Farm Life · Farmtastic Stories

It’s a Close-the-Gate Kind of Day

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Life at the farm keeps Cowboy and me on our toes.  It seems between farm life and the critters, we are busy bees.  There is always food (dog, cat, and horse, oh my) to be bought, stalls to be scooped, and fences to be mended.  Well, you get the idea.  It’s a busy place, and the project list is never ending.  I tell folks all the time that while we love country life, it takes more time and money than we ever anticipated.

That said, there is nothing better than sitting on the porch looking out at the hills and horses, a breeze in the air with a wind chime serenade, and a glass of citrus iced tea in hand. The truth is, the farm is our favorite place on earth.   We feel so grateful and blessed to live this crazy farmtastic life, which is why our favorite days are what we call close-the-gate days.

Close-the-gate is our way of saying no one comes in, no one goes out, and we get to enjoy the farm with our critters all to ourselves.  While we love visitors, we absolutely cherish a little peace and quiet.

On these days, Cowboy is likely to be cooking up something lucscious on the grill, cats and dogs will be sprawled out napping, and I’ll have a batch of tea going on the stove while I flip through my stack of books for that perfect mystery fix.  Sometimes we’ll give the horses much needed baths,  laughing and getting ourselves soaked in the process.  Or sometimes we’ll  take the pups on a walk around the farm, stopping to inspect wildflowers while they inspect jack rabbit trails.

Farm Photo - Gate with sunflowers
Close-the-gate, enjoy the day, smell the flowers.

In short, we simply enjoy the day and each other.  We live for and prep for close-the-gate days.  We know when it’s coming and make sure our biggest chores are done, the fridge and pantry are stocked with fresh ingredients, and the critters are all set for some munching of their own.  It’s a day to count your blessings, and here at the farm we use all of our fingers, toes, paws, and hooves to count them up one by one.

So whether you live on a farm, in the city, or the suburbs, we highly recommend a close-the-gate day to refresh the spirit.  As we enter the hottest days of the year, take some time to soak it all in, and let us know how you enjoy your close-the-gate day.

Be blessed!

 

 

 

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Farm Friends

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Well sometimes things at the farm just don’t work as we planned, and so we pull up our cowboy and cowgirl boots and figure it out. Such was the case with our dear little Yeller Feller.

When Yeller Feller showed up at the farm, he was skittish, and Cowboy and I worked hard to get him to trust us and let us give him good scratches behind the ears. Well once that little guy got a taste of affection, he decided we humans could be pretty nice. He was hooked.

Yeller Feller hung out at the barn and stayed under foot. He also decided he wanted to have a kitty friend in our best pal Nightmare, a.k.a Mare (Yes, I know. He’s neither a horse or a female, but Mare it is.). Anyway, Mare was having none of it.

Now we’ve had our share of critters at the farm and gone through the introduction process with all the proper howdy-dos, and we know that they generally work things out. In fact country folks tell us all the time, “Awe, don’t worry about it. They’ll figure it out.”

But this neurotic farm mamma tried to help them work it out, giving love and attention to both, but it was just not working. Mare, who is the barn-cat-in-chief, was changing rapidly. He wouldn’t come when called. (Yes, he is part dog and does come when called.) He wouldn’t let us pet him. He wouldn’t come in at night, which is our routine that lets this farm mama sleep peacefully.

Mare started hiding in the barn attic, where the Texas heat was rising, and so we had to figure out a plan B. Now, if you know me at all, you know parting with a critter is something that is nearly impossible for me to do, but as I grow in this farmtastic journey, I’ve also learned that I owe it to the ones we have, all sixteen of them, to keep them safe, sound, and happy.

Photo - Dad and his three cats.
Dad and his three kitties. Just call him Dr. Dad-little. He loves them and they love him.

Mom and Dad to the rescue! Mom and Dad have two outside kitties, Waylon and Willie, who are laid back brothers, and my mom and dad thought they wouldn’t mind Yeller Feller as a new brother. Plus, Dad’s always wanted a yellow tabby cat, and as luck would have it, Yeller fit the bill. (If you haven’t guessed yet, I come by this animal thing naturally.)

