My Valentine (s)

I'm not going to discuss lambing today, or any other day until we have lambs. That is my blogpledge.
So, instead, I will talk about Valentines day.
I have a Valentine. There is no doubt that I am fortunate to have had the same Valentine for 18 years. But still, because I've never been overly specific about requirements for being named thus, I could claim to have many Valentines. I have amazing and sweet children, and I have two dogs. Then, there is Oslo, whom I love. A girl couldn't ask for more than that.


Photo by Eileen Nixon, eileennixonphotography.com
Amateurish doctoring of photo by me.

Which is where you point out, that I have asked for more than that. There are the sheep, which, I'll admit are a lot more tolerable when they are contained by fencing, but do I love them? There are 3 more horses, whom I do love, but reserve my biggest affections for the big boy above. There are numerous poultry, some, for whom I have greater affinity. I enjoy the ducks, but, honestly can't even tell them apart, so cannot claim to love them. And, then, there is Henri, the Horrible, our dinosaur. It is late winter, and breeding season for geese, so Henri is getting to his most terrible time of year. He has elected, again this year, for his Valentine, Denty ( my minivan). Ever since he lost Henrietta, his affections and protections have been lavished on my car. There is something in this. Growing up, we had geese, and the ganders in particular, were very attached to the car. In that situation, it was the Country Squire Station Wagon. Ford. Chrome bumpers, big car. I had thought at the time, that it was the bumpers they were attracted to, as a goose with a mirror is a very happy goose. But Denty has no chrome. And, the annual washing of the car doesn't stand well for creating a shiny finish. So, why Denty? Why not the aluminum horse trailer? Or, the truck? Blondie has nice, shiny chrome bumpers. Maybe it doesn't bear too much thought, I'm quite sure Henri hasn't given much from his tiny bean of brain. And there are the cats. I really am fond of NotAbbot. NotAbbot arrived a few winters back, wild and stealthy. We have a black and white barn cat named "Abbot", and when we'd see a black streak go by, we thought it was just Abbot, until I began to realize there were two black and whites. So, it was either "Abbot" or "NotAbbot". Eventually I trapped the newcomer and he decided to like us. His affections are appreciated. The other 4 cats pretty much just want food.
It is a rich life.