It's a Jungle out There

Well... here's the latest update from my mom who is visiting us for another month or so -

"Anyway, all thirteen chicks were running around and being chicks. Pooping, and pecking, trying to get in the house, a regular farm. I was a little concerned about the screen door, so I asked Keilah to put them away. It was getting dark anyway. Sort of rainy looking. So, she and Judah start catching them, and trying to throw them in the little pen without smashing them, or having them escape. You gotta be fast with the door. I got a bucket of feed, I am quite the chicken lady ya know, and clucked clucked them over to the door, a few accidently went under the cage, instead of in. so, Keilah and Judah were down on their hands and knees trying to grab the three or four that were still under the cage. Suddenly, Keilah is screaming, and Judah is running, and I am left there watching as they run away screaming "SNAKE!!!!" am a little slow at this point. Huh? I lean down, in my flip flops and look under the cage, and sure enough, there is something about as big around as my arm, wound up around baby chicken. All I could see is the wing. But, I did know it was a snake. Besides Keilah was by now in the house screaming " A snake is eating my chickens!!!" I kept my head, or perhaps not, but I reached under and grabbed the remaining, uneaten chicks, threw them, yes THREW! them in the cage and slammed the door, before I too joined the screaming frenzy!!!! I saw it. I almost touched it, I can hardly believe it at this moment. I yelled for John, the closest neighbor, no answer, Rich came out of the house with a broom! (Of all tings!) Judah was looking for an ax. Yes, 5 year old
Judah! Good thing he didn't find one! The kids were running around, I was trying to comfort Keilah and yelling for the upstairs teenage boy, and looking for a bag to breathe in al. at the same time. Sara and Jason were gone, and Elijah, Judah and the two other neighbor boys wanted to see the whole thing! Phillip came running down with his gun, but opeted to use the ax. He and Rich poked and got it out from under the cage, so we could all get a good look. BIG sucker! Long. The thing was biting the end of the broom even after it's head was cut off. He made quick work of the 4 foot boa, but alas... too late for the little chick. he didn't get to eat it though! HA! So the charmed life of Keilah's chicks seems to have come to an end. At least for one of them. I have no idea how the rest are. I haven't had the nerve to venture outside again yet. After all, "It's a jungle out there"!
The kids are fine. I am told, the snake is not venomous, but he definitely could have bitten them. But I say, he'd have to catch them first, I have never seen two kids move so fast! But we also know, as their Daddy told them, they are protected by angels all the time, and I definitely saw the evidence of that today. So, I am off to dream of large snakes, and little peeps. Sounds like I may need a nite nite pill!

sleep well, Love Indiana Sal