Anyway, Dad came and packed up Mr. Feller and carted him home. They spent a couple of days working through howdy-dos with all the proper stares and inspections. Mom and Dad spent loads of porch time with Yeller giving him attention to teach him where his new home was.  Gram even fell in love with the little guy, and cats are not her thing.

Well wouldn’t you know it, Yeller Feller caught on like a champ. Ate up every pet and ear scratch, and even discovered tree climbing. Although, Mom says he’s not too good at it yet. He’s having one big dandy time.

Cat Photo - Yeller climbs a tree
Yeller Feller tries to climb a tree. Let’s hope he gets the hang of it.

So my heart rests easy knowing that Yeller came by his fur-ever family via the farm. So on our Meet the Farm page, Yeller has moved form a fur-kid to a farm friend. I guess technically he’s now my brother, since we share parents. Nothing new for me, the best siblings have four legs.

Farmtastic Recipes

Farmtastic Recipe – Tomato Basil Salad

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This year we’ve been trying our hand at growing a small vegetable garden, and in honor or Ouiser Boudreaux and southern girls everywhere, it most certainly includes tomatoes.  Right now, we’re getting tomatoes daily, which just begs the question, “What the heck do you do with them all?”

This recipe is one I mix up in the kitchen for a quick snack or dinner side, and was taught to me by friends and by observation.  Having grown up with a limited palate (yes, I was the kid whose food could not touch), I’ve enjoyed exploring what, to some, may have very well always been part of their realm of deliciousness.

Enjoy and let me know how you like your tomatoes!

The Recipe: Tomato Basil Salad

The Source: My Farmtastic Life

Ingredients:

  • Tomatoes, chopped
  • Fresh mozzarella, chopped into bite-sized chunks
  • Fresh basil, torn into bits
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

    Recipe Photo - Fresh tomatoes and basil
    Fresh tomatoes chopped straight from the garden, and some beautiful basil from Cowboy’s mom’s garden. (And yes, that is Goober snoozing in the background on the far left. It’s our farm, so of course there’s a critter close by.)

Directions:

  • Mix all ingredients and enjoy immediately.

Farmtastic Notes:

  • This is one of those recipes that doesn’t have exact measurements, which truth be told used to drive this slightly OCD farmgirl a bit nuts. However, the point is to just have fun.  Make a little or a lot, depending on how many you have to feed.  In general, one medium tomato per person.
  • The key is to get a little taste of each yummy ingredient in each bite.  I like to chop things up somewhat small so I can make sure to savor the farm fresh glory of this salad.
  • In general, I like to to use equal amounts of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  And don’t forget the salt and pepper.  The fresh mozzarella will soak up the juice and the spice.
Recipe Photo - Tomato basil salad
The finished product ready for munching.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe, so give it a try and share your thoughts.

Adventures Away From the Farm · Farmtastic Stories

It’s Hip to Be Square

My Farmtastic Life2 Comments

I’ve had a thing for small town squares as long as I can remember.  I love the nostalgia of it all.  The local mom-and-pop shops, the casual atmosphere, and the architecture of the buildings.  Life just seems simpler on a square.  Through the years as I’ve drug Cowboy from square to square through Texas and beyond, I’ve always thought, “Wouldn’t it be great to live in a town like this?”

Well since moving to the farm, now we do!  Granted, we’re several miles outside of town, but the square is close enough for a quick stroll, checking out the Saturday farmer’s market, or popping into my favorite shops for that perfect gift.  But I have to say one of my all time favorite activities every year is the Fourth of July Parade that comes right through town and passes in front of our courthouse.

When the patriotic music is playing and our town, state, and country pride is on display, it just about feels like you are in a Norman Rockwell painting. The kids bring bags to collect candy being thrown from the entries, vintage cars and tractors shine like new, and we all rally together for a few moments in pure happiness and thankfulness to live where we do.

So to honor my small town, here are some great photos from this year’s entries.  We’d love to hear how you celebrated the Fourth in your town, so please be sure to share your stories and photos, too!

