~~~I was tagged by Shannon of Kenleigh Acres to state 5 things you might not know about me. I do realize as bloggers we really don't and cannot know each other, and many of us have close friends and relatives who sometimes scratch their heads and wonder if they ever did really know us...or maybe wish that after they know us, they could forget us ( me). Thank-you to all you precious people who put up with me kindly. Really, THANK-YOU!~~~
~~~#2 Grandson, 8th grandchild , grasping his father's hand for the first time.~~~
~~~The 5th thing you might not know about me is : when I was about 30 years old I discovered the father who raised me and loved me was not my biological father. I was conceived while Dad was away in Korea, courtesy of the U.S. Army, and Mom was involved with someone else. Now I know this is a common story, but I did not find out until I was approaching middle age. I was also told by my Grandma and father that my mom sought funds for an abortion..but because abortion was
not legal, easily available, or free, mom was unable to get the abortion that would have made her life a bit easier, and ended my life. My 3 children and 8 grandchildren, and my husband are very pleased I was not killed before I was born ! I am too.
~~~I bring this up not really because I was tagged, there are a lot of light hearted silly things I could have posted, but lately there has been a lot in the news regarding political opinions about abortion and things in my life that just really cry for some sense. For example, that constantly trotted out and inanely repeated phrase " oh , good, she had an abortion ( to whomever is being referred to) one less unwanted child in the world ." This is said as casually as someone would swat a fly , or brush a crumb off the table.
~~~Unwanted by whom ? Gosh darn it, there are a lot of people who desperately desire a child. Let's not forget , we are talking about a
baby, a child ! Just try to talk about disposing of unwanted puppies or kittens ! People in the grand state of Washington make the headline news, and go to jail for disposing of animals the way millions of babies are disposed of!
~~~I am not going to make this a political blog, ...politically I am a conservative libertarian. But just think about it...we have a major political party that has made one of the foundations of their platform the
right to kill babies, Not fetuses , or lumps of flesh..babies ! What is wrong with this picture ? One presidential candidate has sought legislation to deny person hood to survivors of abortion..hint, it is not the Republican candidate. I mean really, deny the survivor of abortion, fully functioning and living..the right to be a person !If you want references click on
WINDOWS TO MY SOUL in the sidebar and check out her August 18, 2008 post. From there you can check out references, one to a young woman who survived a 3rd term saline abortion. Her actual medical records state "born during saline abortion". Hmmmm, a lump of flesh, not a person, was born and is now a grown-up. A beautiful, talented grown-up that one presidential candidate would deny person hood. { Gianna Jessen http://www.giannajessen.com/ } How did killing babies become a divisive political ideal ?
~~~I believe my Mom was glad she did not abort me. I do not believe I was ever unwanted after I was born. I don't think I am a drag and drain on society, and my 3 children are productive, law abiding, and loving adults with families of their own. And you know what, even if they were sickly, poor, ugly and not so nice...would you, should you, have the right to deprive them of life ?
~~~ #6 granddaughter ( below) ~~~
~~~"
If the nearly 1 and 1/2 million babies aborted in America each year could, somehow, vote, chameleon candidates would find fresh reason to be concerned about abortion- whereas now they are unconcerned. " Noel Maxwell
~~~"The great physician , Dr. Henry G. Armitage, Jr., states "Not without comment shall it pass that a state ( so fretful for the preservation of the praying mantis but holding an unborn baby to be of no account)can send a spark of immortality swinging out into limbo and conspire with citizen and physician to turn a fragile , living object of simple innocence and complex wonder into a pathetic pulp and consign it by rude and peremptory passage to the furnace or sewer- unknown, unwanted, and undefended. " He further questions how a woman as " the fertile adornment of our race can be deluded into the notion that she is the mere poetress of unwanted luggage or by blandishment seduced into believing that she has dominion over life not her own." And..."an abortion is never commonplace, for the world holds no heartbreak like to death of innocence. " Noel Maxwell
~~~I have a quiet conversation with our 8th grandchild as we sit by the camp fire.~~~
~~~Here you have 5 things you might not have known about me, and maybe wish you still did not know ...but it is MY blog ! Now I am tagging Lanny from Its the Dirt, Mr. Wooley, Wingmaster Steve, Breezy from 'Shootin' the Breeze, and Daisy, from Smiling With Daisy. ~~~
" For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. " Psalms 139:13, 14
~~~Mercy was one of 25 chicks to arrive in the mail. She is a Cuckoo Maran, and I ordered this breed specially. She did not appear different when she arrived. After a week or two though, there were 7 chicks that were showing some foot problems. This was a problem. There was no reason my chicks should be in distress. I am the sole caretaker of the chicks I ordered and they did NOT lack proper bedding, food, water, warmth. I was quite diligent about this. I have raised chicks for about 20 years and I know what I am doing.
