UP THE CREEK??? ......THERE'S HELP!

Enough said....:0) :0)

LOONIS AND I GAVE IT OUR BEST SHOT

I'm sad to report that after three and a half weeks, there's no indication of life in the turkey eggs Annie and Molly brought home, so my thought is that Loonis's and my attempts at hatching the eggs haven't been sucessful. Alas! I really was excited about the prospects of having baby turkeys around.

At one point in time, I did have 3 dozen chickens of all species and a couple of dozen ducks (only one of whom quacked) here on the farm, and although I always had fresh eggs and lots of pretty feathers, I also recall I had a mucho guano piles to avoid and virtually no flowers or garden plants to enjoy, thanks to their voracious appetites.

OK..... change of sentiment... the memory of duck and chicken caca everywhere and no flowers or veggies reminds me I really am not so sad I won't have baby turkeys following me around this summer.

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU CHANGED IN 10 YEARS?

You've Changed 44% in 10 Years

You've done a good job changing with the times, but deep down, you're still the same person. Your clothes, job, and friends may have changed some - but it hasn't changed you.

How Much Have You Changed in 10 Years?

T's commentary:
An interesting test...Good to know, however, that after the events of the last 10 years, I'm still the same person at heart. I like that notion because I do like who I am. (No condescension intended).. Doesn't mean there haven't been some incredibly rough times along the way when I struggled with loving myself and my life, but it does confirm that the changes that have come my way have been so much for the better. The Universe truly cares for us all!

Always grateful...Namasté...T.

PS: My percentage would have been higher had there been a question involving the natural aging of one's hair color!

THE LAST TWO WEEKS--CATCH UP...

On this beautiful Saturday morning, I'm alone here at the farm, watching the mockingbird as she balances on branch of the small maple tree across the driveway and sings to her heart's content! The songs of other birds echo her joy and enthusiasm for life, and I'm inspired to get outside and take in the morning with them.

Since my last post, I've spent most of my time at home outside, mowing the grass and putzing around. Tom and I have a huge garden below the barn that's beginning to show signs of life, and the beds down by the barn are producing great greens and onions. I made a salad last night with the first of the spinach and bibb lettuce, and it was scrumptious!

In addition, I've put in some dahlia bulbs, stuck the plants I started from seed into the ground, and mowed some more. So, in terms of major news flashes, the word from the farm is that this double Virgo has had her hands and feet in the Earth and has been LOVING it!

What else?? Let's see... I went to the annual OU Ceramics Department"Brat Off" and hung out with some really neat folks, celebrated Tom's graduation party here at the Farm, have hungout with LoriBeth, (who's here before she nannies for Nickelback on tour this summer - how cool is that??), had some great time with Joe and his friends, Mary and Carrie.....all good farm family stuff..I miss Samuel, Eliza (who's at her dad's now), and Bobbi, but we'll have our time together at the beach in a few weeks.

I am grateful for my life. I really love my life, and I love all those who are such an integral part of life here at home, at The Farm, beyond words.

Namasté

MOTHER'S DAY - 2007

It's beginning here at the Farm today with rather mundane activities. Tim, my newfound yard assistant, came by to weed-eat the banks I am choosing not to tackle this summer, and I've cleaned out my bathroom and done a couple loads of laundry. It's a beautiful May morning, a little chilly and breezy; nonetheless, the sun's out, the sky's blue, and the Earth is smiling.

No news on the "hatching" scene, but I'm keeping diligent watch on the eggs. I turn them, make sure they're warm, and talk to them frequently.

Later on today, I'll head to campus to meet Dr. Allen Kindt, professor emeritus at Appalachian State University. He's going to perform a Mother's Day Concert. The next best thing to being home with my own mom and grandmom will be listening to him dazzle the audience with his artistry on the piano...After the afternoon, I'll be back here at the Farm, planting a few more things and getting ready for the plumber to come tomorrow to start a huge undertaking in the basement.

In celebration of all mom's today, I give thanks for Petie and Grandma....two of my greatest inspirations and role models....

Namasté....

TURKEY EGG UPDATE...THIS IS TOOOO CRAZY!

Update to this morning's post: Molly just brought me another turkey egg. (I'm sooo glad the corgis are such nuturing canines!)

So, I've placed it in with the other two, covered the nest with a towel, and put the heating pad on top of the towel. Now, Loonis has crawled up on the heating pad and is "sitting" on the eggs. Is there a huge feline identity crisis taking place here? How bizarre would it be if my CAT hatched the TURKEY eggs?

(The photo isn't great, but you can see Loonis, peacefully asleep on top of the heating pad that's on top of the eggs...)

NESTING

Yesterday afternoon, after delivering information about next year's Evergreen Arts & Humanities programs to potential donors and sponsors, Tom J. and I headed to the local Mexican restaurant, had a couple of pre-Cinco de Mayo margaritas, and came back to the farm. To balance the caloric intake of the margaritas, we decided to take a walk to the back of the field, and shortly after we entered the woods, the corgis flushed a turkey. We watched it fly across the small ravine to the other side of the creek, checked out the thousands of MayApples that are in bloom, and headed back to the field.

When we were just out of the woods, Annie came up to me with something in her mouth. I bent down to see what she had, and very, very gently, she dropped a beautiful beige speckled egg in my hand. About that time, Molly came out of the woods with one in her mouth. Evidently after Mama Turkey had taken flight, the girls found the nest and brought the eggs to me to care for.

(Thank you, Annie and Molly! I have all the time in the world to raise two turkey fledglings! eergh!)

Unable to locate the nest and feeling somewhat distressed that two little turkeys wouldn't make it if I didn't do something, I placed the eggs down in my athletic bra close to my chest and headed back to the house. (Aside: I had a rather whop-sided looking chest as we trekked back up the path. Turkey eggs are not much smaller than goose eggs, and I had them snuggled down between my breasts.)

After google-ing how to incubate wild bird eggs, I fear they haven't been warm enough in the nest of grass I made in a large gourd bowl, so now I've covered the makeshift nest with a wool shawl I knitted this winter and placed a heating pad under the bowl. Hopefully, it's not too late.

I'm headed back to the woods in just a minute in hopes of finding the nest again. If I don't, I'll leave a large sign for Mama Turkey near the spot, assuring her that her eggs are being cared for with lots of human love and asking her to please come get them. I'll be glad to relinquish the caretaking responsibility. (I've called Julie Zickefoose, our local caretaker for abandoned wildlife, to see if she'd like to take on a couple of turkey eggs, and of course, she's not at home. By the way, check out Julie's website and blog. She's an amazing naturalist, mom, artist, author, and really great woman. Her new book, Letters from Eden, is beautiful.)

My thoughts at the moment: Are the little turkeys inside those eggs warm enough???

and

WHAT ON EARTH WILL I DO IF THESE EGGS HATCH?????