Losing out

Harris Hawk about to launch onto glove

These days have been feeling empty in the garden.  We lost two baby chicks and Bolt (one of our adult chickens) to what we think was a raccoon attack. We missed them very much. I feel guilty for leaving the door to their coop open for the night because we were away. 

We found a hole in the fence and covered with rocks and wire fence. The next night, the raccoons came back and we ran after them to scare them off and since, they haven't come back. Now we have two adults, Negra and Dina and we will protect them at all times. 

We love our chickens, they are more than just food bearers, they are our pets. A project to make a chicken run is on the drawing board and until then we don't plan to get more chicks. 

This week was also the end of the school year. After leaving graduation I also had a feeling of emptiness.  It made me think of family tides and how happy everyone was.  I miss that feeling of having family around. The feeling of seeing their faces and holding them for a long minute without a care in the world. I think of my aunts, cousins and uncles when I occasionally look at the moon and I hope they are too and wondering about me.  

I also felt speechless at the fact that most of the kids that graduated did not say goodbye.  Other colleagues thought about it too and felt the same way.  I figured I was being too sentimental, after all I do give it my all to teaching and reaching out to them without expecting anything in return.  Perhaps one day they will look back and say: Thank you. 

Lastly, the picture of the hawk made me think of our chickens. I did not have a chance to take photos of  our two baby chicks. They were Columbian Wyandottes and they had a gorgeous white and black plumage, they were always curious and didn't mind getting held by us.  I sometimes can hear their happy chirps in the garden when we use to let them out.  We love you chicks!