What the heck is a Zoo-Farm?

Farm life, even small farm life such as we have, is nothing like I ever imagined. I don't even know what I imagined. I guess something along the lines of "Little House on the Prairie". Add into that the "zoo" factor and we have a whole new lifestyle going on. Let me explain a little.

Four kids, all in various stages of being into themselves and whatever happens to be around them at the moment. Sometimes up to six kids, depending on what weekend or time of year it is (my stepson & his other sister, who is no blood relation, but like my own child anyway). That makes up half of the zoo. Seven dogs, plus the 10 (yes, TEN) puppies that were just born on the 22nd, at 4 am no less, on Josh's bed, while he was sleeping. Three cats inside plus a handful roaming around outside somewhere. That is my zoo.

A horse that doesn't seem to want to be touched, let alone ridden, ever since the farrier (horse shoe/hoof cleaner guy) first came out to work on her. A beautiful steak/prime rib/roast/BBQ burger just waiting to be big enough to slaughter (his name is T-Bone). Pork Chop, she's kind of my almost 200 pound baby. She barks like a dog, likes to be scratched like a dog, but will someday (hopefully in the next year) provide us with offspring to make good bacon/sausage/pork chops, etc. My Girls, the cluckers. I like to call them the Rulers of the Roost, even though they are all female, all 15 of them. They provide us with more eggs than we can possibly eat. In the spring, we'll be getting more, to build up to the ability to sell most of the eggs. Oh, I can't begin to tell you how soothing the Girls are to be around, can't explain why. Excuse me, they are not just my Girls, they are my smart girls. Then I have my stupid girls, which I like to call Thanksgiving dinner for next year. There are 10 of them, so I don't think all of them will be dinner, unless my entire extended family decides to show up! ;-). Last but not least, the goats. There really is no way to describe them, other than 3 girls and 1 boy. Should be having some kids worth some $$$ come March/April. There's my farm.

Do you see the Zoo-Farm yet?

Add to all of this the fact that I am no longer a stay-at-home mom. Up until this month, I was always home (unless it's baseball season, then I'm NEVER home), working on some project or other involving my farm. I don't think that I've slept a wink since I started my full time job (away from home) 2 weeks ago. Farm chores wait for no-one. They have to be done, whether you can see what you're doing or not.

But you know what? I would not trade this life for anything. It has always been our dream to have chickens, maybe some goats. We never thought of having all that we have. But I believe this is the life I was meant to live. I feel like I belong right here, right now, doing what I am doing. Even though I sincerely HATE California (more specifically, the Central Valley).