped the chicken and looked up at me like he was waiting for his treat.

I pushed past the lab and the coop was in ruins. The wire had been yanked free of the post in one corner and the door had literally been pulled off the hinges. Feathers carpeted the ground in and around the coop.

There were bodies tucked here and there.

The dogs just looked at me. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to scream, but.... But. The dogs just smiled up at me.

I grabbed their collars and pulled them into the yard, tying them up with a jump rope. The owners number was on the collar and I called on my cell phone. He lived across town and was frantic for his dogs.

I went back and surveyed the damage.

Three chicken carcasses limp in the dirt. There was no blood, so I assume they were shaken (not stirred) I fished them out and tossed them in the freezer for the hawks. The other bodies were missing. I had no idea how long the dogs had been harrying the chickens, so their bodies could be anywhere.

I heard the crunch of tires as the owner pulled up. It turned out he was a cyclist friend of mine. We ride together from time to time. His dogs had escaped the fence sometime last night and found their way across town in the darkness.

My friend was devastated that his dogs did this to my birds. "Can I replace the chickens? Can I pay you?"

How much is a flock of pet chickens worth?

I had chicks in the incubator - The flock would survive this, but it would be a while before it would be giving me eggs again.

I let him know that my wife and I prefer white wines - not too dry.

It was time for work, and as I pulled out of the driveway, I heard a cluck-clucking coming from the woods behind my neighbors house.

Two chickens survived. I found them wandering around the coop when I got home from work.

The rooster sauntered out of the woods later.

I patched up the coop. It wasn't pretty to begin with, and I was thinking of rebuilding - this has just advanced my time line.

The chicks are growing quickly.

And today - the wine man cometh. Two well chosen bottles.

It's going to be okay.

Why do you hate snakes?

It got a call from a parent the other morning. "Can my daughter bring a snake into class?"

I love it when kids show interest in the outside world. I asked the mom what kind it was. they weren't sure, but someone had cut the head off of it. They thought it might be a copper head.

I wasn't thrilled about a dead snake in my room - it was gonna smell - but this might be a rare opportunity to educate the kids about what a real venomous snake looks like. It is one thing to see a picture, and totally another to see the real thing. This could be a good lesson.

When the little girl got to school, she was excited to show me her treasure.

It was gorgeous. It was an absolutely beautiful red rat snake. 3 feet long and beautiful - but it had no head.

The children and I discussed why we should not kill snakes. Identify them, respect them - don't kill them.

I don't understand the inherent hatred so many people have for snakes.

Here's one scientific theory: Humans and other primates are predisposed to acquire fears of critters that once threatened our ancestors' lives.

Psychologist Susan Mineka. of Northwestern University contends that we have a predisposition to such memories" because our ancestors once had to face snakes, certainly more so than, say, ovens. Because they survived, those who rapidly acquired the fear were most favored in natural

Mineka, along with University of Wisconsin psychologist Michael Cook, put the theory to a test in six rhesus monkeys. Reared in the lab, the animals had no prior exposure to snakes. The psychologists showed a videotape of wild-reared monkeys reacting with horror to snakes. Within 24 minutes, the lab monkeys acquired a fear of snakes.

The psychologists then edited fake flowers, a toy snake, a toy rabbit, and a toy crocodile into the video. Tests later showed that after 40 to 60 seconds of exposure to each object, the monkeys feared only the toy snakes and crocodiles. Of the four objects, only snakes and crocodiles preyed on our ancestors. Coincidence?

I can't explain it. Maybe the psychology is true. maybe people learn their fears. All I can ask is that people educate themselves. How can that be bad?

First sting

Well, it had to happen. I got stung for the first time. It wasn't as bad as I expected. I don't know if it is the strain of bees (Italian), or if the stings just aren't as bad as I remember, but it has happened.

A few days previous we had gone into the hive for the first time. They didn't seem at all happy when we did that, but they tolerated it. The real problem is that we only have one beekeepers hood and my son gets to wear it. First time violating hte hive went without incident.

