Personal

Critters:

Sam and I share our bunkhouse with our canine and feline friends Nickie, Austin, Elko, The Sundance Kid and his friend Etta Place. and Rafeal. Thus, there is currently a total of 3 dogs and 3 cats enjoying the wonderful world of bunkhouse life. Needless to say, things have not been the same since. Who knows, Sam may come up with something else to join us ... maybe a donkey or two. Heaven forbid she thinks of the chickens!

Charley (another canine friend) joined us briefly in early May 2004. He's a Golden Retriever ... and already has become a part of the history of our family. We (Sam, Sarah, and I) were driving through the small town of Sparta, Ohio, one day and Sam spotted one of the local inhabitants on the second story balcony of a house throwing a heavy object at Charley, who was on the ground below. Sam jumped out and confronted the "thrower" and threatened to call the sheriff and report him for animal abuse. The "thrower" yelled at Sam, Sam yelled at him, Charley cowered throughout the entire episode, and the net result was Mr. "Thrower" making a comment that "... if you like the dog so much, then you take him." She did ... and that's how Charley came to live with us. Since that occurance, we have found a good home among other Goldens for him ... and he's doing very well there.

And then there was Spencer. He used to be a bunkhouse critter until he took up football and became to rough for the rest of the indoor set. All the critters go to his games and cheer, but they won't let him back in the bunkhouse.

In addition to those described above, we have a hoard of outdoor critters. Currently they consist of 16 horses, a donkey, dozens of barn cats and kittens (waiting in line for vacancies in the bunkhouse, of course).

This is "McNelly," my trail horse. He's a North American Curly Horse that Sam gave me for my birthday in 2002. He is dual registered as a Curly and also a Pinto. Now for a little educational content ... North American Curly's are similar to but a different breed from the Bashkirs (there are only about 2,500 of them in the United States and 4,000 total in North America) ... and McNelly is named after Captain Leander McNelly, Texas Ranger, who commanded a Ranger Company and established law and order (Texas style) in south Texas after the Civil War. Leander McNelly is buried in Burton, Texas (my mother's home town and the location of our ranch in Texas). Our McNelly is, of course, alive and residing on our farm in Ohio.