Friday, April 4, 2014

friday finds ... the 4.4 edition

what do two pregnant women 
and  two police officers have in common? ... 
Harrietta, the hen

My week started off normal ... just the usual humdrum kind of days.  But then it took the most unusual comical turn that lead me to my friday find ... Henrietta.

It was Wednesday morning when i got the phone call from my neighbor, Molly, who informed me that there was a brood of chickens and a rooster making hay in my backyard.  What?  You see we live in the very prim and proper town of Geneva ... where absolutely NO fowl are allowed ... i even am hesitant to put up a clothesline this summer in my large secluded backyard in fear of disapproval!  
So out i ran ... with camera in hand ... to check out the action.  Sure enough there were six hens and a rooster grazing on the remains of the bird food i had out this winter.  Now mind you ... these were no ordinary run of the mill hens ... these were definitely the martha stewart variety.  They were nice and plump with such gorgeous plumage and beautiful red crowns atop their regal heads.  

We stood outside admiring and photographing the birds trying to guess where in the world did they come from?  Their owner was not frantically chasing them trying to herd them back to safety ... we have coyotes that make themselves at home here in the woods.  So we watched and waited to see what these fowl would do next.  After several hours they made their way across our backyards and into the woods where there is a small yellow home that the rich landowner rents out to shall we say ... questionable tenants. 

Now i have absolutely no problem with these people owning these birds ... they are beautiful ... but they do need to keep them secure on their own property.  Maybe i could strike up a deal with them ... my silence for a dozen eggs!  

Just when i thought the excitement was over, i realized that one of the hens had not found her way back home.  She was lost and alone.  That night i went to bed just certain that she would hear the cock~a~doodle~doo of the rooster and join her tribe.

But in the morning ... there she was huddled under the cover of my pine tree still lost ... still alone.  As i sat in my room knitting, i kept a watchful eye over her while i tried to decide what i should do.  

All of a sudden my quiet was broken ... my dogs were frantically barking and racing around the room.  I looked up and saw two very pregnant woman ... my neighbors ... dressed in their Ralph Lauren coats and their stylish Hunter boots holding blankets and chasing the chicken around my yard.  Try as they might to throw the blanket over the poor frighten chicken ... Henrietta was much faster and running from bush to bush.  After awhile the two pregnant woman decided to give up their efforts to capture dear Henrietta and they retreated into the house. 

But I still needed to do something to help dear Henrietta.  So I called our city's finest ... the police.  Within minutes two squad cars were in front of my house ready to help.  They both took notes while I told them about my chicken dilemma.  After being questioned, they asked if they could see the chicken ... so out back we all went.  
They stood there staring at Henrietta ... and Henrietta stared right back at them.  Finally one of the officers decided that they could catch the chicken.  So now I had two police running around my backyard chasing the chicken!!!  Needless to say, Henrietta won and the officers gave up.  They gave me their card and told me to call them if I was able to catch the chicken.  And off they went ...

So here I was once again ... alone with Henrietta.  What else could I do for her?  As I sat and thought, a wind storm started up.  I guess poor Henrietta did not like it one bit ... she ran for my door pecking at the window ... trying desperately to escape the wind and rain.  Quickly I ran and got my dog crate and put it by the door ... within a second she ran right in and I closed the gate.  I had captured Henrietta ... she was now safe.

So I called the police back to tell them that I had caught Henrietta and wondered what I should do with her.  They said that they had been trying to find her owners but were unsuccessful ... so she was mine!

Mine?  Oh dear ... now what?
 I gave her water and food for the night and covered the crate with a warm blanket ... I went to bed wondering ...

The next morning I started making phone calls and by noontime I was lucky to find the perfect home for Henrietta ... a free range farm with a chicken~lovin farmer.  Now Henrietta will happily spend her days with a whole brood of chickens, peck for food and lay her beautiful blue green eggs in peace.

Boy, I sure hope next week is back to normal with my humdrum kind of days!

If you have a few moments, be sure to click on Kim's adorable button that will lead you to more delightful friday finds!
 
Kim Klassen dot Com
 
 
until next time ...
nancyjean

20 comments:

  1. I am laughing so hard! Such a delightful, funny story. I truly believe Henrietta knew she was to trust you to give her a better home.

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  2. This is the very best kind of story - one that makes me laugh and has a happy ending! You are a natural story teller. I'm so happy that you were able to rescue Henrietta! Love the portrait of the hen and the tale of your adventures with her. Perhaps you will write a book of the goings on in Geneva!

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  3. Cute story:> she is a beautiful chicken, kind of looks like a buff orphinton:> glad you found her a good home and thanks for the chuckle this morning.

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  4. You started my day out wonderfully with this well written story! You had me laughing out loud!! Did you get a picture of the pregnant women and policemen running around? I love your photo of Henrietta, she'd be rather proud of it, I think!

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  5. This is just funny Nancy, especially the RL/H dressed women chasing poor Henrietta! Henrietta is beautiful! I'm glad you took her picture for memory, and good laughs again. What a fun Friday Find!

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  6. My sister lives in Batavia and they have chickens too...I love them! I can't believe you live in Geneva, I grew up there and all of our family is still there (St.Charles too)! What a small world. Loved the story of Henrietta :)

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  7. Love your story I can see it 2 policemen trying to capture Henrietta ! Glad is all well and everyone is where they should be x

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  8. This story made me smile all the way through. I can see the scene you are describing so perfectly! I am so happy that you found a lovely new home for her. A safe place. Thank goodness for those dog crates, mine have come in handy many times over the years.

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  9. Oh my, what a story, NancyJean !
    Such a lovely hen Henrietta is, so glad you've found a nice home for her ...
    Have a great weekend,
    Sylvia

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  10. Oh dear, how funny ! Henrietta obviously knew you would take care of her ! How lovely of you to find her a nice home too. I visited Geneva a couple of years ago for a wedding, it's a lovely town :)

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  11. What a story.. omg . Im laughing and also so glad she is ok. You were so smart to put something out for her to get inside. I love chickens. :) Loved your blog

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  12. Great story about Henrietta! Cute and interesting picture, Nancy!
    Best, Brigitte

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  13. that is one crazy story! so happy you caught her and found a good home and got a lovely photo for a memory!

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  14. Great story! I am so glad you found Henrietta a good home.

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  15. Ha! Sounds exactly like our neighborhood...and yet, we are surrounded by horse farms. I can imagine this perfectly. :)

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  16. oh my gosh..... love this story.....so many twists and turns..... and a happy ending..... love it!!
    pretty picture of sweet henrietta as well......

    here's to a quiet week ahead.....

    xo

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  17. Good for Henrietta! She has a lot to tell her grandchildren! Have a wonderful Sunday.

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  18. Wow that was quite an adventure. So happy that Henrietta was captured and sent to a new happy home.

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  19. Im going to bring my husband by to read this.. my daughter and who ever comes to my house this week. Loved it.

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Thank you for your kind words. I enjoy reading each and every comment!

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