Diane Greenwood Muir - Bellingwood 06 - A Season of Change Read Online Free PDF Page A

weather. Nothing is normal. It’s no fun to be outside with the dog. I can’t run or walk anywhere. I worry about every child walking home from school. I want it to be over.” She scuffed her boot across the floor. “And I’m turning into a whiny girl about weather. Surely there are other things to be worried about.”
    He laughed at her. “Maybe, but we don’t worry much down here. The cold is forgotten and we’re looking forward to warmer temperatures. That’s the joy of being around animals. The right now is greater than the memory of yesterday.”
    Tom, one of the donkeys, heard Polly’s voice and came to greet her. Eliseo pulled a plastic bag out of his pocket and handed it to her when she sat on the bench.
    “Thanks,” she said and opened the bag of carrots. “You make it fun for me.” She took one out and held it up for Tom to reach. He snatched it out of her hand and then pushed at the bag with his head. Polly scratched his ears and held the another bit of carrot a little higher. The next thing she knew, he was standing on the bench beside her, munching the carrot. She looked up into his face and hugged him. “I love you so much. And to think I wasn’t sure when Mark Ogden wanted to bring you to live with me. He knows me better than I know myself.”
    By that time, Huck, the other donkey, had made his way back into the barn and was pushing at Polly’s hand. “I know, I know. It’s not fair if you don’t get some treats and love, too.”
    “Where are the cats this morning?” she asked Eliseo, who was carrying feed into Nat’s stall.
    “I think they’re both in with Demi. I saw Gretel dart in when I opened up this morning. Demi was still sleeping. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to find that he stayed down so they could keep warm. They have him exactly where they want him.”
    Polly walked over to Demi’s stall and sure enough, he was still lying down with one cat tucked behind his neck and the other on top of his shoulders.
    “Demi, you are coddling those cats!” Polly said. All three animals came fully alert and the cats scrambled as Demi climbed to his feet. Of the four horses, he was Polly’s favorite. He put his head over the door, smelling her hands. “If I give you something, I’ll have to give everyone something,” she laughed. “How about I start with breakfast. I’ll be right back.”
    The donkeys had followed her to Demi’s stall. He was the most easygoing of the four Percherons in her barn and everyone was drawn to him.
    “Can I let them in?” she asked Eliseo.
    “Sure. Demi can wander around with us this morning.” He opened Daisy’s stall into the main alley as well. “We’ll let them mingle for a while before they go outside.”
    Polly opened Demi’s stall and the donkeys wandered in to sniff the room and check out the cats. Demi quickly figured out there wasn’t enough room for everyone and followed Polly to the feed room. She filled a bucket of feed and went back to his stall, then waited for the donkeys to make their way back out. Eliseo simply watched it happen and called them out with some more bits of carrot.
    “Oops,” she laughed.
    “Don’t worry. It’s Tuesday morning in the barn and nobody is in a hurry. Where’s Obiwan?”
    “He saw something in the pasture. Probably a stick. He’ll be in after he’s gotten himself good and filthy. The poor boy already had one bath last night. This is going to be a long spring.”
    They finished feeding the horses and cleaning the stalls, then let the horses out. There was still snow on the ground for them to play in and all four took off running for the far fence line. Obiwan chased them and then tore back to the barn to greet the rest of the crew.
    “It looks as if everyone is glad for a nice day,” Eliseo said.
    “I certainly am. Can I do anything else to help you?” she asked.
    “No, I’m going to leave them outside and go over to the hotel. I talked to Henry and he could use my help.”
    “Really?