Book ~ "Climb that Fence" (2013) Philip Johnsey

From Goodreads ~ Edmund blasts across the yard against my calls to come in. He gleely runs off and I chase him across the grass only to find a unique butterfly or a sky filled with stars. As soon as I stop and admire, Edmund promptly comes to my side and rubs against me. 

Do you ever wonder if there is more to your pet's behavior than meets the eye? Sometimes their antics are more than just random behavior. Can we learn something about ourselves by watching them? 

I believe so and Climb that Fence take that Leap is a compilation of personal, inspirational animal stories and the life lessons we can glean from them. 

After enjoying these stories, hopefully you'll enjoy more quality time with your furry friend and know what it takes to Climb that Fence and Take that Leap!

I love reading books about animals!

The author tells stories about his cats and turtle and provides lessons that we can learn from them.  The lessons are:

1. See things as they are
2. Just keep digging
3. Climb that fence and take a leap
4. Whatever it takes to make it
5. Exploring keeps me alive

Here is an excerpt about his turtle, Ben ...

Take Action:

Ben knew what the grass felt like and tasted like, and he knew the joy of being free. That was enough motivation for him to take action. The first thing he tried was to sit by the gate and “run” out each time I opened it. A turtle can move faster than you expect when it wants something.

One memorable time, I opened the gate and he went for the escape. Just as I was getting ready to lean down to bring him in, two cats ran right over the top of him on their way out. As I dodged out of the way, I thought, “What is this, a jailbreak?” Animals: they stick together.

Sometimes he’d “protest” and sit in front of the gate so I couldn’t open it. That wasn’t a problem when I was inside the patio. When I was outside and wanted to come in, it became difficult. I’d push on the gate and he’d just climb into his shell, which made it almost impossible to move him. It was like there was a big rock on the other side of the door. I’d have to firmly push on the gate and slide him out of the way. He’d hiss and grunt about it, but he wasn’t about to get up and move.

These actions let me know what he wanted, but to achieve his goal, he really needed something different. That’s when he began to dig the hole. Even though digging a hole was second nature to Ben, there were a lot of unknowns. He didn’t know how deep he’d have to dig to get under the fence. He didn’t know if there was a root system or other barrier that would prevent him from his escape.

It's a cute book and is a quick read.  It's a good way to remind us to get out of our comfort zone, set goals and enjoy life.