May 7th - May 14th: The Week The Animals Were Running The Zoo

And by zoo I mean my life...

Hello dear friends! This week has been a week of discovery, amusement, and at times annoyance for me, most of it centered around the animal kingdom. I have been an animal lover since before I can even remember meeting my first animal. As a toddler, my parents and I lived on a ranch that primarily raised cattle, but there were other livestock, and even a few peacocks on the property. Living on that property taught me a few lessons I remember to this day…first, peacocks are beautiful yet incredibly noisy; second, if you pull a squealing piglet out of it’s pen, the mother sow can and will climb a four-foot fence pursuing you with murder in it’s eyes until you release said piglet; third, sometimes all it takes to calm a raging bull is the gentle stroke of a toddler’s hand through the fence; and finally, and most importantly I feel, always watch where you step! Sadly, we did not stay on the ranch much past my toddler years, but I truly believe that is where my love of animals began.

Over the course of my lifetime, I have had many pets, the majority of them dogs, but it wasn’t until I met my husband that I experienced the joy, and sometimes terror, of living with cats. My father detested cats, so I had absolutely no experience whatsoever with these fluffy creatures who seem to be both loving and terrifying at the same time. We have two cats and two dogs in our home at the moment, and I must admit I still cannot, for the life of me, figure out how a cat’s mind works! They are both fiercely independent and incredibly needy; they will snuggle with you purring contentedly one moment and then, with lightning speed, tear into you with the tiny razors they so craftily conceal in their paws the next, all while exuding an air of superiority that is unmatched by even royalty! I can only take solace in the fact that I am not alone in my confusion and fear of these strange creatures; both of our dogs have at one time or another been on the receiving end of those toe bean razors and so share my wariness of the cats. I think we have all learned it’s best to give them a wide berth and leave them to their feelings of superiority…we are, after all, merely servants to do their bidding, as demonstrated by my friend’s cat, Mable, who seems to have made her feelings regarding the dogs in her house rather well known.

Now one would think that with two cats and two dogs in the house, rodents would not be an issue with which I have to deal…wrong! I like to keep bird feeders mounted on the large window that looks out onto the patio because I enjoy watching the cardinals and hummingbirds who like to frequent them, and in spite of the fact that I have also mounted a squirrel feeder lower on the window, I have one squirrel who insists on eating out of the bird feeder. Try as I may, I cannot seem to deter him…he has recently become so brazen as to cling to the wall and peer into the window as if taunting me to do something about his seed thievery! While his behavior would make it very easy to hold a grudge against an entire species, there is another squirrel that was apparently raised with proper manners, who kindly and graciously dines from the proper feeder. Mr. Seed Thief may feel he has won this war, but rest assured I will not give up easily…victory will be mine!

There is another animal that seems to have become quite popular to raise here in Central Texas…the common chicken. I really shouldn’t use the word common as it seems there are almost as many different breeds of chickens as there are dogs. They come in all shapes and sizes, and some produce eggs that would put the prettiest of Easter eggs to shame. I must admit I am intrigued with the idea of raising chickens, but the wooded ravine behind our house that is home to a myriad of wildlife, including bobcats and foxes, makes the idea of housing chickens seem like a rather risky business indeed! That said, it does not stop me from frequenting our local farm supply stores to look at all the adorable little chicks they have for sale. It was during one such visit that I discovered it is not only dogs who will do the famous back leg sploot…tired baby chicks will also sploot as I was fortunate enough to witness on one such visit.

Thank you, dear friends, for taking the time today to join me in my search for That One Little Thing. Sometimes it’s as simple as stopping to take in the scent of a freshly opened magnolia blossom, or the kind act of re-homing a snail who seems to have unknowingly put itself in harm’s way that makes the day a little better, but whatever it may be, I hope you will take the time to experience the world around you and find something that makes your day a little better.

Blessings,

Candi 💕

Photo credit: Chickens & Eggs - Fowl Frenzy Farms, All others - Myself