My family loves animals. Some people are dog people or cat people, maybe even bird people. We must just be “animal people.” If it were up to Mama and my sister, Kallie, we would have a farm. I remember us having one poodle when I was a child. Now, we have three. And a boxer. And a shorkie. What’s a shorkie, you may ask? A shiatsu-yorkie (or Yorkshire Terrier). Somehow, it’s cute. Oh, and I can’t forget the cat, Bluebell.

Like alcoholics shouldn’t go to bars, my sister has been banned by my family from Brookhaven Animal Rescue League. However, that hasn’t seemed to solve the problem. Animals find her. It’s like they know she’s driving down the road and they come out of hiding and put on their best sad faces as she passes. They risk their lives to jump out in front of her car and find her in parking lots in hopes of being rescued; and they are never disappointed.

She hid a cat in her closet once for two days (Bluebell). No, not when she was five. This was last year. She rescued the kitty from a roadside and got battle scars from doing so. Now, Bluebell is a sweet little part-Siamese cat…who is de-clawed.

This winter, she found a pregnant dog that spent Christmas in my Paw Paw’s barn. The puppies were all born healthy and given away to good homes.

Apparently, my sister thought furry animals wouldn’t be enough. A few years ago, she bought an Eclectus parrot, Cherry. Cherry imitates everything. She even mimics Daddy’s power tools – not our favorite noise she makes. She calls the dogs and laughs like Mama. Daddy has trained her to say, “I’m your huckleberry.” She says the “Tombstone” quote in a deeper tone than Mama’s and Kallie’s “kisses” or “What you doin’?” to sound more like her teacher. Cherry loves when it rains. From our covered porch in her fancy cage, she sings and talks and makes drill noises.

Mama also has a bird, Scuttle, a parrotlet. Little Scuttle basically just swings on his little swing all day and breathes pretty tweets every once in a while. My fiancé’s daughter, Paisley, likes to play with Scuttle. He’d rather swing.

I can’t forget about the pony and the horse. They are best friends and like to eat peppermints. Our rolling hills and acres of woods allow for a perfect place for our furry friends. Now that I’ve named all the animals…maybe we do have a farm.

Me, I’m happy with my poodle, Yogi; although, I love all our animals.

We have had a several cats over the years. Daddy named most of them, which is why they had names like “Ms. Toot,” and “Foot Foot.” Kallie named Gracie and Bluebell. Gracie was a BARL rescue cat. Daddy calls the shorkie, Tilly, “Womp,” because he said she looks like the legendary wampus cat. Maybe it’s her crazy hair and sneaky ways.

We’ve got a full house. Monday, Kallie brought home a boxer, Dosey-Doe.

Lifestyles Editor Jessica Boyd can be reached at The Daily Leader at 601-833-6961 ext. 134, by email at jessica.boyd@dailyleader.com or you can write to her at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602.