Mother Nature and Mother Goose

This evening while out at our friend's Funny Farm doing weekly chores we noticed the floodwaters rising with the downpour. To help the local, seasonally resident geese avoid nest predation, our friend Roger built a small dirt berm in the middle of an area where there's typically low-lying flood waters in the winter.  A week or so ago, Roger noticed a goose hanging around the berm. He put on a pair of waders and walked out to see if she might be nesting. Sure enough, she was sitting on several eggs.

Last week we had several inches of snow fall (and stick) on the valley floor and in the last few days, we've had a lot of rain and the floowaters have been rising. Tonight, we sensed concern in Roger's voice about the rising waters and the safety of the nest. While in the barn mucking stalls, I spied him several times looking toward the goose, her nest and the rising waters. I wondered aloud to him if he had an incubator in case he had to rescue the eggs from the waters. He said his daughter did but he thought if the waters kept rising, they'd claim them sometime later this night. Given the waters were already chest deep and we were in the darkness of night, he said, with what seemed like a sense of resignation and a heavy heart, he thought he'd let Mother Nature do her thing and hope for the best. While talking about it on our drive home, we had some interesting conversations about the circle of life and some of the harsh realities and beautiful surprises it holds. What follows is a snippet of that...

Papa: Sort of sad about those goose's eggs.
Mummy: Yeah, I wish there was something we could do.
Papa: I know. Me too.
Finn: I know what we could do. We could get a box, put a light on it to keep 'em warm, and hatch 'em out.
Papa: That's a good idea but I think Roger's right in letting Mother Nature play out, hard as that may be.
Finn: (quiet)
Jeremiah: Hey Mummy! I have goodadeeyuh. I geddem. Puh-dem in da box...and shake 'um!
Mummy: I like your idea, Jeremiah, but you'll hurt them if you shake them. They might die. You can't shake baby thing up. It hurts them.
Jeremiah: (quiet)
Finn: Hey, I have a good idea! We can put them in a box in our bathtub!
Papa: Another good idea but baby geese follow their mummy for months and we don't think like a goose. How would we teach them what they need to know to survive?
Finn: We could take them back out there and their mummy could do that.
Mummy: (shoots Papa a quick look like "could that work?!")
Papa: I wish it was that easy but unfortunately, if we take the eggs from their mummy, she won't recognize them when they come back and will probably shun them. Might even hurt them.
Finn: (quiet)
Jeremiah: Hey Papa! I have gooadeeyuh! I geddum. Puh-dem in da box, puh-dem in da tub, and NOT shake dem!
Papa: Another good idea but we really should probably let them be with their mummy. After all, what if the rains stop and the flood waters stop rising. Maybe they'll be OK.
Finn and Jeremiah: (quiet from the back seat for a moment)
Finn: I have another good idea! I just prayed to Jesus for them that it would stop raining and the water wouldn't come up any more.
Mummy and Papa: (together after a glance and smile at each other): That's a great idea, Finn.
Papa: Just know, Finn - and I only say this so you don't get angry or upset if your prayer isn't answered tonight - that maybe someone else around here is praying for more rain to water their crops with. Jesus, God, they have to find a way to balance those requests. That's hard work.
Mummy: But I'm so glad that you though of praying for them, Finn. You have such a big heart. (to which Finn smiles that wonderful missing top, front tooth smile of hers) 

It's still raining pretty hard so we don't hold out too much hope. But we'll call Roger in the morning to find out how Mother Goose is doing...

3/31 UPDATE: The rains have stopped and the flood waters have slowed. According to Roger, mother goose is still on the nest and above water. And as little Jeremiah said this morning when looking out the window, "Da sunz comin' out! Woohoo!"

4/4 UPDATE: The waters have begun receding and mamma goose is still sitting on her eggs. She's left for a few minutes here and there, presumably for food, but other than that, she appears content with her brood. It'll be interesting to see how many of her seven eggs hatch!

The deer dilemma

Awoke this morning to Finn saying there was a deer caught in the fence. I freed the deer but her hip was displaced and her tendon cut. Tribal Police came and put her down. She'll likely feed some elders, here. Or be used in a ceremony. Still, Finn had a hard time with it, initially, but processed through it and came to a reluctant acceptance of the situation.

An Osborne-Gowey Christmas Newsletter: 2011

Jeremiah and Cat, 2011

We hope this newsletter finds you well.  We usually write a family newsletter each Christmas season detailing our past year and how much has changed. This year ended with a bittersweet note of the passing of a dear young friend. Through our grief we had decided not to do a newsletter this year. However, after getting various cards from people with notes about how much you all love our newsletter, we decided to put a quick one together. 

