.Kids j Korneif*
Remembering An Unhappy Christmas
AMY MOYER
Pa. Alternate Dairy Princess
LEBANON (Lebanon Co.)
It was December 23,1998. Two
days before Christmas. I
awakened to realize it was the
last day of school. The holiday
vacation was tomorrow.
I did my daily routines get
ting ready for school & eating
breakfast. During breakfast my
Mom walks into the house
stops at the kitchen doorway.
She was red in the face and I
could tell she was cold, but for
getting that she was cold she
had news for me.
Hannah, my first Holstein
calf I owned and showed, had
her first calf. I was so excited
that I almost jumped out of my
chair. But I got excited too
soon. Mom said the calf did not
make it. It was a hard birth,
and by the time they got had
the calf out it was not breath
ing.
My heart shattered into
pieces and tears began to
stream down my face. I was
crying too hard and I was too
upset to finish my breakfast. I
slowly got up off the chair,
grabbed my coat and went out
side see Hannah and her calf.
I went into the barn and
headed to the box stall where
from a distance I could see the
calf. I could only look twice.
My eyes were filled with tears
and began to fall even more.
My heart was hurt.
1 slowly made my way to
ward the stall that Hannah was
in. She looked confused and
worn out, but happy to see me.
Her ears went forward as soon
as she caught sight of me. I was
still crying when I walked up to
her and gave her a hug. She
was going to be all right, but for
me 1 was not okay.
I had dreamed, prayed, and
hoped for Hannah to have a
heifer calf for me and what she
would be like. My dream was
shattered, my prayers were not
answered and my hopes were
gone. I was really upset that
morning and did not want to go
to school. But Mom and dad in
sisted that I do. It’s not worth
sitting at home and crying. So I
went to school. I did my best at
being strong, but the harder I
tried the more the tears came. I
went to the nurses’ office and
talked to the nurse about what
happened. She comforted me
and allowed me to stay with
Where Do Birds Go During The Winter?
Dear Twig:
Where do birds go in winter?
Many birds migrate. In fall
they fly to where it’s warm or
to where there’s more food and
water. These birds are called
migratory.
Warblers, vireos, and orioles
are among them.
Other birds don’t go any
where. They’re called (you
guessed it!) non-migratory.
They can find enough to eat
and drink, and are tough
enough to survive the cold, in
Both Amy and Hannah are a few years older and still
together since their unhappy Christmas in 1998. Amy
said the unhappy event taught her that life must go on
and she needs to be strong even when things don’t go
as planned.
her until I was okay to go back
to class.
When I returned back to
class my Best friend Jess came
up to me. She gave me a hug
and comforted me. It felt good
to know I had friends who
cared..
Most of the way home on the
bus, my eyes were full of tears
and a few kids did not make it
any better.
When I got home and
walked in the door Vince Wag
ner was there. Vince is a good
friend to me and he was the
guy I bought Hannah from.
Anyway...the tears were falling
and Vince came up to me and
gave me a hug and said every
thing will be okay.
After the hug, I went out to
do the evening chores as best I
could. I could not stop crying.
Vince came out and talked to
me. He said, “Hannah looks
great and you should be happy
that she is alive.”
I felt a smile coming on, but
it did not show. I was very
thankful that Hannah was
okay. I said it then, and I say it
now. “If anything would have
happened to Hannah I would
be more hurt than I have ever
felt. I thank God that he spared
her life.”
Christmas of 1998 will be re
membered. It was the unhap-
the same place all year long.
Examples include wild turkeys,
northern cardinals, and some of
our woodpeckers.
And some birds migrate, or
not, depending on how much
food’s around. Eastern blue
birds often do this. They stick
around when there’s lots of ber
ries and bug out when there’s
not. Waxwings, snowy owls,
and song sparrows (among oth
ers) do this, too.
They stay or go based on the
food supply.
So where do birds go at night
piest Christmas I have ever
had. I received many wonder
ful gifts that year, but the one
gift I really wanted was gone.
