ADOPTION STORY WITH A TWIST

Two of our barn cats were showing up quite fat at the breakfast table each morning. Cutie and Boomer appeared to be pregnant. Suddenly Boomer did not show up for a couple of days and when she returned she was skinny again. Next Cutie missed breakfast a couple of days and when she showed up, she was skinny. Somewhere on our property we had two new litters of kittens.


We were leaving to go get the tractor on Friday and noticed a dead animal on the road. It appeared to be a cat and I did not want to face the fact that it could be one of our barn cats. I did not inspect the body until we returned. Horror of all horrors, it was new mama Boomer! I began my hunt for an abandoned litter of kittens. I did not have any success until much later in the afternoon in the rain, I heard those unmistakable cries of a hungry kitten. There it was, under a mower barely hidden by grass, eyes not yet open, wanting mama. A careful search was made under the mower but this was the only stray kitten.

A dry warm bed and some nourishment seemed the importance of the moment. The kitten nestled into a box of rags and took a few drops of warmed milk then exhausted fell asleep.

The Internet is a best friend when animal medical research is needed: 1) don't give a new kitten cow's milk; 2) the best way to save the kitten is to find another nursing animal. If this kitten made it through the night, I could try to put it with Cutie when she showed up to eat breakfast. Meanwhile walking around calling her name, I had hopes of finding her early.

Who would have guessed that any of my barn cats knew their names. suddenly there sat Cutie looking at me as if to say, "Here I am, this better be important".

Cutie followed me to the food bowl and was relishing this surprise evening treat. While she enjoyed the prize I went inside and got the kitten. Gently placing the infant under Cutie, it began to sniff, search and cry. Cutie began to sniff, ignore, sniff, ignore and get back to eating. When she finished her snack she payed closer attention to this intruder and soon Cutie began to position herself to nurse the kitten. The pictures are blurry but you can tell how she manages to finally wrap Cutie in her embrace.



New mother and kitten were there a long time. I returned to the house and checking later found Cutie was gone and the kitten hopefully had been taken with her. I did not see their departure but I did see how closely they bonded and knew Cutie would not abandon her new kitten.

So, what is the twist? Yep, this could have been a nice Easter story. At breakfast the next morning Cutie was there to eat but guess who else was there -- BOOMER!

Did I give away one of Boomer's kittens or did I give Cutie back a kitten of her own or did the cat that was killed on the road drop off a kitten before it was hit? Regardless, it does bring to mind the fact that we are not supposed to interfere with nature. One day soon Cutie and Boomer will debut their new kittens. Will I be able to recognize this vagabond?

LET PAULA DO IT

This is Wilma, on the left, and Paula, on the right. Wilma was selling her deceased husband's Allis Chalmer's G. Paula, her youngest child, was there to help. If Paula had not been there we would not have brought home this tractor. If I heard it once yesterday, I heard it a zillion times, Wilma would say "Let Paula do it" and by golly Paula could.

Gracie, Wilma's dog, was there to help also. She kept constant guard and was ready to attack any copperheads that might appear.

The neighbor's dog showed up to help with the entertainment. The dog ran around and around with this big box turtle in his mouth trying to give it to someone. We were there a long time and when we left the dog was still carrying the turtle.


These are the neighbor's sons who showed up with sleep in their eyes in time to see the tractor already loaded on the trailer. They were able to help Ron with the tie down so finally Paula could get a break.

And here she is! Just exactly what Ron needs -- another tractor. It is a 1948 Allis G with cultivator and plow. We could not get it started (that's why the loading was so difficult) but they assured us it does run. Now could you see two more honest looking people than Wilma and Paula?

We arrived home well ahead of the storm but it did hit mid afternoon Remember this is tornado season and heading out for a drive from Oklahoma to Missouri with dark clouds and high winds is a frightening thing.

Okay friends, if you guessed a tractor, congratulations, you were right.

Another adventure was in store for me when we arrived home. It will have to be another post. It is one of those sad/happy tales from NOL-NOC Estates.

WE'RE GOING AFTER IT TODAY

The wind is blowing. The forecast is for storms. We're leaving soon to pick up our newest acquisition. See how well you know us by trying to guess what we might be bringing home this time. Stay tuned for revealing photos in a day or so. It won't take us that long to bring it home but that will give you time to make your guesses:)

ALL THIS AND A SERENADE

It is WooHoo Wednesday. Here is my post about joyful happenings from this past week.




One grandson, Michael pictured above, won a school art cash award for his Conservation Poster. (Middle poster with rainbow, birds, etc. Those who know Michael's work know this is a very tame drawing for him.)