The parade enters the square, led by a family of military veterans.
Getting prepared to start the parade with our national anthem.
No parade is complete without our local heroes. Spark the fire dog is always a hit!
Gotta love the old cars. Willys are a favorite for Cowboy.
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, an amazing local place, driving their giraffe van!
Love the old car with the courthouse in the back.
Here comes the tractor – pulling some wonderfully patriotic folks.
Love the patriotic people and their pooch. Every parade needs a pooch!
An oldie but goodie. Farmalls are another favorite for Cowboy.
The local 4H club gets in on the act.
The local churches are big supporters of the community. It’s great to see them in the parade every year.
What’s a parade without horses? Especially love their trusty heeler leading the way. (See if you can spot the local beekeepers on the left!)
And every set of horses needs a little sparkle as they bring up the rear.
Love the bunting that lines the town buildings announcing Independence Day!

 

 

P.S. – Cowboy jokes that my perfect spot in this world is 100 acres on a square.  Needless to say, we’ve yet to find that unicorn, but that is perfectly okay.  The farm makes me happier than I’ve ever been.

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Horse vs. Post

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It’s been a wild couple of weeks around the farm, to say the least.  First, Yeller Feller spent his designated time at the vet to get his shots and get neutered.  Great news, he is a healthy little guy.  However, he and Nightmare are still working out the pecking order in and around the barn.  There’s been some hopping, some growling, and some swatting. (We are hopeful it will settle out soon, because this farm mamma likes to have happy fur-kids.)

The big news has been with Sweet Suzy Q.  She tested out her karate skills and took out a 4×4 post.  While I didn’t see it happen, I suspect she got in a situation where the fellas were annoying her, she bucked and took out the post.  While she is a black belt, she did a number on her back right leg, requiring over 20 stitches and resulting in two weeks of rest and healing.

Farm Photo - Busted 4x4 post
Horse vs. Post. Suzy beat the post, but the post left its mark on her, too.

As I’ve said before, these things don’t happen during business hours.  And to add a new twist, she not only did this late at night, but she waited until Cowboy wasn’t home.  I guess she just wanted to see just how much her mamma could cowgirl up.  (Thanks for the challenge, sweet girl!)

Once again, we owe great thanks to our amazing equine vets at Peak Performance Equine Hospital.  Our regular vet was out of town, but he called me right back and got in touch with the vet on call.  After exchanging texts and photos (another amazing way technology helps in a not so technical life), we decided the best bet was a night time visit.

Since Cowboy was still a couple of hours away, I called my dad in for some help and an extra set of hands.  As always, Dad came in a snap when I called him.  (Yes, I’m a daddy’s girl. More on that later.) We got Suzy all prepped and ready and waiting for the vet.  What a relief to see the headlights of the vet truck pull into the drive.

Out in the driveway with headlights and barn lights shining, the vet worked his magic and had Suzy stitched up in no time. Great news – the bone looked good and she missed her tendon. (Oh, and thank goodness for the drugs.  Suzy was a little dopey but she stood like a champ. Truth be told, I probably could have used a little something myself.)

Horse Photo - Ranger, Smokey, and River
The fellas keeping watch over Suzy. They don’t love that she is not out with them.

The doc  was patient as I asked lots of questions and took notes on exactly how to take care of our Q so that we could make sure she would be on the mend. We’ve been on the twice-a-day antibiotic regiment, changing wrappings, and trying to give sweet girl some extra loving.  Admittedly she’s getting a little stir crazy, so today I took her out on her lead rope and let her nibble some fresh grass.

The vet comes again this week and will remove the stitches and give us an update.  We’ve been so grateful for all of the prayers and concerns for Suzy.  All is looking great.  We checked in last week with the vet and did X-rays as a precaution, and the bone looked great.  And best of all, there is no pain.

Horse Photo - Sweet Suzy Q in the pasture
Suzy enjoying some munching in the pasture today. She needed to stretch her legs.

So as we keep the adventures rolling here at the farm, we hope they take a turn for the less dramatic.  Right now we’re waiting to see how big the cucumbers in the garden grow, and that is enough drama for this week.

P.S. – Sweet Suzy Q rocked out her vet wrap as we got her teal with stars.  And when I say we, I mean me.  I’ll take the responsibility for this one.  Cowboy is off the hook.

Horse Photo - Sweet Suzy Q
Suzy rocking the teal and star vet wrap. No one says a girl shouldn’t look pretty.

 

 

Farmtastic Recipes

Farmtastic Recipe – Praline Pull-Apart Bread

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Spring and summer are when we welcome the most visitors to the farm.  It seems our city friends love to have an escape to the country life, and with wildflowers and sweet tea plentiful around here, we are considering installing a turnstile at the gate.

