So there I was, hustling about
the calf bam, my brain focused
on what I could write here about
mothers, while my hands fixed
bottles for our bovine babies.
Mothers are our lifeblood on
the farm. We have mothers in the
barn and mothers-in-waiting in
the meadow. We have mothers at
the ponds one with a fluffy
gosling and others in progress.
We have our first turkey mother,
proudly patrolling little balls of
streaky-brownish fluff stealthily
sneaking through forests of grass.
We have mother robins and
mother bluebirds, mother
groundhogs, mother squirrels,
mother deer. They’re all part of
what we do.
So, there I was, deep in
thought while filling bottles,
when a loud wailing erupts, liter
g
o'
W/ RAM'S HORN SOFA AND~ N
LOVESEAT I
oJ r price
Vi $799.9,5 1
iSfiA. n ncpm rr
/ 5 DRAWER DRESSER \
I In Pecan Oak Finish I
Reg. Ret.
$179.95
Our Price
$89.95
oO
CLOSEOUT
*39° 4 /
1/ SECTIONAL SLEEPER X
Centeir^onsoleJ
Reclmers Sofa
Factory Liquidation w/Hide-a-Bed
Reg. Ret. $2,589.95 CLOSEOUT |
Our Cash Price $04,088 .
Jl ,289.95 /
(5/ 4 DRAWER CHEST" \
Pine Finish
Reg. Ret. $149.95
FACTORY
SPECIAL
$3904 ggo
,o
Ck
5 PC. DINING RM. ~ \
PINE SET ,
pprS Pine Table w/4 Spmdleback Chairs j
CLOSEOUT $ 209 95 ;
Sofa and loveseat
Reg Reg
Our Price $989 95
CLOSEOUT $ 589 04
&V--^
ally, at my feet. A glance down
and I make eye contact with the
frightened, howling face of a
chubby, tabby cat. She is one of
the rodent-patrol barn cats but
friendly enough to mingle with
the rest at feeding time.
This cat is half-squatted and
straining, half-way in and half
way out of the door. Her ear
splitting howling-meowing cou
ples with fear and confusion in
her wide, yellow-green eyes.
While it is obvious to me this cat
is about to give birth, she appar
ently doesn’t have a clue. Also
obvious is that she has come for
help, terrified by whatever is hap
pening to her.
So I reach down to pick her up
for relocation to a more private
spot. She thanks me by lunging
around and biting my hand. I am
“SPRING ON 1N... The Savings Are In Full Bloom”
w , In Buttermilk
tl Honey Table w/61
g3CnHffiLs Ladderback Chairs.
Reg. Bet. $799.95 1
Cash Price $439.951
.CLOSEOUT *269
/ 7 PC. DINING ROOM \
I Dbl Pedestal Table Wagon Wheel Chare |
I 2 Arm and 4 Side
/ SECTIONAL SPECIAL \
'Available in 3 Colors ■
Reg. Ret. $2100.00 1
CLOSEOUT $649.88 I
Hurry in for |
c igo9M f j
GLIDER ROCKER'
Available in Blue I
Beige, Green T 1 j I
Reg. Ret. $159.95 j \A
Cash Price $1 ?Q as / I
FuSO3iT *
l||
7 PC. DINING
ROOM SET
not offended. This cat is scared
and in pain, and, for all she
knows, I might intend her more.
Since I’m still wearing a pair of
latex gloves from milking, her
lash-out doesn’t penetrate. A sec
ond attempt at picking her up
earns a re-run of the bite attempt.
By wrapping the howling cat
in a hand towel snagged from the
sink, I am able to move her, with
out hazarding my health, the few
steps to an empty, well-bedded
calf pen. Gently laying her down,
I stroke her back; and after a few
moments, she settles down. I
walk away, grab a bottle of milk,
slip it into a holder for the wait
ing calf, turn around and nearly
fall over the tabby cat sitting
back outside the pen. Quietly. A
peek into the pen reveals a soggy,
orange-tinted, tiny newborn,
mewing softly.
I retrieve the cat (she doesn’t
bite me this time), pet her a bit
more and set her back inside the
pen, stroking and talking to her.
Gently, I nudge the wee bit of
wet fur close to her warm belly.
