Triple D Paints

                                                              Barn Babies
                                                                           

The cold wind whistled through the cracks and holes in the old barn as the first blast of Artic air with snow flakes blew in.  The old red brick structure with a new green tin roof had weathered countless cold seasons and had provided a haven for many over the years.  The hay loft was filled with aromatic bales of hay that made a perfect home for two small white kittens.  Their very existence was unknown to those who lived in the bottom of the barn.  The stalls were filled with piles of wood shavings that kept the young horses dry and warm on nights such as this.   A new litter of puppies was curled up next to mom as she nudged them close for a late night meal.  Their little eyes had just opened and they were always eager to explore their barn world.

As Colleen hurried to the barn to check on her barn babies, she shielded her face from the biting winds.  Winter always brings a strong reminder that cold can take a life easily if not prepared.  The snow was starting to pile up into small drifts which would be much higher by morning’s light.  Making sure that all the wee ones were safe and snug in their barn home was a late night check that would give Colleen a restful night’s sleep.   Jeb and Jim were right at her heels as she opened the door to enter the barn. 

Turning the latch and pushing the door open, the two male dogs barking, shoved by Colleen to see if there was any action around the litter box of puppies.  She shut the door and switched on the lights which caused the weanlings to jump to their feet in their stalls.  They squinted and blinked their eyes so as to see what was happening at this hour.  Stopping at the puppy box, Jeb and Jim counted the babes, and then ran to the hay loft ladder gazing toward the hole.  With her big blue eyes, Mama Lucy looked at Colleen as if to say she was in control of her family of four.  Colleen bent down to feel the soft fur of each fuzzy babe and to make sure they were all warm.  The heating pad that the family lay on was warm to her touch.  All was well there.

Turning her attention toward the foals, Colleen checked their hay and water supply.  By this time Rosie, a bright sorrel filly; Rita, a jet black filly; and Rafe, a golden palomino stud; had come to life.  They were nosing around in the hay bunk and looking at Colleen to see if she had a hand full of grain for them.  They shook the wood shavings off of their dense winter coats while their tails were still filled with the bedding.  It would take a brush to remove those chips.  Stepping into stalls, Colleen rubbed each horse with her ungloved hand.  They had come to expect her personal attention and enjoyed it.  Rita had taken a big drink of water and drops dripped from her nose.  She began munching on the alfalfa hay.  Rosie kept watching Colleen.  Her blue eyes, with the long white eye lashes, were blinking as she was thinking about what she might get from her owner.  Rafe had to use the bathroom in the corner of the stall.  He was fussy about keeping his stall orderly.  The weather outside didn’t seem to cause them worry even though this was their first winter storm.

A couple of mice had scampered out from behind the feed trough and the dogs were trying to find their hole, or so it appeared.  In the midst of that action, Colleen thought she heard the faint cry of a kitten.  Where was it coming from?  Jeb and Jim were now running in circles and barking with their heads looking upward.  Then they ran down the alley and looked under the pile of feed bags.  They couldn’t be looking for a mouse, could they?  Or was it a meowing kitten that they had zeroed in on?  As the meow continued in the midst of the racing and barking dogs, it was evident that faint meow was coming from the hay loft.  Jim and Jeb had heard that faint cry before Colleen, but had been searching in all of the wrong places trying to locate it.

Grabbing the loft ladder, Colleen quietly worked her way up the rungs.  After reaching the top she peered into the darkness, she saw nothing, but heard the cry of a kitten even louder.  Certain there was a wee one somewhere in the hay she pulled herself up to the floor and tried to find the direction of the meow.  The holes in the floor let the light from below filter up casting shadows and dimly lighting the area.  Once Colleen’s eyes had adjusted to the darker loft, she spotted a white bundle near the outer wall on the ledge.

The piles of hay bales made a maize throughout the loft.  Taking her steps with care, Colleen moved toward that pile of white.  There on the ledge, in what seemed to be a cry for help, were two little fuzzy white kittens.  To see them confirmed in Colleen’s mind that Snowball had indeed become a father.  Snowball was a large white Tom cat who had come to live in the barn three years earlier as a young kitten.  Being totally white meant he was stone deaf as all white cats are. He had been given to Colleen by a dear friend who had one extra.  He first roamed the barn, then the barn yard and these days he could be seen chasing around in the fields as he hunted down those mice.  It was obvious he had romanced one of the not so tame female cats who now bore his off spring.

Reaching down to scoop up the crying kittens was met with hisses from one.  The other white ball welcomed the gentle hand of Colleen as she pulled it close to her chest and began stroking it.  The little life stopped crying and began to purr.  Colleen sat down on a bale and felt the tiny kitten’s little body.  Its little tummy was round and full.  Mom had been taking very good care of her babies.  But she seemed to be no where in sight now as her two little ones had been crying in the night.  The defensive kitten quieted down and wanted to see exactly where the other one was.  He lifted his tail and cautiously stepped toward Colleen and his litter mate.  There seemed to be no danger in this new place to rest, so he joined in on Colleen’s lap.

The wind outside grew stronger and the snow started to fall even heavier.  But inside the barn all the babies were safe from the harsh winter elements.  As Colleen sat there with those two white balls of fur snuggled up next to her she thought of another babe that was born in a barn.  Her memory recalled the story of long ago when a young husband and wife were expecting their first baby.  They could only find a barn for lodging to spend the night.  In that night, a son was born.  He was a perfect Son who was wrapped in strips of white cloth and laid in a hay manger.  Shepherds in the fields heard the announcement from the heavenly hosts that a child was born.  They hurriedly found the barn and worshiped Him.  Even the animals He shared the barn with seemed to understand how special this barn baby was on that night. 

The stillness in the loft suggested that everyone below had settled down to rest.  Just then through the light beaming up the loft entrance, a large gray cat with a mouse in her mouth, jumped up on the floor.  She looked around as if searching for something.  Colleen then realized that this was mom and she was the one Jim and Jeb were chasing as she chased that mouse.  Colleen quietly laid the babies on the hay bale as mom darted into the shadows.  They did not wake up and she moved toward the door.  Looking back over her shoulder Colleen could see mom with her family as she brought them a late night meal. 

Descending to the main floor of the barn Colleen found Lucy, with her family, was sleeping quietly; Rafe, Rosie, and Rita had stretched out in the wood shavings while Jim and Jeb waited by the door.  Now that the entire group of barn babies was safe for the night, Colleen could return to the house and get that good night’s rest she needed. Opening up the door, turning off the lights and whispering good night to all, Colleen, Jim and Jeb stepped out into the dark night.  At that moment the storm had quieted.  As the clouds over head raced by, the bright moon and twinkling stars peeked through, the barn babies were safe.