We've been feeding the bees with a front feeder since they came in. I wanted to be sure they were getting plenty of food as they settled in. I went to change the feeder.

It was early in the morning, and the bees were slow and lethargic. I pulled the feeder out from the front of the hive, and the bees immediately began to swarm out of the hale recently vacated by the feeder. Up around my body and head.

I wasn't wearing gear. I was only changing the feeder.

I backed up, bu was too slow. One had landed high on my left cheek, and plunged its stinger into my face. I didn't feel it as first, as I brushed the bee off, but a warmth slowly spread across my face.

I backed up further and found my way inside. My cheek was hot to the touch, and I could feel the stinger under my eye, like an errant whisker.

Peering in the mirror, my face was starting to swell. I took a few Benedryl, squeezed out the stinger and that was it. No climax.

The swelling went down and I went to work. Nobody noticed.

I ordered a bee keepers hood and jacket, now my son and I can work together. I need to put a super on top of the hive. I'm going to wait until my new gear shows up.

No Time

Ever have times in your life where everything happens all at once, and by the time you sit down - you are too mentally exhausted to even read or write? It's been like that. Travel, kids, soccer, work, and more work... It all all catches up.

But I'm here.

Just a short montage of whats going on here.


Kids find some vines.




Eggs.


Chicks.


Boy Scouts

Pigeons


And More.


I need to post about the dog caused decimation.

Colony Collapse

Some people say that the bee is in danger. You bee people out there know all about it. Here is a short clip about the problem.

Sunday morning reading

There is lots of information out there worth reading. A little summary may be in order.

• Scientists have now made pig crap into biofuel. Could this solve our energy needs?
• Around here, deer season is long over, but at People. Animals. Nature. there's a great post entitled Meditation with meat and Knife.
• At Born to track, there has been a lot of good writing about going to ground with teckels (working dachshunds) as well as blood tracking. In general they do a lot of good work with these dogs.
• And for you eagle people, there is new research on Bonelli's eagles and how they use their territory.

Know your food -

The separation between people and their food gets ever wider. People don't know what meat is, they don't know how to make a loaf of bread, and way too many people don't know what an actual vegetable looks like.

It is one thing not to hunt (or be aware of hunting),it is another to be oblivious about foods that don't come in neat little packages on the store shelves. Way too many kids only ever see foods that come in bags.

I read this article this morning about the evils of prepackaged food. The message is good - eat healthier, know what you are eating. On a deeper level, I like to think that maybe people need to become more connected to their foods. Maybe even eat whole vegetables some times.

Do You Know What a Radish Looks Like?

Have you seen this video? It’s the one where British chef Jamie Oliver walks into a first-grade classroom and asks the kids to identify fruits and vegetables he holds up. He’s not trying to stump them — it’s not as if he’s holding up bok choy or kumquats or other items outside the average six-year-old’s culinary repertoire. No, it’s tomatoes, cauliflower, eggplant and mushrooms — and the kids couldn’t be more confused.

I guess I shouldn’t be shocked. And not just because he’s in Huntington, West Virginia, which was recently named the unhealthiest town in America. I recently went to four different corner stores within walking distance of our office right outside Washington, D.C., in search of some vegetables. There certainly weren’t any fresh vegetables (only one even offered a few lonely bananas), and the frozen food cases were stuffed with pizzas and ice cream and…that’s about it.

Let’s face it: We’re a society who eats out of boxes, bags and bottles.

Read the rest here.

New Bird

A couple of weeks ago I received an email that the local rehab center needed someone to help out with one of their birds. I was more than happy to volunteer. Around this time, I start getting the falconry itch.

I want to get out and go hunting - so I figured that I could work with another raptor and that would help me through the worst of my withdrawal.

I was out in Charlotte last week and I stopped by the Carolina Raptor Center. April was there and she gabe our group a great tour of the facility. What a great set up they have. I'll be posting some pictures of some of the 200 birds that they house there.

At the end of the tour, April took me back to the "Hospital" and we jessed up a little Red Shouldered hawk. She looks like a small red tail, and she has an attitude to match. The one thing that surprised me about this little bird is that she is a biter.

