Farm Animal Friday #6

This is Norman, the big-necked Belgian colt.  This was his awkward stage.  He grew into quite a magnificent horse, indeed.

Farm Animal Friday #5

Donkeys.  Naughty little donkeys, at that.

That's Harry on the left, and Donkey on the right.

I have a lot of donkey stories.  Like the time Harry met Sally (no, really - he jumped into the neighbor's pasture and terrorized their donkey, who is named Sally).  Or the time Donkey pierced his own nose.  Or the time I was five months pregnant and took Donkey to a show.

But I'll save those for another day.  For now...enjoy the donkey noses!

Farm Animal Friday #4

When I took this picture, Mo was enjoying one of his favorite things in life - a good roll.

I always loved watching him roll.  He did it with such fervor!

I would clean his stall and pile up the shavings in the middle, knowing that the first thing he'd do to show his appreciation for my maid services would be to drop to the ground and roll in his shavings (and then, pee in them...because that's a horse for you).

On this particular day, my red barn was brand new and the soft sand around it more than any horse could resist.  I knew Mo would be all over it and had my camera ready when I turned the horses out to "play" in the new dirt.

Oh, Momo...may you have all the sand/fluffy clean shavings/mud you could ever want in your pasture in the sky!

Farm Animal Friday #3

Did you read about the time I showed the donkeys in a donkey show?

Well, here is one of those two donkeys.  This is Roxy.  I miss this dear face (she's alive and very well, in case you're wondering).

Hee-haw, and Happy Friday.

Farm Animal Friday #2

It's not snowing in Texas.  Not today, anyway (but you know what they say about Texas weather...).

In fact, it's been downright warm (and AWESOME) these last few months.  I haven't been able to complain about the weather once (and that's saying a lot, since I usually complain about the Texas weather daily for about 10 out of every 12 months).

But since it is Christmas time and all, I've been a little wistful for chilly weather (kind of...more in theory than in reality).

And so, I bring you Seamus in the snow, maybe five years ago.  As much as it sucked hauling water out to the barn because the water buckets froze (along with the pipes to the barn), it sure was pretty.

Happy Friday!  And if it's snowing where you are, enjoy it for me (because that's the way I like snow - in other people's states).

Farm Animal Friday

Maybe you already know this, but not so long ago, Charles and I lived in the country.

That's right. We lived on 15 acres and had as many animals.  Cats, dogs, horses, donkeys...scorpions, snakes.

Once we decided to move, we had the (not so very) small problem of 15 or so animals to deal with.  It's not like you can just load up a couple of donkeys and keep them in your backyard in Suburbia, you know?  But they were our pets, our loved ones, our friends.  We couldn't just dump them off somewhere, either.

The amazing thing is, the animals all found homes (with the exception of a dog and a horse and my cat, who all stayed in the family) easily and organically (or, sadly, they died).

Cricket the dog moved into the neighbor's house a couple of years before we even decided to move (she liked it there better, I guess - probably due to the warm couch she was invited to share).  Rocket the cat and Mo the horse crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  Norman the Very Big Horse (that I didn't have time for, at all) found a wonderful family in Colorado.  Twinkie the cat went to live with Jack's babysitter (who, let's be honest here, loved her way more than we did).  Donkey and Harry, the donkeys, and Lando, the barn cat, were invited by the new homeowners to stay.  Dinah the cat moved in with my mom (she's actually spent several years living with my mom before and doesn't really like kids, so it's a WIN for her).  Janga the dog came with us (maybe someday I will share her story), and Seamus the horse moved down the street into my mom's pasture, where he awaits the day I actually ride him again.

You know what?

I miss my critters.

I don't miss cleaning up all their shit, I don't miss trudging out to the barn in the wee hours of the morning with buckets of hot water because the pipes froze and the horses have nothing to drink, and I don't miss them barking and meowing and hee-hawing at the top of their lungs as soon as the kid went down for a nap...but I do miss them.  I miss them dearly.

And guess what?  It's FRIDAY!

So, how are farm animals and Friday related?

Well, I wish I could hand you all a glass of wine (or your beverage of choice) through this computer screen to celebrate Friday, but I can't.  So instead, I'll bring you a farm animal.  Because although I'm lacking in wine, I am SO NOT LACKING in pictures of cute animals.  And cute animals are funny and make things better.  Right?

This is Twinkie, a very naughty cat, indeed.

Happy Friday, everyone (and yes, a cat is totally a farm animal)!