With that said, I love this recipe for it’s ooey gooey goodness as a dessert, or as a decadent breakfast complete with a cup of steaming coffee or tea.  Here’s to a sugar high!

The Recipe: Praline Pull-Apart Bread

The Source: Southern Living and MyRecipes.com (click for the official recipe)

Farmtastic Notes:

  • I prepared this just like the recipe, including using Rhodes White Dinner Rolls.  (If anyone is brave enough to try another roll, let me know how it goes. I’ve had such good luck, I can’t bring myself to try anything else.)
  • I’ve added more or less pecans, depending on what I know our guests like.  For example, Cowboy’s dad would be happy if I doubled up on the pecans, and Cowboy would prefer I leave them off all together.  How’s a farmgirl to win?
  • This does require chilling for 8 to 18 hours before cooking. I find putting it together the night before to be the perfect solution.  It means for an easy day.
  • This has definitely become a family favorite.  My grams has decided it’s better than birthday cake!
  • Leftovers are yummy for about two days, if you and your guests can keep from gobbling them sooner. I keep them in a glass cake pedestal with  cover.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe, so give it a try and share your thoughts.

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

PSA: The Farm Is Full

My Farmtastic Life1 Comment

This is a public service announcement to critters everywhere: the farm is full.  We love y’all dearly, but for the love of all that is country life,  we simply can’t take one more right now.  When we lost our dear sweet Abby girl earlier this year, we were down to 16 beloved fur-kids of all shapes and sizes.  Cowboy and I were content to let the number dwindle on its own over time, but alas the animals had other plans.

Cat Photo - Yeller Feller peeking out from behind the fence.
Yeller Feller peeking our behind the wild verbena, contemplating coming in for dinner.

Enter Yeller Feller.  (Yes, you can thank Cowboy for his name.) A yellow tabby tomcat with  no tail.  We’d seen him from time to time around the farm, but he’d dart away quickly and was clearly a wild kitty.  Until, that is, Cowboy started feeding him.  Yes, you heard me correctly, Cowboy was the softy this time.  He started putting some extra kitty kibble out at night and low and behold Yeller Feller started getting brave and coming around.

He’s not quite sure about us just yet, but Cowboy has made time to sit in the chair outside the horse stalls and get closer to Yeller, and Yeller has rewarded him by letting him get a pet in.  We’ve now progressed to ear scratches, and he’s beginning to follow us around the farm during chore time.  He’s still not totally sure we are not going to eat him, but day in and day out, Yeller Feller is making his life on the farm.

So as soon as we can get his trust a bit more, we’ll be off to the vet for a round of shots and a neutering. Yeller Feller will live at the farm with fresh food and water and lots of pets as long as he wants to.  And likely over time, in the night time hours he’ll find his way into the barn with Nightmare to avoid the boogie man hours in the evening.

Which leads me to the second part of my PSA, people please spay and neuter your pets and don’t just dump them out to fend for themselves.  I’m not sure if Yeller Feller ever had a family or if he is the product of wild kitties himself, but he’s clearly heard the underground animal hotline that says the farm is an excellent place to call home.  While we love our critters here, what breaks my heart most of all is that so many of our critters lost their families or never had them to start with, all because folks did not care enough.

I truly believe that how we treat the least among us is what resides in our hearts.  We owe it to our animal friends to give them the best life we can, and not to abandon them.  It’s not fair to them, and it passes the responsibility down the road.  Yeller Feller, you certainly found a good road.  We’re glad you joined us, but please let the hotline know there is currently no room at the inn.

Cat Photo - Yeller Feller the kitty licking his lips
Yeller says, “Kitty food is mmm-mmm good.”

P.S. I secretly wonder if our beloved fur-kids who have crossed the rainbow bridge lead the next one to us.  Abby was yellow, and maybe she thought we were getting too many grey pets around here and needed to even the score.  

 

Farm Life · Farmtastic Stories

For the Love of H2O

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We all know that water is important.  Heck, our bodies are mostly made up of water, and we can all live much longer without food than water. (And let’s face it, some of us around the farm could use a little break from the food).

