The Field of Dreams Menagerie

I am fortunate to have so many interesting critters committed to my care. But they own me; not vice versa...

Highest in seniority is the tiniest of the bunch: Maggie, the Yorkie. Wee Maggs weighs maybe 6 pounds at age 7, and she's all brains and boss. She barks when she's hungry, when the water bowl is woefully empty, when she needs to go outside, when the other dogs need to go outside... Took her about 5 years to get me trained.

Heidi & Weenie we call The Weiner Sisters, although they're actually first cousins. Weenie is a 5 year old, short haired black-n-tan who wanted to kill Heidi-the-long-haired-red when first we brought Heidi home. Today Weenie mothers and cleans her fat little "sister". Heidi's 4 now, and I'm especially thankful that she's back in good health after a spinal injury last spring almost rendered her paralyzed. She loves her farm most of all, and takes particular joy in racing across the acres to check on her farmy friends, or to pick wild black raspberries or to gather veggies in the garden.

I am grateful to my fiber friends who give me so much wonderful fleece...albeit they don't exactly give it up willingly. {g} The goats, Hazel & Myrtle, are sociable and like attention. Ollie & Ringo, my alpacas...not so much. I hand feed everyone, but the alpacas are strictly "no touchy". Makes for an interesting afternoon, come wormer & toenail trim day.

I am the very reluctant caretaker of six laying hens...who aren't laying nuthin' yet. Chickens are dirty, and uninteresting. But Dad and the neighbors keep saving their empty egg cartons, with high hopes. I venture to say I shall find them highly entertaining once we go egg gathering.