Sybil Ludington Rides Again

Politics, Freedom and Farm Life

The Unexpected Guests

Life has been crazy busy lately. There has been much going on with older family members, and as a result, not only are my sisters and I trying to keep up with our own duties, we’ve now picked up some additional ones. I’m not for sure how it is with them, but I know for me it’s put me behind on several things, blogging just being one of them. Since I was essentially gone for 4 days over the weekend, no it wasn’t exactly fun, I got further behind on some of my farm duties. Such as collecting eggs. Collecting eggs is one of those things it’s never good to get behind on. Now I know I wasn’t that far behind, but when I went to feed the chickens this morning and let them out into their playpen I got quite a surprise.

The first clue was the cheeping. The second clue was seeing one of my Auracana hens with four little babies clustered around her. NUTS!! Life is busy enough without raising chicks. And raise them I will need to do. If I leave them in the chicken house they will most likely be eaten by a snake. Or the other chickens may go after them. Not to mention they need baby chick feed and I like to put electrolytes in their water. None of this is possible down there.

But, it was time to go see my Aunt and take her the fresh laundry. So I finished chores and loaded up my car. On the way to town I talked to G_d about this, along the lines of “Seriously? You think I need baby chicks, NOW?” In the past I’ve enjoyed raising them, but now? They all four looked like they were Auracanas, which would be the breed I would choose to buy, so that’s good.

Then I began to think of names. I decided to try for things that are at low ebb in my life right now. So their names will be

אֳמונַה which is Faith, you could pronounce it like Emuna

חֵן which is Grace, good luck with this one, that first letter is Chet, so it is like a hard, never mind..just say Hen, and when you start the “H” part kind of clear your throat, you’ll be close.

תֽקוַה which is Hope, you could pronounce it like Tikvah.

גֽיל which is Joy. This one is easy, you pronounce it just like it looks, Geel.

They are currently in a small dog crate. That’s easier to keep body heat, plus they have an electric heating pad in a walmart bag. I hope we won’t have to do that over one or two nights. But again, these kids are only about a day old. I’ve dipped their little beaks in the special “chick kool-aid” with electrolytes, they’ve found the food and are eating. I left them nestled together on the heating pad. They have a little battery powered lantern in there so I can check on them and see what they are doing and a towel is draped over it to keep the heat in and breezes out. I’m hoping and praying they will grown up to be healthy happy GIRLS!

I guess as I’m watching how vicious the aging process can be, it is good to be reminded that life, is well, “life” חי .

If we are lucky, we see all the seasons. Although from watching my older family members, that fall/winter one is not for the faint of heart. But I see them facing it with grace and dignity and courage, a lot of courage.

So for now, I have some unexpected guests in the house. Hopefully in six weeks they can all rejoin their Mother, who is none to happy with me right now. I did promise her I would do my best.

Unexpected Guests

Unexpected Guests

 

Gather Round The Dinner Table

Gather Round The Dinner Table

2 Comments

  1. Mike Samenus

    14/06/2014 at 20:49

    This is good stuff. Keep up the good work.

Leave a Reply to Mike Samenus Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

*