Moo, Whinnie, Cluck

 

Our next door neighbor Kyle popped over for a visit.  Somehow the conversation moved to raw, unpasteurized milk straight from the cow.  Yep, I can hook you up, girlfriend!  We called Ann, a high school biology teacher and licensed Apopka farm owner.  She has two brown Jersey's for milk, a bunch of chickens, horses, and the friendliest short-legged stocky black cows called Dexters.  They're a pretty sturdy breed that does well in Florida.  I admired the bull's curly bangs and Ann told me that those curls are a sign of virility. She didn't have to tell me...I saw his footballs!  Kyle got a $10 gallon of Jersey Juice and we both learned a lot about cow and horse feeding, chickens, and well, everything farmy.

  

On our way home, we stopped at Kyle's barn to feed her horses.  She has a beautiful tall Tennessee Walker, whose previous owner named Harley.  Kyle isn't fond of that name, so I changed it to Carly.  She just didn't seem like the motorcycle type, and I have always liked Carly Simon.  This Carly has a beautiful brown coat with a glorious splash of paint on one shoulder, black mane and white polka dot knee socks. Carly holds her head high, far superior to all others in the stable.  Carly's colt Bambi is nearly grown and not yet broken, but Kyle showed me how calm she is with a saddle blanket on, and when Kyle draped herself over Bambi's slick  back, the young horse just enjoyed all that loving and hugging.  Louie is a stately Mule.  He's the biggest, prettiest, long-legged mule I've ever met.  Actually, Louie is the ONLY mule I've ever met.  His alert ears are long, high, and close together and this makes him look ever so smart.  I didn't know that mules are so easy to care for.  They eat less than horses and they don't have a horsey smell, in fact, nose pressed against Louie's side, I could only detect the mild hint of the grass he rolled in earlier in the day.  Who woulda thunk?  Best of all, like the horses, Louie is very sweet.  Kyle invited me to go riding with her, and says her big girl Carly is a smooth horse to ride.

Velvety soft horse noses, friendly curious cows, the sweet smell of hay, and a nice friend to share it with made this a perfect day.  I think I'm ready for a couple of chickens!