96 Talking Turkey

Today the Happy Times Farm Traveling Petting Zoo came to Katie's school! Oh, the excitement! Farm animals that you can touch. What gets kids more excited than touching dirty, smelly animals? Pretty much nothing. Oh, well there is always being allowed to ride them.
I signed up to help out, and my piece of paper said small animals. Lucky for me there were several parents hanging around the small animals, so I was able to patrol the grounds and get a lot of pictures. My friend Toya was in charge of the turkeys, and later she handed them off to me. I thought we would just stand around and let the kids try to pet them if they came close enough, but OH NO, we were allowed to pick them up.
Most were young turkeys, but there was one BIG tom, aptly named Thomas.
We were not about to pick him up, and I am pretty sure he was quite happy with that arrangement, though almost every kid that came by wanted us to pick up "that big one right there!" We were apparently in the Thanksgiving pen because we also were in charge of a nice big goose with the original name of Goosey Lucy. Also, not picking him/her up!! Most kids were happy to simply pet the turkey, maybe touch his wattle. A few wanted feathers (no, too gross). They asked about their wattles and their combs and the big ones beard. Then there was one little girl that was obsessed with whether or not the turkeys could talk. And if they can talk, then why aren't they talking? So I said, they have nothing to say. BUT WHY? This little girl would not leave me alone about the poor turkeys talking. She pointed at each one, can that one talk? can that one talk? can THAT one talk? AND THEN ONE DECIDED TO TALK What did he say????? ARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!! I know, they are at that age, but geez!! Most kids lay off an idea after a few minutes, but this girl wanted to KNOW what those turkeys were saying. And if they could have, I am sure she would have been perfectly happy for them to have talked to her. Those poor birds were EXHAUSTED!! A couple of them just walked to the middle of the pen to lay down. Their eyes were open, but they were tuckered! They would just sit there glancing about nervously, making sure I was not going to pick them up and force them to get petted.
There was a train ride, another big hit.

I did get to go down with Katie's class while they were having their pony rides. That girl does love a good pony ride. She still brings up the time we went to the MidSouth Fair with Riley and they rode the ponies. She would have been happy to go round and round all day.

Katie's horse was named Babydoll :)

One of the best things about volunteering to help out at school ... Katie is so excited to see me! She sounds so proud when she introduces me. How much longer that will last?? Not sure, but I am hoping to hold on for a few more years. One of these days Mama following her around will not be the highlight of her day, but I am going to hold those days off as long as possible!!