Mama’s babies, other babies, our mess

Grandma could not get over the way Mama addressed the chicks. As she would approach the cage she would sweetly say, “Hi, my babies.” In response the chickens would double their volume knowing that food was about to be put in their feeders – which are getting too small for the growing brood. We almost left them too long in the large cage that has been their home for almost a month. Now they are in a coop that is going to be expanded again this week or next. It amazed me that as we put them into the building Grandpa and I repaired and reinforced for their protection, they actually looked small again. They are in Grandpa’s care now and I am not sure he understands the magnitude of that responsibility.


Grandma fretted for several days over whether or not we were going to get the donkeys she had asked about. It turns out we really are going to get all three and it appears they are also someone’s babies. Grandma called the lady who has been talking to her about the transfer and found out that she and her sister had been to the farm to look over the pasture to see if it would suit the needs of their little herd and it was deemed adequate. Saturday should be the date for the new arrivals.

Grandma was even more excited when Norman told her of a recent sale of a Jerusalem donkey for $2500. I have no idea of the circumstances of that particular sale was but I do not think that it is an automatic repeat – which is what is going on in Grandma’s mind. I remember a friend of ours buying a pot bellied pig for $6000; now I see them advertized to be given away. Are the two equal in value just because they are the same species? I doubt it, but who knows?

One of the reasons we are excited about the donkeys coming is that as we worked Friday night filling up the dumpster again, we could hear the coyotes yelping to each other as they tracked some prey. It is an eerie sound that was all too close to suit Mama and Grandma. Even the Brahma bull in the neighbor’s pasture was noticeable concerned. I am told they like their chickens raw but they prefer domestic cat to any other animal. The donkeys are great guardians of the farm and coyotes know it well. Mama hopes these three will adopt her little ones.

Mama was dreading going back to the Jennie house for several reasons. First because Ketsia was not going to be there – she and Victoria are still in mourning. Second, because the house is a piled up wreck. We worked for about an hour after we got home to throw out some of the clutter and it will be very livable by the end of this week, but we have a long way to go before we get rid of enough to take care of the clutter without having off site storage – to which I am opposed. The good news is that there are five dumpsters in the alley immediately behind our house; plenty of room to throw things out. Also, a young couple at our church is going to be buying a house for which they will need lots of furniture items – some of which we can supply.

After hearing about the time Chase is spending with one particular girl I asked him if he had singled her out to give his attention to. He stammered an answer of ‘Maybe” which, for Chase could be roughly equal to a marriage proposal. At any rate he is less desperate to go to New Jersey to graduate: that fact alone strengthens Mama’s and my resolve to see that he does go. I know the young lady’s name but I have no idea how to spell it, so I will not embarrass myself with that for now.