Menagerie Madness

Portrait of a Peep

It had to happen sooner or later. One of the peeps was always going to fall into the pool. And it was a good thing I happened to go outside a minute later. There it was, swimming furiously, looking for all the world like a duckling zooming along the edge of the pool, little orange legs running frantically in the water. The adults, true to form stood around and hecked and ba-kaaked and did nothing sensible.

I trotted over and fished the peep out of the pool and moved towards the flock to return him. At which point I got charged. By Father Guinea. Wings up and hecking at the top of his voice. I stalked up to him, put small peep down and said, “Shut up, you daft bird, anyone else would think some gratitude was in order!”

Father Guinea - a bird with views

But oh no, not a chance, Father G just stood there shrieking at me. I did rather wonder what would have happened if I’d pretended to be scared – would he have chased me across the lawn? Or what would have happened if I’d charged at him? The former would have provided good fun and games and would have totally disrupted the pecking order around here. And we can't have that. I am, after all, the Goddess Vanilla, Provider of Food and Water and Protection.

I just shot a beady glance at Father G, said, “Oh be off with you, you silly bird!” and waved a hand at him. Gone was the cocky attitude and Father G squawked and scuttled, but not before stopping to give me one final and meangingful, “Heck!”

Drying out in the sun

It would be much safer (though perhaps less dramatic), one would think, to rather fall into the waterbowl...

I can see I might have to call on Atyllah’s Granny to instill some order around here!

And just what on earth is this? A guinea jacuzzi?

And oh yes, then there was this… I’ve heard of give a dog a bone…



The squirrels it would seem have finally gone a bit barking.