This love of animals soon branched out into pigeons, chickens, ducks, a goat, some snakes, and other wild animals me and my dog could catch. Even though we lived in the city and we had very little money since my father had died when I was 10 and my mom worked for 50 cents an hour to feed and clothe me and my sister. I soon figured how to support my interest. As I said, my mom had the pet stores interested and as I was cutting grass my imagination kicked in and I'd be looking for things that others would throw away. I brought home old bags of concrete, mostly hard, but there was enough good to make a concrete pond. I got busy re-routing a water-line under the house to this new pond right beside my bedroom window. Happy days, I soon found out there is good news and bad news with owning a pond. Especially, one so close to the house. And It was not long until I had it full of fish of all kinds. Amazing what nature has out there for a 11 year old boy. I earned enough money to buy some chicken wire to build a pen for my Banana chickens, my ducks, and other things I could pen up. Before long I had lots of chickens. I recall one day while in the chicken pen that my babies were less today than yesterday. (Hmm) I thought to myself. In the middle of the chicken yard was a large bush. If you recall, I mentioned I had ducks. Mallards ducks. One male one female. On this particular day I was about to discover the mystery of my missing chicks. While feeding them, I heard a baby chicks chirp in an unusual way and then it became a muffled chirp and then nothing. As I walked around the large bush I saw the feet of the baby chick going down the throat of one of the ducks. Yep, they were swallowing them whole. So, I sold them to a fellow who, like me, wanted to start a city farm. Happy days again. I had solved the problem of my missing chicks.
Roy UnderwoodRoy Underwood was born in 1947 Jacksonville, Florida. He is a devoted patriot who served during Vietnam and later ran for both Congress and State Representative. Roy is currently Founder and CEO of Misty Mountain Inc. A family run business since 1993 that specializes in the sale of fish and pond products, as well as home and office water and air purification systems. Archives
December 2015
Categories |