Something To Love

We are the classic McDonald’s farm with all the animals you'd expect: a coop full of chickens (lots of eggs to gather), turkeys (only one year though-turkeys are mean), pigs (stinky and dirty, yet delicious), a herd of cows (milking cows at 6 am, ugh), a few horses (living out their remaining days), a couple of rabbits (terrible idea), way too many cats (according to dad we live in a cat-house), and lots of dogs (most were coyote bait, unfortunately).

I got a Shetland pony for my 10th birthday. She is the perfect size for me, strawberry blond with a white mane and tail. I named her Lil-bit. Turns out Shetland ponies can be kind of mean. When I ride her, she rubs up against the barbed wire fence to try to get me off. And Lil-bit, bites. She doesn’t break my skin because I have on jeans. Leaves one heck of a bruise though.

Rabbits are a much better pet anyway, right? Mine is pure white and snuggly soft. She lets me carry her around under my shirt. So soft and snuggly. She had babies and man was I excited. More soft little critters to love. I found out, too late, that crazy rabbit mommies eat their young. I got one of those. The next time she got pregnant I paid close attention to when the babies would be born. I rescued them and put them in a nice, warm place behind the wood stove. Well, turns out, not such a good place when the rescuer falls asleep and the stove is red hot. They cooked. Bright pink on one side and soft white on the other. Oops.

I decided that it’s best if I don’t love anything. It’s dangerous. But then on a bitter cold night one of our cows calved. It's super unusual for a calf to be born mid winter. Dad brought her into the living room to keep from freezing until he got a spot set up in the barn with a warming lamp. Calf in the house; best thing in the world. I always love to pet them in the field and love up on them. I thought she could sleep in my room by my bed. Meanwhile mom and us kids made a makeshift corral out of the couch and other furniture in the living room. Put down some old blankets, and voilà, a pen for the calf. She was soooo adorable, small, soft, and frightened. I pet her and soothed her and made her feel at home. And then she peed. Oh my word, baby calves pee a lot. It was like watching the toilet overflow and wanting to stop it with something but not wanting to get too close. Uh, she is NOT sleeping in my room. Didn’t take dad long to have the pen ready.

Then Dingo came. He is the best farm dog ever. He comes up to my knees, has beautiful long white fur that feels like silk when I stroke it, and he has a constant dorky smile on his face. He loves his farm and his family, but most of all he loves me. I am sure of it because he follows me everywhere I go. He lays next to me and keeps me warm when I sleep outside, trots along with me when I go get the mail, trudges all over the hill with me, keeps me company when I visit the neighbors, Hank and Fran, and is so happy when I get home from school that he comes traipsing down the lane to greet me. I don’t know where we got him; he just showed up one day. Maybe dad picked him up somewhere and brought him home to me. It doesn’t matter. Finally, I have something to love and love me back.