More mice and Andromeda

So, I wrote a note to Grayson, our House Manager, and told him our kitchen was infested with mice, and he said, buy a live trap, so I asked the Louisa tripper to get one, at Southern States, and Elsa brought back a Havahart. Mouse-sized. Also vole and shrew sized, according to the directions, which were given in English, Spanish, and French. The French word for shrew is a long word (which I can't remember now), that starts out with "mus," which is Latin for "mouse." So I'm guessing the rest of the very long French word means something like, "really tiny mouse, but not really a mouse, really." I'm too lazy to look it up; the word itself, or its origin.

So, we set the trap -- or rather, Keenan set it (not because he read the directions), and the next day, we had a mouse. I took it down to the dairy barn and let it go out in the yard. I took the trap home, and Keenan set it again (he's good at it) and the next day, we had a mouse. I took this one down to the river field and shook it out of the trap near a rotting log. It was a peaceful sort of day, and the mouse gathered its wits and soon disappeared down a hole that may have been occupied. I hope it and the barn mouse have long and happy lives far from Beechside kitchen.

So, I took the trap home, and set it myself, and today there is no mouse. First day of no mouse for several days, actually. I'd caught five total with the snap traps, two of which were, um, mice which may be three-legged at this point, or may be part of someone's digestive system. I sincerely hope that there are no more mice, or that the mice have decided to move to less dangerous neighborhoods (the Bijou kitchen?). The peanut butter in the trap hasn't been nibbled, otherwise I'd wonder if I set the trap right... I didn't read the directions either.

So, in other news, we ate Andromeda today, or parts thereof. She was a great milk cow, giving to the last, and still giving. It's a unique experience for an American, and I'm very honored and lucky to be able to eat the cow that gave the milk that nourished me, my family, and my community for many years (seven?). I think perhaps my grandparents could have had such an experience, but I sorta doubt it. It's more possible that my great-grandparents did. So long, Andromeda. You've taught me more about the cycle of life than any other non-human animal, and I'm grateful for you.