One grandson, Dillon, was in a musical competition and his trombone quartet won first place. (late photo just arrived -- Dillon on left in red cap holding large trophy)



One granddaughter, Jasmine, got her driver's license plus she was chosen to participate in an Annual Young Minds At Work event. (Posing above with an event host)

I discovered a second cousin. We are able to share information about our grandmothers who were sisters and their sons, one my father and another her father. We did not know until I stumbled across her blog that the other even existed.

It was a good week.

Here is the lullaby my guinea fowl sang to me in the moonlight last night.

NOW HOW IS THAT FOR A SERENADE? LOL


Click on my sidebar icon to learn all about Woo Hoo Wednesdays.

CAN YOU CAST THE FIRST STONE?

This weekend I watched THE STONING OF SORAYA M. Have you seen it? If not, you must. A lot will say it is directed strictly toward the bad treatment of women in the Middle East. Some will say it is just depicting the religion of Islam. Most are appalled.

It is about those things but few see that it is also about us. It is about all of us around the world who allow ego, hatred, greed, jealousy, religious interpretation, politics and differences to rule our lives.

Stop a minute and think about women or men who have committed no crime but that you believe you hate enough to cast the first stone, then put their face on Soraya M. and see if your still feel that badly toward them.

FROM COMMENT TO POST

LL Cool Joe of Joey's Pad ask an interesting question on Patch It Up Baby. The post was about things Joe has kept over the years that have significance. The question was "What have you kept over the years that means something special to you?" My comment appeared to me to be a post in itself so I turned it into this post.

My parents asked in 1989 that we stop buying them Christmas presents. They had everything they needed and did not want us wasting our money. Instead my mother suggested, since we all had video cameras, she and dad would like each family to give them a video of the past year in review.

Mother gave us guidelines to follow. Each video should contain every family member and all our pets. They wanted us to reflect our individual talents,etc. The videos should be around 10 minutes in length. So we set out to take the challenge and starting in 1990 my brother's family, my sister's and mine presented our parents their first set of three Christmas videos. Sometimes we would ask if we couldn't just give the presents again. It was hard work and most of us were procrastinators, leaving the editing to the last minute, but the end results were fantastic and remain among our favorite possessions.

WOO HOO WEDNESDAY

Always Nesting has invited us to join her on postings for what she calls Woo Hoo Wednesday. She describes this weekly adventure as a celebration of things that make us want to jump with joy.

Here are my first contributions.

Eight new chickens joined us on Sunday. Five are 10 week old, black and gold Sex-links and three are 4 week old Araucauna's. The picture in the dark cage at night doesn't give a very good image but you might be able to make out the older chickens making a nest out of themselves for the three smaller chickens who group in the center for warmth.

Here is a new picture of Mame with her tail feathers growing back nicely.

Remember this photograph of her soon after a predator had taken a rather large bite out of her rear end.

Born In A Zoo Bonnie is back to her blogging once more with a completely fresh start and she is on a roll.

Rachel Balducci of Testosterhome who writes about raising her five sons gave birth on April 8th to a ...........................baby girl!!!

Our short-cut bridge is so near completion now that actual select traffic (primarily the bridge workers) is allowed to cross it.

PUT ME IN THE FAST LANE OF THE ART HIGHWAY

I am a fast woman. Don't take that the wrong way.

My spouse drives too slow. He ignores me when I tell him to put the pedal to the metal.

Food cannot be left unattended on my plate for fear of someone stealing it so I eat fast instead of savoring my food.

Do not get me stuck in a drive-in lane at the bank, the pharmacy or the fast food joint. That lane is supposed to be for people in a hurry but if you get trapped behind a slow doofus you are left inside your automobile with only your rage that craves speedy service.

Daily projects find me rushing to accomplish my routine. It is a rare day that I do not manage to stumble, fall or run into something as I try multi-tasking or carrying more than one thing at a time.

So how am I managing this art project of Ileana's? It is a slow process to include the art work of all ten. At least I clearly see the benefit of limiting the participants to 10 because more would only take longer, but where is the instant gratification?

Yesterday we completed the second mailing. Three weeks ago I mailed my book including my first sketch to Valeria and Monique sent me hers. Yesterday I sent Monique's on to Valeria and Monique mailed me Carmen's.

Yes I have my page preparation to challenge me between mailings. That is my work to do. But my strong desire is to see ALL this great art work coming from others. This definitely challenges my patience. Approximately every three weeks I will get to unveil new artwork from the 10.

Christmas will arrive in October this year. October is the time Ily anticipates all the books will have made their rounds and we will receive back our own sketch book complete with original art from unbelievable talents. Maybe in the process I will learn to slow down.

(Remember you can see some of my art work at ArtBistro by EAGHL including the two 10/10 sketch book pieces I have completed.)

