Maria was upset this morning when she went outside to feed the animals and discovered that Zip’s blanket – he was out hunting – was damp. The farmers I know would not be bothered by this, but Maria said she couldn’t rest knowing Zip’s favorite blanket on the porch was wet, and she wasn’t about to leave it to the sun either.

The win was blowing all over the place, and a few drops came over the wicker basket, Zip’s daytime throne.

So she washed and dried some clean, warm, and dry blankets, and Zip is sleeping in them right now. They are thick, warm, and spotless. Afterward, Zip kept me company as I took some flower photos. When I checked his blanket, he hopped in and showed me his belly for scratching.

The officer who came to check on Zip after some animal rights ding-gong called the police (we don’t let him into the house) may be dropping by this afternoon with his girlfriend, another officer, to visit Zip. Zip already has a lot more friends than I do. He is a charmer.

The deputy and  I hit it off; we are friends. I won’t take the officer’s photo; he could get in trouble for being decent and rational. That is not what the animal rights movement is about these days.

I just checked, and he is warm and sound asleep in his new, dry, and warm blanket. Yesterday, he went up into the hay loft in the big barn.