My new world is a huge pen of creatures to study, much greater than my small hen pen and four hens in Northfield, MA. That explains why there are so many more hazards to avoid and observations to ponder. I have been on edge for months. Not only am I observing the ‘pen’ and the creatures in it, I am IN the observation pen this time.

There are much more here than coyotes plus hawks – lions and tigers and bears- and Google that eye my comings and goings. There may be someone right now observing me and writing a blog about me and my activities. Oh MY!

I left off lately saying our human condition is why happiness eludes us. And, then there is that inconvenience we usually avoid talking about, death. My hens faced death bravely. Copper- my shiny happy friend- bore her suffering patiently. When I brought her to the vet to have her put to sleep (as there was no hope of her recovering that I could find), putting her to sleep took about an hour and a half….Are they calling a priest for last rites in there? Good grief!

My neighbors in Northfield volunteered much less calculated and expensive ways to end my favorite hen’s life. But, I fell for the great ‘bait,’ the idea that modern science can solve all problems, including dying. Often what scientists and drug companies are really doing- let’s be honest- is selling us drugs to induce in us a ‘sense’ of well-being. They are selling an illusion only (often.) I don’t like how much work it takes to sort out the genuine ‘good’ for you medicines and the ‘fake’ ones that just mask symptoms.

It’s just like McDonald’s ‘comfort food’ and Kraft macaroni and cheese. The illusion of ‘comfort’ and the illusion of ‘food!’ Shouldn’t food actually possess nutrition to qualify as food?? Isn’t that what the FDA does? And, the scientists who make addictive, food-like substances or work at the FDA, do they even like human beings? You’d think affection for your fellow human being would be Question #1 on the employment application.

Anyhow, the southern immersion is going great beside the people running the country behind the scenes which people are waking up to finally. Likely, the naysayers will accuse me of being paranoid. Someone may be observing you and writing a blog about you? People operating behind the scenes in Washington D.C.? Scientists creating questionable chemical substances that are bad for you but tell you they are good for you?

Well…Yah.

Y’all didn’t know that?