Birth Announcement!

This afternoon my Mom sent me an email with the subject line: Birth Announcement! Imagine my surprise when it wasn't a cousin or niece who'd had a baby...but a turkey.

This photo accompanied the announcement in which my Mom stated that she and my step-father, Ralph, were very proud of the newest addition to their family. Yes...Ladybird the turkey has given birth to another two babies. This is in addition to the teenage turkeys she already has. (Click on the photo to enlarge it and see the babies.)

This evening she followed up with a note saying, "We also have a baby rabbit who lies out on the lawn chewing on clover. I think he's hot because he like to lie anywhere I've been using the hose. He's not growing very quickly but he seems to be quite comfortable living in the garden. There was a bigger one that came up the sidewalk to the patio this morning. I think it's because there are no cats and dogs here that they've sort of moved into the yard. We also have 6 Alvins hanging around and Pearl and Earl and Oprah and Stedman and McGuinty, the red squirrel and her baby."

Okay...here's the line-up.

Alvins -- Chipmunks
Pearl and Earl and Oprah and Stedmen -- Squirrels
McGuinty -- Red Squirrel named after the Liberal Premier of Ontario

My Mom forgot to mention Harvey and Lenore, her Ravens, and Rosemary Raccooney and her babies.

No, my Mother does not live in a zoo. But she seems to attract a zoo wherever she goes. I'm jealous. All I've got is a herd of deer who are eating my hostas, several Alvins who are enjoying my impatiens, a garden of groundhogs who love begonias, and a squirrel that comes right up to the window to pluck a leaf off of one of my potato vines and then munch on it right in front of my eyes.

I figure any squirrel that would do that is probably hungry and deserves to eat my deck plants.

I wish I had a cat.