Rose and her sheep, in the late afternoon

June 18, 2008 – My life. Begins at 5:30 a.m. The dark is just turning to gray. Lenore is sleeping on the bed, Izzy under it, Rose appears when I awaken from her secret lair, which it not known to me. The dogs sit and watch me as I shower and dress. They are quiet, expectant. They do not get excited inside the house.
  We go out, and I fill up the coffeemaker. Coffee is very important to me. I let the dogs out, then put them in the front yard. I fill two bowls with cat food and open the back door. Mother and Minnie the barn cats are waiting for me, and they hop up on the stone wall to eat. The chickens come scurrying over, hoping for some food in the cat bowls.
   I take out one of the eggs my chickens laid and put it in a pot and turn the stove on. I take out two oranges to make juice. I go back outside to bring a leaf of hay to the goats, check their water,  and give the donkeys, braying loudly the second I set foot out of the door, some of their oat cookies. I always kiss Lulu on her nose, feel her warm breath on my hand. I open the gate to let the donkeys graze a bit in the fenced-in grass area near the Pig Barn. I trade insults with the goats, jeering at me.
   I feed the dogs, one cup each of dry kibble, twice a day. I squeeze the oranges into a glass, and let them out again. (I love fresh orange juice). I put an English Muffin in the toaster. I made my first cup of coffee. I wash some of the dishes, rinse out the coffee filter, clean out the orange juice squeezer. I think about the day. Writing? Hospice? Talks with Random House?
   I go get the bowls the cats used, shooing the chickens away. Winston Jr. is always waiting, crowing at me. I put a fresh battery in the Canon, and mull the first lens of the day – zoom?, fisheye?, landscape?  I take the camera and a cup of coffee and walk outside. I check the fences, the cow’s water, the sheep’s water, the grass in the pasture.
   The dogs are waiting for me by the yard gate, and they rush out and we take a walk, and I take pictures. Or sometimes we go for a four-wheeler ride, or sometimes toss a ball around, or sometimes trek deep into the woods if my ankle doesn’t protest. I always find something to take a photo of. I live in my own Disney World, all sorts of creatures skittering around, many of them love the camera. I call Rose and we go get the sheep and take then to graze.
  This is my life in the morning, until Annie comes, to make sure I’m alive and check on the animals and do chores. We talk about the farm, the animals, hay, fences.
  After she goes, I bring the dogs into the house, and have another cup of coffee, and then I post photos, or write, sometimes check what I can of the e-mail. The dogs all gather around me at the desk, and go to sleep, and they know not to disturb me, not even Lenore, who snores.
  My life that day, is really just beginning.