Good Monday!
Isn't it amazing the wealth of information that is out there on the internet.
Of course, not all of it is accurate... but still, there is something written on
just about every subject.
Except one.
There is nothing written on the subject of senility in turkeys.
I suppose that is due to the fact that very few turkeys ever
make it to a ripe old age.
Wild turkeys can live ten years, but most don't make it past their fifth year.
It's a tough world out there.
And domestic turkeys... well, most of them end up on someone's table
before they've even made it through their first year.
Pet turkeys?
The oldest recorded pet turkey was 12 years and 4 months.
We are trying to beat that record... yes, we are.
Our old Tom Turkey will be 11 years old this June.
Amazingly, he is still pretty spry.
He ventures out and about every single day...
unless the weather is so frigid or snowy that it would be dangerous to him-
then he is confined to his quarters.
Fred, our youngster, often stays in their house - up on his perch - on cold
and rainy days.
Not Tom.
No, Tom has lots of business to attend to - mostly gossiping with the hens.
And, if he didn't come out of his house,
he would miss all of the tasty treats that get thrown into the chicken yard.
Tom holds the "top of the pecking order" position here on the farm.
He is respected, revered even.
After all, he's been here longer than all of the other birds.
Lately, though, Tom has stopped returning to his house at night -
roosting on the fence across from the chicken yard instead.
We think he's getting a bit confused.
We shoo him down from the fence and walk him back to his own house,
but it's not as easy as it used to be.
He tends to wander and lose focus on where he's going.
Turkey dementia.
Don't bother Googling it... all you will learn about is the
incidence of dementia in the country of Turkey.
We just might have the first case here on the farm!
It looks as if this farm is destined to be a retirement home for
the critters who live here... including us, God willing!
It was a cozy weekend with our days spent mostly here at home.
I did a little knitting by the fire...
starting this super chunky stocking for next Christmas...
after finishing this stocking hat (with gnomes on it.)
I swear, there is never a single moment during the day that at least one pair of eyes
is not on me!
We had a big farm breakfast on Sunday morning as is our tradition.
I tried out a new recipe for cinnamon rolls.
Good, but way too sweet... and way too big!
(I don't think I will be making these again... just too excessive.)
It was a great weekend for the animals.
Temperatures dipped way down below freezing, so the ground dried
(and froze),
making pastures much more easily navigated.
The sun shone both Saturday and Sunday.
(Two days in a row has been a rare occurrence of late.)
I am not sure if I shared with you that Amanda and her hubby Tim
are moving to Colorado.
We are happy for them... it will be a great adventure,
but we are sad for ourselves.
Amanda lived here on the farm for five years before marrying Tim
(here on the farm... a big farm wedding... check it out HERE)
and since that time they have been living in Philadelphia.
Because her job was in Harrisburg, she was able to spend a night each week with us.
So... her moving to Colorado will be an adjustment.
We have been lucky (spoiled) to have ¾ of our kids close to home up to this point.
Tim leaves tomorrow to start a job there,
but Amanda is staying behind to spend some time with family.
So, she will be arriving this week.
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