84-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 25, 1998 On Being a Farm Wife (and other hazards) Joyce Bupp It's getting dangerous out here on the battlefield. The latest skirmish came concurrent with the 5 a.m. alarm clock on recent morning, warring sounds echoing through the dawn light and our wide open bedroom windows. "Ggrrrooowwwllllllll!" ■"Sssnnnaaaarrrolllllll!" "Hiiiisssssssss!" And good morning to you, too, tomcats. "Cat fight" time of the year, usually limited to feline mating seasons, has been waged on a continuing basis this summer, splitting normal quiet time with the screeching, squalling, and snarling of feline combatants. With no less than four grown male cats stalking the farm stead-at least that we know of-we have not shortage of feline fodder for the battlefield brawls. Pest, the gray and white cat nearly old enough to vote, has mostly ignored the fray and gone into retirement, preferring to spend his days underfoot at the calf barn, pestering (hence his name) for catfood handouts. His minimal ambition level stirs 1 i 1 Adematown Equipment Adamslown PA • 717/484 4391 Chamberaburg Farm Service Chambersburg PA • 717/264 3533 Chart** S Snyder Inc Tamaqua PA • 717/386 5945 C H Rinehimer Berwick PA *7177752 7131 Deer Creek Equipment Whiteford MD • 410/452 5252 Deerfield Ag A Turf Watsontown PA • 717/538 3557 little more than to snitch the lat est mouse catch from Calico, a petite female with deadly rodent-aim. Butch, our dark tabby, is just maturing enough to begin pos ing a threat to the bigger boys. Even at a year-old-plus, Butch frequently reverts to playful kit ten behavior. His threat to other critters is evident from the arro gant squirrels that parade past him enroute to the bird feeder, while he snoozes on a lawnchair cushion. However, Butch does become entangled in an occasional terri torial squabble, as testified to by a injury sustained recently to his raccoon-striped tail. The open wound about mid-point on the tail was quite sore, tender and probably inflicted by Big Teller, our reigning tomcat. Treatment with first-aid spray was not particularly appreciated by this affectionate cat, but effective Big Yeller-descriptive ot both his color and vocal abihties-has hung around the farm for sever al years, but only recently grown fnendly..That's largely Pequea Machine, Inc. Trusted On Farms Everywhere. We don’t take it lightly. From Spreaders and Tedders to Bale Wagons and Trailers, our equipment is designed to earn your trust every day. ...ig • Model 646 G has gooseneck hitch Pequea Machine Manufactures A Complete Line of Farm Equipment & Trailers • Call Your Local Dealer Today! 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Those four half-grown kittens now have a batch of maternal siblings somewhere in the barn granary. Not wanting to disturb the mother so that she moves the litter, we haven't searched out the nursery's exact location. And the Big Yeller security patrol guards against other intruders. Chief foe of the big yellow guy is Midnight, beautiful, black adoptee who still spends most of his time as a cornfield, meadow, and garden-stalking hunter. Actually, he would be very con tent to be a porch and backyard cat, except that his presence has an extremely irritating effect on Big Yeller. It was the ongoing feud between those two which greet ed our early-morning wake up and continued until I stomped out of the house in an effort to divert their attention. That maneuver at least resulted m a temporary cease fire, though Big Yeller snagged the highest spot available to keep an eye out for his adversary. I glanced out sometime later and spied him keeping vigil perched atop the cab of The Farmer's pickup Inadvertently, I, too, have become a victim of the catfights, ending up wounded as an invol untary draftee. While bedding heifers a few days ago, I backed up to move my wheelbarrow full of newspapers and stepped CB Hoober ft Son, Inc McAllisterville PA • 717/463 219 t Hutton Farm Equipment Mahaffey PA *Bl4/277 6647 Ickea Farm Supply Osterburg PA • 814/2/6 3422 Ivan J Zook Belleville PA • 717/935 2948 J David Mullinix Dayton MD • 301/489 4363 “We plan to take the audience on ‘A Walk Though A Summer Garden,’ complete with a garden backdrop and decorations,” says Judy Chabanik. “Thelma and I will create a friendly mood start ing with Saint John’s Wort and introducing each storyteller with a short tale involving a dif ferent summer flower.” This annual summer event holds something for everyone. The first half will feature stories that appeal to the whole family, including younger children. The second half will emphasize more complex stories adults and older children would also enjoy. Featured storytellers will include Madeline Blackway, Tom Coughlin, Grace McGrough, Ben Nebroski, Dennis Strain and Yarn Spinner .ombine Head Transport- Round rest bar allows smooth loading & unloading Adjustable to move or store any size combine heads Adjustable head rest brackets & rest bars offer a choice for different size heads Optional adjustable step down tongue Wagon Gears- Models 603, 606, 606, 1086, 1286 & 1288 • Designed for heavy payloads • Large reinforced spindles & oversi; • Tapered roller bearings assure loai stability on road or field • All models allow a choice of narrow wide rim wheels • Convenient rear hitch • 4 models with adjustable tongue Knott ft Geisbert, Inc Frederick MD*3Ol/662 3800 Longeneckers, Inc Williamsburg PA*Bl4/793 3731 Marshall Machinery Honesdate PA*7l7/729 7117 Meyers Implement, Inc Greencastle PA* 717/597 2176 Morris International Everett PA* 814/652 6101 squarely on Butch's battle-bat- quick trip tot he field hospital tered tail. He instinctive defense medicine cabinet of peroxide, left me with a scratched and Another innocent victim of bleeding ankle, requiring a Scar Wars. Midsummer Night’s Tales HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) —An evening of fun and magic for the whole family is in store, when the Susquehanna Teller Guild presents A Midsummer Night’s Tales on Saturday, July 25, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the air conditioned Centennial Bam at the Fort Hunter Mansion and Park. Masters of Ceremonies for the show will be Yarn Spinners Two (Thelma Bitzer and Judy Chabanik) who hosted the popu lar Tellabration ’9B! storytelling concert last November. Pikevlile Equipment Oley PA *215/987 6277 Ralph Kyle Mercer PA* 412/740 4300 RftW Equipment Carlisle PA*7l7/243 2686 Scheffel Equipment Somerset PA *Bl4/445 6500 Two. Admission will be $5 for adults and $2.50 for children 12 and under. Complimentary light refreshments will be served dur ing intermission. Fort Hunter Mansion and Centennial Barn are located on Front Street, north of Harrisburg, between Interstate 81 and Fishing Creek Road. For information, call Judy Chabanik at (717) 938-8133 or Thelma Bitzer at (717) 292- 3800. The Susquehanna Tellers Guild, promotes the art and reg ular practice of storytelling, from folk tales to personal expe riences. Its members include professional storytellers, people who tell for personal enjoyment and “just listeners.” The group holds monthly story swaps open to tellers and listeners, on the fourth Sunday of the month, at the Centennial Barn. The groups meets at 1 p.m. and telling starts at 2 p.m. Enjoy the historic attractions and recreational facilities at Fort Hunter, and drop m to hear or share a few stories. Upcoming story telling events at Fort Hunter include Out of the Ordinary: Tales for Halloween on October and Tellabration ’9B' on Saturday, November 21. 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