Stuck

Our neighbor called and said they had one that was stuck. Really stuck.

The vet was on his way over. Me too? Oh, yes please!

It was a week ago. It was a bit cold out. It was awesome.

Here is your warning that the links in the following paragraphs may not be for the faint of heart.

I want to share these - even if (or despite) having one of them on facebook for all of about twenty minutes, until it was gently suggested that perhaps someone was being insensitive to those with weaker stomachs by posting it publicly. Then I took it down and stared at my bedroom ceiling in the dark for two hours thinking about what it all meant, even though it was clear from the thumbail and my caption that you click at your own risk. I know. Oh, goodness do I know. The audacity. Me? Post stuff like that?

These aren't nearly as exciting in black & white, but maybe that's the whole point, since obviously I'm unaware of the general public's tolerance to things like this (okay, I admit that one is worse). This first image is in full gory glory color on flickr if you're brave enough to look (and you should, it's way more awesome).

So a calf was born by c-section that night.









I see my world and sometimes I'm lucky enough to get a picture that moves me. Real life is not always pretty, wrapped up in ribbons and bows. Sometimes the gritty details might make you squirm. Apparently I'm okay with that.

What Arnold doesn't know

***Warning*** This blog post may contain disturbing images. Mommas, cover your babies eyes appropriately.

ban·tam [ban-tuhm]
noun
1. a chicken of any of several varieties or breeds characterized by very small size.
2. a small and feisty or quarrelsome person.
adjective
3. diminutive; tiny: bantam editions of the classics.

We'll go with definition number one, although number two is fascinating and truly, I had no idea my Bean could be classified as such. I've mentioned a time or two that Arnold, he is an adorable little thing, fun-sized (as my friend Rachel would say). He is a mini-chicken. A Bantam.


That's a naked corn cob on the ground beside him, for comparison.

Except he doesn't know this.

Also, his size? The reason my own offspring aren't afraid of him.


The wrong kind of perspective, Arnold looks huge relative to my boy because the bird is way closer to the camera.

Being a Bantam isn't a handicap for Arnold. Oh, no. Not in the least. As I said, he doesn't know he is a Bantam, and I, for one, am certainly not going to suggest it to him. Being fully mature now, Arnold has taken on the responsibility of every single one of his Mr. Big-Stuff Rooster duties. His small stature hasn't *ahem* slowed him down any. At least it doesn't stop him from trying.

Big Red, on the other hand, gets business done.

If you know what I mean.


Oh, honestly. Didn't you always wonder how they did it?

Timing is everything. I tell you the sad truth: My littler boy just walked through here, stopped to tell me they broke the light in their room, glanced at the computer and.... "Mommy, what is that?" Life on the farm. People, he knows what that is.

Ummm... I totally lost my train of thought there.

Okay, so... I swear I didn't go looking for that photo opportunity.

Lucky timing. Lucky, I tell you.

Not to give you a visual, or anything. Really, as if I would do that? It's more like "stackable poultry" when Arnold mounts to the task with one of the big girls. After a moment or two the hen becomes impatient, although it's quite an impressive - dare I even say "valiant attempt" on his part. She shakes poor Arnold off since she has much better things to do (like scratching at the ground), and walks away. Then, of course, Arnold crows. Because he's such a big proud handsome successful fella, like all roosters are.

Or!

Lord have mercy. Red catches them in the middle of it.



This is the more humiliating option for our little hero.

It's easy to understand that Red finds this completely unacceptable, since he is The Ruler of The Universe. He runs at the busy couple and kicks Arnold in exactly the way that only a jealous rooster can, launching him straight into the air like a space shuttle headed for yonder far reaches of our atmosphere.

The good news? We do have three sweet tiny little Bantam hens.

The bad news? Arnold doesn't seem to have noticed them yet.

Best 11 of 2011

Choosing your own best pictures of an entire year is difficult, but it's a good exercise. Being pushed to select my ONE favorite out of those? Cruel and unusual punishment. It involved snipping little bits of paper and taping them over thumbnails of the images on my computer screen. Once I had it down to three it became an impossible task.

11. "Circle of Life"

I might have maybe promised one of my readers I wouldn't post any more pictures of dead animals, but this one wasn't dead. Yet. And this is art. Or so I've been told.

10. "Taking it All In"

I Heart Faces "Beautiful Eyes" 8th place

9. "The Decisive Moment"


8. "Back to School"


7. "Into the Light"

featured on Mortal Muses - Life in B&W

6. "My Little Melons"

earned a link on Shutter Sisters for being silly (self portrait)

5. "Tiny Joy"

featured on Clickin' Moms blog

4. "Time Never Rewinds"

If I were ranking these by raw emotion alone, this of my boys would be my favorite by a mile.

3. "Hold Me"

"I Heart Faces" winner. The judge: my most favorite photographer. *I must be dreaming*

2. "Past Bedtime"


1. "Fairytale Afternoon"


Thanks for looking!

Last year: Favorite 10 of 2010.

linking up with "You Capture"



Edited to say: Confession time. I lied. This one is really my favorite.

Frozen

When I go out to the barn now, the anticipation is almost more than I can handle because I just don't know how many will be there.

I find them discarded along the path, sparkling with frost...

The cat? He is not amused.


{mouse-icle}

The dog slimes them up and tosses them around. Just for fun. I'm pretty sure the cat considers it a waste of precious resources.