When I was a child, my family had all kinds of animals. Daddy had hound dogs, bird dogs, yard dogs, but never a house dog. I remember Lucky, our English shepherd, loved to run in the pasture to help Daddy with the cows. Yep, we had cows and horses, too. Chickens and pigs rounded out our crew on the farm.
Our summers were spent baling hay, putting it in the barn for the animals to eat in the winter. For six years I raised a hog for my 4-H project. We would buy a March-born pig from another farmer, get it at weaning age, and I would take care of it until the fair in September. We knew just what week the pig needed to be born to get to the right weight by fair time. My sister and I walked our pigs down the lane beside our house to get them ready for the show. At the fair we bathed them and shined them up with oil. I still have my showmanship trophy and lots of the ribbons.
And I still have the work ethic that I learned from caring for animals and gardening on the farm. As teenagers my sisters and I could not go to every activity and event that was offered in town. We worked in the gardens until nightfall, ate supper late, and got up early to go to school the next day. We helped my mother with canning and freezing and pickling and preserving all of the produce that the family would eat all year long. Valuable lessons were learned on the farm.
Today I live in town. A hot Mississippi town. We have nine kids, and not much room for them to have outdoor pets. And some of my close family members are allergic to indoor animals. So I get my puppy love by visiting friends with pets and caring for the pets while their people are out of town.
Call me to help you take care of your pets. Your first "Meet the Pet" visit is absolutely free! 601-750-2896
