Does anyone remember the Winnie the Pooh movie, “Pooh’s Grand Adventure”?  The story opens with Pooh sound asleep and Autumn leaves tickling his nose.  When he wakes up and sees them, he immediately jumps up and shouts, “It’s AUTUMN!” That was exactly the same reaction Bella, Cricket and Mary had this morning when they trotted out of the barn into their pasture and looked around.

 Suddenly, three heads went up, and six ears went into alert mode. They looked around, then Mary took off, running and hopping across the pasture. Cricket followed, then Bella, and within a second, I was watching a game of Sheep Tag. Around the picnic table in the middle of their space, over a few fence posts laying in their way, then running full tilt towards the gate that led into the barn. But no, they weren’t done! Mary braked and skidded on her bottom in a half circle, regaining her balance just in time to head-butt Cricket who was running full out toward her. He bounced away, turned and head-butted Bella, who I guess was “IT” because they all ran/hopped away again, Mary and Cricket in the lead, Bella a close second. Then, just as suddenly as the game started, it ended. Three sheep, who were running full tilt, stopped, put their heads down, and started munching whatever grass was there. 

At some point in the game, I quickly glanced over at Wilma and Betsie.  They were both standing at the fence that joins their pasture to the other’s pasture. They were perfectly still, watching. Wilma’s head was tilted, just a bit, as she watched, and Betsie was calmly munching on some hay, enjoying a snack as she watched the show.  Betsie’s days of playing tag are long past, and I wondered whether she knows that and so was calm as she watched.  Wilma, though, could join in ~ and will, as soon as she and Mary can share the same space safely.  

As for me, watching Mary, Cricket and Bella so happy, so clearly greeting the cool air on this first day of Autumn, was a fabulous way to start the day! And just as a quick update, Wilma and Betsie have been sleeping in their stall in the Little Barn now for four nights. Everyone seems to be acclimating just fine, and I’m relieved that Betsie won’t have to sleep on the ground outside as the weather continues to get colder.  So all is well with the residents of the Little Barn on this first day of the new season!  We hope all is well with you, too.