Well, well, well... I'Lean, our one-legged hen, hatched a baby turken! It's a couple days old now, so I thought it might be safe to post a photo and introduce you to it. Sometimes I wait a couple of days to post a photo; I like to make sure they make it before I tell the world about um'.
Alan and I knew exactly what this baby's name would be! For some reason it's little head was swollen, like it had lots of excess fluid under its skin. So, it was obvious that her name had to be Shirley Manetta! This of course will make no sense to you (except my family) until I tell you why.
I had a Great-Aunt (my Dad's father's sister) named Shirley. All the kids in the family were supposed to call her Mean Ol' Aunt Shirley, at her request. (Although, she wasn't really mean...) Shirley was born with hydrocephalus, or 'water on the brain'. As I understand it, when she was a very young girl doctors weren't sure she'd live to be much older than 13, or if she'd even live that long. She did live to be 13. In fact, she just died a few years ago at nearly 70 years old. She lived most of her life with Great Grandpa (her father) on their farm in Idaho where she cooked and looked after Grandpa. Mean Ol' Aunt Shirley.
People with Down's Syndrome are some of the most loving, wonderful people in the world. So glad they quit calling them "Mongoloids!"
Love your Auntie and your new little Shirley.
Posted by: kathynruss | July 23, 2007 at 05:13 AM
Aw, bless Aunt Shirley! And cute (???)baby turken I'Lean gave you! I just love your photos, they are wonderful :)
Posted by: diane mcvey | July 22, 2007 at 07:58 PM
Love the story. Cute turken chick. Is the chick ok? or does it's swollen-ness cause it problems?
Posted by: Sherri | July 22, 2007 at 04:49 PM
Such a cute turken! Do mother hens take any responsibility for their chicks or are they on their own once they've hatched?
Posted by: Cindy H. | July 22, 2007 at 04:06 PM