Beau

Beau, walking up the driveway

We have 2 cats, 17 chickens, 3 roosters, and 1 and 1/2 dogs.   The 1/2 dog is "Beau", or at least that's what I've named him.  Beau showed up on our property several months ago, every rib showing through his fur, skittish and shy. He slept under the front porch all winter.  He and our Moxie immediately became best buddies, and they eagerly look forward to runs in the woods, walks down the road, wading in the ice-cold nearby stream.  When it snowed, they were like excited children, running through the drifts, "laughing" and eating the snow... then, coming back to our yard,  soaking wet and out-of-breath, but happy.

He's a pretty boy, isn't he?

We have been feeding Beau twice daily all these months. He has learned to trust me enough that he shows up just before mealtime, and knows that  I will be filling his bowl without fail.  He knows my routine and always joins in on feeding the chickens.  Over these many months Beau and I have ever-so-slowly developed a friendship.  Small steps; very small steps.  At first he would follow me in the yard, keeping a distance of six feet or so.  Then, he would follow me closely, but never touching.  Then, he started coming up alongside of me and just barely touching my hand with his nose.  One day I spontaneously offered him a bite of cornbread - and he took it!  Then, another and another until the cornbread was gone.  Moshe and I both had tears in our eyes after that episode; it had to have taken a lot of gumption  for Beau to decide to trust me.  A few days ago, he allowed me to pet him.  He has taken to sleeping on the back porch, right up against the sliding glass door, as if to say, "I belong here... And I'm gonna'  be just as close to my new people as possible."

Best Buddies...

Meanwhile, Moxie-the-wonder-dog is so generous of our attention.  She shares the talking, the petting, and the food with her buddy, Beau.  When I call them, they come bounding up to me.  Beau still holds back, but I can tell that Moxie is telling him, "Go ahead.. Let her pet you... It feels good... She's nice."  Beau stands back and looks longingly at Moxie and me.

He looks longingly inside the house, too.  I suspect he's been inside a house before.  Will he ever be comfortable enough to come inside ours?  Who did he belong to?  And, why is he so scared of people - especially men?  We suspect that someone abused this precious dog... he has been abandoned at best... more than likely beaten as well.  I am thankful that Beau showed up at our house.  I am glad to be gaining his trust and his friendship.

Y'know, God wants to be our friend, much like I have wanted to befriend Beau.  We come to Him broken in spirit, perhaps broken in body as well... And He patiently waits for us to trust Him.  He stands at the doorway to heaven, bidding us enter.  And, the only thing holding us back is ourselves.

Shalom  Y'all - Twyla

Equal Time for Moxie

     Yesterday I blogged about CassPurr.  Not to be outdone, Moxie turned on the charm and deserves a note in her honor.
     When Moxie first arrived here almost two weeks ago, she was nervous and highstrung.  Of course, she didn't know what was going on.  She didn't know why her previous owners took her on a two-hour drive, stayed a couple days, then  left her here.  She didn't know whether she would be staying with us ten hours or ten minutes. Her anxiety showed.  She cried all night the first night, and would wet the floor at the slightest provocation.  It was her second day here when Moshe decided to let her ride in the truck with him to town.  She hesitantly agreed to get in the truck and cowered in the floorboard the whole trip.  She looked at him as if to say, "I like you okay, but I'm not sure about this riding stuff."  She has since ridden to town  a couple times with Moshe,  got more confident with each trip, but still wasn't crazy about "the vehicle thing".
     So, yesterday, Miss Moxie really surprised me.  I had gone grocery shopping.  I came home, and stopped in the driveway to get the mail. Moxie came running out to meet me.  Moshe hollered to her that it was "just Mommy", and not to bark.  He didn't see what she did, nor did I.  But, when I tried to get back in the Jeep, there was Moxie, sitting in the driver's seat and just a' grinnin'. She had made the big time!  I patted the passenger side and she graciously moved over.  We drove up the driveway, and that was one happy dog!
   And, so it is with people.  Sometimes - perhaps often - when we think an event isn't so great, it turns out to be the day of our life!
                                                                     Shalom Y'all,     Twyla
  

and Heeeere's Moxie!

Yup. We have a new member to the Ben-David household.  We adopted Moxie from some very good friends.  Moxie was a country dog, trying to live in the city.  She is adapting miraculously well to her new home here in the mountains.  She is already (in less than 24 hours) aware of where "her" acreage ends, knows several of the household rules, and will sit, stay and heel on command.  She seems very happy to be able to run free with no leash.  She respects the chickens and does not bark at them. Good dog... Good dog... We are  amazed at how quickly she is learning.
     Moxie and CassPurr haven't quite come to terms yet; but, we're certain that they'll work it out.  Moxie grew up with cats,  and CassPurr has had dog friends, so it's just a matter of time.
     We are blessed.
                                    Shalom, y'all,
                                                                                    Twyla