Beasts at Home and Afar

It was a mild evening with the sunlight slanting across the land, and Scott and I took a rare walk together. Afterward we stopped to have a look at the cattle (the two bulls have been moved to another pasture, and now there are about 10 calves and cows roaming about our acres and chewing down the grass), which were a long ways away until Scott called them. Then they came on the gallop, like he was the Pied Piper. For their trouble they get a few affectionate words and, if they're brave enough, their bony brows scratched.

They are curious, like all animals methinks (that's how trappers get them; they put something that moves and flashes, like a foil streamer, near their traps, and the mink -- for example -- will come to see what it is.)

Last night I watched a short documentary about abandoned, abused, lost, sheltered, rescued and euthanized dogs. It made me both tearful and furious, as I suppose it was meant to. Here's a story about the film: click HERE.

One strong lesson I took from it: Never, ever buy a puppy from a pet store. Their supply mostly comes from puppy mills, where dogs are horribly neglected and mistreated.

Back here at home, we've found two litters of kittens, which probably means there are two more litters yet to be found.