Piper has learned so much about life since moving to the ranch. She had learned how to ride horses without fear. She has learned that in a classroom of 20 (with 16 being female) she will have days when her "best friend" is mad at her but tomorrow it will be better. She learned that you can run and play in a small town, and if you are doing something you shouldnt your mom will find. Piper has learned that in rain, snow and sleet Shawn will still have to go outside and work and if she doesnt stop being sassy, she will have to go with him.
The major point she has learned is the circle of life. This was the one area I was so afraid she was going to reject because much like me, she is an animal lover. Or as Shawn would say, big babies. Or girls (which he says like its a bad thing). Either way, Piper has gotten a crash course in life and death on the ranch.
Right off the bat, we had Chester Bob. Chester Bob was the pig that Shawn's parents had and were raising for, as Granddad told the kids "thanksgiving dinner." This wasnt a concept Piper really understood so we had to explain it to her, which she got and wasnt a big fan of, but she took it well.
Maybe a little to well as she started introducing all of her new friends and family to "Chester Bob. This is where he will live until he becomes bacon."
Ok, she gets it.
Then she would tell them the cow across the street "well she lives there until she becomes a T-Bone."
Hmmm...should I be concerned??
Then it came time to take Chester Bob to the meat locker and of course, he didnt go quietly.
Have you ever met a pig who moved anywhere quietly....not something they are programmed to do...meat locker or not.
We drove to the locker in town and Piper went with us (there was a Huskers football game on that afternoon....we didnt have time for 2 trips). Upon arrival at the locker, Piper started again with the fantastic one-liners:
"This does NOT look like a fun place to hang out Mom."
"Oh look, he has some friends to talk to....for about 5 minutes."
Fast forward to our family meals now....
"MOM, are we having Chester chops tonight?"
"MOM, is this steak from the cow across the street?"
"I would like some Bob bacon please."
I cant forget Chicken. He was the calf with the dislocated hip whom my nephew named Chicken (dont ask why....Piper asked and his answer was "why not?"). He wandered out of my mother-in-laws yard into the bull pasture across the street. We figured he would show back up...and he did.....after falling into a tank and drowning.
To this the answer was "well mom, I guess calves cant swim with broken legs."
Thats just the lesson she has learned from our ranch critters. She was very OK when Shawn walked to the house with the gun to shoot Mr. Coyote off the roof when he wandered up there. She was alright with shooting the deer that we hit with the car because we couldnt leave him with a broken back (she probably wouldnt have been so OK with it had she realized it was a fawn....but we wont tell her that part).
None of the above listed "moments" would have happened in the city life of Michigan we left. These are lessons that she wouldnt have had, probably couldnt have understood and would have resulted in screaming and irrational crying.
You know.....7 year old girl behavior.
These moments proved to be invaluable yesterday when I told Piper about the passing of her beloved dog, Luna, who was still living in Michigan with my parents. Luna was 12 and recently lost her hearing, her hips were giving out.....her age had caught up with her. The decision was made and she is now living without pain and playing with her friends who have already passed.
To this Piper said "it happens mom....sometimes they die because they are old, sometimes they die because we need to eat them. Its ok. Its life."
Yes it is....and living on a ranch is one big lesson in life.
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