THIS REALLY HAPPENED

Several nights ago I screamed and screamed. Ron heard my desperate pleas coming from our den. He was in our home office and grabbed the only weapon he could reach -- a pair of scissors -- and rushed to my aid.

Ron found his damsel-in-distress sound asleep on the couch. I was screaming my lungs out. Ron could not see that a frightening entity had levitated me and was floating after me around the room. The demon did not heed my pleading and I could not take back control of my senses.

Sir "Ron" Lancelot with his Excalibur scissors awakened me, thus slaying my mind's intruder. Ah, my hero!

(I had watched a movie that day entitled DRAG ME TO HELL. Maybe that had some influence on my dreams. Duh. Scary movies are my roller coaster rides and this one was a doozy!)

SWEET AND FUNNY

Once upon a time a beautiful young hen moved to NOL-NOC Estates. She was a lovely little Silky mix and was chosen because she was said to be a nurturer. We named this sweet chick Elenore Hen after my sister because my sister is also a loving nurturer.

Elenore Hen sat on every nest of the the other hens but she never managed to have her own clutch of eggs. Many will remember the stories of Elenore Hen actually claiming four kittens born in one of the nesting boxes. (She made Countryside Magazine with that story!)

Finally, after almost four years, Elenore Hen managed to hatch a little flock of her own. Her three chicks were names Mr. Gibson, Chicklet and Rebecca. No matter how hard Elenore tried to watch over these sweet chicks, a predator managed to pick them off one at a time. Elenore Hen immediately returned to a clutch of eggs and guarded them with her life. Again she hatched three chicks and they were identical to the first three so they were named Mr. Gibson II, Chicklet II and Rebecca II.

Rebecca II was nabbed almost immediately when Elenore took them for their first outing. Next to go, we regret to say, was Elenore hen herself. It was a very sad evening when Mr. Gibson II and Chicklet II returned to the hen house alone looking for their loving mother.

These two chicks managed to grow hale and hearty and Chicklet II turned out to be a big and beautiful Rooster. Mr. Gibson II turned out to be a small hen almost the same size as her little mama.
Here is Mr.Gibson II enjoying a life on the farm. She is almost identical to her mother in size and in temperament. Yesterday I noticed Mr. Gibson II was spending a great deal of time inside the hen house. Yesterday evening when I went to count the flock I was short one chicken. I was missing Mr. Gibson II. I shined the flashlight around and was happy to see her in the nest box on a little clutch of eggs.
It appears that Mr. Gibson II is going to be a loving nurturer like her mother. We're hoping to keep and eye on interesting developments and will keep you posted. To avoid confusion in the future we'll try to refer to this little hen as Gibson.

IT ALL FALLS INTO PLACE

Today the Merriam-Webster word of the day is: "Scour"

My horoscope of the day is: "Big questions are on your mind -- thanks to someone close who can't stop asking 'why'. You almost certainly need to spend some time meditating or philosophizing today; action can come later."

So when I'm sitting still and Ron asks me "why?" I will say: "I am scouring my mind".

Plus the daily devotional adds this bonus: "Free me from guilt and shame"

So, let the meditation and philosophizing begin. It is going to be a good day:)

GIVE UP THE GOPHER

Speaking as an arthritic, overweight, older person, I have great difficulty with the bend and the stoop. It has become very easy to rely on a Gopher to pick up those constantly dropped items rather than putting myself out to remove them from the floor. Food dropped is easy because Slim races to pick that up (isn't she helpful?). But I find myself relying on The Gopher far too much for little objects dropped. Sometimes I will walk around the house for several minutes trying to find The Gopher to pick something up and I could have picked up 50 things in that time frame.

Today, unless something is too high for me to reach, I'm giving up the gopher. If I can manage to ride my exercise bike for 40 minutes a day, surely I can add bending over to pick up something as part of my fitness program. I will get a genuine workout when the grand kids visit because I am constantly picking up socks, CDs, DVDs, magazines, Game boy games, dolls, tiny plastic parts, etc.

Ron and I both will occasionally find ourselves staring at something in the middle of the floor and you can tell neither of us wants to feel the pain of retrieving it but if we don't pick it up, it will cause the other pain. From now on, I'm going to rush to pick up the item as part of my calling in life. Last week I was late with my fitness report so now I'll be early. Tomorrow will the my 9Th week anniversary and as of this morning I have lost 12 pounds. This new bending exercise should also help make some changes.

Other than required equipment for medical reasons, do you rely on any technology that softens you and you could and would be better off without? Do you use gophers/grabbers in your life?

NOW AND THEN

My son's three prize children certainly clean up nicely but they still act like the monkeys in the first picture (along with their father). I found that early photo on grandson Dillon's facebook and had to borrow it.

