Hello friends! Sorry it’s been a few days. I met some sheep and goat friends the other day, and plan to meet some pigs and cows later!

We’ve been in a pattern of work, home, hobbies, repeat. Sam finished the blanket but still needs to steam it to get everything nice and smooth. We also have a few toy gifts starting up on the needles. Sometimes, Sam serenades me with her ukulele! She’s still very new and is still learning her way around. Right now she’s learning Leaving on a Jet Plane, and I like to sing along.

I try to help out and just be a friend during days when Sam is feeling anxious about work, or even showing me a good time and having my leg of the journey with her be “enough”. I told her I love meeting people no matter where they are and what they do, and that it’s all special, but she may need a bit of convincing.

I think she wants to do more for me, like introduce me to more animal friends on the farm or see more waterfalls in the area, but sometimes it’s just hard to leave the comforts of home and a warm cat.

Gulli here! Sam said to thank you all for the nice messages, and says she’d like to take some time this weekend to sit down with me and have me show her my travel journals.

We got to take a break at work and hang out with some animals today! Sam says it’s a great way to break up the work day and she wishes she could go out and see all of her friends more often. She’s glad to have me visit this week because it got her out a bit more. Animal hugs are the best kinds of hugs - I should know!

All of the animals at the sanctuary have a story. Most didn’t start off so happy. Sam said to maybe hold off on sharing some of them unless people wanted to know more. It makes me sad to know that their bodies and souls were once hurt. But I’m really glad that they can live out their natural lifespans here with family and friends, and lots of good care. They’re a lot like the animals that people share their homes with, so I’m proud to introduce you to some amazing new friends who serve as ambassadors for those who aren’t as fortunate.

This is Hoffman. He’s a really big pig - one of the biggest I’ve ever seen! He is also really gentle and nice. He was born here shortly after his mom was rescued from a really terrible situation. He recently had surgery on his foot so he needs lots of barn rest…but he really loves visitors and belly rubs! Hoffman is very chatty and will talk to you by grunting. If you make happy grunts, he’ll answer! He even let me balance on his back. There were lots of other pigs in the barn but he was the one I got to bond with the most, and I’m really glad to know this sweet and jolly guy.

I also got lots of kisses from the cows! Well, I mostly met the boys, known as steers. Everyone was busy eating but the guys were the ones who were most interested in meeting me. My favorite was Stanton. He has a heart shaped marking on his head, and he gave me lots of loving sniffs and kisses. For such a big guy, he is very soft and gentle. He let Sam give him lots of yummy face scratches. He’s a very soulful boy and she said he made her feel better having such a loving presence look into her eyes and let her into his world, too.

It looks like I’m riding on Blitzen’s tongue in this picture! He was rescued around Christmas a few years ago, which is how he got his name. He was really tiny and weak as a calf, but now loves to play and hang out with his friends.

Carlton is a very goofy guy. He’s one to march to the beat of his own drum, and it took awhile for him to find some other cow friends in the herd. Lately, some of the younger boys moved into this herd from another group, and he’s taken a liking to being in charge.

Dennis’ horns may look scary, but he doesn’t use them to hurt anybody. Most of the time, he forgets they are there! He just wants to be loved. Don’t we all?

More in my next post, where I’ll tell you about the friends I met the other day!

-Gulliver <3