Zinnia is coming of age, still puppyish but growing up, eager to come along, eager to work. She comes out in the pasture with us every morning now, she and the donkeys are at ease with one another, she doesn’t bother them, they are happy to sniff her and get to know her.

She has a keen sense of where to go and what to avoid. Liam the ram has tried to butt her once or twice, she just walks away and goes about her business. While Maria and I fill the water tank and clean out the manure, Zinnia sits by the sheep or scarfs us some gross thing, she calm except when she sees another dog.

Then she barks and sounds like a bear.

The snow and cold simply don’t register with her, except as a reason for tearing through the snow and rolling around. We had hours of chores to do this morning,  Zinnia came along, she napped in the car, looked out the window, was silent and patient.

She is going to be an excellent farm dog. Fate also loves to be out in the snow, as Red did. Bud can hardly bear the snow and cold, he rushes outside, does his business, and barks to come into the house.

Right now, Zinnia is in the midst of a turning point. She is 45 percent puppy, 55 percent dog. She’s a good girl, it’s good to have a dog who loves a storm on a farm.