Somehow, they sneak their way into most of the stories I write…
I’ve always adored animals. One friend says: “If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I want to come back as one of Kandy’s pets.” Okay, so maybe they’re just a teeny bit spoiled…
Cats and dogs were my first pets and still remain my greatest love. As a kid I also had a white mouse I was enchanted with and carried around in my pocket. We went through a bunny stage when my daughter was very young. But then her great love, horses, took over. I always admired horses but was scared of them. Now we have our own, I have come to love them dearly (though I don’t want to ride them).
With horses on our property, we were advised to get some cattle to clear up the “sour grasses” and weeds the horses left. We saw a television program about a not-too-far-away farm breeding miniature cattle called Dexters and were intrigued. When Squirt, a little bull, came on screen and we heard he needed a home, we called that TV station straight away. We also bought his friend we called Thimble. These little boys have big attitude and are as smart as some dogs. (One day they will appear in one of my stories!)
And then there are our gorgeous girls – Isa Brown hens who keep us supplied with the most wonderful eggs.
Since I first shared my pet photos, we’ve lost two of our cats, a dog and two horses. That’s the sadness of sharing our lives with animals – we so often outlive them. However giving homes to rescue animals means other four-legged friends come to live with us.
I was devastated when my Kira died at age 18 and then her brother Albert at twenty-two. But two weeks after we lost him, our vet called to say they needed a home for some kittens who were living rough in a carpark – and they looked like Albert and Kira. So Alfie and Ivy, two terrified little kittens, joined our family – and grew into beautiful animals we adore.
I suspect there may be another horse in our future too…
I’m soon to update this pet gallery to include other writer’s pet pictures as well as readers and friends. If you’d like to see your pet’s photo here, do email me.