She nailed me.

In February, she had been hit by a car and suffered some broken bones and eye damage. the bird is healed now, but the raptor center needed someone to work with the bird and asses whether it is able to see well enough to hunt or not.

So that is the plan. I'm training this little girl like a miniature Red Tail. Get her on the creance, see how she flies to the fist, then we go out and hunt.

I plan on planting mice and "critters" in the leaf litter for her to find. We'll see how she does. I've had her since Monday and she finally ate off the fist on Thursday. Training will begin now in earnest. I really appreciate the opportunity to work with the bird - I'll keep you posted.

Be aware

Digging on dogs

There are a couple of good articles over at Born to Track about digging on groundhog and fox. They are using dachshunds to dig, but everything else is essentially the same as the way we use terriers. I especially like the one by teddy Moritz. Her dogs are versatile as she uses them for both groundhog as well as under her harris hawks.

Digging woodchucks with dachshunds

by Teddy Moritz

The woodchuck, or groundhog is a seven to ten pound rodent which lives in dens it digs in soil. A large groundhog can be up to 15 pounds, usually in September when it has eaten all summer and is getting ready to hibernate. This solid little species of marmot eats mainly vegetation and thrives on farm crops of all kinds, including orchard fruit. It will eat the bark of young trees and is not above some meat in its diet occasionally. It breeds early in the year and there are four to six pups, cared for solely by the mother animal.

Because it is considered an agricultural pest almost everywhere it is found, the groundhog has few supporters and is controlled by many methods. Most game departments consider the groundhog a varmint, therefore permitting them to be dispatched at any time, while other state game agencies set generous seasons. It is wise to check game laws if you are considering digging groundhogs with your dachshunds. Also, be aware that some states, particularly those which list the groundhog as a game animal, have laws forbidding digging animals out of their dens. These laws were originally aimed at people who dug fox out of dens, but those who wanted to dig groundhogs also ran afoul of these laws. Try to find a farmer who will let you do 'pest control' on his farm and you'll be set. Or talk to horse breeders, they always want the groundhogs out of their pastures.

Teddy writes well. Take a minute to check out the rest of the article.

You'll also find Moritz over at Terrierman. Here is a link to another peice of writing. She definitely loves her dachshunds and Ihear they are great little dogs.

Fear

I'm not afraid of anything.

At least that's what I tell my kids. Really, what is there to be afraid of?

I don't mean startled, like you might be by a spider in a corner. I don't mean startled, like you are when Freddie pops out of the sheets - I mean real fear.

They don't always believe me - so I explain. Fear is about the unknown and there is a difference between having a healthy respect for an animal and actual stark terror.

I respect snakes. I realize that certain venomous snakes can cause damage - and I treat them accordingly. I don't fear them, I don't avoid them - I treat them with due respect and caution due to their individual species. My wife makes fun of me because i am the only person she knows who will "relocate" live cottonmouths by catching them live and moving them. Everyone else just chops them up. Makes me sad.

Bears - not afraid, but i also know better than to get in between a mother and her cubs. Grizzly's - I avoid (actually - I live in the East - but I respect them none the less.)

Spiders - are just spiders, they won't attack.

But I found out that fear can strike suddenly. It was bees. I don't fear bees. I don't run from bees.

But when I installed the hive - I was afraid. It didn't make sense. I knew better, but it hit me all the same.

I got the box from the post office and had a little tingle of thrill as I carried it to my car - bees thrumming inside contently.

We checked them out inside- then took them out to the hive. We soaked the three pounds of bees with sugar water, then opened it up. I worked quickly, getting the queen out and pouring the bees into the hive. I pounded the box to get them out of the little hole and bees were swarming around me.

My breath got short and sweat rolled down my temple. Bees were landing on my clothes, my hat, my hand - they were everywhere. I had to control myself.

I placed the combs back into the hive, letting them settle as the bees moved out of the way. I put the cover back on, all the while feeling something crawling down my neck. the bees buzzed around my head clouding up from the hive. I slid the roof back into place, and pushed it gently forward to block off the extra entrance.