BROWN PAPER PACKAGES TIED UP WITH STRINGS

........These are a few of my favorite things.

I took a survey recently about raising chickens. There was an inquiry on the survey regarding the type of chicken collectibles I might own. As I began to look around my home at the things I have acquired and the gifts others have given me I was astounded at the number of chicken knick-knacks that fill our home. These four pictures are only the tip of the iceberg.

Some people keep their collections in glass cases and some scatter the items throughout their homes. Once word is out that you collect something, you will begin to receive those items for every occasion. I don't seem to tire of my chicken collection but I know a lot of people wish they had never started collecting. Can you relate to this post? If so, what do you collect?

I missed my eighth week update yesterday but let me assure you today that I am still exercising and still feeling GREAT!

MAME IS MAIMED

Mr. Gibson II turned out to be a hen. Mr. Gibson is one of Elenore Hen's surviving chicks after the first Mr. Gibson, Chicklet and Rebecca were killed by a predator.

Chicklet II is the fine rooster shown here (also one of Elenore Hen's survivors from the second batch). He is a young rooster and thinks he's in charge of the girls. Jack Bauer, the Cock Of The Walk, is letting Chicklet think he is hot stuff.

Mame came to us all fluffy and beautiful as shown above with Jack Bauer. The next photo of her shows what was left of her when a dog or coyote got a hold of her recently. She is recovering nicely but it will be a while before she gets back those lovely black tail feathers.

It feels strange to be Easter and not have new chicks. We decided to only add grown hens to our flock after the predators took 29 of our 30 new Golden Comet chicks last year. The adult hens know how to stay with the flock for protection. The chicks usually learn it but for some reason the Golden Comets never did. Our chickens free range and need some street smarts before they arrive. Mame survived her attack because she is older and heavier.

10 BRAVE ADVANCE

Today those of us participating in Ily's 10/10 project move forward with page 2 in the sketch books. As I become familiar with the work of the other artists I become more aware of the phrase "What am I doing here?".

My work is all done in mixed media but primarily permanent markers. Here are a couple of my past "markerings" but these are not going into the books. I will show the others when I get my own book back in October. The 10 brave, confident and talented participants are:

Shay
Doreen
Coby
Serena
Carmen
Holland
Annie
Valeria
Paul
Ily


If you (Adults) wish to see more of my art work click on my side bar under Blog Links Art Bistro EAGHL.

IN CASE YOU DO NOT KNOW

Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Black Friday, Great Friday, is a holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, his death at Calvary,and his resurrection from the grave. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday and often coincides with the Jewish observance of Passover.

Passover is a Jewish and Samaritan holy day and festival commemorating the biblical event of Hebrews' escape from enslavement in Egypt.

Passover is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays (Yom Tov), and is commemorated by many affiliated and nonaffiliated Jews alike as a time to contemplate the endurance of the Jewish people throughout history.

Blessings to all this Easter and Passover season.

Don't miss my previous post on the bridge update: What About That Bridge

Also enjoy my April lst post if you missed it: O.M.G.

O.M.G.

This is my seventh week since the exercise regime started. This past week I really blew it and failed to spend the time on my bike that I should have. I also pigged out and ate too much of the wrong foods. Of the weight I had lost, I gained back five pounds in just one week!
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APRIL FOOLS! LOL

Actually this seventh week has been a good one and I lost another pound for a total of 10 pounds. WhooHoo. I am riding my exercise bike 40 minutes and will probably hold my time right there. I love April Fool's Day:)

There is a birthday party going on over at Dani's Gardening Under The Florida Sun. Go wish her "Girlz" a happy second birthday.

WHAT ABOUT THAT BRIDGE

REMEMBER OUR HISTORIC IRON BRIDGE TAKEN OUT BY FLOODS JULY, 2007?

WE SHOWED YOU THE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION THAT WAS ALMOST COMPLETE FROM JULY, 2009 TO SEPTEMBER, 2009. WEIRD WINTER AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS CAUSED A DELAY IN THE BRIDGE COMPLETION.

TONIGHT WE VISITED THE BRIDGE. IT IS ALL THE WAY ACROSS AND SEEMS TO ONLY NEED ENTRANCE AND EXIT RAMPS ADDED. SOON WE WILL HAVE OUR SHORT CUT BACK AND ALSO OUR BEST FISHING HOLE. YOU CAN SEE AS SOON AS THE WORKERS LEAVE, THE FISHERMEN ARE ALREADY GATHERING ON THE BRIDGE FISHING.

ONLY IN AMERICA

If you know the truth and have proof positive of that truth, people will still swear it is a lie.

If you know a lie and have undeniable proof that it is a lie, it will still be embraced as truth.