We pride ourselves on living in a peaceable kingdom; we don’t keep animals who would hurt one another,  and it wasn’t too friendly when Zip came about a month ago. He chased the chickens away from the bushes and gardens, terrorized Zinnia, and Fate started stalking him as if he were a sheep (like the sheep, he ignored her).

We were worried about him.

The chickens retreated to the pasture and wouldn’t come near the back porch until yesterday. Just a few weeks later, all is peaceable again. Zip hangs out with the dogs, he and Zinnia play tag, and Fate can stare at him all she wants; it doesn’t bother him. The Imperious Hens have re-occupied their cold weather posts near the back porch and under the Lilack trees.

Zip has introduced himself to the donkey and every one of the sheep, and he embodies the very notion of a Peaceable Kingdom, where humans are too flawed to go but where animals have always lived. They only eat one another when they have to.

The (alleged)  Animal Rights Movement might well consider the idea of the Peaceable Kingdom. A requirement for joining the modern-day animal rights movement should require a bit of testing to see if new members have any idea what animals are like. As it is, you have to know nothing about how animals live to sign up.

Zip has helped remind us how much we love living with animals and how important they are to us and our well-being. Two weeks ago, Zip wouldn’t leave the barn if the dogs were nearby. Now, he pays no attention to them except to touch noses. He is in the kingdom.