Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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A Virtual Farm. After I got my feet on the ground with my small 37 acre farm, I decided to do some community service work. Between Fairfield and Sacramento, There were about 20 convalescent homes for elders. For each visit, I would pack several animals and some intriguing objects-- The list included chickens, a lamb, a kitten, a tortoise, a rabbit plus others. The 'objects' included ostrich and emu eggshells, a small bundle of oats And a skin pouch from Africa, in which a Bushman or San carried an eggshell canteen-- In other words, an ostrich eggshell used to stash water, Left for the return trip out of the Kalahari central area. Well, following one such session, I received a phone call. The woman speaker said she was the daughter of one of the participants. The daughter said she had received a call from her mother, Who said she had just visited a real farm! The daughter asked me whether or not I had led an actual farm tour. She said her mother was adamant such a visit had actually occurred. I had to tell her the truth that her mother had never left her wheelchair, And we were continually present at the convalescent home. She laughed and said she had thought so, But her mother was so absolute that her visit had been real. (After presenting my African pouch with the ostrich eggshell, One woman stopped me and asked, "Are you a caveman?") Frank Maurer 15 October 2025 1410 Hours.