A FIRST

Nearly all my life I have heard about the Ag Fair or Farm Equipment Show or what is now what has been called since 2001 the World Ag Expo. For me this was something farmers, my dad and brothers attended. Most often I just haven't been here for the event that takes place the second week of February. This year I attended this international event which is in Tulare (30 minutes from home) and was quite amazed at all that I saw and I didn't even see it all. I went with my brother and his 3 youngest daughters. We started out at the GMC exhibition (at 9 a.m.) which is tradition for them. Here we got our caricature drawn. Hmmm. Quite fun. Then we went to one of the pavillions, first getting a bag for all the 'goodies' we'd collect. I decided any of the snack foods offered were to be eaten then and there, like chocolates, peanuts (which were to me extra large size, not Niger size), pistachios, cheese, chocolate milk, although a few of the chocolate candies did make it home with me. We did lots of walking around to other pavillions, stopping at the farm equipment to climb up for photo ops. Quite amazing to see the complexity of farming. If my Niger friends could see this they'd be so overwhelmed by the immense variety offered. One piece of equipment that I say was the most practical was the 'Optimizer'. It did it all from start to finish, it seemed. What I really appreciated seeing there was Christian organizations as exhibitors sharing the Good News with others.

Meet Puppy

About two weeks ago a little puppy was running around from neighbor to neighbor looking for a haven. I went out to get a look at him and see if he'd come to me but he only barked ferrociously pulling his upper lip up and showing his little teeth. The next day he was still around, running around our yard and jumping at my bedroom window and then hiding in a corner. So in the evening I went out to try to get him, still barking like he'd bite my hand off. But once I got a hold of him, he calmed down and even sighed. Well, this catch had to be for keeps. I fed him and showed him where he could sleep for the night, in the laundry room outside. He's so pleased to be here, to have a home, to be fed and loved that he just can't stop jumping up and down. But we're working on that. He's learning sit, no, wait, no, stay, no, come, no. Our old dog, Boy, has been teaching him to be sure to eat up all your own food and don't come near his. He's been showing him around, showing him how to cross the road at a snails pace. Hmmm. Puppies don't go at a snails pace. He loves going on walks and sniffing out everything and running in the ditch water (which will disqualify him from inside privileges), what little there is. We'll see how he does this summer!

Today he had a huge lesson I hope he learned well. It's one of those lessons you live and learn or if you don't learn, well. . . . So he did cross the road and then he wanted to come back but at the wrong time. He dashed in front of a car that had to brake (they're supposed to be braking anyway for the corner). He got hit and hobbled home. He has some scrapes and little cuts, no broken bones that I can feel. He doesn't seem to be in pain and is able to walk with a limp. Don't know if there's any internal injuries. Although I see signs that this isn't going to slow him down any.

He still needs a name as he's going to outgrow 'Puppy'.