The Baby Oh! possum

My David came back from working today and put a small box on the counter. It was stuffed full of shop rags.

I pulled the last one out and there squirmed the smallest opossum you can imagine. 3 inches, eyes still closed, flailing. My heart dropped. Little creatures need a momma. There are no what if's about it. Human people cannot do it the way the mother opossum can. I thought about it being a marsupial and put my hands around it like they were a pouch. The little guy curled into a ball in my hands.

I mixed a little milk with water, emptied out my eye drop bottle, and gave it a few drops of that solution on it's tongue. It tried not to drown. I cursed the fact that it was Saturday afternoon and no vet was available for a small little possum. I hope to keep it alive until Monday. Then, I will take it to a vet I know that tries to save small creatures. He has people who come and volunteer to feed and comfort.

How responsible I feel for this small life. I put it next to my heart and it seemed to comfort him.

The will to live is so very strong in all of us, man or oppossum.

Love,
Betty

Dear Marie,
What good information you have provided. I hope this little one lives. Male or female, the name will be Marie the Possum.

Love,
Betty

Dear Marie,
The little one did not make it. Without a momma, ones that small have not much hope. We tried, but our human efforts could not do what a mother opossum could do. Who knows why the little one was left alone on a golf course.

Thank you for your help and concern. All life is important.

Love,
Betty

Next to its own mother, you were it's best bet, Betty. Sorry he didn't make it.

Betty Fasig wrote:

Dear Marie,
The little one did not make it. Without a momma, ones that small have not much hope. We tried, but our human efforts could not do what a mother opossum could do. Who knows why the little one was left alone on a golf course.

Thank you for your help and concern. All life is important.

Love,
Betty

Quote :

No man is an island, entire of
itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a
clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a
promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own
were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind,
and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for
thee.
John Donne, Mediation 17

Betty, thank you for reminding us that all creatures are worth our concern.

Ann

I have chicken wire around my garden boxes to keep the rabbits out. Otherwise, they eat everything. I've lobbed slingshots and golf clubs at them, but all that accomplishes is making dents in stuff around them.

Yesterday I saw a big, fat rabbit in the middle of one of my boxes. I ran over, yelling Get Out! It hopped off. But -Oh! the indignity! I found a rabbit BURROW in that garden box, with three baby rabbits in it! Talk about thumbing their nose at my fence.

I had to laugh at the brazeness. But I'm confused at what I see today. Looks like mama rabbit kicked dirt over the hole. I don't know if the baby rabbits are suffocated under it, or if they left or what. Any clue? I don't feel like poking around to find gross dead rabbits.

Dear LC,
I wonder about these things. I remember Richard Adam's book Watership Down. What a beautiful book!
When I think about the tenacity of the small creatures and how vulnerable they really are, I am thankful that we see them at all. I think the baby rabbits are ok. Rabbits know what they are doing.

I was trying to control myself and not post the story of Marygrey's babies, but I have lost the battle. Here is the story.


Marygrey had waited a very long time for the arrival of her babies. But babies cannot be rushed into the world and take their own time in coming, say what you will, or wish as hard as you want, it will do no good at all, especially rabbit babies. They come when they have a good mind to. Marygrey’s babies had waited until Christmas Eve. Basil, the wild rabbit, was the father-to-be of Marygrey’s babies, and he had been constantly running in and asking were the babies here yet and how much longer was it going to be, until Marygrey said, “Basil, my dearest, Old Agnes is here with me, so you don’t have to worry. When they arrive she will run out right away and tell you they are here. Please go and wait for Santa with the others and when you see him, come and tell me.” There are certain things that every animal, wild or tame, know to be true. But the thing they know to be the truest of the true, is that Santa Claus comes on Christmas Eve. Yes, Santa brings presents to every animal on earth, just as he brings toys to all the children of the earth. You may wonder how Santa has time in one night to bring all those presents. There are a lot of animals on earth, too. Well, the answer is quite simple. Time Stands Still on Christmas Eve!! Not one minute on the clock ticks by after Santa leaves the North Pole, until all the presents are delivered to every child and every animal everywhere.

