I never could resist picking up acorns. These are mostly green but sometimes the acorns are fall colored with orange, brown, and yellow. One fall I filled a small basket with big colorful acorns and put the basket in the living room. After a few days I was shocked to find tiny white worms all in the basket and on the floor. I tossed everything out the door.
These are the first acorns I've noticed on the ground. Late yesterday the wind got up, blowing like there was a storm coming. The clouds got dark and there was a sprinkle of rain across the pond, but never a storm. The winds must have caused these acorns to fall.
Did you know that a guinea will kill a frog? Neither did I. Well my day is ruined! I had just put Bun Bun in the dog lot and was on my way to the teeny tiny garden to pick a handful of grape tomatoes for my salad when I spotted it. One of the guineas holding onto a big frog. My first instinct was to tackle the guinea and save the frog. I stood still for a second peeping through a crack in my fingers that were covering my eyes. The frog was limp. Suppose I did get the frog away from the guinea and the frog was not quite dead but was badly injured. If only I had gone out there sooner. I love frogs. I realize that this is simply nature's way. I can't save everything. Poor frog. I went on to the garden and got that handful of grape tomatoes but somehow the salad doesn't sound too good now.
Here they are acting all innocent. Probably searching out another frog...
I went out to look for the dead frog but it was not there.
Better get busy. The living room floor needs to be vacuumed again, thanks to Eli, and I am the vacuum cleaner person around here.
Thank you for visiting.
Love,
Henny Penny
You have a soft heart like me. Sometimes I think it's a curse. I can't stand to see anything hurt or suffering. Guineas are interesting looking creatures, aren't they. Deb
ReplyDeleteSometimes it does feel like a curse. I feel just like you about this. When I drive, I constantly worrying about seeing an animal that has been hit or hurt.
DeleteI gave a chuckle when I first read your heading, I thought I saw "The Guinness ruins lunch". And I was sure wondering why you would be drinking such a stout beverage at lunch on your farm! OK, then the story with the frog and the naughty Guineas. My sympathies to you, and the frog.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pam. Maybe I need to try a Guinness for lunch, then I wouldn't worry so about the frogs. :)
DeleteI love visiting your farm, murderous guinea hens and all. A neighbor up the road acquired guineas with the goal of reducing the tick population on his farm - supposedly they love ticks. Lyme disease is a big concern around here.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your frog. My husband was on the riding mower yesterday and felt badly because he couldn't avoid the frogs in the lawn. When I was out hanging clothes a couple teeny ones jumped across my path.
Oh, mowing is terrible! I hit a bull frog with the mower down near the pond once and thought I would never get over it.
Deleteread your title as Giunness too. I rather like that stout brew myself so I was wondering......
ReplyDeleteYou are a tenderhearted one to care so much about a frog. The hen must have enjoyed it too. Oh, dear.
I was just telling Pam that maybe I need to try a Guinness for lunch. That might help me deal with these things better.
DeleteI have a hard time with the cycle of nature as well. I understand everything has to eat. They all do what comes natural to them. But ewwww I don't like to see it. We have thought about getting some Guinea but I don't know if we will. I would love the help they offer with bugs and snakes. I even like the sounds they make. But mmm not sure if we will get any..
ReplyDeleteI would recommend getting Guineas. We really enjoy them. We first got Guineas because of the ticks and they helped a lot. Guineas will warn you of a snake or an animal or a stranger coming in the yard. I too like the sounds they make.
DeleteThere is always excitement at your place! I love frogs and toads, too, and I'm always afraid I will "mow" one when I'm doing the lawn. I often see them jump ahead of me just in time. I'll be devastated if I do mow one! I even put little toad baths in the garden, level with the ground so they can bathe and drink, and I often see them using one when we have dry weather. I never knew guineas would eat them.
ReplyDeleteThat's so neat that you make little toad baths. I used to love doing things like that. I guess having the pond now I don't worry about anything being without water. I worry when I am mowing too!
DeleteOh well I must be weird but I don't like frogs. I actually do not want frogs near me. They are interesting and I have taken pictures of them but I don't like them. I guess it is because one of my cousins killed one and threw it down my shirt and I have hated them ever since. I guess it was not the frogs fought but.... it traumatized me LOL
ReplyDeleteOh gosh! That would traumatize anybody! It wouldn't have been Robin would it? Sounds like something he might have done! :)
DeleteYes it was how did you ever guess.
DeleteLove you
IT'S RATHER SURPRISING WHEN YOU FIND SOMETHING KILLING AND YOU DIDN'T THINK IT DOES.
ReplyDeleteThat's true! I now look at the guineas a little different!
DeleteThat's true! I now look at the guineas a little different!
DeleteLiving in the city, I had never thought much about what chickens (and guineas,too, I guess) eat. My grandparents had chickens and there was feed for them and I saw them scratching on the ground so I figured they ate bugs. But, a while back, while reading Carson's 7 MSN Ranch blog I learned that her hens eat mice and tarantulas. She has videos, I believe. I guess they need protein to help them make eggs. Other birds eat birds, fish and snakes and such, I guess domestic birds need the same nutrients as wild birds. But I'm like you, I don't want to watch it.
ReplyDeleteI remember the first time I saw one of our hen running around with a mouse and all the other hens trying to take it from her...I was shocked. It took me a while before I could eat another egg. I guess that's normal. :)
DeleteI once saw a chipmunk eating a baby mouse. I thought I would faint! I never knew that chipmunks killed animals.
ReplyDeleteJane x
Oh my gosh! Doesn't it take a while to get a picture like that out of your mind?!
DeleteThe guinea was hungry for some protein! They probably eat snakes too!! Yeah Guineas! I didn't know that about acorns, we have some falling now...I always wanted to make a garland...if I do I will keep it outside! :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe those acorns I picked up were old and that's why they had tiny worms. These green acorns look so fresh. A wreath with acorns would be pretty for fall.
DeleteOh dear, given that I have found my chickens eating not only frogs but snakes too, I'm not surprised that guineas do the same! Poor froggies!
ReplyDeleteI know, poor froggies. Around here the frogs don't stand a chance! Thank you for visiting!
DeleteSaw one of my hens running around with a mouse the other day. I think it was dead.........I did watch one swallow a mouse once, it was a struggle, but the hen managed to get it down. Shudder......
ReplyDeleteShudder is right! I've seen one of our hens grab a mouse and run from the other hens. Makes it hard to eat eggs! :)
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