Daily observations of my simple life.

Lenny and Vivian:

It's been almost two years ago in the Spring when I went to the swap meet and there was a man with chickens and genuea fowl. I bought a couple hens and a pair of genuea's, male and female. I had never owned genuea's before. Once home they stuck around for  a few weeks. They enjoyed each others company and talked softly to each other all day long. Then one day they disappeared. A day later Lenny the male returned without his lady. He was a lonely bird but a real comedian. He loved to play that he was running away , going across the fence and making his loud call so I would have to come after him. He'd chase the fat pidgeons that come and raid the chicken food and in general was the yard watchdog.

Finally one day this fall I traveled up into the mountains to a beautiful isolated ranch owned by a lady named Georgia. I knew she had peacocks and I wanted to replace Carlos. Once there I decided to get a lady genuea fowl instead, for Lenny.

I chose a beautifully polka dotted purplish lady and placed her in the carrier for the long trip home. Why would I travel so far? Because I love the country and it was a wonderful outing. This ranch is set against the mountains in prestine desert. Georgia bought it years back for $20 thousand, 40 acres. She raises cactus, peafowl and genuea fowl plus goats and also does some real estate on the side. That's how I met her, she was selling some property she had bought and wanted to sell.  Her place has the character of an old western village, sort of. She said that she had just had a talk with her children about estate planning because now her little ranch is approaching the million dollar value with the area being discovered and bought up.

Once the lady genuea was home I caged her in the barnyard for a few days so she could get adjusted. Lenny was soft talk and joy. Finally I released her and Lenny took charge. She rejected him at first but now they are inseparable, except at night.  I spent many a day walking the two home as she wanted to wander and it was on one of those walks home that the name Vivian popped in my head and the names stuck.

It is a true love story. Lenny perches on the barn at night as the yard guard but Vivian prefers the chicken house. as her roost.  Every night Lenny reluctantly says good night at the chicken house door . I have even seen them beak to beak, kissing goodnight. Lenny is restless in the  morning running back and forth in front of the chicken house door until I come out to let Vivian out. If I am a few minutes late he flies to the garage and begins his loud chatter. Obedient, I head on out to let out his lady love. What a dear couple.  

Posted by: cactusandquail at 16:08 | link | comments (2)

Comments:

#1  03 February 2006 - 18:28

 

Georgias place sounds great! I've always wanted a peacock too, but too pricey for me! What state are you in? Nice blog! Sue

junebug

#2  03 February 2006 - 19:52

 

Cant wait until the pictures can get up and running. I have to chicken-sit myself this weekend but they live in the backyard of a little house in suburbia. Shes made them a really nice hay bale hen house, a lot less drafty than this trailer. Think if i were to ever build my own place hay bales would be the way to go.

rustymadgal

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