It took a few weeks until I
realized that life must go on
and I need to be strong. There
are , still sometimes I think
about that everyday, especially
when Christmas is near.
Even though it was an un
happy December 23rd, Hannah
and I are still living happily,
strong, and together.
Hannah is now 5 years old. I
still have had no luck of getting
a heifer calf out of her, but at
least they were live bulls. I am
also happy to say that I also
own Hope, a sister to Hannah.
Hope is 3-years-old and has
had two live heifers for me.
Hannah and Hope have
brought much happiness to my
life. And I have enjoyed show
ing them. In 2000 they won PA
All-American Produce of Dam.
And Hope and her daughter,
Hodina, won Hon., PA All-
American Dam & Daughter.
Maybe someday Hannah and
her daughter wUI do the same.
I want to thank my parents
for their comfort and love, my
friends for understanding,
Vince Wagner for selling me
two wonderful Holstein cows,
and God for everything that he
has done for me.
in winter? Some sleep in holes
in trees, alone or with other
birds. The idea is to conserve
body heat.
Some spend nights in shel
tered places, like evergreen
trees. Getting out of the wind is
the key.
And, when it’s really cold, at
least one species, the ruffed
grouse, is known to bury itself
deep in the snow, which acts as
insulation.
I don’t know whether grouse
wear long Johns.
Christmas Crafts
Ideas From Lebanon Extension
the acom caps on top of the shell
for ears. Finally, attach the twine
to the other end for the mouse’s
tall.
CORNSTARCH DOUGH
ORNAMENTS
Mix, roll, cut, decorate-but
don’t eat!
1 cup cornstarch
2 cups baking soda
I'A cups water
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan
and stir constantly over low heat
until mixture resembles mashed
potatoes (10 to IS minutes). Re
move from heat. When cool
enough to handle, roll dough to
Vs inch thickness and cut with
cookie cutters. Poke a hole in the
top for easy hanging, and then
let them air dry for at least a day.
Decorate with acrylic paint, glit
ter, sequins and ribbons.
CINNAMON ORNAMENTS
Drain excess liquid off apple
sauce using coffee filter and add
equal parts ground cinnamon.
Add about two tablespoons of
white glue per cup of mixture
and knead into stiff dough.
Roll dough to Vs inch thickness
and cut with cookie cutters.
Poke a hole in the top for easy
hanging, and then let them air
dry for at least a day.
Decorate with acrylic paint,
glitter, sequins and ribbons.
TREE MOUSE
You won’t mind having this
mouse hanging around your
house. To make one, you’ll need
half a walnut shell, a small pom
pom, a pair of googly eyes, two
acom caps, and a short piece of
twine.
Use a hot glue gun to attach
the pom-pom to the pointed end
of die shell for the nose.
Next, glue on the eyes and set
Twig
To hang, tie a piece of thread
around the mouse ears and make
it into a loop.
WOODEN SPOON ANGEL
Materials
1 kitchen towel and matching
hot pad
1 wooden spoon
Approximately 1 yard of gold
cord
8 inches of star garland
Needle and thread
Hot glue optional
1. Gather hot pad and wrap
twice with a 14 inch piece of gold
cord and knot. Tie to back to
wooden spoon below head. These
are the angel wings.
2. With needle and thread tack
hot pad to spoon to secure. This
prevents hot pad from flopping.
You can hot glue at this point,
but then will not be able to take
apart and use towel and hot pad.
3. Take towel, fold in half and
accordion pleat in about one-inch
pleats.
4. Measure down from top of
folded pleated towel two inches.
Lay towel on front of spoon
below head and with a 20-inch
piece of gold cord, tie around
both spoon and towel pulling
tight to secure. With ends of cord
tie a bow in front.
5. Take an 8-inch piece of star
garlandand attach to the top of
spoon for halo. Twist to secure.
Arrange ends as desired. This
can also be hot glued if not tak
ing apart.