Elementary School Chicks

There are joys which long to be ours. God sends ten thousands truths, which come about us like birds seeking inlet; but we are shut up to them, and so they bring us nothing, but sit and sing awhile upon the roof, and then fly away. ~Henry Ward Beecher

What I've Learned: The Best Way Aunt Knows to Pick Up Chicks.
What I always forget, dear Reader, until spring comes 'round again is how wonderful it has been to grow up in a family that keeps farm animals. I'm 34 now, a responsible, upstanding adult who dutifully rushes off to work each morning in chandelier earrings and returns many hours later, her mind full of what was accomplished and what still needs to be done. I breeze into the house, deflecting canine affection, and drop keys on the desk while juggling ipod, cell phone & purse. The same dull routine every night.

But God blessed me with a family whose unabashed philosophy about loving all forms of life is best explained in hyphenated phrases like: go-with-the-flow, we-had-a-change-in-plan & okay-this-is-what-happened. There have been countless times when a new baby goat, lamb or other critter in need of special care has come to stay at the house for a few days or weeks. Animals in need just appear in a crate in the garage, mudroom or kitchen. Which is why I only do a brief double-take when I come through the door and hear peeping coming from a large cardboard box on the kitchen counter.

Peering into the box, I see 20 adorable assorted baby chicks, all staring dubiously up at me. They're fully-outfitted with a tiny feeder, watering station and a red-glowing heat lamp. The driveway is empty and no one else is home. There's no obvious explanation for a box of chicks. At most other homes, this might seem strange. But at Aunt's house, one simply remembers that ah, yes, it's spring and the parade of baby animals has begun.

A day or two later, I peek on my way out the door and, suddenly, there are a lot more chicks in the box. Then Aunt appears and explains the presence of peeps. It seems several local grade schools had just completed their class projects of raising chicks from eggs. With the school year ending, homes must now be found for all the chicks and Aunt is on the chick-placement list for 2 different school districts. As hobby farmers, getting 50 or so chicks a pop at no cost makes fine business sense. So, here we are: 70-plus chicks cute as a button and free to good home. Our new Future Egg-Layers of America.

"It's the best way I know to pick up chicks," says Aunt, the 7th grade English teacher.

It might just be the best way I know to live too.

Quote courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Today's Joy: Shark Week.
If you're like me, Reader, you wait all year for the Discovery Channel's annual fear vs. fish spectacle: Shark Week! For that 7-day stretch, I try to get home in time to catch each night's new shark-themed special as well as re-runs from previous years. It's amazing what you learn from watching people-with-a-death-wish climb into the water and into crazy aluminum cages to dangle themselves in front of these fascinating and enormous predators.

I'm definitely an armchair shark enthusiast. Love learning all about these creatures and how they live. However, I have zero interest in getting in the water with them. Much prefer the safety of a swimming pool or land-locked lake. Yep, call me a wuss, but it's true. Thank goodness, then, for the wacky risk-takers who don't mind getting up close and personal with every kind of shark. Without them, there would be no fabulous underwater footage of these magnificent animals for me to enjoy from the safety of my own home. God bless the people who are called to work with the more dangerous elements of God's creation.