Chance

Raise your hand if you fear that, at some point in this sure-to-be-exciting post, I might mention weeding.

Hmmm . . . . only time will tell.

We have been busy bees here at the Maliblahblah homestead.  Here is a list!  For I know lists please you so.

1)  Our vacation rental biz is booming.  This is excellent news when it comes time to make two house payments.  This is terrible news when it comes time to clean the wretched thing.  It is completely booked out for the next 5 weeks with not one break in between guests.  It is sure to be exhausting.

Let the records show:  I am thankful that we are able to do it.  Even if the cleaning part is loathsome.

2)  The kids have been at Vacation Bible school every night this week.  It is glorious, and they are loving it as well.  Sweet Pea is, most assuredly, every VBS teacher's dream student.  She takes it quite seriously.  She leads her siblings in a "worship practice" session before they head out, so as to ensure they all remember the songs, and she spends her spare time memorizing extra verses.

The other night on the drive home, she memorized the entire Lord's prayer.

This shows that:

A)  She is the bee's knees.

B)  We have a LONG drive home.

3)  Jason and Amy brought David and I huckleberry milkshakes one evening when we were cleaning the rental.

Huckleberry milkshakes.  Like sweet nectar to our souls.

In case you are behind the times, huckleberries are a prized possession here in our homelands.  They could probably be used as currency.  True story.

4)  People sell huckleberries for FORTY dollars a gallon.  See?  I wasn't lying.

5)  We have found about five total raspberry bushes amidst our property!  David has a jolly good time picking fresh berries from his land to sprinkle on his morning cereal.  It pleases him.  These are the reasons he moved us out here.  To live off his land, you know?

6)  Perhaps if we found hidden acres of huckleberry brush, we could afford to pay someone else to clean that rental, eh?

7)  We are still weeding our ginormous garden.  It's true. But, hark!  There is an end in sight!  I think we have about 10 rows left to weed and Preen.

And now, I would like to close with a story.

The other morning, I was looking out my window and noticed Tank the dog making his way around the rabbits and chickens with something in his mouth.

This is never good.

He made a big loop and came right to the front steps and dropped off his find for me.

A newborn, baby rabbit.

And it was still alive.  Darn it all.

Stand down, Readers!  I did not want the baby to die, but now I got to put on my Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman pants and try to be all life-saving.  And I don't know how to save a newborn rabbit!

Have you seen a newborn rabbit before?  It is not precious.  They look like hairless, infant rats.  But that is besides the point.  We had ourselves a true farm and ranch emergency.

I called to the girls for help, because there is no way I can handle this sitch on my own.  I was not made for this life, you know?  Daisy Mae and I both got the peepee shivers at the thought of picking up the baby rabbit.  I used my awesome Mom-manipulative skills (or skillz, if you prefer) to talk Sweet Pea into picking up the rabbit.

Sweet Pea wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up.  I told her these are the things she must do.

Don't judge.  You would do it,too.

So, I gave her a washcloth and she wrapped the "precious" baby up in it while Daisy Mae and I tried to figure out where this baby came from.

There were no holes in the fence.

There were no rabbit nests that the dog could get into.

We have NO idea where this rabbit's nest is.  Nor how the dog could have possibly acquired this find.

Sweet Pea decided to be all heroic and noble and whatnot and try to talk me into letting her care for the rabbit.

Yes.  She would create a nest for it, somehow create some sort of nipple small enough for the baby to drink milk, and name it "Chance."

I told her there was no way a newborn rabbit would survive under our care.

Have you read this blog?

Finally, Daisy Mae and I found a nest with other newborns hidden under some straw and Sweet Pea gently put "Chance" in with that group.

Seriously.

This is my life.  Be envious.

All seems well with Chance.  I think we have a crazy, mama rabbit because David found another newborn flailing about outside the nest.

The only thing I can reckon (that's farm and ranch speak for "figure out") is that Crazy Mother Rabbit decided that Chance was unworthy of her care and tossed him out.  Perhaps Tank the Dog is really the hero for bringing Chance safely to our doorstep and not eating him for breakfast?

I cannot be certain.

Happy Wednesday!