Bank of Holly Springs

Close to Nowhere

A peck here and there

I didn’t care a whole lot for the old TV show Green Acres. It always seemed silly to me.

Now that I’ve lived in Mississippi 30+ years, I still don’t care for that show, but some days, I can surely empathize.

We have lots (for us) of critters around about our two houses. My house is just a couple dogs and an old cat.

My daughter’s house, across the driveway, is an entirely different story. Oldest granddaughter Merideth, grandson-in-law Tim and the world’s most precious little baby boy, great-grandson Shepard, also live across the driveway. Tim grew up a city boy and discovered the country and Pop’s shed and instantly fell in love.

Mere is haphazardly raising fowl of all kinds and a  couple goats. We’ve pretty much always had horses.

I’m never sure what critters are outside my door now — baby chickens, baby ducks, baby kittens, baby puppies, along with assorted parentage, roam at will.

Sunday afternoon I looked out the window in my sewing room and saw all three horses ambling across the drive. One of them was inside my picket-fenced front yard.

I texted daughter Dana, who was the only one home, and hurried outside to try and round them up. It’s pretty easy, they’ll follow a feed bucket anywhere.

If you’ve read my column occasionally, you’re familiar with my leg, lung and eye problems — makes it hard to wander around the gravel drive and up the small slope to the feed shed.

But I did it. I had to carry a pole with me to beat Ugly Duck off (he really is ugly and he’s mean, he pecks at everyone’s legs all the time). The horses didn’t like the pole, but I had a feed bucket. After being knocked down and getting up only to get smushed into the side of the shed door by 18-hand Andre the Giant, I was a tad frazzled. But I got one of them back in the pasture and headed to get Dana.

The horses were supposed to be out. They’d changed the gates, etc. so they could wander and eat grass other places.

I was cranky all afternoon.

Monday, as soon as I stepped out the door, I found a carport flooded with quacking, chirping, meowing, barking little things. Then Ugly attacked me. I had a rake handy and beat at him all the way to the car door. He still got in a few good pecks. He’s a big duck and heavy when you’re pushing at him with a rake.

But I got in a few good pokes myself!

Holly Springs South Reporter

P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
PH: (662) 252-4261
FAX: (662) 252-3388
www.southreporter.com