From Avian Tragedy to Daddy Magic

I'm watching the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games (well, sort of watching), and marveling at the difference between Opening and Closing. The feeling is so different -- at the Opening, the athletes walk in formation, by country, and the Big Question hangs in the air -- what stories are about to be written here in the next two weeks? Who will travail, and who will triumph? Who will surprise us? Who will fulfill our expectations? What small and large acts of heroism will we witness? Who will disappoint us? By the Closing Ceremonies, the stories have mostly been written, the questions answered. A small chapter of history has closed, and the athletes are visibly relieved and ready to celebrate!

Anyway, speaking of closing chapters of history, we had a bit of a tragedy here this weekend. Y'all know a bit about our various backyard chicken dramas. Well, Saturday, Ian discovered the dead (and partially eviscerated) body of Madelyn, one of our feathered family members. Apparently, a predator had been at work, and we don't know if it was a nighttime prowler, such as a raccoon or possum, or a hawk in the daytime, like the one that killed Fluffer a little while back.

Sigh. I really hate this part of chicken farming.

Would you believe that the kids (including Oscar next door) wanted to dig up the body and do a post-mortem after Tim had buried it? Ian had -- and this will shock you -- BIG IDEAS for how to track down and apprehend the killer, and apparently he needed to examine the body for clues. He promised us he wouldn't touch it, and so what could we say? He simply didn't find my "I think that's gross and you sure wouldn't catch ME doing it," very compelling. So here they are:



Oscar's dad came over halfway through this episode and looked a bit horrified. Those weird neighbors again.

All this serious work was then followed by a visit from Robinhood (who's been practicing his archery all weekend) and two Maid Marians ("DARLING!"):





AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Introducing ... DADDY MAGIC, the latest from my blogging husband. Check it out!