Summer daze

It’s been dry enough that the local flock of five or so hen turkeys are now pecking their way through the “wet spot” in our back yard. Few things look sillier than a single hen’s head, no body visible, popping up through the grasses, sedges and weeds. Since no one has bothered them while they peck their way through the yard, (get those ticks) they’re getting braver and feeding closer and closer to the house.

wild turkey hens with poults, 2016

Photo by J. Harrington

Poults have only accompanied hens through our yard once this year, that we’ve seen. I hope there are many more poults somewhere and these are “grandmother” hens or nannies. (I don’t even know if there are such things.) If you’re curious about the way poults grow, and their survival rate, there’s a nice version here.

The day has been quiet, partly to mostly cloudy with a few showers and a forecast threatening thunderstorms. There were thunderstorms in the forecast the other day so I gave thunderstorm-anxious SiSi one of the new anxiety reducing tablets the Better Half bought. The thunderstorms never arrived but SiSi was as mellow as ever I’ve seen her. Although there’s a recommended dosage, dependent on dog’s weight, the packaging makes no mention about how long it takes to affect the dog. Maybe we’ll get a more successful run today, but not in the middle of the night.

Storm Ending

Jean Toomer - 1894-1967

Thunder blossoms gorgeously above our heads, 

Great, hollow, bell-like flowers, 

Rumbling in the wind, 

Stretching clappers to strike our ears . . .

Full-lipped flowers

Bitten by the sun

Bleeding rain

Dripping rain like golden honey—

And the sweet earth flying from the thunder. 

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