Memories of All Creatures Great from Lassie to Chickens to Goats

My fondest childhood memories are of summers in Miami. Enduring months of relentless hot, humid days may not seem like treasured times, but Sundays were saved for family suppers at my aunt’s home and that was an extra special treat. Sandy (my sister) and I watched the black and white television set as we snuggled under blankets on the overstuffed sofa. We turned up the volume to drown out the noise from the wall air-conditioner as it blasted freezing air. In those days, enjoying an artificially chilled room was a luxury. “Lassie” was our favorite Sunday show, featuring an unusually intelligent collie that quickly became my canine hero.

“Lassie” debuted in 1954 — the same year I was born. Lassie was owned by different humans throughout the decades. Timmy Martin was my favorite. Timmy and Lassie experienced many adventures on their farm. Lassie always knew when there was a crisis and would bark to alert the family. Every episode seemed real; their escapades became my fantasy of an ideal life. The adults in my own family teased my tender tears. This fictional four-legged pet was my first introduction to the importance of all God’s creations.

In 1972 chickens were the creatures that played a surprisingly significant role in my childhood. Earning first place in poultry judging for Florida was a remarkable feat for a timid member of a 4-H Club in Dade County competing against many rural students. Becoming an expert in fowl funded my first year in college.

That same year my brother, who is 11 years younger than I am, received a beautiful black mare for Christmas. Unfortunately, he preferred hamsters and hermit crabs. Much to my parents’ dismay, his prized crustaceans and rodents were frequently found roaming around our home. To stumble barefoot over one of his shelled creatures in the middle of the night or be surprised by a mouse-like being as it poked its head from behind a dresser drawer was a common occurrence. Even though Timmy would have preferred the pony, I am thankful for my brother. His preschool menagerie taught me not to be frightened of spiders or other scary creatures. I learned they all belong on our Earth.

In 1983 I moved to Alachua County and was determined to convert from a city slicker to a country cowgirl. My plan seemed simple — to become a goat rancher. Purchasing registered Nubians, joining a club specializing in goats, and learning to milk and de-worm those beautiful long-eared animals were painless tasks. By 1986 I was raising and selling goats as a business and was established as a farmer with the Internal Revenue Service.

Regrettably, I named my nannies and billies, bottle fed their cute neighing kids (in my bath tub), adorned my four-legged friends with collars and bells, and mourned the deaths of their babies when bobcats would steal them for an evening snack. Needless to say, I failed as a farmer. From this frustrating experience, I learned first hand that American farmers face challenging lives …their monetary gain minimal, their working hours long, their heartaches huge. Perhaps if I had Lassie to protect my herd, my tale would have ended differently.

“Study: More than fur between Fido’s ears,” an article published in the June 7, 2007 edition of The Gainesville Sun, describes a study led by Friederike Range of the University of Vienna, (ironically using a collie). Range’s research proves that dogs think a lot more than humans believe they do. His findings stunned researchers. Brian Hare, who studies dogs at the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology said, “Once again, it ends up dogs are smarter than scientists thought.”

Today, I take central air conditioning and color television for granted. I cherish living in Newberry, but leave the farming to the professionals. I adore those special recollections of family dinners. However, thanks, at least in part, to my early love of Lassie, I embrace the presence of all precious creatures. My feelings mirror James Herriot’s verse in his book, “The Lord God Made Them All.”

“All Things Bright and Beautiful,

All Creatures Great and Small,

All Things Wise and Wonderful,

The Lord God Made Them All.”