Since we moved to the farm four years ago, we have a whole new appreciation for good ole H20.  When we were in the suburbs, water restrictions and drought times meant no one was watering their shrubs.  And in the high heat of a Texas summer, water restrictions were inevitable.

Now that we are out on the backroads, we’ve gained a whole new appreciation for this lifeline on the farm.  Country life comes with wells, water troughs, and rain water cisterns.  We love the wet stuff around here because it keeps our animals and our plants watered.

But, if I’m totally honest, there is one part of the rain that I am not so fond of.  And that quite simply is the M-U-D.  I do have pink mucking boots, which are critical in the mud (not so much the pink part, but definitely the rubber boot part).  But holy cats, the mud can make chores a wee bit tougher for this not so graceful farmgirl.

Horse Photo - River next to the water cistern
River says he loves the H2O and all the water cisterns that feeds this trough. Heck, he’s even named after water.

Here’s the top five reasons why this girl loves the rain, but the mud, not so much:

  1. Horse love to roll in the mud.  Brown horses get lighter, and gray horses turn into bay horses.
  2. Sofas and anything fabric gets covered in blankets, as doggy paws are the perfect hiding spots for mud.
  3. God bless washable floors.  There is no room for carpet at the farm, not even those super cute area rugs.  Carpet and rugs equal dollars on the floor covered in mud.
  4. Mucking in the mud.  Well, it’s just yucky and a little tricky.  The goal is to avoid the slip and slide.
  5. Barn cats who are prissy don’t like mud on their paws.  But somehow they seem to float.  Oh, if only I could learn this skill.

All joking aside, we love the rain on the farm.  It’s a limited resource and we are grateful for every blessed drop.  Our great state of Texas is in a drought, which just reminds us of how precious water is.  So we’ll take the muddy horses, muddy paws, and mud on the floor.  For we know that water keeps all the living creatures living on the farm.

So we ask you to say a little prayer for Texas and all the drought stricken states across the country.  We could all use a little more H2O in our lives.

 

Farmtastic Tips

Porch-oholic

My Farmtastic LifeLeave a comment

My name is Tammy, and I am a porch-oholic. Yes, I admit it. During this glorious time of year before we are are melting under the sunbeams of summer, I am reveling in time spent on the porch. After I emerge from my day job, Cowboy generally asks if I am headed to hang out on the porch. And of course, yes, yes I am. I take a favorite book, pour a glass of citrus sweet tea, and retreat to the porch. In fact, I’m blogging from the porch right now.

When Cowboy and I built our barndiminium, a big ole giant porch was a must. I always knew I wanted a big front porch, but I just did not realize how much I would absolutely, unequivocally love it. It really is one of the most important rooms in our life. We can sit out here, grill out here, eat out here, and just hang with our critters. I can see the horses and donkeys clearly. I am in love.

There is just one itsy bitsy thing that challenged me about falling in love with my porch. And that is simply the costs to decorate it and make it cozy, comfy. This year, we splurged and invested in some furniture with actual cushions, but I wanted to share my top five tricks to deck out your porch on a budget and with your own pizzazz.

  1. Find it and paint it – Let’s face it, outdoor furniture is getting expensive. Heck at the prices it’s going for these days it ought to be front and center in the living room. To help stretch the budget, I love to find odds and ends pieces of furniture and paint them all the same color. This summer I’m in love with Valspar Paint’s Woodlawn Juniper, a National Trust for Historic Preservation color. And the best thing about paint, if you change your mind you can paint again. (But please don’t tell Cowboy I said that, painting is his absolute least favorite farm chore. If you want to see his otherwise good nature start sighing, just hand him a paint brush.)
  2. Repurpose – Cowboy and I love old things, and we often joke we were born too late. But that means we are always on the hunt for cool old things and that we can turn into something else. For example, I use an old porcelain metal top kitchen table for a gardening table, and it works beautifully. And I’ve got that puppy front and center on my porch, painted to match of course. Oh, and vintage coolers and boxes make great storage for gardening tools and seed packets.
  3. Keep it simple – I looked at outdoor dining tables, and holy moly did the prices and the fancy astonish me. I’m not feeding the queen of England, I just want a place where folks can set down their mason jar of goodness and snack away on some fresh watermelon and grilled perfection. Which brings me to the humble picnic table. They are super affordable, can seat six, and when you need a higher perch you don’t feel badly about sitting on the table top. Once again, just slather on your favorite color and you have something really special.
  4. Wind chimes – Part of country life is pure unadulterated peace and quiet. From the porch I listen to birds chirp, hear the hummingbird wings buzz as they flutter by, and relax to the sound of my wind chimes. Investing in a nice quality set of wind chimes is so very worth it. And with our Texas breezes, those things will clamor on a windy night, so you best get clamoring that you enjoy.
  5. Have Fun – If there is one thing you can count on around here, we are not the serious, stuffy sort of folks. Try the unconventional. Plant your plants in old kitchen pots. Decorate your garden with plates. Indulge in those little rabbit lawn sculptures and sneak them in here and there. Find some bright throw pillows. Just have one fun time making your porch your own.

