Pricilla

Pricilla is my little, black, silky hen who has to be the best “chicken” mama I have ever seen. Last spring she sat on 7 eggs for 3 weeks. Two days before they were to hatch another one of my hens, Penny, decide she was going to sit on them too. Well, when they hatched, Penny decided that sitting for 2 days qualified her to be Mamma and there was no way she was going to share the chicks with another hen including Pricilla. So sadly Pricilla stepped aside and let Penny become mamma. Penny took care of the chicks but Pricilla was never too far away, always watching from afar. Several months passed and the chicks were old enough to be on their own so Pricilla saw her time to take over. The chicks were almost as big as Pricilla but that didn’t stop her from stretching her wings over the top of them as they perched at night. It was a sight to see this sweet little hen on her tip toes spreading her wings over 4 big, juvenile chickens (3 were lost to hawks/dogs) who really were big enough to be on their own. Kind of reminds me of human mamas who no matter how big our kids get we are there with our arms around them. She enjoyed motherhood for several weeks then decided she wanted to sit again. This time she hatched 7 more eggs and this time, Penny has stayed away. It has been 4 months and she has not lost a baby. She is a great mother. I love watching her in the mornings as she stands guard watching her babies eat and run around. My thought for today – When your children hug you don’t be the first one to let go. =)

The Things I Miss the Most

I sat today and thought about the things that were once a part of my life that I now miss. I miss the daily talks on the phone with my grandmother. I miss watching my grandfather drink coffee while he worked in the yard. I miss my other set of grandparents who left this life before they got to see my sons become teenagers. I miss my sisters and my parents who have moved away but am thankful for daily talks with them. But the thing I miss the most is the house full of boys, running and playing. I miss the TGIF night -eating dinner in front of the TV and then laying on the floor together. I miss playing at the boat park and watching tadpoles develop into frogs. I miss reading story books at bedtime until I fell asleep. I miss fresh picked flowers, brought in by little hands in the spring.  I miss the midnight talks on my bed after Dad got home from work. I miss being so crowed in the bed that I couldn't turn over. I miss baby chicks and quail hatching in the kitchen. I miss sitting on the couch with two small boys on each side as we read about American history. I miss Christmas morning and going outside  on Christmas Eve to listen for the reindeer's bells. BUT I am thankful that these things that I miss have been replaced by 3 friendships that I will always treasure. I am thankful for the phone calls I receive everyday from my 2nd son. For the conversations we have about science and biology. I am thankful for the many "I love you" that I get from  my youngest and I am treasuring this time that he is home again. I am thankful for his safe return from war three times and I thank God that HIS promises held true. I am thankful for my oldest son who beat all odds of being born to teenage parents. I am thankful that my 3 sons are  close to each other. I look back and can't believe how fast time flew by. But I look forward to the future and cherish each day. For I know that this life passes way too fast.