So while Marygrey waited for the arrival of the babies, Basil went to join the other animals who were waiting and watching under the Old Oak Tree for the first glimpse of Santa’s light as he passed overhead. Every animal on the farm was there, except Marygrey and Old Agnes, who was waiting with Marygrey for the babies to come, and Wooffer, who had not come out of the house yet. All of the Thousands, every squirrel for a mile around, the Armadillos, Cho Lee Yen, Camille and all the lizards, the Bully Frogs, The Banana Spiders from the Republic, Reba and Henry… and all the Hoppers and Bugs… and, of course Larry, Curly, and Moe and Margaret the chicken. (Her eggs had not hatched.) They were all there waiting for Santa to go by in his sleigh to deliver presents to everyone and they would be the first to see him, they hoped.

None of the animals had ever seen Santa up close, except Wooffer had seen a picture his mom had shown him in abook called, “The Night Before Christmas.” But every animal had listened to stories their moms and grandmoms had told them when they were very young and each one knew in his heart how Santa looked. He was Beautiful!!!

Wooffer knew it was about time for Santa to go by, so he asked his mom if he could go wait with the animals to see his light as it went by. She was putting the last decorations on the Christmas tree. “Go on and watch and bark as soon as you see anything and I will come out, too.” she said smiling. So Wooffer went to join the animals under the Old Oak Tree to wait for Santa to go by.

Wooffer went out and said, “Merry Christmas,” to everyone. He heard the news of Marygrey’s babies coming.

Basil was almost in a trance from the excitement of the babies and waiting for Santa. He kept looking at the sky and muttering, “Oh, My! Oh!… Oh My!”

Wooffer saw Margaret standing by herself, gazing up at the night sky.

Wooffer had not seen Margaret since she was hatching eggs, but he had heard that they had not hatched. He cautiously went up to her. Wooffer never knew if she was going to fly at him feet first or not.

“Hi, Margaret, sorry about the eggs not hatching.’’ he said.

“Me, too. I thought for sure the eggs would hatch this time. But they didn’t. Maybe next time,” Margaret said.

Wooffer said, “I hope so. Have you heard that Marygrey’s babies are coming tonight?”

Margaret stood there and gave Wooffer one eye, then the other, and said. “No, I had not! I must go to her at once! Poor thing!!” And off she strutted as fast as she could run, toward the burrow where Marygrey was waiting for the babies.

When Margaret arrived at Marygrey’s burrow, she was met by Old Agnes, Mother of Thousands. “Have they gotten here yet? I do hope I am not too late! Wooffer just now told me that the babies are coming tonight. I do want so much to be here when they come!” squawked Margaret.

“Oh, you are in plenty of time,” answered Old Agnes, who knew more than most when it came to babies.

Margaret was glad and she sat down next to Old Agnes to wait.

Under the Old Oak Tree, the other animals were having a fine time. All the little Thousands were singing, “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus… right down Santa Claus lane…” Wooffer had climbed up to the second branch in the Old Oak Tree so he would be closer to the sky to watch for Santa’s light and was talking to Mr. A.A. Corn and Sir Doodah. Larry, Curly, and Moe were having a contest to see who could make their eyes shine the brightest yellow. Silverthorn was telling rabbit jokes to Basil and the other rabbits. Everyone was having such a good time, that they had not noticed the fog that was creeping in all around them. In no time the fog was so thick that they could barely see who was standing in front of them. How disappointed they all were!!! No one could see Santa’s light through all that fog!!

Then, the most amazing thing happened!! The fog began to curl and furl around their feet. Then it began to swirl and whorl and twirl!… Round and round it went, faster and faster, until the animals began to be quite frightened. They all got close to the ground and put their paws over their eyes. No one had ever seen anything like it!

As the animals sat there with their eyes covered, afraid to move, they heard… “He He He…Ha Ha Ha.… Ho Ho Ho.” … It was the jolliest laugh they had ever heard. Well, they HAD to look. When they opened their eyes, there in the middle of the yard stood SANTA CLAUS, HIMSELF!!!! The fog was gone.

When Cho Lee opened his eyes, he saw a beautiful white peacock, with golden “eyes” in his tail feathers and his topnotch was red and gold. He knew it was Santa because he looked just like Cho Lee had imagined him to be.

Basil and Silverthorn and the other rabbits did not see a peacock at all.

