Susan went down to let the goats out of the barn today and noticed that Daisy, the trusty guard dog, had a small animal in her mouth. After taking a few more looks, it turned out to be a small possum. Daisy was having a good time just tossing it around. It appeared dead.
So I'm dispatched to deal with a dead possum in the goat yard. Daisy promptly hid it in a hole she had dug but then she took it out and dropped it in the barn. Up I go with a shovel to scoop it up and out but, guess what? It was not dead - it was playing possum (makes sense that a possum would be playing possum I suppose) and it began to move a little when I picked it up in the shovel. Well, out it went through the barn door. Then I took it up in the shovel, it began to rouse up a bit more, so I went about 100 yards down the farm road and heaved it into the woods. Maybe the possum will yet grow up and enjoy life but it probably will not wander into the goat yard where Daisy lives anymore.
And that's the way it is here on the farm today.
Dwight
