The Menagerie

I walked out my back door this morning to a beautiful sight and sound! Looking at me, over the fence that separates the pastures, were four very muddy and scroungy-looking horses. I was greeted by impatient snorts and excited whinnies. You would never know that the beasts had been fed just the evening before! I'm pretty sure they are hogs in horse skins!! At the sound of the horses, the cat came careening around the corner, making all kinds of anxious, starving noises. He jumped up on the hottub lid and proceeded to fall over on his side as if to say, "this is me....going fast." When they heard the cat rowling around, both dogs came running for their share of the attention and possible treat. I was rather surprised to see Snickers. He apparently has one, or more, girlfriends that he has been visiting for the last week. (We have GOT to get that dog fixed before the whole countryside slaps a paternity suit on us!) I spoke to each one and floundered my way through paws, tails and tongues to get into my office to do the morning paperwork. On my way down the sidewalk, through the rain dripping from the trees, I listened to the birds and reflected on how blessed I am. I have been given the desires of my heart. I am a country girl, through and through, and God has allowed me to reap the enjoyments of His blessings and good pleasure in His creation. I have a friend who married a farmboy. She told me the other day that when she got married, she never 'signed on' for all the animals and farm life that it would bring. Well.......I DID! After spending 5 years of our lives in Cincinnati and the other 15 in various small town, I was FINALLY given the oportunity to go back to my roots. I love muddy horses and pesky cats and over-sized dogs! I love the sights, sounds and smells of our little farm that greet me every day. I love to watch the antics of our animals, which has grown to be quite a menagerie. (those stories are for other blogs at a later date, just like the one where Lucky got all four feet stuck under the fence and I thought she was having convulsions... or when Snickers got locked in the barn overnight and we thought it was the neighbors dog barking his head off. We were so annoyed at that neighbor.......) When life gets crazy and I need to regroup, I can go to the pasture with a curry brush and groom away my frustrations and fears. I can confide in my horse and she will listen to every word I say. (Seriously, she DOES!!)
I just want to publicly thank God for giving me this home in the country and this delightful menagerie to be responsible for. Life in the country................it's all good!