Sookie and Mookie Again!

As the school bus rounded the corner,  I noticed that Daddy’s truck was at home.  I knew right away that something was wrong.  I hurried up the long lane to the house and skipped as many steps to the porch as possible.  I opened the front door and yelled out I am home as loud as I could.   I knew something was amidst when  Daddy answered me back with instructions to get out of my school clothes, put on my boots, gloves and hat.  He added that Sookie and Mookie had escaped out of the pig pen again and we had to go find them.

It proved to be quite the chase.  Every time we would get in reaching range to the partners in crime they would take off running in opposite directions.  We chased them for what seemed like an eternity.  Tired and disgusted Daddy finally told me that we were going to head home.  He said no worries that hunger would win in the end.  Sure enough as the sun was setting on the western horizon who did we see coming up the lane but the two partners in crime Sookie and Mookie.  They headed right to the pig pen, waited patiently to be put back in where they immediately ran over to the corn and started chomping down

pic www.grit.com

Winter

The beautiful blanket of snow that covered the farm was often knee deep and the frozen ponds glistened in the sunlight and caused awe in the moonlight.    As  beautiful as this  white blanket made the meadows and hills on the farm appear, winter on the farm was very harsh.

The animals could not forge for themselves during this blustery time so they required us to provide precious survival care for them.  Extra corn, hay , soybean and wheat had been stored up for such times.  Covered shelter for the hogs, the cows and other farm animals  had been constructed right after harvest.  They had even been stuffed with old blankets.  Early in the morning and late in the evening it was a ritual to feed and water the farm animals who seemed to so much appreciate the extra care.  Even an occasional barn fire was necessary to keep the animals warm.  Their appreciation was shown by a nudge here and a head bump there  or even a friendly moo.  Sookie, Mookie, Bubba and Guernsey were some blessed animals and always knew to stay in their shelters.  Even bow legs seemed to appreciate  his extra shelter on the front porch during these times.