Thursday, June 5, 2008

Turkey takes hostages.






DANGER, ducks beware...





the transformation of this proud strutting Tom,into this:

Is what bettyscrazycritters is all about... FARM FUNNIES,

Now I could have called this post: The setting duck? Duck lays an egg? Where is mamma ? Will the real momma please stand up? Perhaps the great Tom verses Hen Turkey debate ? Will the "real" turkey "poult" stand up , P-U-L-EEEEEZE ?

I have raised turkeys for many years, never have I seen such passionate devotion. Tom turkeys mainly concern them selves with shaking their feathers,strutting their "stuff" and gobbling loudly, whenever anyone else has anything to say. They do their best to even drown out normal farm conversation. I have never seen the slightest interest in nest care 101.

Over the years, I have had numerous turkey hens set on eggs, they are dedicated sitters. They will set for months on a batch of infertile eggs, they will crush their thick shelled eggs with their tromping around to "settle", when returning to the nest after food or drink forays. They will lay too many eggs for the amount of coverage nature "provides" and manage to shift the eggs around while they turn them (a necessity for well developed chicks)to sufficiently chill all of the half developed chicks. I have never had a hen turkey "deliver" the goods, despite her dedication to the event.

So what happened to this guy? I just say, wow some gal really missed the "ticket" when she passed up his wooing. I mean she could have had her chicks and enjoyed fun on the farm too.

This guy has faithfully sat for several weeks on call duck eggs... get this these are actually mini ducks... i.e smaller more fragile eggs than regular ducks...which are "tons" smaller and more fragile than turkey eggs...

Will they hatch? Do downy mini duck babies drive dad crazy when they all take a swim ? Do they all fly south for the winter?

Who knows, it's all up in the air for now...

Watch for a future post on da da ta da ... here comes da ducks !!!

He climbed up in a sycamore tree...


Black Jewel, in a sycamore tree...
Now the Lord isn't passing by, so what are you doing in our young sycamore tree?
Actually his momma is one bad cat currently on a rampage. She is weaning this years kittens, and everyone who crosses her path, is fair game. Wow, what a grouch! She even declares her grumpiness, to me...Da MOM ! Yikes, Jewel make room in that there tree for me.

Death of the Texas donut

yep pardner

I ask : TEXAS DONUT- where are you ?


Friday is National donut day.... (learn more about it, about in earlier post)

Goodness, national donut day is a mere day away.
There simply isn't a giant donut to be found anywhere. The closest I've found is a 7 inch one. Sorry, that falls at least 5 inches short of how I remember the Roses deli giant glazed donut.

For you donut fans, I learned just yesterday, that the giant donut was a specialty of the Beaverton, Oregon Roses deli was privately owned . That was a good 15 years ago.

There may be an isolated Texas donut "out there" somewhere, but I would want to confirm the size and quality. (yumm).
Until I am convinced otherwise, I have come to the conclusion the REAL Texas donut is no more.

So why do good things become extinct?

In the case of the giant donut at Roses deli several factors:

Life can and does happen, the owners of the Beaverton roses, sold their business.
Corporate Roses, decided to "carry" only certain items, although from what I have heard the giant donut has been much requested.

A lack of sharing contributes to extinction . An article in the newspaper many years ago, regrettably shared the story ,of the death of the donut man. He kept his talents a guarded secret. How sad, the art of how to do what he did ,was lost.

A similar sad tale, happened in our own family. My husbands mother, was not patient enough to show how she made her fabulous, delicate fried sugar pies. Another lost art. I tried to learn, but she never seemed to have the time/patience, to allow me to get the knack. ( I am an excellent cook and have mastered and or developed many difficult recipes/methods, she just had a special way, ) .

"Moral" If you have some family "secret" recipe, or skill , share it with someone who has the passion or desire learn from you. The world will be richer and you will be blessed, long after you are gone, with many favorable memories. Wouldn't it be better not to have regrets that you kept things to yourself, or didn't take the time or patience to teach when you were given the opportunity?