After a few moments, she settles
down and begins to lick her baby
clean.
Five minutes later, I glance in
again to find the cat pushing
shortly thereafter a soggy, solid-
ORLEAN'S CANOPY BED\ W
I- — Available in 3 sizes , rjk°
II Single-Reg Ret $44995 ' O XJ
l I I Cash Price $269 95 ,Ju
Full• Reg Ret $469 95 l flßs
NEaBBIL Ceah Price $289 95
King-Reg Ret $51995 1 <SK>
Cash Price $339 95 I rf\
All ol the above under wholesale- Your Choice! V )
_ _ -
3 PC. END TABLE SET \
•In Oak , ( 1
,Reg. Ret. $429.95 1 JjfC
1 Cash Price K Si
I $209.95 I
| CLOSEOUT
C22LJeE'|
7 JUMPER HEAD AND FOOTBOARDN £V
I Available In .
. -Twin Size- -FullSize- 1 S&
I Reg Ret $449 95 Reg Ret $499 95 |
I Cash Price $269 95 Cash Price $309 95
1 CLOSEOUT *l 29** CLOSEOUT M49** I QS
| L-W -King Size- .
J Reg Ret $629 95 I
I Cash Price $369 95.
I CLOSEOUT MW"'
/ 6 PCrBEDROOW SET~ \ Q
I - In Oak or Cherry mCto.
1 Includes Bed Set Nightstand Highboy I JPft
I Lowboy Dresser and Mirror sHY
1 Reg. Ret. I <3|»
i®"
OSEI
black kitten arrives, getting
prompt and enthusiastic mother
ly attention. When I reach in to
stroke our new mother, she
nudges back at my hand with her
forehead, but makes no attempt
to leave this sudden new respon
sibility.
Uncertain that she is totally
settled down, 1 set containers of
food and milk inside the pen, so
she doesn’t feel a need to take off
hunting for dinner. She responds
by practically inhaling the offer
ing, then returns her attention to
cleaning up the kittens.
A peek into the pen is the first
order of calf feeding next morn
ing. It appears our new mother
has not budged from the spot,
and remains tightly snuggled
around her babies as they nurse.
She purrs vigorously in response
to being petted, but stays glued to
the spot.
How swiftly and strongly the
bond of motherhood forms.
In the cat’s trembling body and
confused fearful face, I could al
most see reflected the indelible
memory of my own new mother-
Food Safety Workshop May 16
CREAMERY (Montgomery
Co.) Montgomery County
Cooperative Extension is host
ing A Basic Food Safety
Workshop for non-profit or
ganizations such as churches,
fire companies, fraternal or
ganizations, and school
groups, May 16 at the Mont
gomery County4-H Center.
• Wedding Invitations
• Brochures
• Business Cards
• Sale Cards
• Catalogs
• Newsletters '^ajSSp^'
• Newspapers
Arl Haas
One East Main Street
P.O. Box 527, Ephrata, PA 17522
717-733-6397 • Fax 717-733-6058
t)
R
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 11,2002-B3
hood. Slightly confused, some
what frightened, threaded
through with a sense of tremen
dous pride, is exactly how I re
member the first few hours of
new motherhood. Friendly, un
derstanding hands can help, but
only one being a mother can
actually, physically, “walk the
walk” that brings forth a new
life.
That experience, somewhat
awestruck and at least a little
frightening, almost without fail
swiftly grows into a bond of fierce
pride, defensive protectiveness
and tremendous tenacity.
Mom comes in all shapes and
sizes and, here on the farm,
furred, feathered and spotted
hide-covered as well. But they all
seem to share one trait: an almost
instant and abiding streak of
Mother Love.
So to all you moms out there
who can identify with the jumble
of emotions shared by at least one
new mother cat...we offer our
love and our thanks.
And we ask God for an extra
measure of blessing for mothers
everywhere!
The cost of the program is
$6 and includes materials and
refreshments. The “Cooking
for Crowds” class will be of
fered twice 1-4 p.m. and 6-9
p.m. Call to register by May 13
at (610)489-4315.
The Montgomery County
4-H Center is located on Route
113 between Route 29 and
Route 73 in Creamery.