Love Your Pet

I grew up on a little 3 acre farm in rural Central Florida in the 60's and 70's.  On the first acre was our house with fruit trees and flowering trees and shrubs of all kinds.  Next, on the second acre, which was fenced off to corral our horses, barn and my Dad's hunting dogs, grew two large pecan trees and my Mother's garden. Finally, on the third acre a sea of ferns on the ground and pine and oak trees that reached to the sky  shading over the entire acre. 

When I was 10 years old our horse Jodi had her first colt.  As I looked out that morning before heading off to the bus stop I saw not four legs through the wood fence but 8.  I shrieked with delight and bounded out the back door.  My Aunt and cousins were visiting so they wanted to know what was all the excitement about.  Thus, my love for all creatures great and small began to grow in my heart.

His little body was so soft and he was not afraid of us at all.  But, Jodi tried her best to keep him away from us.  When she finally gave up and relaxed eating her oats and hay while we reached our arms and hands through the fence to touch this newborn colt.  I could hardly keep my mind on my schoolwork that day thinking of my little bundle of sweetness waiting for me at home.

We promptly began to spoil him with hugs and kisses and love, my three siblings and I.  We named him Ben after the father's owner.  Ben had a red body and a white blaze perfectly down the front of his face. No pink, just all white.  His mane was flowing strawberry blond as was his tail.  He became our pet dog in a horse's body!  He did not take well to the saddle and bit at all.  Thus, his usefulness in my Dad's eyes became smaller and smaller until one day while we were on vacation he sold Ben to a girl in the neighborhood who loved him and would ride him and take good care of him.  That's what I told myself anyway to ease the pain of loosing our dear Ben.

Now, I live on 1/4 acre in a suburb where you can only own a horse if you have acreage.  So, my farm consists now of one dog, one cat and two fish.  Today, I'll share with you the life of our cat "Bubbles".  Be on the lookout for more Bubbly antics throughout the year!  Our back yard is her little corner of the world.  It is fenced in and she feels safe and secure as she investigates each corner everyday for intruders.  She is sleeping on top of the shed that is covered with trees.