Clipping Wings

In the last post I mentioned my bird business.  As all of us know ducks are good flyers.  When I would purchase a new hen in order to keep her close to home her wing would be clipped so she could not fly away.  It was an easy operation with a pair of sissors.

When the wing was clipped it would throw off their balance and flying would be difficult if not impossible until the feathers grew back.  By that time they would realize that they had a safe place to live,  food to eat, and water available and would not want to fly away except for possibly a little exercises now and then.  When their babies were hatched they would then teach them to stay home also.  Soon the yard would be full of ducks as they hatched batch after batch. 

An interesting thing about this is that if one were to clip a little off both wings the bird would still be able to fly.  Their balance would be intact and though it might take a bit of getting used to they would not be grounded.  The bird raisers in the readers may enjoy this blog titled Back Yard Chickens.com

As I pondered this I realized that DEBT has very much the same effect.  Whether we get in the situation by choice or perceived necessity soon our freedom to fly is gone.  We rightly believe that we need to continue in a job we may not like to earn the money to pay the bills and may even begin living payday to payday.  Savings dwindle, bigger goals and dreams are set aside or fulfilled by even greater debt.  After a time we have lived so long in debt that we accept it as an inevitable part of of life and may bemoan the state of affairs but not acknowledge the source of the problem.

Freedom.  Such an amazing and precious word. As we look to the skys and watch the birds we are reminded each day.

Learning to fly

One of the most fun and fulfilling times I have had was raising peacocks, ornamental pheasants, and quail along with the chickens and ducks who were the basics of my beginning small business. 

It started when I went to visit my brother more than 30 years prior at a place he lived in Oregon.  He had built his own cabin in the woods, bought a truck, and gotten a horse.  He lived among the timbers.  One of the most memorable sights of the trip was that he had gotten a peacock who roamed freely.  Never had I been so close to one and I was amazed at their beauty.

Little by little my love for birds grew and was kicked into high gear after a visit to small zoo in Honolulu and the museum that contained items from Princess Kaiulani who was  referred to as the Peacock Princess.  So much was her fascination with the birds that they roamed freely throughout the palace grounds and one of  her own dresses was designed and made from royal blue velvet with a bodice of feathers.  In line for the throne her story ended sadly when she died at age 23 of pneumonia.

My own dream continued to grow with first a few chicks, there a chick, and everywhere a chick chick...

The population grew to between 200 - 500 birds and among them was more than a dozen peacocks who once decided to walk down the highway by our home raising the attention of all in the area. The housing was three buildings, brooders, a small incubator and then the leap to my 200 egg incubator.

The overall experience was definately one of the most fun and an opportunity to learn, meet people, be creative, plan, be adventurous, and finally after many mistakes actually begin to make a little money.

The beauty of small business is that it can be custom designed to the one running it and in line with their values, talents, and interests.  Resources abound for learning as long as one does not go faster than their own well rounded knowledge.  Whether one wants to indulge in a hobby or make some extra money the opportunities are as limitless as ones creativity.

Below are photos of some of the varieties I raised.  The males are shown as they are typically the more colorful:

Peacock



Golden Pheasant

Lady Amhurst Pheasant

Yellow Golden Pheasant

Ringneck Pheasant

 

Bobwhite Quail

Muscovy Duck

White Peacock

 

Photos courtesy of google.

Johnny Appleseed

John Chapman was not yet 2 years old when his mother died during childbirth with her third child. His father remarried and he and his second wife had 10 more children. This family of fourteen lived in a poor small home. His father worked three jobs to support them all. John spent much time outdoors exploring the country just to get away from the too crowded home.

Apple cider was a common drink during that period. During the harvest time people would take their apples to the community cider presses where all the juice would be taken out. The seeds and pulp were discarded and Johnny found that he could have them for free. Who would know that free apple seeds would be the beginning of an American legacy? John's mission was one that made American history and still has valuable lessons for today. It started with dreams of apple orchards throughout the land providing food for the new settlers who were moving out west.

At the age of 23 John left the area of his family in Pennsylvania and set out on his own. As the oldest son this would have been an extraordinary move as he would have probably been a big part of helping his parents provide for his younger brothers and sisters. He took not much more than the clothes on his back, a bag of food, and a bag of apple seeds. The year was 1797.

Johnny started walking through the unsettled land. When he found a good spot he would plant an orchard and then move on. Mile after mile he travelled and at some point in his journey he met a young girl with no shoes and he gave her the only pair he had. In order to show their gratitude the family gave him a cooking pot that Johnny wore on his head to protect himself from the elements. On he went planting more orchards along the way and surrounding them with fences made of sticks. He would make the rounds of the various orchards to check their progress and nurture them along the way. When he met travellers he would often give them some seeds so they could take them further West and plant them where they settled.

We know that Johnny covered Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana and bought land to maintain his own orchards. Some stories say he went much farther West but others count that as embellishment of the events. John Chapman was a vegetarian and became an expert in medicinal medicine. At one point he came across an injured Native American, treated the wounds, and carried him on his back to his tribe. As the son of the chief of the tribe this act of kindness went a long way to improve the relationships between the Native Americans and the whites. Johnny Appleseed was welcome wherever he went.

Some of the significant lessons from the life of Johnny Appleseed:

• Even in extreme poverty our lives can make a difference that will go far beyond our years.
• Did you notice that Johnny used the free seeds from the cider mills? Look around for your own seeds to begin your small business.
• He worked in harmony with nature instead of stripping it. Had he lived in this generation he could have been the spokesman for the Green movement and made a fortune in speaking engagements.
• Johnny combined business with a great love for people thus benefiting all.

There is more to the story and I hope you will rush right out to the library and find out the rest. Don't forget the children's and young adult sections which often have some of the best history books and of course you can actually share them with your kids too!

Photos from google.

First posted October 17, 2010

Seasons.

Winter comes as a shock to me every year.  Often I have dreamed of living in Hawaii where the seasons change from good to better and the tropical bliss is taken for granted.  Paradise is what they call it and it is a well deserved name.  But, I am in the states where the seasons change and just when my body adjusts to the heat it becomes cold and rainy again.  I don't know why this should continually surprise me except that I am just so anti-winter that each time one is over I attempt to put it out of my mind forever.  I almost convince myself that I can throw away all my sweaters and the temperature drops 20 degrees and I have to dig in the back of my closet.

I KNOW!  That just sounds so silly!  But in honesty that is how my mind works though admitting it can easily cause others to think me nuts.

Yet this is how so many approach their finances.  When they find themselves in the fall and winter of a financial season they moan and groan and are totally unprepared.  They struggle through the downturn without preparation longing for better days to come.  Often they seek assistance from others and most recently the government.  People show up in the millions wanting some sort of subsidy, some sort of relief, and some sort of solution.  All the money they have gained in the earning and income seasons has been spent and none remains. 

Many get angry.  Many get desperate.  Many loose hope.  The generosity of others is pressed to the limit as everyone struggles though the season.

Then a little sunshine is seen measured in economic indicators.  Unemployment levels show improvement, foreclosure rates subside, and hope returns.  People start spending again.  Soon forgotten are the days of cold and misery as we bask in the warmth of better days.  We celebrate with extravagance and spend as if we are making up for lost time.  We lavish treats for the entire family and generosity to others.  Waste is not so bad because we have more than we need.  Risk is seen as a good thing as we pour money into the stock market hoping for a better return.  We leverage our buying power through debt expecting the good days to roll on forever.

There is not a cloud in the sky to damper our mood...  at least until the season changes.

Thank you vetrans - ever grateful!