Matilda’s Full Moon

On this special Full Blood Moon we honor Matilda our dear friend, guardian of the Sanctuary, and lovely Isa Brown (red-blond) cuddle companion and pet.

Matilda was a giant among chick-hens. She was much larger than her cock-companions. Perhaps because of her size, or protective nature, she was able to subdue raccoons and protect her coop mates during times of turmoil. Matilda survived an almost certain death by coyote and raccoons over the last year. She stood her ground when times were tough and was able to save some of her smaller companions. Yet, unfortunately and sadly, Matilda was unable to keep the wild creatures at bay this morning and she passed on to another realm, to roost in green meadows with a flock of her fellow chicken friends, all of whom who were taken suddenly, and too soon, including Merlin, Albert, Athena, and Gypsy.

We love our chicken friends, our cat companions, the birds and other creatures in our Sanctuary. However, Mother Nature has a plan and she also hosts predators such as coyotes, bob cats, mountain lions, and raccoons, who are hungry and come close to the Sanctuary during the Summer and Fall. During these times, and perhaps significantly, we have a Blood Moon. Blood has been spilled at our Sanctuary and we have lost our friend Matilda.

On this day we think of her and how much she meant to all of us. Matilda saved her young companion Myrtle, but she was unable to save the beautiful rooster Elvis…he is gone.

What does it mean to be so attached to animals, to cats, to chickens? On this day, all I can feel is remorse, sadness, and gratitude that we had the honor of caring for Matilda while she cared for her feathered companions, as well as caring about us!

The Ancient Egyptians honored all sorts of animals. They are present in hieroglyphics and art. The mummified remains of bird, chickens, and textual references clearly indicate that birds played an important role in ancient Egyptian society and religion.

Chickens and other domestic species of ducks and geese, were treasured birds. There is evidence that the Ancient Egyptians actively bred chickens, geese and ducks. A Roman historian, circa 60 BCE wrote that the Egyptians, ‘raise them by their own hands, by virtue of a skill peculiar to them, in numbers beyond telling…..’ (Diodorus Siculus, Book I, 74).

I would like to refer to the primordial egg from which the sun hatched in an Ancient Egyptian prayer, with a few changes in remembrance of Matilda:

Behold, I rejoice on my standard, on my seat.
I am the Creatrix of Darkness, making my place in the limits of the Sky,
The Ruler of Infinity.
I am the Daughter of the Earth,
Sprung from the Egg of the World.
I rejoice in the Lady of the Palace.
My Nest is unseen; I have broken the Egg.
I am the Lady of Millions of Years.
I have made my Nest in the limits of the sky,
And descended to the earth as the Chicken who drives out all sins.
I am the chicken who has guarded us and cared for us for a million years.