They saw a big white rabbit with golden ears and they knew right away it was Santa because he looked just as they had imagined he would.

When Mr. A.A. Corn and Hoy T. Toity opened their eyes, they saw a fat, red squirrel with white ears and a bushy white tail. Santa was just what the squirrels had know he would be.

All the little Thousands saw a beautiful white mouse… and Wooffer? Wooffer saw a very jolly old man in a bright red suit with big white whiskers and rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes and a big belly that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

Oh, there was just one Santa Claus there… but each of the animals saw him a bit differently, which was the really amazing thing!!!

Santa talked to each one there, and called them each by their own name and wished them all a Merry Christmas… Then he said, “I usually don’t do this kind of thing, but you all have been so very, very good this year, and I have a very special present to deliver to Margaret. Where is Margaret?”Basil explained about the babies about to come and that Old Agnes and Margaret were with Marygrey waiting for them to arrive.

Santa told Basil to go and fetch Margaret so she could get her special present.

So, Basil was off in a flash to the burrow and, breathlessly, told Margaret to come right away! “Santa wants to see you! He came specially to bring something!”

“What!? Santa is here?!!! For Me?!!!” clucked Margaret. Margaret did not run, she FLEW to the Old Oak Tree! Old Agnes went running as fast as she could… she was not going to miss seeing Santa for herself. Basil stayed with Marygrey.

“Ho Ho Ho… Ho Ho Ho!” laughed Santa, as Margaret flew in and landed right in front of him. “Margaret,” said Santa, “I have heard about how your eggs did not hatch again, so I have brought you something that will cheer you up on this wonderful Christmas Eve.” With that, Santa reached way down in his bag and lifted out the most beautiful Rooster that Margaret had ever seen. His name was Reginald. Reginald was very glad to get out of the bag, even if it was Santa’s bag, and he was even more glad when he saw Margaret. He Cock-A-Doodle-Do-ed his most polite “good evening” to Margaret and she Clucked her best “how-do-you-do” to Reginald. It was love at first sight!

Santa called Wooffer to come to him and patted him on the head and said, “Wooffer, you are such a good dog, one of a kind. Would you like to come to the North Pole with me and be one of my elves?”

Wooffer did not have to think about it. He wanted to stay right where he was with his friends and his mom, so he said, “No, thank you, Santa.”

Santa understood. It was the best place in the world for a dog to be. So, Santa leaped back into his sleigh and was off in a twinkle. “Ho Ho Ho!” they all heard him laugh as he disappeared among the stars. This would be a night all of them would remember for a lot of Christmas Eve’s to come.

Marygrey did not get to see Santa herself, but she got the best present of all that night. When Old Agnes and Margaret had gone to see Santa, the babies started to arrive. There were six baby rabbits in all, three boys and three girls. Now, every Christmas Eve, the six little rabbits and Marygrey beg Basil to tell them the story of, “A Christmas Eve Under The Old Oak Tree.”


Love,
Betty

Every time I read one of your stories, Betty, I think it is my favorite, until you post a different one, and then it is.

About the baby opossum, how many people would have even tried?

The world needs more Betties in it. (The spell checker is telling me it doesn't like my pluralization of Betty, but it doesn't offer a better one. I hope you know what I mean.)

Ann

Dear friends,
Thanks.

I never know what to post on anymore. Everyone seems to be a little tense.

Ann, Betts is what most people call me. My stepson calls me Ba. That is because it is short for Betty and Ma. I love that.

Love,
Betty

Betty, your mere presence helps ease the tension, and you already know how much I love your stories.

The baby Oh! Possum helped bring some folks back down to earth, donchaknow?

Dear Zada,
Earth is such a lovely place to be.

I have thought a lot about perception and the coloring of our outward view. Many are the painters, but we are the canvas and we can accept the colors others bring or discard them...

Love,
Betty

Dear Marie,
This little guy is not the first opossum that has crossed our path. Another who was at least six times the three inch size was terrified into a ball on the back lawn. I got it from our Jazzmin, who thinks she owns the whole world and is boss of ever creature in it.

I took it to a vet who takes all kinds of distraught animals, has volunteers who come and feed and comfort them and when they are well enough, puts them into a secure fenced enviornment and they live out their lives in the city with children admiring them no end.