~~~I ordered the chicks from a producer I have purchased chicks from for years. I have always been happy with the chicks they sent and they stand behind the chicks they sell. I do not believe they sold me bad chicks. What is going on here though ? 7 out of 25 chicks is more than a 1 to 4 ratio of problem chicks.
~~~Anyway, most of the chickens with problems were roosters, and a surplus of roosters is common and easily taken care of. ( they end up in the stew pot )
~~~There were 2 hens with foot problems. One hen was trampled to death early on in her life because she was unable to get out of the way when the chickens fed. This is common, and had I realized she was unable to get away I would have culled her earlier. ( cull: kill, get rid of )
~~~Miss Mercy was unable to walk well, but there was something about her that kept me from culling her. She was careful when she went to the feeder. I watched her. She patiently waited til the feeding frenzy was over and the other chickens were resting . Then she would wobble / fall, wobble / fall over to the feeder and waterer. After quenching her thirst and eating til full, she would wobble / fall, wobble / fall back to her resting spot under the nest boxes.
~~~Look at Miss Mercy. It is difficult for her to walk, yet she is so plucky and so able. I just did not have the heart to get rid of her. Shame on me !
~~~Then, the hens all began laying. And so did Miss Mercy ! She was so careful about her eggs. She laid an egg a day. Apparently it is ONLY her feet that are defective. I just could not do what a real farm woman should do....something about Miss Mercy touches my heart.
~~~Look at her feet. They look like they hurt. She has trouble walking. Yet..she does not seem to hurt or be in distress.
~~~I moved her into a pen with just one rooster. That is it, Miss Mercy and a rooster who is very taken with her. She has chosen a nest, a very small space between an old cage and a wall. I do not know how she wobble / falls, wobble / falls into it without hurting herself or dislodging the eggs...but she does. That touches me too. When I saw the nest I realized she is so careful and considerate about the nest and the eggs she lays. O.K. I will keep her. She is a survivor. She is a keeper.
~~~" Mercy :The act of relieving suffering, or the disposition to relieve it." " pity, or good will ."Funk and Wagnalls dictionary
~~~In this case, the mercy is in not doing what all good farm management advice states by culling undesirable or unproductive livestock. My heart says Miss Mercy is at peace with herself and happy to be alive. She will do just fine.......and look, here are 2 of her eggs ! ( below )
~~~I had quite a problem this year with foot problems in my chicks and wing problems in my ducklings. I was going to quote a lot of information about nutrition from various poultry books and publications but I will sum up what I believe to be the real problem. Please let me re-state...I have raised chicks and ducklings for years.I purchased them from reputable breeders and suppliers I have used for years. I do not believe they sold me defective poultry. My chicks and ducklings are important to me and they did NOT lack proper bedding, warmth ,water, and provision of food.....however , I have a question or 2 about the quality of feed.
~~~I think the shortage of affordable grains, combined with fuel and production prices affected the quality of the food I bought. It cannot be a coincidence that I had trouble obtaining feed, feed was very expensive, the ducklings and chicks from 2 completely different sources showed physical problems that upon research show the classic text book symptoms of nutritional deficiencies that should NOT have occurred if the usual feed requirements were fulfilled.
~~~When I saw the problems manifested I began adding nutritional supplements to the food / water, and after a few weeks the problems began to disappear. Sometimes it is too late to reverse physical problems of dietary deficiencies, and Miss Mercy will always be handicapped, and always have a place here.
