Tuesday, May 4, 2010

What Do We Know?

Someone recently asked me how I learned to take care of the animals that live with us. I said, the animals tell me--it is true.

Today, and the last few days, a couple of the chickens told me it is time for them to go out into the big world. For the past five days they have been watching the sheep wander and graze from their coop and now they want a piece of the action. So tomorrow John is going to cut a small chicken door for them to go in and out. The sheep and Beau stop several times a day and look in on the chickens-- I wonder what they will think when the chickens are out and about.

The little neighbor boys came over to play this morning and when we went down to check out the chickens Beau had an interesting reaction. The boys haven't been over lately and they were running toward the chicken coop where Beau was hanging out. We were outside the barnyard fence but still Beau was clearly perturbed. At one point he looked like he was going to spit. Is he already protecting the chickens?? The sheep were not close. Beau told me to make the boys sit in the chairs and look at the chickens from a distance.

When the sheep are lounging mid-day in the barn Beau doe not like me to disturb them. He will escort me to the barn and keep me on the out skirts when I go to give them fresh water but he would much prefer that I do barn work when they are grazing-- not resting. They all let me know when they are hungry for a treat or want to be noticed.

They tell me SO much and yet I worry about them. Karen says when I run out of things that I am worrying about she will give me some more ideas I have not thought of. What are friends for? She said that since our kids are out of the house we have to worry about our animals-- being mothers and all. I guess she is right it is built in. We don't stop worrying about our kids but since we don't know all the things they are doing now they are out on their own and we see our animals every day, it is only natural to worry about them instead. Is worrying natural?

The song "Don't Worry- Be Happy" just popped into my head. I wonder what that means.



3 comments:

  1. Yes you are right. I just looked mother up in the dictionary. n. worrier. This Sunday though, no worrying allowed (interesting I first put "aloud" by...mistake?) It is our day to relax and Be Happy!! Happy Mother's Day--Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That song came to my mind this morning, too, as you'll see if you visit my posting for today. Then I visited yours. If animals can speak, maybe humans can send messages by ESP.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is so funny that you and James mentioned "don't worry, be happy" today in your blogs.
    I'm so happy to hear Beau has accepted the chickens as his to protect. I can't wait to hear what they all did once they were loose. Keep us posted.

    ReplyDelete