One of the stories in Wooffer is about a little baby squirrel that my David brought home one day. I fed it milk in the palm of my hand, held it close to my heart to comfort it and it grew and grew and became Mr. A. A. Corn of the story in Wooffer. I must post that story! You know how I am.


It was a hot day in August, and Wooffer had gone to lay in the shade of The Old Oak Tree. He was in kind of a dreamy mood, too hot to chase anyone, and just laying there in the grass on his back looking up at the clouds as they sailed by and sniffing the air. Mr. A.A. Corn was digging up acorns close by, and all was quiet except for the bees and dragonflies hovering overhead. Wooffer was thinking about his mom. How she always gave him part of her dinner and gave him iced water (not just regular old water) when they were working in the greenhouse and finally he said out loud, “My mom must be the best in the world.”

Mr. A.A. Corn overheard this remark, and said, “I remember your mom before you were born.”

Wooffer sat right up and said, “Really? Before I was born?”

Mr. A.A. Corn ( whose first name was really Autumn) replied, “Yes, it is a tale not soon forgotten and one that every young squirrel hears before he is out of the nest.”

Wooffer was all ears!

“It was such a long, long, time ago… I was just a small baby, still drinking my mother’s milk, when a big wind came and shook our tree and I fell out of the nest onto the ground far below. It was in another place, far from here. I lay there on the ground for a long time, not able to move. I was scared beyond anything you can imagine. Then a man came and picked me up and put me in his pocket. He took me to a big house and took me out of his pocket and gave me to your mom. She could see right away that I was scared and put me under her shirt where it was warm and I could hear her heart beating. I felt a little better then, but I was very hungry.

Your mom gave me some warm milk, and let me lick it out of her hand. I grew everyday, and she gave me pecans and walnuts and cherries to eat. After a while, she made a home for me in a big wire cage. She put a tree trunk in it so I could learn to climb trees, and a nest made of a bandana tied on three corners, and filled it with Spanish moss. It was very comfortable and cozy.

Everyday she let me run around the house wherever I wanted. But one day, when it was time for her to go to bed, she wanted me to go to my little room and I did not want to at all, so I bit her! The next day, my wire house was out by the Old Oak Tree. She left the door open so I could go out and back in anytime I wanted. She kept filling my dish with sunflower seeds and such or I would have starved. I used to go out and practice running up the tree a little way and then go back to my bandana nest. One day, in my dish were a bunch of acorns. And then, I found some on the ground myself. From that time on, I could find my own food.” Wooffer, was about to say something, but Autumn A Corn held up his paw and said, “But, that is not the end of the story, no, not at all.”

He continued, “None of the other squirrels wanted to have anything to do with me. They said I smelt funny and laughed at my accent. I had to fight a few before I could get into any other tree! That is when I met Mr. Hoy T. Toity and Sir Ryte (Dickey) Doodah. They had been selected to make sure I stayed in my bandana nest and away from all “respectable” squirrels.

They chased me all the way home. I ran and hid in my bandana nest, shaking with fear.

I could hear them out there looking around my house and they finally came upon my dish. It was filled with sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, and some raisins. Sir Ryte (Dickey) Doodah decided that I must be a King or something to get food like that. Mr. Hoy T. Toity said there was no doubt about it.

After they had eaten most of my food and stowed the rest in their cheek pouches, I heard a little “Uh Hum” outside my nest.

Then Sir Doodah said, “Your Highness, we would beg to speak with you, if you so please.” Mr. A.A. Corn smiled at this part and took a deep breath and sighed.

“I peeked out my head a little way, expecting to get it bitten off. Mr. Toity and Sir Doodah were standing there nudging each other and at last Mr. Toity said, ‘Sir, we would like you to join us as a Branch Executive on our branch of The Old Oak Tree.’ It was my big opportunity to be part of Wild Squirreldom. I said I would be very honored and so they took me to their branch and introduced me all around. Every day they went back to see what your mom left to eat. They still do it every day. They did love the cherries.”

“Your mom still puts out sunflower seeds and corn in winter, but I haven’t had a pecan in ages.”

Wooffer went in the house and cuddled up next to his mom. He KNEW she was the best!!!!


Love,
Betty