They say “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl!” Well, in my case, it’s more like “You can take the prissy girl into the the country, but you can’t take the prissy out of her!”
This morning, I was dutifully emptying the frozen straw which was supposed to be an insulator for the chicken water, so that I could replace it with fresh, dry straw. I cleaned it all out and began scooping straw from the floor of the barn to put into the base. So far, so good, right?
Well, as I was smoothing out and positioning the second handful of straw, I felt something that wasn’t straw. It was then I saw what I had touched (thankfully, my work gloves were on!). It was a dead mouse/rat! I screamed/screeched! And…I don’t mean a little scream! It literally echoed around the back pasture, off of the houses and the side of the barn!
Immediately I thought, “My neighbors are going to think someone died!” I gathered my wits about me and got a pitchfork and lopped it out of the bowl onto the ground and proceeded to pick it up (still with the pitchfork, mind you!) and heave it up on top of the manure pile. Of course, it rolled all the way back down to the ground and do you know what? I LEFT IT THERE!
The whole way back to the house, I could still feel where my glove had touched it and it really grossed me out, but I SURVIVED!
Sometimes my parents comment their wonder at my chosen lifestyle. As I little girl I was “Little Miss Priss” and this dirty and hard farm life sure doesn’t seem to follow! However, it works for me, for the most part, that is! But, there are just a few things I can’t handle!
Oh, I’ve been pulled into the mud by a stronger-than-me calf. I’ve been pooped on by a stubborn calf who I was trying to push from behind. I’ve been sneezed on by Jersey and the snot went flying…ON ME! I’ve been bitten by the electric fence, run over by a cow and the list goes on…but those disgusting rodents are something I just can’t handle!
I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures to “pretty” this post up with….but I definitely did NOT have my wits, OR my camera with me during this encounter! All I can say is “A dead mouse/rat is better than a live one…and I am VERY thankful for our VERY EFFICIENT barn cats, Ollie and Gandalf, who, by the way, will eventually have their own book about their jobs here on the farm.
Have a great day!
