Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Thanksgiving break part 1 (Grandma and Grandpa Dilworth's)


(Grandpa's pep-talk, notice the knife in his hand)
In every child's life there comes the point of discovering how the world really works. This Thanksgiving, Grandpa Dilworth shared with our kids the lesson of life and the food chain.
During our visit Grandpa had a chicken that was crippled and severely picked upon by the other chickens. It became evident that it was time to put the poor chicken out of it's misery.
Oscar was especially sensitive to the poor chicken's plight. The night before grandpa put it out of it's misery he told Rick "Dad I think it might be better for that poor chicken to die, so it won't be in any pain anymore."
The next day grandpa pulled all the kids together to teach them the lesson of life. During his pep-talk to the kids, he told them that deep inside each one of us is a sad feeling when we have to take the life of another animal. He said that God gave us this feeling so that we would only kill what we need, and not any more. He told them that the best way to put the chicken out of his misery was to cut off his head so that his brain wouldn't feel the pain anymore. The kids took it really well. They saw grandpa cut off his head and watched as it's nerves reacted post-beheading. This is a picture of Poppy checking out the severed head.
They then watched briefly as grandpa hung it up and skinned it.
Overall I think it was a great life lesson.

Meanwhile they spent the majority of thier time at Grandma/pa Dilworth's playing in the hay fort. Grandpa had constructed a fort with thier hay bales and the kids loved playing all day in there.
When they weren't in the fort you could find them building nests and pretending they were chickens.

Nest building
Grandma put the kids up on Montana's back for a little bare back.

This is just a little of the trip and I will be adding more later...it seems I'm in slow-poke mode in getting caught up from the last week. So, more to come...

5 comments:

Suzie-Q said...

What a lesson to learn. I think I might have nightmares just from reading about it. I don't think my kids would have done well to see any of that happen, we will have to wait till they are older to discuss that lesson.
Can't wait to hear more of the trip!

Maren said...

I can't say I have ever seen a chicken being killed, or any animal for that matter. I don't know if I could have watched that, but I guess it was a good lesson. It looks like the kids had a great time.

Jen said...

i think that's a great life lesson. it's sad that we don't all learn those lessons and i love how your dad explained it all to them. those are defining moments.
i'm glad you had a safe trip! welcome back!

Lisa B. said...

Hey we went to NM the day beofer you came to slc. i am goign to call you tomorrow though! love ya

Beth said...

At least there was pep talk before hand. My dad threw us in the car. We jumped out, having no idea what or where we were. I saw a cow and then a gun and POP! I'll never forget the eyes of that cow. I'm pretty sure this damage will last forever.