Farm living is the life for me, and porch sitting is a big part of what we enjoy out here on the backroads. I’d love to hear how you make your porch your own and see photos of your favorite spot to sit and relax. It’s okay to be a porch-oholic. You are in good company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Free Dogs Are Never Free

My Farmtastic Life3 Comments

Well if you’ve been following the farm’s Facebook page or read the blog regularly, you know that our beloved hound dog and Maybelle’s best pal, Goober,  recently went in for some surgery, as the vet suspected it might be the big C.  Well, thank goodness for an astute vet, as it was cancer.  But the great news for us, and for dear old Goobs, is that our wonderful vet got all of the cancer.  And as far as cancers go, it’s not a terrible one, if such a thing exists. It doesn’t metastasize, so really our job is to watch for more lumps and bumps and get them removed when and where needed.  (We love our vet, but I’m pretty sure he loves us, too.  Wink. Wink.)

This all all leads me to a running joke we have here at the farm, free dogs are never free.  You see dear old Goobs showed up at the farm three years ago now (you can read about his adventure here), and it was love at first site.  That poor pooch was not going anywhere, as he had found his furever home, and both he and I knew it, and we’ve been a bonded pair ever since.

However, in his short time with us, he’s had three surgeries for various lumps and bumps (this is the first cancer, though), and when he showed up he was also heart worm positive, so we had that treated and cured as well.  Can you say cha-ching?  Goober hit the jackpot, and we had to hit our savings account.

 

However, in the case of rescue puppies (and cats, and horses, and donkeys), I wouldn’t take a million bucks for any of them.  You see most of the critters here on the farm are rescues of one sort of another.  Most of our horses are American mustangs, born in the wild and adopted from the Bureau of Land Management.  The cats all just had a way of showing up in our lives; in fact, I’ve never ever gone looking for a cat.  The donkeys were a gift from some dear friends, and the most of the pups are rescues.  It seems we’ve all just found our way to each other.

Speaking of finding their way to us, several of our friends have hypothesized that the animal kingdom has put out a sort of  signal that the farm is a safe place to turn up.  No matter domestic or wild, you’ll find grub, water, and love.  Our vet likes to joke that if he knew our real address, we’d have even more. (Thank goodness for a post office box!)

But I think the real culprit for our population are some very special friends.  Before we moved to the farm we had a sweet pooch named Petey, who we affectionately called Needy Petey.  While I loved that little guy, he had some issues.  He had come from abuse and while he had lots of love to give, his behavior could be a bit quirky to say the least. In fact, he used to love to mark his spot, which often meant whizzing on his sisters.  Poor soul just could not aim.  Friends used to tell me all the time, “He’s sweet, but I wouldn’t keep him.”  Clearly, I’m going to need to write about Petey someday.  I digress …

Petey has since passed over the rainbow bridge, and I firmly believe he and all of our fur-children who have passed before and after him continue to guide new “kids” into our life.  It seems the ones who alway need us most and who are the perfect fit for us find us, and in return we find ourselves needing them right back.  (Check out our Meet the Farm page to see our rainbow bridge fur-kids.)

So while free dogs are never really free, no fur-kid ever is, and that is okay.  What they give back to us is more than we could ever repay them.  They make our lives full, and for me, in many ways, they make me who I am.  For that, I am eternally grateful.

P.S. – If you are looking for a pet to add to your family, please make sure to check out your local shelters.  You could find your million-dollar pal.