Two Tragedies

About 6 days ago, all the "girls" (chickens) were foraging in the back yard.
One half hour later,  four of them were missing.  We began to look for them
immediately.  We called come for them--and a quarter mile away --
here comes Blondie,  She and Sweetie, both could run equally fast.
Following her were three more chickens, which meant one was still missing.
She stopped and checked the highway, then led them safely across and down
the driveway of our neighbor's  , slidingand cut through the thick brush in order
to keep the others safely away from highway.

We kept calling for Sweetie, and the rest of the chickens joined in.  There
was no sign of Sweetie, but she came in late one other night, so I just kept
calling.  Midnight was the last time I went out to call  I woke up at 0600
and went out to look again,  She wasn't there.  I couldn't accept it.  I kept
seeing here barreling down the hill, hesitating for only 3 seconds before flying
across the highway, sliding sideways into drieway--just like race car driver
she wanted to be.  The only thing good--she never was mistreated in any way.
When she bruised her foot, she got a "spa" treatment for her feet--and she
was only let outside for an hour.  She came back in willingly and laid down
willingly.  She slept most of the day.  The next day she went outside with
her sisters--no longer limping.  She was petted and loved.  And I still miss
her every day.

I just went to check the sisters--they were in a huddle of sleep, all cuddled
together, except for Blondie.  She was laying in front of the others,
pointing outward, as if to guard them.

The second tragedy was the death of  Cafe Blue member--I've known
him ince 1998.  When I lived near Daytona in 2001, we would go to Daytona
to buy fresh veggies from  their huge--kind of like a flea market, but there
was a lot veggies sold there.  After that, we would go to a used bookstore.
Both  of us are into books.  It was there in Daytona that I found a used copy
of one his poetry books.  Through his poetry, I felt that we had communicated
in a deeper way than in the Cafe.  He will be missed.  But he had a very good
life.  He was devoted to his wife  He was 88 when he passed to the other
side.

So I am dealing with two losses.  I couldn't write about them before now.

Appreciate the moments you have,  They are preious and dear.

All  for now.

Kate  Thorn