free run of the house. The comput
er keyboard no longer must be
parked on top of the monitor.
Knives can go back into the uten
sil basket of the dishwasher.
And the house is very, very qui
et. *
Our daughter and grandson
have returned to Oregon after their
three-week visit. Like others
across the nation, she and her hus
band are headed back to their
classrooms. But, gee, the place
seems lonely.
I’d forgotten the chaos that can
reign in the wake of a busy, in
quisitive toddler. Or, “28 pounds
of perpetual motion” my mother
accurately labeled this rarely-still,
15-month bundle of boundless
energy with the Grandma-melting
grin.
Though a “city kid,” he readily
embraced farm life and the ani
mals that play such a vital role in
it. Tending calves proved to be a
favorite event, explaining why the
water buckets suddenly sprouted
hay and grain littered the floor.
Feeding the bam cats was also
great fun, although the felines
went a bit hungry the evening he
dumped their milk down over
himself.
Like all toddlers, his attention
span is short Only the most abso
lutely fascinating (or forbidden)
things capture his focus for more
than brief periods of time. Slop
ping in water happens to be one of
those things. So, the calf bam wa
ter spigot situated right down at a
toddler’s level, served as a capti
vating plaything while the bottles
were fed and bedding was put
down.
Even the calf housed in the pen
by the spigot seemed to enjoy the
visitor, reaching down to nibble at
his sandy-blond hair. Not in the
agi-pompf!
bled by a calf to be a great amuse
ment and returned repeatedly to
keep the entertainment going.
All other diversions fell by the
wayside to the lawn tractor, how
ever, which was conveniently
parked near the calf pens for se
veral days. Climbing on and off,
turning the steer wheel and pre
tending to work the levers all
while the mower was parked
claimed his absolute attention.
Left to watch him one evening
while our daughter helped pull a
truck out of a wet spot in a field, I
enticed him away from the mower
seat long enough to finish calf
chores toting him in the back
pack.
Even that proved intriguing to
Josh, who cleared away the spider
webs that were gathering along
the roof of one set of pens.
The only resident disturbed by
his visit was Monk, our aging,
snooty housecat. For the first
several days of their visit, she hid
out in the basement, upstairs,
behind the living room couch.
Gradually, Monk adapted to the
small extra in the house who
found her positively fascinating,
especially when she curled up on a
kitchen chair at his eye level. Only
once did he try to pet her before
one of us was there to “help.” His
scratched nose attested to the en
counter for several days after
ward.
After the tears dried, he headed
right back in her direction.
But now the blocks? the puz
zles, and the balls are piled back
into the toybox, on hold until an
other visit. The highchair, porta
crib and car seat being returned to
generous relatives and friends
who loaned them to us. Wooden
spoons, pan lids, plastic contain
ers, and the favorite bag of pret-
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Fulton County
Farm Women
Plan Convention
Society of Farm Women of Ful
ton County will host their biennial
convention on Saturday, Septem
ber 7.
The morning program will be
gin with registration from 9 to 10
a.m. and will conclude after lunch.
The convention will be held at the
McConnellsburg American Le
gion in the ground floor banquet
room.
mb-
Helen Overly will be keynote
speaker for the program. Ovcrly-
Raker, Inc. is a unique soft-sculp
ture company which she and Fre
da Raker started in their basement
near McConnell sttirg, and which
now has international connections
and sales across the United States.
Overly will recall some of the
lighter side of running a growing
business, and will also entertain
with music on her ukulele. Linda
Garber will have a display table
from Sheep Ridge Farm, where
she sells crafts as well as South
downs.
Fann Women will be the first to
see a shot video produced by the
local. Tourist Promotion Agency,
highlighting the annual Fulton
Fall Folk Festival around the
county.
A memorial service, installation
of new county officers, bazaar ta
ble, and other items are on the pro
gram. Lunch features lemon pep
per chicken. Cost of the conven
tion is $10.50 for Farm Women
and guests. For reservations, call
Mary Culler at (717) 485-3275 be
fore September 2.
zels sit, undisturbed, in their re
spective cupboards. The Farmer
has re-programmed the TV remote
and I can step away from the com
puter keyboard without finding
strange additions when I return.
Life is back to as normal as it
ever gets here.
Except for the great big hole in
our hearts that could only be filled
by a toddler’s grin and open, out
stretched little arms begging to
picked up.
A picnic lunch, games, crafts
and homemade ice cream were
enjoyed when Berks County Soci
ety of Farm Women Group 4 held
their August meeting at the home
of Yana and Charles Taylor in
Loysville, Perry County.
President Virginia Taylor con
ducted the business meeting. A
Lebanon Farm Women Society
21 met at the home of Millie Don
moyer, president Members were
scheduled to go miniature golfing,
but, due to rain, the meeting was
held cm Millie's patio. For roll call,
members answered the question;
Lancaster Society 18
Lancaster Farm Women Society
18 held its August meeting in the
home of Dorothy Brubaker. Ella
Mae Hershey presented devotional
thoughts to the 19 women attend
ing. A
A most interesting and complete
description about the training of
life assistance dogs was given by a
non-profit organization.
The dogs become capable coin
Berks Society 3 met at Jeanette The children had fun with games
Millers from Barto for a family and so did the adults. Members
picnic. Members had lots of ended the evening with our annual
enjoyable and different foods and bingo game. The next meeting
desserts which were delicious, will be a trip to The Mercer
Museum in Doyles town.
• i. j ' ' - *y*
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W. Mam St. Box 160 (T 388 E. Main St.
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Berks Society 4
Lebanon Society 21
Berks Society 3
memorial to Jean Waldo, a mem
ber for more than 20 years, who
passed away recently was held.
Elsie Rothenberger and Verna
Taylor were appointed to the nom
inating committee.
A pound auction will be held at
the September 3 meeting at the
home of Elsie Rothenberger, Pow
dermill Hollow Road, Boycrtown.
What’s your favorite flower?
New member Terry Shuey was
welcomed, a poem was read and
reports given on the mystery tour
to the Hershey Rose Garden and
Museum. Several members volun
teered to help at the food stand dur
ing the fair.
panions to assist elderly with post
stroke, cerebral palsey and other
mobility-impairment. With the
two-year training costs $B,OOO, the
needy may purchase the dogs for
$3OO.
President Roberta Shephetdson
conducted the business meeting
and made announcements before
the group sang the theme song and
were dismissed.