Quack, Quack, Gobble

Whenever I go to a farm supply store that has chicks, I must stop and visit them. Recently I ran by our local "Rural King" farm store. I could hear the chicks....so went on a search.

Way back when I volunteered with the local 4-H to support an embryology project in local classrooms. The 4-H/County Extension supplied everything; an incubator, some educational materials and a dozen fertile eggs. Over the years I added more materials to the curriculum, which enriched the program for students from first to seventh grade. 

Over several years I never tired of helping the teachers, seeing the kids' excitement,  and seeing baby chicks. 

I have many wonderful memories from the years of leading this project,

as well as a few bittersweet. 

When I had the program in my class, I would find myself watching the chicks. I loved how they would all run around, then as a group, stop, stand for a moment, and then 'ooze' down into a little chick puddle, sound asleep. 

A few of the chicks in the picture above had just fallen asleep. 

I tried to get a video, but they wouldn't cooperate! 

This sign made me smile....

and brought forth more memories!

 

Long ago, BC (before children) Easter was approaching. I had stopped in at our small Mom & Pop (and Sister, Son and Aunt) market to pick up something for supper. There was a cardboard box on the counter with ducklings in it. I asked about buying one but was told they were all spoken for. 

My in-laws were visiting, and my MIL was in the car with me. She and I both thought a duckling would be a great gift for her son. Like me, she was a kid at heart. So, we drove on to Savannah, GA, about 30 minutes away. We walked into the feed and seed store. I could hear cheeping coming from a far corner. 

I was approached by an employee. I asked about ducklings. He replied that they had none.

I asked what was cheeping, and he told me they had baby turkeys. 

Hmmm, maybe an Easter turkey would be a fun thing for my hubby!

The employee looked at me as if I was crazy,  saying, "Naw, you don't want no dumb turkey. They be so dumb they'll hold their heads up in a rainstorm and drown."

I was even more determined to take a poult home, and surprise my hubby with a turkey in his Easter basket the next morning!

Oh, and the employee gave me as much food as he thought I would need before the turkey died.

It was probably less than a cup of poultry starter!

Well, things didn't go according to my plan. 

The turkey was bereft without his brothers and sisters and was screaming. 

I had him in the car, in a box, planning to wait until morning to gift him, but my husband could hear the plaintiff cries from the back yard! 

None of us could stand the cries, but by then it was too late to go back to the 

feed and seed store to get a pal. 

My FIL felt terrible. He decided to go back to our local market, just on the off chance that they had a duckling left. And, lo and behold, someone had not returned to get their duck. 

(Perhaps they were smarter, had more common sense, than I!)

Here's a picture of my FIL that evening, with the baby duck.

You can see his joy in having saved the duckling, and providing a pal for the turkey.

(apologies about the poor quality)

Sadly, I can't locate a picture of the turkey, but trust me, he wasn't cuddly and cute! 

This was an almost 'happily ever after' story....

the duckling and the turkey were instantly best friends. 

The duckling/duck would swim in our little fish pond.

The turkey would try to follow him, 

and would come squawking indignantly out of the water! 

As they reached maturity, the birds wanted girlfriends.

One of my friends had other ducks, so she agreed to take ours.

Another friend had chickens and turkeys, 

so our tom went to live with her. 

Ah, yes....memories! 

All triggered by a sign at the local farm store saying that individual chicks could not be purchased!

Just Like Kids

I saw it first.

No you dint.

Well, I got to it first.

Yeah, but you run pastted the clump of grass. 

I flushed the turkey out.

No... I did!

I chased after it fastest than anything.

Did not.

Did too.

Sometimes we think the dogs are like kids, arguing about who gets the front seat, or who gets to drink first, or who gets to go out the door first. So, this conversation may really have gone on between Gypsy and Tucker. 

On my morning walks with the dogs we often come upon turkeys. One day a Tom fanned out his feathers to try to intimidate us. Most often the turkeys turn and go away from us. The dogs are really curious. They tug on their leashes and want to go after the turkeys in the worst way.

Recently the gate into a large open area that once housed some sort of huge industrial tank, was open. I figured this might be a safe place to let the dogs off their leashes. Safe for the dogs, perhaps. But it certainly put Mama turkey's life in peril! 

The huge tank is on the right in this historical picture of the bay side of Point Richmond.
The area where the tank stood is now an open field.

The dogs came upon her in a clump of grass. She flew out, with two dogs in mad pursuit, not even thinking of paying attention to my calls to come. Tucker gave up first, returning to the clump of grasses. Oh no! He was walking away with an egg in his mouth. He put the egg down and I was able to keep him away. I replaced the egg using some dried grass to pick I up.

I don't know if Mama will accept the egg with a bit of dog slobber on it!

I guess we won't be enjoying off-leash time in the tank field in the near future!

Scene at a campground: I Feel Pretty

I feel pretty,

Oh, so pretty,

I feel pretty,

 Not witty,

 Nor bright...

Wild turkeys invaded the camp ground every afternoon. This particular RV has a shiny strip of chrome along the bottom of each side and has turkey-atttracting hub caps. This particular turkey vacillated between admiring the beautiful turkey she saw looking back at her, and pecking at it. I am certain the owner of the RV was thrilled that his RV attracted such attention!