Welcome to Christmas Eve at Bedlam Farm. It started simply and peacefully for me and quickly became beautiful. According to the Weather Channel, it snowed 3 to 5 inches this morning. It was 24 degrees. I decided to join in the beauty and was pleasantly surprised when two animals—Zinnia, as always, and Zip—agreed to accompany me on my walk.
As you know, I receive a lot of advice, most of it well-meaning and some cruel and hurtful. I tend to ignore it; I’m never comfortable accepting the advice of strangers who have never met me, spoken with me, or seen my home and farm.
I am sensitive to warnings about harming my animals – social media is a drug for alarmists because I love them and take stewardship seriously; I don’t ever want to do them harm. And I am fully responsible for their welfare. When the temperature got below zero, I worried about the sheep and donkeys and Zip, who has lived outdoors all his life.
When I came out this morning, it was 22 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the WC, and snowing lightly but steadily. Zinnia is a snow dog, so I knew she’d come eagerly. Zip is a snowcat, but he has never walked with me out of the pasture into the woods in a snowstorm. If I ever wondered if he was an actual snowcat, that was gone by the end of the walk.
Zip started by rolling through the snow and digging his nose to look for moles and mice. He then went after Zinnia and provoked her into a chasing, barking, and rolling fest. They were both having a blast, and the sight of their joyous playing lifted me, a beautiful thing to watch on Christmas Eve.
Both were conscious of my careful walking on the ice and crusts. They paused to wait for me, kept an eye on me, and came running when I slipped or stumbled.
I don’t walk in the snow as much as I once did, especially in falling snow, and walking is one of my all-time favorite things.
I loved walking with these two. Their fearlessness, adventurousness, and joy shone through and into my heart. I’ll walk anytime with them, day or night, in snow, rain, or wind—a special Christmas gift.
Zip back resting on his favorite fleece.
Zinnia and Zip, best pals now, head out to the bird feeder to see if they can scarf up any seeds. They did.
Maria greeted us as soon as we got back. Zip got a hug and kiss.
The Pasture Apple Tree In The Snow
Sheep Down The Hill. Zip is a gift all of his own.
In the true spirit of Christmas, you have shared what we should all strive for – A peaceable kingdom where we can find joy and hope and love, wherever that may be. Wishing all on Bedlam Farm a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year! 🌟
You too,Lynn
People, right? Some can’t even accept our own species differences, let alone those among other mammals. I’ve had three small poodles, the smallest of which (a runt at barely 7-8 lbs) loved to swim, the second (avg 10 lbs or so) who *hated* water but always alerted to any creature in distress (a wayward earthworm or insect – including grounded wasps! and an egg-laying turtle stuck under my friend’s outdoor shed), and the current behemoth (at 18 lbs is the other two combined) who upon every snowfall immediately drops ear-first for her interpretative version of a snow angel, or some-thing. She loves the cold and hates the heat (same!) while the other two loved to bask in the sun. To each their own is a mantra more of us should repeat along with the ‘mind your own business’ and of course, the Golden Rule. Merry Christmas to you and your chill creatures and the wood stove worshipers.
Thanks you too Amy
I just saw your lovely photos of your walk. I am alone tonight and these made me feel happy. Thank you, Jon. Warm wishes to you and Maria and all of your special animal family.
And to you Laura