whatever next??

There has been a more or less steady stream of creatures in and around my house since I arrived. You read all about the rats (I'm happy to report that they have not reappeared - yet?). But there have been lesser critters coming in and trying to join me in my home - big fat slugs in the rainy season (never go around barefoot!), little centipedes motoring along on their many tiny legs, "grillos" - rather large crickets that come in under the doors at night, harmless, but very loud if they get into a hiding place and start to sing in search of a mate, and unnerving when they suddenly fly up at you. And there is always the occasional biggish cockroach to be dealt with, that's where flipflops are indispensable! The permanent residents who are allowed to stay are the geckos, little rubbery lizards who travel around on the walls making a living eating bugs, including mosquitoes. And out in the backyard assorted wildlife comes and goes: a big toad who lives back there, making himself useful I hope, little wrens, 2 little doves with a nest, the occasional hummingbird, giant dragonflies, once a beautiful blue butterfly.

But the other day I had 2 completely unexpected guests. I got up in the morning, opened the back door as I always do, and looked out. And heard some scuffling noises. Looked again, and there scratching about under the banana tree as though they'd always been there doing exactly that were 2 half grown chickens!! I couldn't believe my eyes. My yard is completely walled, by very high walls. I had to look again, just to make sure, but yes, those were chickens alright. Great, now what?? All my friends in Bastion would have said, Keep them of course! Chickens from heaven, think eggs, think soup, think "seco de pollo" a local chicken dish, or even KFC!! But I don't want chickens in my backyard, I haven't become quite Ecuadorian enough for that yet. So I got busy, opened the back gate, got a broom and directed them to the exit. One obligingly used it right away and hasn't been seen since, and the second one came close, but at the last second veered back in. And so began the chase round and round my little yard. After awhile Katelyn, my current housemate, woke up and came to help. She had once had a job on a turkey farm and said that she could catch it. But first you have to get near it, and that chicken was not about to let anyone near it! So we chased, dodging around the banana tree, flushing it out from under the play house, and behind the ficus tree. If anybody could have seen these 2 women chasing this beast around, in their jammies...! Finally he perched for a minute, and in a flash Katelyn reached around, grabbed him by his legs and ran out the gate. And I will always treasure the mental picture I have of her, outside on the pathway that connects these houses, clutching that chicken upsidedown, trying to decide which way to run with it. And then heading off out of sight to let it go far from my gate. I nearly did myself an injury laughing.

How did they get in? I had no idea, until I finally sat down outside with my coffee to recover, and heard chicken noises. And way up there, on top of the back wall, was another half grown chicken, eyeing my yard from above. Oh no you don't, I said, and shook the banana tree at it and it flew off. Thus solving the mystery as to how they arrived.