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LSA NewsNo. 46, May 2003It is that time of year again to think about volunteering to be involved in LSA during the next academic year. This issue is devoted to a few of the different events sponsored by LSA: the May Tea (a celebration of those who have worked in the UO Libraries and have gone onto other things), and the Spring Arts & Crafts Sale (a great fundraiser and wonderful opportunity to see the creative side of our coworkers), but first we will start with a story of Spring on the farm. In the next issue we will have pictures from the Spring Tree Walk that took place on May 7th and the May Tea. The view from Hidden SpringBy Pam DeLaittreLife on a farm that breeds animals is busy but rewarding. We have had a spring filled with renewal, and the occasional loss. A piece of my heart died in February, Darcy my first registered Romney ewe died trying to deliver triplets. She was an old ewe, as ewes go, being 11 years old. I purposely didn't breed her in September, carefully separating her with the lambs [who were about 6-7 months old]. I figured she would be a good baby sitter as she had good sense and would come when called. So in she went with Stripe, Pepper, Tummy, and Blue. I kept Blue because of his gorgeous steel colored fleece, with a lovely crimp his father Nelson had stamped him with. Well Blue seems to have been a very precocious ram lamb......When December rolled around, I realized Darcy was after all 'in the family way', and started worrying about her. In February, she went down and couldn't stand, we treated her with all kinds of things the vets suggested, and through the night I would go out to hand feed her and water her. She would greet me in her calm friendly manner, as if to say, what will be will be. Sheep, you see, don't spend a lot of their life worrying. She died a week after she went down, trying to deliver her lambs, but unable to through a cervix that wouldn't dilate. Lambing had started out on a bad note, fortunately things proceeded to improve. My older ewes lambed without help. Even the one I call Four, who for the 2nd year in a row had triplets and then again proceeded to mother them all. When Lacy and Liesl, Darcy's twin daughters were due to lamb I hovered around. They were her only ewe lambs that I had kept and this was their first year to lamb. Liesl, who is white as snow, lambed first out in the pasture, under a tree. She looked at the small black lump that had so recently not been there with surprise. Then moved away, oh no I thought, she is going to reject it, then it baaed. She whipped around and ran to her lamb and began licking it off. Whew, and into the barn we moved her, so she could bond with the little ram lamb. Days later Lacy, who is a lovely silver color, very practically and pragmatically presented her lamb in the afternoon. My daughter Margot, moved her into the barn to a dry little stall so she could bond with her lamb. Margot told me about it as soon as I got home and over to the barn we went. "I thought you said she had one lamb " I called to Margot who was behind me, 'She did" she said. "Then why are there two lambs in here?' I said. Yes, she had proceeded to produce a second lamb hours after the first [yes they can and do do that]. This one was small and very weak. I worked with it for more than an hour to get it to stand and nurse, it was too weak. I milked out some of Lacy's milk and put it it a syringe and stuck it in the lambs mouth, it looked like it wore more than I got down it, but I tried it once again. By now it was after 11 at night, I was exhausted the lamb was weak but warm. I went to get a few hours of sleep. When I returned to the barn at 2:00 am the lamb was in the same spot, but sternal instead of laying flat. Lacy was mothering it and the other lamb, but the other lamb was up and nursing normally. I really don't give up easily on these lambs, so I milked her again and tried to get another ounce or two in the lamb. He was so weak, but he did swallow. I went back to bed, thinking he would die before morning.
When morning came, Margot beat me out of the house, [I was moving a bit
slow at 5:00 am] and headed over to the barn. There is so much strength in the life force, the spark had become a flame. PS. Now at 3 months you'd never pick out 'Miracle', he's grown and thrived. LSA Recruiting volunteers for 2003/04Come join the Fun!Spring is the time when your Library Staff Association begins recruiting for new volunteers to serve on the various committees. A list of committees and their charges can be found at http://libweb.uoregon.edu/lsa/committees.html Most committees only meet in person once or twice in a year, preferring to carry out their duties via email discussion, but it's still a great way to meet people outside your own work area and use or develop skills you might not need for your daily library work! Currently the need for new members is greatest on the Program and Web/Newsletter committees. Web/Newsletter is especially looking for writers, photographers, reporters, and columnists. Please contact Lisa Levitt at 6-3096 or llevitt@darkwing for more information. Other committees especially in need of new members are the Ways and Means and Welcome committees. If you'd like more information, or are interested in volunteering on an LSA committee, please contact the current committee chair, LSA Chair Linda Hodgin (lhodgin@oregon or 6-1829), or Lisa Levitt (llevitt@darkwing or 6-3096). Membership in LSA and participation in LSA-sponsored events and committees has been encouraged by Library Administration. Testimonials"I've found that volunteering for LSA over the years has been a great way to get to know people from other areas of the Library with whom I might otherwise have had no contact. It's led to new friendships, helped me develop some leadership skills, and been a nice creative outlet. LSA welcomes new volunteers and is always looking for new ideas for programs and events. The work LSA volunteers do is really appreciated by those who participate in the potlucks, read the newsletter, go on tree walks, or laugh themselves sick at the Gonzo!"-Harriett Smith "The greatest things about being involved in LSA activities are getting to meet people from all areas of the UO Libraries and seeing the other sides of our coworkers."-Lisa Levitt LSA Arts & Crafts Sales
May Tea
THANK YOU!!!!"Random acts of kindness" really do happen. LSA wishes to express very heartfelt thanks to the anonymous donor who gave $500.00 to LSA, we don't know who you are, but we REALLY appreciate the thought and generosity expressed.
Mothers & Daughters, Sons & Fathersby TERRY McQUILKIN With Mother's Day just behind us, and Father's Day next month, we thought we'd offer this tribute to parenthood by devoting Fact File to multigenerational achievers. Each of the clues below describes a pair of notables from the past and present--each clue describing a father and son, father and daughter, mother and son, or mother and daughter (in one case, a mother, daughter and granddaughter)--who earned fame in the same field. We'd like the first and last name of each of the individuals described below (although for royalty, the first name and title is enough).
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