Friday, October 23, 2015

A few moments of rural living

I glanced out the window on the way to letting Smooch outside 
and saw something amiss in the back yard.

There was a small hawk standing over a great big pile of white feathers. 



Small hawk: I think she sees me.



The hawk wasn't interested in sharing his meal and took off with it.



There were enough gray feathers in the pile that I was confident
Lady Mary and Edith were not involved, but I took attendance anyway.
Sure enough, the victim was a dove. But who was the perpetrator?



Johnny was sitting close by, watching the feather pile and looking very guilty.
Had he taken down the dove, only to have an opportunistic hawk steal it?



Inspector Smooch: I think the cat did it.



Johnny: Why am I not surprised? Damned dog.



Smooch guarded the feather pile while watching Johnny,



while Johnny watched Smooch, waiting for the right moment
to reclaim what was left of the prey,



while Alan, always eager for a little action, watched them both.
I had no interest in watching fur and feathers fly
and took Smooch back in the house until everyone lost interest.

***

I know many of you come here for a glimpse of rural living, and there's
a new online publication that features more of just that. It's called Rural
and is the creation of blogger Jen Vandervoort, with contributions from
a few other bloggers you may know.
Here's a link to the first issue.





12 comments:

  1. Is that Hank on the cover?

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  2. I'm betting on the hawk. Around here the hawks nail the doves in just that way making it look as if the doves have simply exploded. JohnnyCC is good, but I don't think he can explode a dove.

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    1. Good to know. It really did look like an explosion.

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  3. I signed up to receive Rural in my email ... what a beautiful little publication! I recognized Hank & JCC right off the bat!! Thanks for giving us the link to that, Linda.
    Too bad about the little dove, but critters & birds have to eat, too!!

    Hugs from CO ... Marcia

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  4. I was in graphics for 40 years, I appreciate a well composed publication, Rural is very nice. What a great places for those pictures you take with such care. I've lived on my family's farm all my life, though, and I was snickering that the pictures were on the idealistic side. No dripping faucets, fences in disrepair, or - the scene I see from my kitchen - several ancient, beat-up trucks waiting for workers to show up this morning and take them out to the fields. This time of year they'll come back filled with the last of the sweet corn and hundreds of pumpkins. And because it's California and a drought year, everything is covered in dust. I'm happy to see the more scenic pictures in Rural.

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  5. Thank you for the link to Rural, I signed up to receive the next issue of this beautiful little magazine.

    I was pleased to recognize your pictures in this first issue.

    Several winters ago a hawk hung around my neighbors bird feeder. Several times we came home to an explosion of feathers such as in your picture. Poor JCC, he can only wish.

    Laurie

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  6. Thanks for the link to Rural! It looks like a lovely publication
    I love reading your posts. Life in your part of the US looks so very different than it is here in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. But, the animals antics often sound very familiar.

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  7. Whoever was responsible, they sure didn't leave much behind. I'm glad to hear your girls are all safe. I'm also absolutely thrilled to be rubbing shoulders with you in Rural. It's an honour. Much love to you and the herd.

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  8. Awwwwwww...... Exploding doves :-( actually sounds like something from Dr. Who.

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  9. An American in Tokyo10/26/15, 6:59 PM

    Beautiful, beautiful photos!!

    And I found JCC as well as Hank!! =D

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  10. Beautiful pictures!

    And thank you for the link to Rural Magazine - loved it so much I sent the link to my cousin who, I think, will also enjoy it.

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