oddly enough

September 20, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

oddly enough

Mass. woman bags alligator in SC lake

COLUMBIA, S.C.

A Massachusetts woman has a remarkable souvenir from South Carolina.

Maryellen Mara-Christian bagged a 131/2-foot, 1,025-pound alligator in Lake Moultrie. Mara-Christian said Friday that she is an experienced hunter, but this was her first gator.

The 48-year-old former bank-marketing officer from Fitchburg, Mass., was hunting Wednesday with her husband, who is a firefighter and a part-time hunting guide. It took about two hours to secure the gator before they could shoot it.

The .22-caliber gun they used wasn’t powerful enough to put the animal down, so Mara-Christian used a knife to sever the alligator’s spinal cord.

Meat processor Steve Drummond said the gator had so much fat that only about 40 pounds was usable meat. He will stuff the animal for Mara-Christian to display.

NH chicken-scratched art auctioned on eBay

MERRIMACK, N.H.

It’s not Picasso, but a New Hampshire woman hopes a piece of art painted by a chicken will raise money to rebuild a playground.

The 8.5- by 10-inch painting called “Feathered Fireworks” is being auctioned on eBay.

Wendy Thomas of Merrimack says she created the piece by dipping the chicken’s feet in paint then placing the hen on canvas.

WMUR-TV said Thursday that bidding started at $9.99.

The proceeds will help rebuild the Kids Kove playground in Merrimack.

Woman charged in dog-doo meltdown

NAPERVILLE, Ill.

Dog owners, beware: If you live in suburban Chicago and don’t pick up after your pet, you might get tossed an unpleasant reminder.

Police in Naperville say a woman who stepped in dog feces outside her apartment appears to have retaliated by heaving it at the door of her neighbor who owns a dog.

Susan Miller was charged with disorderly conduct after her bizarre protest.

The Naperville Sun reports that police say Miller also uprooted a sign telling residents to pick up dog waste and placed it on the neighbor’s patio. Miller was arrested after the neighbor called police.

An unapologetic Miller says if she can pick up the poop from her 80-pound dog, her neighbor can pick up after a 20-pound dog.

Naperville is about 30 miles west of Chicago.

Associated Press