I placed the feeder back in the front access, beex crawling up my gloves and across the net over may face.

Fear.

Then I slowly stepped away from the hive. I waited for my breathing to slow, to gather myself. the bee crawling on my neck was sweat the soaked into my collar.

It was the most squirrly feeling I'd ever had. Fear.

I love the bees. I go out and watch them multiple times daily.


I only need to get over the fear.

Busy week

It's been an incredibly busy week this week as I took off with the family to Pennsylvania for spring break, swung through west Virginia, landed in Charlotte, NC for a few days and then finally came home to stuff, stuff, stuff.

PA was great. We saw family and got all the cousins together. The kids are all around the same age, and get along great. One of my favorite days was when we took all the kids to a big park and played in the water. We took off our shoes and waded through the cool waters of a rocky stream and made (tried to make) a rock bridge for future use.

It was hard for me to fathom that some of the cousins had never learned how to skip stones. So it was my son's mission to teach them how. It was a great day.

We also spent a day at the Pittsburgh zoo.

I couldn't have asked for better weather.

We left and headed down through WV on our way to Charlotte. There the kids were competing in a state championship for Odyssey of the mind. I had to see someone about a bird, and when we got back here we were welcomed with bees and babies - I'll post on those later.

Would the world be better if we were vegan?

Well, apparently not. It doesn't look like it makes much difference at all. Instead, we need to stop consuming so much.

ScienceDaily (Apr. 1, 2010) — If everyone became vegan and so ate only fruit and vegetables, then the reduction in greenhouse emissions for the whole of food consumption would be a mere 7%. The widespread adoption of vegetarianism would have even less impact, while organic food production actually leads to a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Those are the conclusions of a research paper published in the journal Progress in Industrial Ecology.

So, eat meat, get less stuff - read the rest here.

Lots of love

The birds are busy with eggs in the nests.


Pigeons


Chickens


The hawks seem like they are spending more time in close, but I haven't actually observed any lovin'. I like to think that Tess has been more territorial in her cage, but it may just be wishful thinking. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Dogs go to ground

My younger son and I took Gordon on a trip up to Maryland to wander the fields and look for groundhogs with Patrick, Terrierman.

It was the perfect day for hunting.

My son manned the camera so all picture credits go to him.

We started off at a familiar farm. This piece of land has changed over the years as the owners have modified their management style from corn to cows.

A stream meanders through the bottoms of the field and generally groundhog holes dot the shoreline of the brook. The dogs gamboled through the thick grass on the edge of the creek looking for their first scent. It didn't take long.

Five minutes and Mountain had pinged on his first hole. The other dogs piled in. Mountain had opened up in the hole and Pearl was on her toes with excitement.

Gordon still hasn't quite got it yet. He's interested - but not sure what to. He will get into the holes and sniff - but doesn't go all the way in with reckless abandon, like Patrick's dogs do. I'm working on exposure here.

We dug one hole and exposed a corner of the set, Mountain was on it, in and out the holes, then digging at where he thought it should be.

There was definitely something in there. I pole the ground. It was hard to tell where the tunnel was because the ground was so soft after all the snow they'd had that the pole went in like it was butter. We found the tube and then dropped another hole. We ended up behind the groundhog.

Pearl engaged it from one side, and Patrick tried to tail it out with the other.

We spent the rest of the morning following the creek, but realized that the recent flooding had evicted most of the wildlife out of their holes in this area. We moved spots and tried another farm. We saw lots of beautiful scenery and plenty of holes, but no one was home in most of them.

I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Near the end of the day Gordon was getting it. He located a hole and knew that it was occupied. He was on his toes! He was active, engaged - he wanted to proceed, but the hole was impassible. It was a layer of rocks, crossed with more rocks, and no way the dogs could fit.

My boy and I thanked Patrick over a pint. I had Cookie Dough, Luke had Mint Chocolate Chip.

We headed out to spend the night at the campground, then came home the next day.

Gordon is going to need more exposure to this ground work thing- but he's going to get it, I have no doubt.

Happy Easter.