Pumpkins!

Wednesday, October 27, 2021 (November’s full moon [“Beaver”] will rise on the 19th.)

When a customer at Wilco told me how much his goats love pumpkin, I knew mine would be getting a go at it. So would my chickens and horses.

I didn’t realize how much work it would be to cut a pumpkin in half, that was a job. Pumpin offerings to the goats didn’t receive much interest. The chickens, however, pounced on pumpkin pieces.

In the photo, note my poor rooster’s missing tail feathers. He grew up with long, beautiful feathers that flowed as he moved. The girls love those feathers, they follow plucking at them. That sweet guy although nearly naked doesn’t discipline his pluckers.

Some days I work, until the store closes and it’s dark outside. Arriving home, I care for barn-related animals. By then the chickens are roosting. They don’t overly object as I spray purple disinfectant on rooster’s exposed skin. Purple, because chickens instinctively go for red, which suggests potentially easy prey.

I wish for rooster’s survival through winter with the flock, and hope the purple will divert his girls. The chicks roost with all snuggling together, probably enough to warm rooster. If his situation become more worrisome, I’ll rig a warming light.

The horses gobbled pumpkin pieces, including the tough outer skins. Pimmy hesitated briefly before doing the same.

Goats are interesting critters. Mine had to learn through practice that eating grass is worthwhile. Now, they’ll learn similarly that eating pumpkin is a good thing. I’ve two more orange globes awaiting my knife. I’ve always ignored whole pumpkins, but there’s new learning under my belt. It might make for less effort in doing the cutting.

Dear Friends: A city girl accustomed to using canned pumpkin is being re-educated. Diana