"I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars,
And the pismire is equally perfect, and a grain of sand, and the egg of the wren,
And the tree-toad is a chef-d'oeuvre for the highest,
And the running blackberry would adorn the parlors of heaven,
And the narrowest hinge in my hand puts to scorn all machinery,
And the cow crunching with depress'd head surpasses any statue,
And a mouse is miracle enough to stagger sextillions of infidels."

Walt Whitman

Thursday, September 24, 2009


In addition to Pissed Off Pusses, I now have Grumpy Gripey Goats. This morning, much too my annoyance, one of the young male goats was screaming his fool head off, calling every predator in Brazoria County, because he had managed to get out of the goat pen and was now on the Other Side of the Fence. HORRORS! (at night that would have been a Very Bad Thing)

Anyway, I decided to take Lily the Border Collie and round up all the young goats to bring them back to the house. The goats were delighted because they love nothing more than to decimate all the landscaping around my house. The Porch Ponies were not amused. It appears that there is a certain hierarchy in the Animal Kingdom - Tiny Emperors named Napolean consider themselves to be at The Top. Border Collies also consider themselves to be at The Top. (It depends upon who is reading the script.) Regardless, in everyone's script, Goats are at the bottommmm. (read that in descending, teeny-tiny letters.)

Border Collie put the goats into the side yard and then retreated into the back yard with me to finish our other chores. I was watering chickens when I heard the plaintive little Border Collie bark that says, "MOM! We have a PROBLEM!"

Hmmmm.... yes indeed, someone had a problem. The Border Collie watched in distress as Napolean the Tiny Emperor and Ruffy the Machiavelli Prince (who does believe that yessirree, the Ends DOES justify the MEANS) were running round and round the tractor as goats huddled underneath it.

Unlike the goats and the Border Collie, I found this vastly entertaining. Each time a goat would dart out, a little fat pony would chase him around the yard. Goats were bouncing around the yard so fast it was hard to keep track of them. It was like a video game! This proved to be a great exercise program for Little Fat Ponies. In time, they ran out of steam and the goats cautiously crept out from underneath the various farm vehicles.

I finished my chores in relative peace until I was once again called by the Tattle-Tail Border Collie. Napolean the Tiny Emperor had stolen an empty dog food bag from the garbage can and was carrying it around the yard while Ruffy the Little Prince followed with great interest.

Sigh.... never a dull moment

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