Sunday, June 25, 2006
Farm time memories ...
Well, I just responded to a post about the chickens and now I'm sitting here remembering my chickens.
For any of you who have never lived or worked a farm, you may not understand what I'm going to be talking about, but that's okay.
I grew up riding horses, being around cows, chickens, pigs, goats, dogs, cats, 4-H club, showing at the fair, I was even in FFA (Future Farmers of America) in high school.
Some of my very best friends have been animals that I've know over the years. Unlike people, who tend to be moody or judgmental ... animals love you unconditionally. They are always there to greet you ... keep you company ... or just do something cute that makes you smile.
Riding horses was and still is a great joy for me. It's relaxing, it's fun and a great way to just "take a break" for life. I miss getting to ride.
We always had dogs when I was growing up. My grandpa had one that would round up the cows for him and sometimes I would get to give the commands and it was always such a thrill to have the dog do what I was asking. Looking back I now know ... it wasn't me that was so smart ... it was the dog!!!!!!!
I've always been around cows. I love to see the babies ... they're so cute! My cousins always showed cattle at the fair and I would hang out with them in the beef barns. It's funny to me that I don't ever remember the barns "smelling". But now ... it's ... whewwwwwwyyyyyy!!!!
We raised a pig for the fair one year. She was the cutest little thing! She loved us. We loved her! Her name was Bossy (you know ... "Boss Hog" from the Dukes of Hazzard tv show) She would follow us around like a dog. She was fun to care for and loved a good "scratchin'". She would even dance to the radio. No, not stand up and dance, but her ears would dance. I always thought that was the coolest thing!!!!
I raised rabbits for the fair a couple of years. I didn't get as attached to my rabbits though. I think we ended up selling them at the fair one year.
My singing and piano playing debut was to the herd of cows across the road. They were a herd of Brahmas and I thought they were the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen!!!! They were a great audience and very attentive. I still have a soft spot for cattle!!!
Well, what brought all of this up, and I do realize that some of it is repetition for some of you ... was the chicken post. It made me think of Henny Penny. While I was in FFA I raised chickens and sold eggs for my project. Every once in a while they would all gang up on one chicken. Sometimes they would even kill it. I discovered that one was being singled out. She was bloody and not very happy. I pulled her out, put her in a small cage and nursed her back to health. We became best buddies. Most kids go home after school to play with their dog ... I came home every day to play with my chicken. She would sit on my lap and we would talk to eachother. She always responded ... I have no idea what she was saying ... but I could tell that she was always being supportive. She like to have her back stroked and her chin rubbed. Then she would groom me ... for chicken mites I suspect ... I don't think she ever found any ... that time.
I did get chicken mites once and I told that story in my posts about my grandma and grandpas farm. I used to play in the chicken house all of the time. I liked looking for eggs and sitting up on the roosting boards. I don't know why ... I guess it was just quiet and secluded and I liked watching the chickens in their nests. Anyway, one day when I went back in the house I had little red chicken mites all over me. My grandmother gave me the scrubbing of my life! I still remember. It hurt!!!! But ... it got rid of the mites. Thank goodness!!
I also have a soft spot for ponds. My grandparents had several ponds at their farm and I loved going out to just sit on the bank and watch the water. Their pond was big enough we could put in a canoe and row around. Sometimes I would just lay in the bottom of the canoe and float around.
Memories ... memories ....
And now ... at 10:46pm ... I'm actually going to bed!
Until tomorrow!!
For any of you who have never lived or worked a farm, you may not understand what I'm going to be talking about, but that's okay.
I grew up riding horses, being around cows, chickens, pigs, goats, dogs, cats, 4-H club, showing at the fair, I was even in FFA (Future Farmers of America) in high school.
Some of my very best friends have been animals that I've know over the years. Unlike people, who tend to be moody or judgmental ... animals love you unconditionally. They are always there to greet you ... keep you company ... or just do something cute that makes you smile.
Riding horses was and still is a great joy for me. It's relaxing, it's fun and a great way to just "take a break" for life. I miss getting to ride.
We always had dogs when I was growing up. My grandpa had one that would round up the cows for him and sometimes I would get to give the commands and it was always such a thrill to have the dog do what I was asking. Looking back I now know ... it wasn't me that was so smart ... it was the dog!!!!!!!
I've always been around cows. I love to see the babies ... they're so cute! My cousins always showed cattle at the fair and I would hang out with them in the beef barns. It's funny to me that I don't ever remember the barns "smelling". But now ... it's ... whewwwwwwyyyyyy!!!!
We raised a pig for the fair one year. She was the cutest little thing! She loved us. We loved her! Her name was Bossy (you know ... "Boss Hog" from the Dukes of Hazzard tv show) She would follow us around like a dog. She was fun to care for and loved a good "scratchin'". She would even dance to the radio. No, not stand up and dance, but her ears would dance. I always thought that was the coolest thing!!!!
I raised rabbits for the fair a couple of years. I didn't get as attached to my rabbits though. I think we ended up selling them at the fair one year.
My singing and piano playing debut was to the herd of cows across the road. They were a herd of Brahmas and I thought they were the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen!!!! They were a great audience and very attentive. I still have a soft spot for cattle!!!
Well, what brought all of this up, and I do realize that some of it is repetition for some of you ... was the chicken post. It made me think of Henny Penny. While I was in FFA I raised chickens and sold eggs for my project. Every once in a while they would all gang up on one chicken. Sometimes they would even kill it. I discovered that one was being singled out. She was bloody and not very happy. I pulled her out, put her in a small cage and nursed her back to health. We became best buddies. Most kids go home after school to play with their dog ... I came home every day to play with my chicken. She would sit on my lap and we would talk to eachother. She always responded ... I have no idea what she was saying ... but I could tell that she was always being supportive. She like to have her back stroked and her chin rubbed. Then she would groom me ... for chicken mites I suspect ... I don't think she ever found any ... that time.
I did get chicken mites once and I told that story in my posts about my grandma and grandpas farm. I used to play in the chicken house all of the time. I liked looking for eggs and sitting up on the roosting boards. I don't know why ... I guess it was just quiet and secluded and I liked watching the chickens in their nests. Anyway, one day when I went back in the house I had little red chicken mites all over me. My grandmother gave me the scrubbing of my life! I still remember. It hurt!!!! But ... it got rid of the mites. Thank goodness!!
I also have a soft spot for ponds. My grandparents had several ponds at their farm and I loved going out to just sit on the bank and watch the water. Their pond was big enough we could put in a canoe and row around. Sometimes I would just lay in the bottom of the canoe and float around.
Memories ... memories ....
And now ... at 10:46pm ... I'm actually going to bed!
Until tomorrow!!