Finn and Little Jeremiah, 2011

Kids are growing like crazy. Our daughter Finn is in kindergarten this year...we know: crazy! We have all officially entered the world of elementary school...wow!  She loves it and her teacher is an amazing man with the patience of Job. Finn is already losing her baby teeth and has enjoyed waiting for the tooth fairy, though she informed us the tooth fairy doesn't bring money but a new toothbrush and toothpaste...which we thought was great. She still loves horses and rides at a friend’s farm every week. She can't get enough of singing and dancing to her "country music" as she calls it, and is the tallest kid in her class (as well as the youngest)...I fear she is going to be taller than her tall mummy. 

Our son Jeremiah is two and half and all boy. We used to say that there is no difference between boys and girls...then we had a son...wow there is a big difference between boy and girl hormones. We think he came out grunting like a cave man and throwing a ball around the house an pumping his fists in the air. We so have enjoyed watching him grow and develop his likes and dislikes. He loves nature, being outside as much as possible, trains, cars, and most of all, his sissy. He and his sister have developed a close relationship...which often involves a lot of fighting. J

We have had a lot of positive changes this past year. For the first half of the year, Jeremiah worked a large amount of hours and was asked to do more than any person should...he was working six to seven days a week 12 to 16 hours a day...too much. He was getting no time with the kids and his sweetie...which he treasures so much. Finally, one day we were sitting down to dinner and our daughter put a picture of Papa at the table and said "see it's almost like he's here"...he had to work late again and wasn't able to get home for supper. Cat took a picture of it and sent it to Jeremiah at work and said “I think we have a problem.” Shortly after that a blessing came to us...with the tight financial times the world is in, his company realized they needed to downsize and he was laid off. It sounds strange but it was such a relief for us...he took with him a few of the projects he was working and started working for himself. We've always lived simply so our finances are small and we don't have a lot to worry about. With his work and Cat’s working off and on for the tribe, we do okay...and Cat’s still able to work from home so the kids have mummy and not a daycare. The Lord provides...just not always how we think He will. 

Cat’s work for the tribe has really picked up. Perfect timing too...previously Jeremiah was working so much she never would have had the time to put into my work like she does now. The tribe has had some changes in the business committee and Cat’s finally getting a lot more support. Five years ago she wrote a grant to start a family violence prevention program...the grant was awarded but many in the business committee were not so happy. She wrote a second grant last year and it was awarded as well, and, coupled with the changes to the business committee, the doors are opening and amazing things are happening. Her program is seeing great progress and they've been able to help quite a few women and their children leave abusive situations. 

We have had our sadness this year at the passing of our dear friend Deanna Kingston (and here, here and here)...but we have had many blessings as well. Our lives are full and rich, we have two amazing children, jobs that we feel really contribute to bettering our world, and we have a safe and loving home...really what else could we ask for!?

We hope this next year finds you safe and well and filled with God’s blessings.

Love,

The Osborne-Goweys

A double present

While preparing homemade Yumm! bowls for lunch for the family today, Finn comes up to me and says, very matter-of-factly,

"I have something I have to do for you today, Papa, and you probably shouldn't be here since it's a surprise. Maybe you should probably go out of the house for a little bit. Maybe you should go find Dan (Sobota) and go fishing for a little bit while I work on your surprise."

OK! Count me in! I get two presents in one! Now to go check the ODFW recreation report and river levels...

Visiting, chores and riding at The Funny Farm

Just a few pics from doing chores and visiting out at the Funny Farm.
Enjoy!

Finn's first lost tooth

Actually her 2nd lost tooth, here...

Finn lost her first tooth last week. She mentioned to Cathleen that she had a loose tooth. Mummy checked the wrong tooth so didn't think anything she really did...until she showed us the tooth the next day, barely hanging on and flapping around with her tongue. And then, it was out.

Her adult teeth were already showing underneath and two additional teeth next to the first one are also loose. Wow is she excited. And in some moment of childhood clarity/fancy, she said that the tooth fairy was bringing her a new pink toothpaste and toothbrush, not money. We (ahem, the Tooth Fairy) found her some organic, pink toothpaste but held off on the new toothbrush until the next teeth fell out. Good thing, too, because a couple of days later, when trick or treating at a local dentist's office, she was given a new Crest toothbrush with Cowgirl Jesse (from the Toy Story) on it. She was elated.

All's well that ends well...

Fanning the flames

Both our kids love participating in everything we do. Having a fireplace presents it's own challenges for the kids but we've worked hard with them to teach them what they can and cannot do around it. Little man loves to help with the wood gathering and with getting last night's coals ignited. This morning was no different...except that he had only partially changed out of his pajamas. Too cute...

Little Jeremiah gathering firewood.

Little Jeremiah in the wood wheelbarrow.

Little Jeremiah and Papa blowing on last night's coals.