Personal Space

It finally rained here after more than two weeks of nada. Nothing but sunshine, sunshine, sunshine. It was horrible. I don't know how I survived not having to hike through calf-high mud, pulling wet, stringy hair out of my mouth while clad in my signature look of rain slicker and purple wellies.

But now everything has returned to normal and I stepped out this morning to a sparkling green world where everything smelled fresh. As I rounded the driveway, I did my usual morning head count of the sheep. There they were, all 9 of them, clustered in the horse stalls, warm and dry. Warm? You bet, all 9 were jumbled together like newborn puppies in their mother's basket.

So I started wondering. What about personal space? I know I have an invisible ring around my person and there are very few people I am comfortable with having step inside that ring. That is true with most people although the size of the ring varies depending on personal preference and cultural norms. In a country as crowded as Japan, I understand that personal space is mostly a perception thing. Great if you can do it. I can't. I need physical space. Don't keep touching me while trying to sell me something; I most definitely won't buy whatever you're selling. Even if its on sale.

But sheep seem to be different. There they were; a bunch of woolly bodies all entangled. I couldn't separate them visually into various bodies. They seemed fine with it. It is obviously part of their culture. When in the paddocks, they sprawl some separately, some together. Just a matter of where they land when they decide to snooze.

Is this true of all animals? I know my cats and dog would all sleep together. As low as my husband kept the temperature, it was a matter of body warmth or freezing to death. I used to bribe my pets to sleep with me just to stay warm. I continued my walk with that question on my mind. The steers were still down and gathered near one another but each body was easily distinguishable from the others. So personal space with dignity. Just what I would have expected from them.

I walked further and came to the lambs. Once again, all bunched together. I could separate each body only because they were 3 different colors but the white, the brown and the cafe au lait were decidedly intertwined. What did that propinquity do to the young ram? Did it bring on an unnaturally early sexual awareness? I know that both ewes are his sisters but does incest matter in the sheep kingdom? Yet another question I am too embarrassed to ask. Yes, I have others. The top of the list is how exactly does a rooster fertilize the eggs? When the eggs are still in the hen? When they are in the nest? Now you see why Dan keeps me secluded here at the farm. Either he doesn't know the answers or he's afraid I'll ask them out loud and some sane person will overhear.