Spirit Doesn't Know She's Not a Dog

Spirit is a welcome addition to the hilltop, even though I have to take a shovel to the front porch and the patio on occasion, .

A few days ago, a friend of mine came up to trim the horses' feet, and brought Breanna, his 5-year-old daughter.  She thought Spirit was really something.

Beau had to get in the act as well.

Spirit spends most of the time here in the yard, but does go out and socialize with the cattle in the pasture around the house.

This yearling Charolais heifer was resting comfortably so Spirit went up to her and began licking her back.  

If she is along the driveway when we go out in the truck, she will run alongside, following us all the way down the driveway then stop at the cattle guard at the bottom of the hill. She simply thinks she's a dog with black and white hair.  She loves to be scratched on the back, or rubbed on her cheeks and under her chin.

She is a chewer though!  I recently left the door to the truck open while I carried groceries into the house.  I came back to find Spirit contentedly chewing on the strap on a small umbrella.  In fact, she had chewed the entire end off it.

Our front door is in the middle of the house, protected by a wide porch the length of the east side.  Spirit has claimed the door mat in front of the front door as her bedroom.  She sleeps with her side against the security door, making a bit of a banging sound when she lays down.

During the day, she has chosen the front flower bed for a resting place.

She doesn't sleep in the dog kennel anymore, but since the bottle holder is in there, she returns there for morning and night bottles.

The red rubber nipple on the bottle is showing her teeth marks so badly, it is leaking like a sieve so will have to replace it before too much longer.

The highlight of this update on Spirit occurred yesterday.  Sharon was not at home, and I had retired down the hall having brought the dogs in from outside.  Suddenly Beau started barking as if someone were coming up the drive.  I couldn't hear a vehicle, and wondered what was going on.

Thinking back, his next bark was almost as if he were startled, and said, "WHAT?"

I hastened to see what he was barking about. I turned the corner from the hallway to the entryway, only to find Spirit inside the house, with her head through the kitchen door into the hall looking for me.

When she saw me she realized she'd better scram, so quickly turned and after one slip on the kitchen linoleum floor, trotted out the back door again.

When I came in with the dogs, I had failed to latch the back security door, so Spirit took the opportunity to come visiting.

After all, the DOGS go in there.  Why shouldn't she?  I suppose that makes sense to a calf/dog.

As you can see, The Saga of Spirit sports quite a few pictures.  Sharon and I are of the opinion that one fine day this might make an interesting (and hopefully salable) children's picture book.  If nothing else, it will make a great record for my grandchildren.