Monday, March 21, 2016

Family Resemblance

Do you remember the book, Are You My Mother? It was published in 1960 as part of Random House's Beginner Books series.

I remember checking this book out of the Pratt Public Library as a child. When I took Jill and Brent to the library, I loved pulling my favorite childhood books from the shelves and packing them in our book bag.

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman is the story about a mother bird who knows her egg will be in her nest where she left it, so she leaves him alone to go and get something for him to eat. The baby chick hatches. He does not understand where his mother is, so he goes to look for her. In his search, he asks a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a cow if they are his mother. They each say, "No."

Spoiler alert:  He eventually finds his mother.
During a weekend trip to Topeka, I was reminded that there's not a question about who Kinley's mother is. There's plenty of Daddy characteristics, too, as I watched the engineer and meticulous first-born daughter build together at the Discovery Center.
And, as Brooke transforms from toddler into little girl, now 18 months old, there is definitely some family resemblance there, too. (Actually, Brooke wasn't a toddler for long. She's more a "runner." I was reminded of that as Randy and I were chasing her around the Topeka Zoo!)
There might even be a few characteristics that come from an older generation.

It wasn't easy to get everyone standing in one place and looking the same direction.
 
We also see bloodlines reflected on the County Line. There's no question that this little calf and mother are a pair. Even their facial markings are virtually the same. 
While these aren't exactly a matched pair, the splotch on their face makes it easy to see they are related, too. 
We have lots of little all-black babies and mamas running around the pasture.
But when it's time to eat, mother and baby are sure to find one another!
Family resemblance: It's fun to see, whether human or bovine!

***
A note:  I wrote this last week and intended to post it on Thursday or Friday. But I went with Randy to a Kanza Co-op board retreat in Kansas City and was too cheap to pay the $9.95 it took to use the internet in my room. Plus, I spent most of the time in KC in the hotel room sick. I hated missing the group activities. As I told a couple of people, if I missed a dinner theater, you know I didn't feel well. On a positive note, I read three books and watched more NCAA basketball than I figured I'd be able to. See? You can find positives in anything.  And that may be easier, since I'm feeling a whole lot better today.

6 comments:

  1. Kim,

    No fun being sick when away from home. Hope it was a short lived bug and glad you are feeling better.

    Looks like you and Randy LOVE your role as Grandparents! I enjoy reading about your adventures.

    It is so fun to see baby calves with markings just like their mother's. It's kind of entertaining to see our friends and their kids; sometimes there is NO doubt who the kids belong to.

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    1. Thanks, Robyn! I am feeling better today, but it stuck around much longer than I would have liked, especially with the circumstances. There must be some late-season illnesses going around. There were others who were sick.

      Yes, I love seeing all the similarities with moms and babies - no matter the species.

      We are getting wind this week. I hope yours calmed down.

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  2. What a delightful post. Lovely to see photos of your 'two' families. Hope you are feeling 100% now.

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    1. Thank you, Helen. Yes, I am much better now.

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  3. Sorry to read that you have not been well, but am pleased to read your comments that you are much better now. That is wonderful. It is no fun being away and getting sick.

    Yes I can see your family resemblance of both humans & bovines. Aren't family traits just wonderful, how they pass down from generation to generation.

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    1. From looking at your photos, it seems you are in the thick of plenty of activity Down Under. Today, we will work another group of baby calves. The wind is blowing at a good clip, so it may be a dirty job today. Here's hoping the cattle cooperate!

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