Sitting on my balcony that overlooks a small green reserve provides great satisfaction. I do not take advantage of this green retreat often enough but today was an exception. I wandered out there with coffee in hand and spent a pleasant half hour watching the awakening of the animals below me.

I have written in the past about the sheep that live there but since then the flock of animals calling this section of wondrous green home, has grown to include both horses and a newly born calf. It was the calf who caught my attention. This little fellow was born down there and has spent the past few months grazing, mooing and living convivially with his four legged neighbors. He is all black, inquisitive and is tame enough that he almost comes when called.
There is a quaint cabin in the middle of the canyon… a quintessential Mexican cabin with a roof of red tile, whitewashed siding, a covered front porch enclosed by a low brick railing. This used to be the night home for the sheep but recently it has become the sleeping porch for the calf. This morning I watched as the rather surly lone worker trotted down the path to free the calf from his night time quarters. This worker is not as conscientious as previous ones have been. He barely looked at the little calf, and did not even give him a warm morning greeting. He merely removed the board covering the steps down from the porch, tossed it to the ground and then left. The calf watched this, his head poked out from between the railings. As I observed from above I expected him to trot down the steps but he remained in place. He seemed to not be certain that he was free to go grazing. In a little while two lively horses came over. They were so tender…one of them stretched out his neck and actually gave a nudge (kiss?) to the calf through the railing. Then the other one did likewise. The calf seemed pleased with the attention. Maybe they have become his surrogate parents. But still he did not make any move to leave the porch area. So, the horses decided to join him! They headed up the steps onto the porch providing me with a glimpse of a slow motion Sunday morning dance. Their movements were so careful and once within the porch area they circled the calf and then he followed their lead, turned in a circle, and slowly descended the few steps to his green pasture. The horses stayed put for awhile on the front porch, exploring their new surroundings and looking out over the fields from this new vantage point, before joining “junior” in the quest for a morning snack.
As I sat enjoying this tableau below me it dawned on me that this is not a common sight, even in my part of Mexico. Most city folk do not get to enjoy such a pastoral scene and I felt blessed to be living in this safe, small town. Here people are not only helpful to one another but even the animals seem to care for each other. It is nice to be a part of this caring atmosphere.