by Kay

"Rhubarb, Flowers, Egg, Kitten"


Over the years I had no idea that my siblings upon arriving at the farm immediately went to the rhubarb patch.  I thought I was the only one who did that.

But I had more to do.  After picking the perfect rhubarb, I went to Grandma's garden and picked a bouquet of flowers for Grandma which I put in a water glass and placed on the kitchen table.

Then I would head to the chicken coop and gather an egg from under one of the chickens.  I brought the egg to Grandma's living room and placed it in a corner of the velvet sofa and placed a pillow over it to keep it warm.  I was trying to hatch a little chick.  Of course it did not work, but I tried for several years.

Then it was off to the grain bins in the shed where there was always a new litter of kittens.   I would pick one out and bring it to Grandma's living room and make a little bed for it on the sofa.  I would then spend some time playing with my kitten and checking on my egg.  Then I would take my kitten outside to play with in the grass so it wouldn't make a mess in Grandma's house.  I don't remember how long I kept my egg in its "incubator" but seem to remember I knew enough not to keep it too long.

I was always desperate to bring a kitten home but Dad said absolutely not.  Finally one year Mom said for me to put a kitten in a box and place it on the floor by my feet in the back seat.  I sat directly behind Dad.  We had not gone far when my kitty started meowing.  Dad said "What is that?!" I was a bit scared of what was going to happen next.  But before I could think of something to say, Mom simply said in a very stern voice, "I said she could have a kitten".  Nothing more was said.  Mitzi was with me for many years.


From Kay's email:

I don't know what Don and Duane did when I was off doing things on my own but we did of course spend time together.   Sometimes doing exactly what Grandpa said not to do.  "Don't get in the grain bins!"   One of the first things we did was get in the grain bins.  The hay stacked in the barn was another thing we were told to not climb up on.  It was great fun to get up on top and slide down.

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