This is a picture I took on the way home yesterday afternoon. I have wanted to use it for the Friday pic for a couple weeks but I have to catch the streetlight correctly so I can stop without holding up traffic.This is a lovely farm about 2 miles from our house. They also have cattle but they don't usually cavort like the sheep do. I look for them everday in the morning on the way to work and on the way home. Sometimes the lambs are playing and baaa-ing about (I usually baaa back too). Yesterday I noticed a good number of them had been shorn that day or the day before. I love sheep.
Which brings me to an interesting debate that P and I have with ourselves. If we love animals SO much, why do we eat them? We both have a hard time with this and have had numerous discussions about it always ending in, "I just don't think I could give it up." We get the whole food chain thing and what not. We just feel bad that something has to suffer to sustain our life.
I don't think we were always this aware of this feeling quite this much. I think it really started to hit home when we were looking to adopt a dog, who eventually was G-dog. She was in a kill shelter and we were deciding to either adopt G-dog from Tennessee or adopt a dog that was already fostered close by. We went with Grace because there was no way we could see her being killed just because someone didn't have the time for her. The other dog was already fostered and would have been adopted or kept by the foster family.
It was then we started thinking more about the suffering of animals for the sake of human enjoyment, whether is before food or supposed companionship. Then there was that whole ground beef thing (I wrote a post about it, one of my first I think). It's just that so many things seem to point us (meaning me and P, not everyone) in the direction of veggie or at least, meatless omnivoures (not sure if that is actually a real thing, I was thinking no red meat or chicken).
Be aware, I swing back and forth on this topic a lot. Maybe I always will. When I pass the farm some days I just want to go and cuddle the sheep and the lambs, some days I think of them with a nice lemon and thyme sauce.
11 comments:
Ahhhh, you do read minds. I'm currently going through this as well. It can't be a mid-life crises (I'm only 30). Maybe it's a wake-up call? I'm not sure.
All I know is that I'm sick of heavy country cooked foods. I miss being able to eat things like hummus, greek salad, falafal, sushi, noodle salad, etc...
I live out in the country where hamburgers, steaks, chicken, fried foods and grease cooked foods are the norm.
Blech....I'm tired of it all. I need to start eating better.
Em
By the say, I love the pic. I can't believe you drive past such a beautiful spot every day!
What I wouldn't give to have that scenery on my way to work!
I think the SAME thing on a daily basis. Nine year old is the one who really has issues with it though, tears him up actually. If I could substitue peanut butter cups for cows the world would be a better place.
Awesome picture. Maybe next time you can stop traffic to take the picture and then take a picture of the traffic backed up on account of you...
I don't think I'd eat meat of I actually had to kill the animal...or if I watched the animal die. Ignorance is bliss. If it's on my plate then there's nothing more I can do, but eat it. People aren't going to stop killing cows just because I don't eat them. So I eat them.
Grace? Delightful admission. More comments tomorrow!
Happy Friday to you, Mrs America!
Okay, I am putting this picture on my "vision board".
(First I need to make a vision board, but tht is irrelevant.)
I want to live in that house with those sheep.
I hear you about the meat thing... problem is I really, really love the tast of a good steak. Really.
I am with Kathy, ignorance is bliss.. I live my that.
what is it with your blog an my spelling... geez. Its like you get me so excited I can't spell!
Beautiful picture and classic last line.
Okay...even having read The Jungle and all that...I'm still not quite sure they suffer. Or I'll just keep thinking that to appease myself.
I feel like we grow attached to animals because we give them human-ish traits (Anthropomorphism) and attach ourselves to those. It's weird tho, eh? To baaaa at the sheep on your way home to lamb chops.
I try not to think about it, because I LOVE a good steak...and pulled pork...and grilled chicken...and...damn I'm hungry...
I need to start eating better too. I am in a horrible junk food phase just now. Yeuch!
Nice pic, lucky you working near somewhere so green.
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