Murder and Mayhem on the Farm

I regret to inform you... that we lost our 3 beloved chickens night before last.  I heard coyotes when we had just gone to bed.  I asked hubby to check on the chickens and so he did.  He didn't see anything.  But in the morning when he walked the dog he came in and said.. the chickens are gone.  ::sigh::  I will spare you the details.  But I am really upset and sad about losing them.  Before we get new hens, our chicken house and run will have to be beefed up security-wise - and made predator proof.  I will miss Betsy Ross - the Ameracauna who laid mint green eggs, Bella the Rhode Island Red and Rose, the Buff Orpington.  And now.. a moment of silence.  RIP my feathered girls.

I'd taken these photos on Wednesday morning.. before the tragedy -- it was foggy but there was a ghostly glow of the sun at the top of the hill behind our house and so I grabbed my camera to try to capture the surreal image.  Below is the light fog in our woods, up through the top of the trees. 

And looking down at the barn and the pasture.. the trees beyond are hidden in the fog. 

Yesterday morning was the "event".  But I had to buck up as we headed out at noon for a lunch at my older sister Roberta's house, our brother, (her twin) Robert and his wife would be there and also my younger sister Denise and her husband Steve.  I kept the story from them as if I'd talked about it I would have gotten too upset.  


Roberta made a wonderful meal of pot roast, potatoes and carrots.  We brought salad with cherry tomatoes, sliced olives, bleu cheese crumbles, dried cranberries and we made Uncle Dan's dressing which is sour cream, mayonaise with herbs and garlic in the mix.  You should try it.  My brother brought artisan bread and sparkling cider.  Denise made some amazing brownies made with peanut butter and Nutella. They were some of the best brownies I've ever had, so she sent me the recipe this morning. 
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Peanut Butter - Hazelnut Brownies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder (non-alkalized)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Dash salt

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup hazelnut-chocolate spread

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish.

Melt the butter over low heat; when melted remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, and mix well.

Mix the peanut butter and chocolate spread in a small microwave-proof bowl, and heat in the microwave until it reaches a runny consistency. Stir the mixture into the batter; then pour it into the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

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We also got invited to dinner at our son Travis' house and he'd also invited our other son Shawn's family.  So, we went straight from a great time with my siblings to our son's house for a great evening with our sons, daughters-in-law, and 4 grandsons.  I asked him what he was making for dinner.. and he said.. "Pot roast"!  LOL!  So, we brought our leftover salad and shared that with them and had a bit more dinner.  The kids were having a ball... the energy and noise level was amazing. :-)

I hope you're enjoying the new year.  

((hugs)), Teresa