Old Memories of Christmas Past

I went back on an old blog tonight, and found a poem I had changed around for Christmas cards that year...so many memories....only have two of the animals mentioned left....Cookie, the pygmy goat and Hombre, the Longhorn Steer...we still have lots of cats, from the old barnyard cats prolific behavior...the farm to market road has claimed many of them, but it is fun to look back and remember all the critters we loved... Went way back on my old blog for this one....lots of memories of critters we had....and lost.... Christmas at Laughingstock Farm March 31, 2006 T'was the night before Christmas at Laughingstock Farm, The critters were quiet, out in the barn. The goats were so sleepy, the pigs grunted low, The chickens were droopy, the mice tip-toed slow. Ditzy's long ears lifted ever so slight….. What was that noise? Look! There goes a light !!! Something was moving, up high in the sky, It looked like a wagon, and some bearded guy. Cocoa and Ho Ho looked up in the sky, Jingle and Noel stood closely near by, Wobbles said, “JJ, what do you see?” Cookie said “Nothing!” “Don't look at me!” The doves started cooing, the roosters did crow. The guineas were pot-racking, the geese's wings were a-flapping, The pigs started grunting, the hens started running, The guinea pig peeked from his cage. The cats were Meowing, the dogs were a barking, The entire barnyard was engaged! And Hombre the Long Horn bellowed, with all of his might, Merry Christmas to all, and let Peace reign tonight. Gaynelle, Benny and all the critters Ditzy was my favorite goat...she was a Nubian, a wonderful milker, and gave milk for years to keep the grands in good health, and I loved to make herb cheese as well...she was loving, always nuzzling me...I had spent many a cold night outside in the barn with her, even pulling babies that would live to run around the barnyard, and those that sadly did not....Ho Ho came to us on a Christmas eve....he was not one of ours..found him in front of our gate crying with his umbilical cord still dragging the ground...he was so cold, we did not know if he would make it or not, but he was strong willed and produced some beautiful babes for us....Memories, they make me smile, and they make me cry. I am too attached to my critters....I know where each is buried on our land and think back to the good old days....I am getting older each day as well, but my critters left knowing they were loved.....I hope I succeeded in being their caretakers for their time here on this earth, they gave me love, joy, and happiness, they were beyond price...Suzi and Jimbo pig now sleep together...their work of untying my shoelaces and licking my shoes is over, and they never let a bit of kitchen leavings go uneaten for me or the neighbors...Jimbo loved to be sprayed with the water hose in summer....they piled up all kinds of sticks around their bed in winter...I would be followed around the barnyard with little grunting piggy noises...yes, I miss them.....Memories have no price tag....The guinea pigs and the guinea hens are gone, and no more geese to fly like planes down the pathway to me....just a few old chickens left....and some doves...but the llama, the donkey, and the pygmy goat make sure I am aware of them every day....Lots and lots of baaaaaaaas...but no humbugs....the llama quit humming after he had been here for about a month..he is content...