Horses, Hounds and Other Critters

Book excerpt: What do you do when there are goldfish in the horse's water tank, a baby magpie in the bedroom, a cow in the kitchen and a half-dozen small dogs rolling in the dirt to get rid of the smell of skunk? It's all in a day's work on Gayle Bunney's farm near Bonnyville, Alberta. Bunney's hilarious and heartwarming stories are filled with down-to-earth observations on country life and the animals she loves. There's Old Pete, the cow that uses the kitchen sink as a water trough; Tramp, the fearless little dog who takes on coyotes and muskrats and climbs on a roof in pursuit of a cat; and Studley, the diminutive but raging black stallion. From encounters with eccentric neighbours and a curious herd of buffalo to the perils of working in a country bar and Internet dating, cowgirl style, Bunney conveys the frustrations and joys of rural Alberta life with wit and compassion.