My simple gift this week came from Butch, my Angora goat.He likes to play "steal the hat" while I do morning chores.

The game:

For two players: one shepherd, one impish goat, is a hybrid cross between Keep Away and Capture the Flag.

The play:

Shepherd moves as quickly as possible down the line of feeders, depositing hay flakes. Then attempts to clean and fill water buckets without getting gloves wet or losing hat.

The object:

Shepherd's objective is the feed the sheep, goats and llama as efficiently as possible and to keep warm on a cold winter morning.

For goat, the object of the game is stealing hat when Shepherd is not looking.

Why is this so much fun? I cannot say. But Butch is really keen on this. His strategy varies. Sometimes he makes his move, standing tip-toe on the edge of the manger while I cut baling twine; other days he uses a stealth approach, waiting for me to have my hands full while dumping dirty water from the large heated bucket (it's heavy, and he knows it takes two hands and I have to put my head down). He loves this game more than breakfast (which tells you something in the dead of winter). 

On Sunday morning, he won. 

And yes my ears got cold for a few minutes. And I had to go back inside the pen to grab my hat when, after proudly showing Gypsy his prize, he dropped it in the straw. But I thank him for a laugh to start my day – his reminder to me to "Lighten UP, girl!" So there were really two winners.

 ***

The simple gifts each day brings can easily be overlooked or taken for granted. For just a moment each week I'm making a point to stand still, reflect and appreciate.

Please join me. Feel free to share a simple gift of your own.