Roosters, Frogs, Birthday Girls

Some days are just busy with a couple dozen things to do. Today is Julia's birthday -- she's 17 years old! In addition to trying to celebrate my baby's big day accordingly, I'm also making more fig preserves. I give them a stir as I dash by through the kitchen. This was two pints.

I dashed because I was doing laundry. In between loads I was also washing dishes, 

putting plantain oil through a sieve, driving to Dollar General for a handful of items,

and taking care of a sick rooster.

Yes, we have a rooster in residence, in the dining room.

Rooster Cogburn came inside two days ago because he flew into the pasture from his yard, and Ned got a hold of him. We didn't see the event; I found Bernie later, hunkered down under a pecan tree trying to look Very Still. I brought him inside to assess the damage. He was quite docile for a bird who had never allowed me to get without two feet of him.

He had a bad owie on his back and was missing loads of feathers, especially from around his neck and under his wings.

This was two days ago. It's much better now,
and VERY purple.

I treated the wound with triple antibiotic. Later I bought some bactine. Yesterday I bought some Blu-Kote and am using it. Blu-Kote turns absolutely everything it touches a vivid purple, and it's in a spray bottle. If you ever want to BE PURPLE, a couple of minutes with a Blu-Kote can is the way to go!
I must say, Bernie is now quite tame, and we are good friends. I think he likes me. I've tried twice to return him to his lady friends, but they insist on pecking his back, and that can't be allowed, so for now he is in a dog kennel in the house. Pitiful.
So ... I got one laundry load on the clothesline, visited the chickens a second time, started my second load. Then I needed to move some potted plants and water them. It's been outrageously hot these days, and I'm not the only living thing withering out there!
I filled my little watering can and tried to give a drink to my Jerusalem cherry and my wandering fig plant. I tipped the can into the plants. I tipped more. Nothing came out, and then water tumbled from the opening in the top. Hmm. I dumped the water onto the plants ... but clearly something was blocking the spout.

I peered into the end of the spout. At first I saw nothing. Then I saw a small green mouth, breathing in and out. Some critter was stuck in the spout of that can! Ugh.
I can't bear to see animals suffer, trapped, dying. I thumped the watering can on the deck railing hard, pounding it, and then pounding it again. I could have stuck something thin into the spout and forced the critter's face (and body) back into the can. But I couldn't do that. I could injure him. I'd rather do it the harder way and preserve his life. Just like, with one whack!!! we could have been done with Bernie and all the fuss and trouble of caring for him inside.
I determine to be pro-life. Pro-everybody's-life. I thumped on that watering can until a plump, perfect tiny green frog fell back into the can and I turned him onto the deck. He hopped away. Bernie now snuggles in my arms and tucks his beak next to me. He coos. It's so much better, so much more loving and gratifying, to promote life instead of death.
Speaking of living, Julia's birthday will have the fun of yet another Chinese birthday candle, thanks to Anna who ordered this online and had it sent to us! She's a hoot!

It's kinda creepy looking. That's nothing to how creepy it will look when it's going, and how creepy it will sound in a couple of days when it's still painfully, crankilly, sputtering its birthday tune on the back deck. It'll drive you insane if you leave it inside the house.

From us, Julia asked for a bag full of random, fun, silly stuff. I obliged. I found her a pair of camo sleeping shorts with pink lace trim. Mike-n-Ikes. Chocolate. A candle. Earbuds. A pair of nerf guns. She likes things with skulls on them ... so a t-shirt and a bandana with that hideous decor. A Monsters Inc. balloon. A few boxes of sparklers. And these:

We suffer with mild pyromania around here.
We won't light the Chinese candle until she gets back home from work. I need to make her pumpkin pie, which is what she prefers to a cake. Adam is napping after making an asparagus bed and strawberry bed this morning. Like I said -- it's hot out there! After the pumpkin pie I'll take the chickens some more water and examine those new beds. And hang out more laundry. And pick a few figs and tomatoes. So many things living around here, and we try to appreciate them all.