My animal friends at Maple Hill Farm

I was really hoping someone would comment on the goats' names. 

Since nobody did, I guess a little education is in order.

Goat Dear and M-a-a-a are part of the two dogs, five horses, one pig, some geese, lots of chickens, a few cows, a few goats, several sheep and four special cats whose lives are chronicled in Alice and Martin Provensen's 1974 classic picture book, Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm.

I absolutely loved this book. 

Of course, I did. 

It was filled with animals, and I loved animals.

But beyond that, it was filled with really specific animals.

There were no generalizations here.

Even though the pictures were not realistic at all, I knew these animals existed.

I knew they were real.

I also appreciated how honest this book was in regards to matters of life and death.

Some of the stories made my younger self really sad.

But also, I knew that's how life is.

I knew that if I was every lucky enough to have my own Maple Hill Farm, it would include a quiet graveyard.

Over the years, my model horse herd has included several Maple Hill inspired names, including Ibn Rafferty, Chaos and Ichabod.

Now I have Goat Dear and M-a-a-a, too.

Once upon a time I dreamed of living with all these animals at Maple Hill Farm. Now, I would be content to have the animals of Maple Hill Farm living on my shelves.

Two goats down! Two dogs, five horses, one pig, some geese, lots of chickens, a few cows, a few goats, several sheep, four special cats and a whole host of wild critters left to go!