Burns Best Farm

Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom

Does anyone else out there remember this show?  It would play on Sunday nights after church and it had to be one of the three "major" networks because, uh, there was no cable when I was a kid.  I was also the remote control at our house.  Either me or my brother, whoever was closest. 

I digress.  I loved this show.  Wild animals from all over the globe, brought to my family room.  It seemed like I was right there with the host guy (I forget his name...it will come to be in the middle of the night, assuming I can sleep because I can't remember his name).

Well, I am beginning to think this week of spring break in the country is my very own personal Wild Kingdom week.  The boys and I have seen just about all the known wildlife in the area, which is on it's way to being suburban. The copperhead, which I blogged about on Monday, a lone turkey hen which we scared off her nest, wild geese on the steamy pond this morning (temperature upon rising:  37F...brrr), the little rabbits for sale at Tractor Supply.

And then today, in the van driving to the co-op for some new Liberty's for Large Son, we see a small furry animal roadkilled in the other lane, maybe a rabbit.  I slowed down and just then a gorgeous brown hawk landed right by the dead animal.  He put one claw on the animal, swiveled his head around and looked at us as if to say, "stay clear, this one's mine!" Then he grabbed it with both claws and took flight.  But his prey was so big that the extra weight messed up his ability to gain altitude!  He flew straight down the road in the oncoming lane, flapping his wings as hard as could, and almost crashed into the windshield of a van! The driver stopped just in time and the hawk made a big sweeping arc to get out of the road.  I never did see him make it very high.  But I'm betting he had a satisfying late lunch!

The boys were staring open-mouthed at the whole event.  They loved it!  They were yelling out advice for the hawk:  "Get up! Get Up!  Flap harder!  Look where you're going!

Then, just as they did yesterday, they came back to the farm and starting digging for grubs.  That's right, my boys new favorite game is finding grub worms in the garden patch and saving them for the neighbor's rooster.  Mud, dirt, shovels and squiggly creatures intent on harming my garden later in the summer.......it doesn't get much better when you are a boy.

For those keeping track, I got the arugula flat in with the help of my pal Tamma.  The spinach flats are on the porch learning to like cool air.  More to do, but it will get done.  I think.

I remember

11:50, 2006-Apr-5 .. Posted by spinninggrandma

I used to watch that Wild Kingdom, too. It was great.. WIsh they would re-run it!

How neat to see that hawk and how wonderful that it made it off the road.