Character
Interview with Nattie
of MIA
AND NATTIE: ONE GREAT TEAM
by
Marlene M. Bell
Marlene asks: “How
did you like the ride in the trailer to Texas?”
Natalie: “I
had the best trip ever! The bigger ewes were in another trailer, and I rode
with the younger lambs. We had our guard with us, too. Spice, the big, white
guard dog sat in our trailer for the two-day trip. I felt safe with her inside.”
Marlene: “Two
days? That’s a long time in the trailer.”
Natalie: “We
came from Shafter, California, about 1500 miles from Big Sandy, Texas where we
are now. It wasn’t so bad. We stopped a lot for breaks and snacks. The floor
was covered in soft hay and we had lots of room. There were 120 of us, you
know. We were divided between three trailers. One giant double-decker stock
trailer, an 18-foot trailer with all of the new moms and tiny lambs and my
trailer of mostly older lambs inside.”
Marlene:
“What’s it like in Texas? Do you like Texas better than California?”
Natalie: “Yes,
yes! Texas is better for sheep. We didn’t have much grass in California. It’s
called irrigated pasture there. That’s when a pump opens up at one end of the
field and water comes bubbling out of the ground. That water has to be paid
for. Not like the kind of water we get in Texas. Rain falls out of the sky for
free here. When we came to Texas, we had 80 inches of rain! In California we
were lucky to get a couple inches of rain in one year. Sometimes, we didn’t see
that much.”
Marlene:
“Natalie, what is your job in Texas?”
Natalie: “At
first, I didn’t have a for sure place to live. I’m not as big as the
other sheep my age, but I tried to hang out with the flock. The main group is
called a flock. It wasn’t long before I was moved to graze near the main house.
It was an okay place, but boring. I missed being with the other sheep.”
Marlene: “What
happened then?”
Natalie: “Once
the flock started to have new babies again in September, I took care of the
little ones with problems.”
Marlene:
“Problems?”
Natalie: “Not
a problem for me! You know, where a triplet lamb can’t get enough milk from
their moms, or something happened to the mom and an orphan lamb needs a friend.
That is my job. I watch out for the little lambs who need friendship.”
Marlene: “I
see. If you could go back to the place where you were born in California, would
you?”
Natalie: “No
way. I like it here. They say that everything’s bigger in Texas. The
bugs are bigger and so are the snakes, but for a sheep, the wide-open pastures
with lots of grass is the best ever.”
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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
THREE WINNERS
GRANDPRIZE (US only):
Signed copy of Mia and Nattie, Nattie Plush, Nattie Mousepad, and a Nattie pendant
2ND PRIZE (US only): Signed copy of Mia and Nattie
3RD PRIZE (US only): Signed copy of Mia and Nattie
Giveaway ends at midnight, CST, 11/25/2020
