nasty part two...

About 11 pm last night I heard my hens clucking with alarm and John grabbed the flashlight to go see what was up. When I heard his footsteps come racing back across the yard I was at the door, concerned for "my girls" health and safety. Sure enough, John shouted there was something in there, something big! We were racing around together, trying to find the key that unlocks the gun safe, me frantically getting him shoes while he quickly loaded the 22 rifle with bullets and dashed back out there to the dark chicken coop. I grabbed a jacket (and the camera-the reporter in me thought finally something interesting to blog about! death and peril, at our very doorstep) and thus armed I followed my soldier into battle. John is a great marksman, even in the dark and the cold. It took several shots though to kill the huge gray possum that had dug under the door! I didn't think possum killed hens and started wondering aloud if he was just after eggs (we have had a very small output of eggs lately) but John pointed out the proof. Trapped right there in his mouth, a white tail feather from my beloved Mamie.
All my compassion for this living creature, just trying to get a warm dinner on a cold night? Gone, with such proof. I disposed of the body myself and went to bed satisfied. The ole homestead is safe.
for tonight.