What did you do Monday? I picked up Amira from guitar lessons, Valerie from orchestra, a friend near by, hit up a taco truck and then took the girls to their monthly 4-H Community meeting. When we came home, Michael & Rex had already fed the lambs and had the basketball game on.
I was going to have a seat and zone out when suddenly there was a turkey on the coffee table. Then a hamster dropped in. This was followed by a surprised looking chick and a photo session ensued.
Of course the turkey pooped on the table and the hamster tasted it. Then, since turnabout is fair play, the turkey tried to eat the hamster poop.
In order to get these photos, a lot transpired. In fact, here's a behind the scenes video:
Upon our return from the land of red rocks, our first order of business was to pick up Bambi & Forbes. They had gotten so big that I couldn't believe it. But still so cute and expectant for that bottle! Love those little waggly tails.
Amira went to her first poultry show with 4-H.
And this week we finally received our Red Rangers from the hatchery. These are not show chickens or a 4-H project. These are future dinners.
I received the call about 7am from the post office. We piled in the Swagger Wagon and hauled down to the loading dock at the back of the post office by 7:30am. A box of peeps was promptly handed over. That's right, teaching the kids how to pick up chicks.
After I dropped all the kids off at school I swung by the feed store for an impulse purchase. It has been two years since we kept turkeys. So the utter annoyance of keeping them was sort of a distant memory. I guess it's sort of like forgetting the pain of child birth. We just remembered the entertaining parts. I suppose that's the royal "we".
"I say, Sir! I'll have 5 of your hardiest broad breasted bronze!"
"You gotta watch those turkey poults. They'll look fine one minute then be dead on the bottom of the cage the next."
"Yessir. That's why I'm taking FIVE. Of your HARDIEST. Put that skinny one back and grab that big bruiser, please."
This afternoon when the kids got home from school they ran to the box in the garage to hold the chicks.
"Hey, why do some have spots?"
"Yeah! Why are some ugly?"
"Oh no! These aren't TURKEYS???"
Well, perhaps I was the only one who forgot the turkey peril. I of have a rather selective memory. It's what allows me to ... get through each day.
Below is a short video of the brooder box. Notice how the chicks are eating and drinking and chirping. Notice the poor dazed and confused things amongst them. Yup. Turkeys!
We have had some crazy weather out here lately. We are so happy to have received some rain! And with some of these showers come beautiful rainbows. Michael photographed this one from our back yard Monday night.
Sunday morning was the one morning we had this week to luxuriate and sleep in. When I finally roused myself to get dressed, I heard a rap, rap tapping at my door, "Just a minute. I'm getting dressed." I called to the door while pulling a shirt over my shoulders that were still sore from Saturday's yard work.
"Okay, but it's kind of heavy" Amira replied from the hall. Now when someone makes that statement, I have no idea what I'm going to see when I open the door. I grimaced and swung the door open to find Amira holding a tray with a couple of tea pots and a cup for Michael. "Hey! You made tea for Daddy! How thoughtful. I thought I smelled coffee this morning too. Do you know how to make my coffee?"
"Mommy, NOBODY knows how to make your coffee." Fair enough. I am a pick control freak when it comes to my coffee.
Madelyn's mom was driving the girls to the sheep barn for lambing at 4-H this day. I didn't have to be there until 3PM to pick them up so I thought I'd do some work in the garden of neglect and start some more seeds.
At about 1:30PM Carol, Valerie's 4-H leader, called me and sounded very serious and needed to talk. At first I was a little concerned that something had happened to Valerie. But any worries were quickly dismissed when I realized the true nature of her call.
She had a little ewe lamb that was wasting away because her mother had mastitis and her brother was drinking all the milk out of her good teat. Then she had a different momma who was trying to kill her little ram lamb. Now, she knew that Valerie was planning to get a couple of sheep in June after they were weaned ... But how would she like to take these two today? Go talk to your husband. I didn't say anything to Valerie yet. And if the answer is no, I won't.
I was so excited about taking the lambs but had to check it out with Michael first. He was out in the drizzle hooking up water to all the plants I'd put in the day before. "Honey, Carol called. Can we talk for a minute?" His response was like, "OMG! Is Valerie okay??!" I'm not the only one who worried.
His response was like, sure, she can take the lambs and bottle feed them every three hours and clean up after them, if it's okay with you, because I'm leaving for a job for ten days, coming home for a few and then leaving again.
True. This would not be an immediate imposition ... For him. Actually he didn't take any coaxing at all. That was too easy!
By 3PM I had a car full of girls and lambs.
