First Peep

     With meds and a walker, a commode and other medical unmentionables, three pharmacy stops, and an extra visit to the Ocean Beach Clinic, we finally got Nyel home from the hospital.  The nineteen miles from Ilwaco took two hours which seemed way longer than the six days he was gone from home.  But, he tells me that it was well worth the journey back to Oysterville.
     When we got here, got him settled, the car unpacked, lunch made and eaten, I finally took time to check on the chickens.  When I looked in the broody box, I had a great surprise.  A lovely little peep crawled out from under her mama’s wing and smiled at me.   Of course, she was expecting the chicken farmer, himself, so I scooped her up and took her in the house to be introduced.  Mama hen was pretty clucky about it – so much so that I decided not to go reaching under her to see if she had more hatchlings.  Tomorrow is another day, as they say.
     Meanwhile, all the auntie hens were pwauck-pwauck-pwacking and flapping and flopping.  Blondie managed to get out of the coop entirely and was not the least interested in going back in.  Although none of them can see into the broody box, they definitely know that something is afoot.  I choose to think they are clucking and cheering, but just in case I’m misinterpreting, I’m not introducing them to their new relatives just yet.
       Anyway, it was a fine ‘Welcome Home’ for Nyel.  How clever of that broody hen to time her present so perfectly.