The Riley Factor #61

The Riley Factor May 15, 2010
(All the Rock Creek Farm news that's fit to print, along with unfit to print rumors, prognostications & bloviations.)

FORT PLAIN NY, May 15 --  Today's lead is from the weekend sports page ... CELTICS 94, CAVALIERS 85 ... FLYERS 4, BRUINS 3 ... SUSAN "DEAD EYE" SLATE FUCHS 1, RED FOX 0 ... Yes, that's right, Susan met-up with for the brash red devil that had killed nine of our egg-producing chickens over the past two weeks, and had taunted us every day or two by prancing across the pasture, or a trail, or the back yard, or one day even sitting in the middle of Cherry Valley Road staring back at us,  Well, Saturday morning at about 8AM, while we were feeding the Herd of Five, turkeys and remaining chickens, the fox waltzed right into the barn as we stood there.  The fowl sounded the alarm, Susan chased the fox away and said, "I'm getting the gun".  She returned from the house with the LSI .357 magnum lever action rifle and a box of cartridges.  She stood in the center aisle and awaited the return of the fox.  It did not take long.  Ten minutes later, she saw him in the steer stall and waived him off.  He ran around the other side if the barn and entered the turkey stall where he was first seen earlier in the day.  A shot rang out and the fox dropped ... an adult, about 20 pounds, and looking well fed, although appeared to be not in the best of health, with a very mangy fur coat (and big teeth), even before his encounter with the 130 grain, full metal jacketed, .38 special missive.  Susan added, "I prayed for steady nerves and a steady hand, and the Lord gave me both."  Case closed.

Now on to the less exciting news from the simple life.

On Wednesday morning and into the afternoon, we decided to clean out the flu from the wood-burning boiler -- BIG MISTAKE.  While the big black box needed its annual cleansing, and taking the flu apart was a breeze, putting it back together was more of a hurricane.  We seem to be missing pieces, while at the same time we had more pieces than we need and also had pieces of a different shape than those we need or those we started with.  We are now waiting for Kore-to-be-in-the-House to perform his Amish plumber magic and put the molecules of the stove back together, so much like the transporter on the Star Ship Enterprise.  Beam that furnace up, Scottie.  And beam it back in one working piece.  Kirk out.

Thursday was a beautiful warm sunny day, spent relaxing and traveling locally.  Friday was similar, with some greenhouse planting and other minor around-the-yard-work shuffled in.  On Saturday morning, Susan and Nancy were all set to climb into the horseless carriage and travel toward Eastern Mass for a couple of days for Stevie's long awaited bridal shower, hosted by Stevie's many bridesmaids and two maids of honor, Liz Charette and Crystal Raymond, at Jim and Lisa Charette's house on in Hopkinton.  No doubt to be a beautiful and wonderful affair, albeit likely overdosed in estrogen.  Unfortunately, an injury to Chris' arm delayed the girly trip a day.  :-(  But at the same time provided the opportunity for this week's installment of Red Fox Safari.