After I dropped Madelyn off at home I still needed to take one more person home. This would have left Valerie to hold two sheep. So I swing by the house. Amira and Rex were inside. I said, "
When we got home, Michael came out to see them and Rex was as surprised as we all were. But look at this grin on Michael's face as he holds a 2 day old lamb. Her name was Feather but Valerie changed it to Bambi. She cited my rule about no more ironic pet names (Fat died from obesity, Lucky was eaten by a hawk). Since Feather was tiny, weighing only 4lbs because she was starving ... She also cited the fact that she told a friend that she would name a ewe Bambi.
Michael has been getting up for 2:30am feedings with Valerie and wiping their little faces as well as bottle feeding while I'm at Zumba and kids are at school. I married Superman!
This little guy is named Forbes.
Anyhow, Michael is off working. Valerie is taking the night shift. I'm trying to squeeze in feedings all day along with everything else I do.
I will never get this posted if I don't do it today. So, see cute baby lamb pix & videos below.
Now, this is ROOM SERVICE! (Living room service)
Valerie is a good mom. Here's an instructional on how to feed a baby lamb:
Susan dropped by just after they arrived at our house. She had no idea she'd get to hold baby lambs.
Lastly, if your living room didn't look like this on Monday morning, I'm sorry.
Rex: After this, Valerie, you're going to have bragging rights.
Valerie: Wait. I'm going to get a sweater.
Amira: For your tooth, Valerie?
Valerie, at the age of 12, has had a loose tooth for days. It's her lower right canine. Although she could have pulled it herself or waited for the dentist appointment on Monday, she and Rex headed out the back door with a bow, arrow and dental floss.
Valerie: it wouldn't come out. The first time it broke the line. The second time it slipped off my tooth.
Rex was in hot pursuit to the house,
Rex; Valerie! Let's get fishing line!!!
Valerie: Daddy, this time we're going to do it again! And this time nothing can stop us!!
Well, when that didn't work, Valerie informed me she was done for the evening. When I expressed my incredulousness she said, "you just want to finish your blog!"
In latest bunny news, Napoleon and Spot are buds! They LOVE each other. Of course this is great news. And we now spend far too much time gawking at bunnies making sounds like, "Awwwe!!!"
Valerie attended another successful middle school dance. I was present as chaperone but tried to keep busy and not gawk. I only had to officially address one wardrobe malfunction ... Nobody we knew.
Here are Madelyn, Ruthie, Dillon and Valerie in the ever popular photo booth.
And Madelyn and Valerie.
The morning after the dance we drove through gobs of much needed rain to SF to crash Michael's hotel and wish him a happy birthday. He'd just flown in from another job in snowy and icy Chicago. The kids brought him a string of balloons left over from the dance to make his room more festive.
He got a few cards and gifts. Happy Birthday!!!
Here the country mice gawk out the big city windows.
Rex was so stoked to have his own bed and access to television. Michael had a good deal of fun controlling the television in the kids' room remotely from our room. There were many giggles and statements like, "what channel should I punch up next? The Chinese station?" It was a hoot. And then our phone rang. Rex figured out that his dad, Mr. Gadget, was having some fun at his expense. We let it go for a bit and then Michael had some fun with the television volume and called their room pretending to be security responding to a noise complaint. So much fun!
We decided to brave the rain and head over to Yerba Buena to check out bowling and/or ice skating. On the way there we cruised through Union Square and Nieman Marcus. We tried on fragrances, ate chocolate dipped orange slices and rode the escalators. Country mice!!
Sadly, the tiny bowling ally was completely jammed (as one might expect on a rainy day). The kids poo-pooed the idea of ice skating. But they ran out into the rain at the near by playground and tried to catch pigeons. This has been Rex's favorite city sport since he could walk. One time he actually caught a pigeon on this very park.
Today someone had left pigeon bait on the ground (popcorn) and I watched Rex stalk the birds like a cat. He suddenly swooped in for the grab and bagged a bird. I absolutely shrieked. I went to get the camera as the pigeon freaked out and flew away leaving behind all of its tail feathers in Rex's hands. I shrieked again. No picture of Rex or the tailless wonder. I only have a photo of the aftermath of the scene.
We continued our rainy walk to the top of the Marriott for drinks (and hand washing!) Happy Birthday, Michael!
The night ended with a fantastic sushi meal at Sanraku on Sutter. Mmmm! Michael had to get up the next morning and go back to work. The kids and I grabbed some breakfast at a. Nearby diner and then braved the rain back home. I was hoping the kids would want to stay and go to the Academy of Sciences and make a day of it. But we were all kind of tired from Saturday and had to get home to get ready for school tomorrow. Another day ... I love the trips back to the city. But I love coming back home to the farm!
