Baby Birds "Nanarized"

We came home Saturday afternoon around 6:00. While unloading some of our things from the truck we noticed the door on our bluebird house was open. This wasn't good because we knew there was a family of baby bluebirds inside. As we walked over to check it out we saw one, then two, then three little babies on the ground. Thinking they were dead I reached to pick them up so Lewis could bury them. To our surprise their mouths opened wide and their fragile little bodies started to move. Thinking their mother would return we carefully placed them back in their nest and closed the door. This morning while drinking my morning coffee I watched the birdhouse to see if the mother had returned. After 30 minutes of watching it was clear to me there was no mother in sight. When Lewis woke up I told him and he looked on the internet to see what we should do. It said they would have to be fed every 30 minutes using tweezers if they were to survive. They recommended dry dog food moistened with water. Since we didn't have any dog food we decided on the next best thing... Captain Crunch Peanut Butter cereal!!! We moistened it with water and then I found myself outside with hot rollers in my hair, standing in a chair trying to feed 3 VERY hungry baby birds in their nest while Lewis held the bowl! I can imagine what the neighbors across the street thought of us! We went back inside to get ready for church and talked about how in the world we would feed these little fellows every 30 minutes!! Then as we were getting ready to leave the daddy and mama bluebirds returned. They were probably surprised to find their babies back in their nest and even more surprised to find Captain Crunch all over their faces!! Lewis said I had "Nanarized" the baby birds because they were probably telling their mom they didn't want worms to eat, they wanted more of what Nana had fed them! I really don't care what they were saying, I'm just glad their mom and dad showed up to take over so we didn't have to adopt 3 little baby birds! From what we read the parents have to make 480 trips back and forth in one day gathering food...that's way too many trips for us!

"The Angel"

She was called an "Angel" by just about everyone who knew her. I knew her better as my "Mama". Her caring personality and sweet disposition is why everyone thought she was so special. I can't remember her ever doing anything for herself, it was always for someone else. She was constantly baking cakes, gathering vegetables or sending cards to someone in need. Mama had a hard life but she never complained. Living on the farm wasn't her dream but I think over the years she grew to love it. It started when my sister Judy was born. Mom and dad had moved to Florida when dad went to work for CP&L. When Judy was born my dad's parents begged them to move back to the farm in Sanford and build their house there. Since the farm had 56 acres they would have plenty of room. The day they arrived dad backed up to the farm house and unloaded their things. It was only suppose to be temporary, to live with his parents, just until they built their house but that day would never come. Shortly after their arrival Grandma became crippled and at that time Duke Medical Center could not even diagnose the cause. So, mom and dad were asked to stay in the farm house with them, just until grandma could walk again. That would never happen and my mom became known as the " live in nurse". I know deep down inside she wanted a home of her "own" but being a very christian lady, she never questioned God's plan. She spent a lot of time outside in her garden and at the clothesline. I know now these were probably her escape places! At one time she had both my grandparents who were sick, a great-grandmother who had moved in, and her own family to take care of! Yet she still found time to play the organ at church, cook "homecooked" meals, sew our clothes, freeze and can vegetables, make homemade jellies plus milk a cow from which she made homemade butter! You can see how her wings started to grow and the name ANGEL came about! Never in all my time at home did I hear her raise her voice or yell. She must have had nerves of steal! I remember only being spanked once and that was when my sister and I ran barefoot in a plowed field when it was cold outside. My grandmother kept saying over and over and over that we were going to be sick, and I think that's one day my mama's nerves cracked! I think she ran out the door and spanked us to keep from yelling at grandma! Once my grandparents passed away mom and dad did have the farm house alone for a while but I know she got her very "own" personal home when she got to heaven and with all she did throughout her life I have no doubt that it's a mansion! (probably a mansion with a garden & a clothesline!) Happy birthday mama, I still miss your sweet smile, and soft voice but I know you are enjoying your beautiful "heavenly" home! I can just imagine you playing the organ for the heavenly choir!

The Easter Egg Hunt

I'm anxious to see if we will have any injuries this Easter. It gets a little rowdy during the Easter egg hunt, even to the point of pushing and shoving. I watch from the front porch swing and laugh. You would think they would know how to behave but their competitiveness over comes them! I guess I could put them in time out but really they're a little too old for that. You see, I'm not talking about the grandkids, I'm talking about their parents and Steven!! It has become a tradition that after the grandkids hunt and find their eggs they hide eggs for the adults to find. If there were only candies inside the eggs it probably wouldn't get out of control but there's always two big golden eggs with money inside that really gets them going. It's only $5 in each of the two eggs but you would think it was a $100!! They run around the yard at lightning speed not caring who they crash into! Year before last Joseph plowed over Michelle and she was yelling the whole time not to take an egg from a poor, pregnant lady! This past year, it turned around and Scott ran over Lisa and grabbed one of the eggs! I'm sure this time Michelle and Lisa will be out for revenge or maybe Steven will out do them all! The kids can't believe adults really act this way! Dalton said he had never seen his mama run so fast! Maybe they should buy knee pads and helmets instead of the traditional Easter outfits!! This year we are having Easter at the farm, and with a lot more space to run it may really get dangerous, we'll have to wait and see!

The calm before the storm!



No cheating, Lisa!



Why can't the adults act civilized like us!