On my way to the barn this morning, I began considering what to tell you about Boomer, the barn’s resident weather dragon… at least, that’s what comes to mind, as I watch him grow. Did I ever tell you that I think he and Dinky are twins? Well, they are… I’m certain of it!

It wasn’t long after I’d discovered Dinky in that old boot at the back of the barn, there began a very blustery weather pattern that brought wind and rain for over a week. As the days went on, and as I began to calm and reassure the tiny frightened dragon, the weather around the barn lifted steadily.

On the morning after the storm subsided, I arrived at the barn to find not one tiny blue dragon, but two! However, there were differences between them, I noticed immediately! While Dinky was timid and frightened of things, this new dragon seemed a bit moody… a bit angry and defensive, I think. Anyway, I could see a difference in the babes that were sitting in front of my eyes, there on the barn floor.

The two babes clung to one another, clutching each others tiny wings for comfort. For nearly a full two weeks, I stayed at the barn day in and day out, never leaving their sight. Boomer had several scrapes and bruises that Tilly lovingly mended for him. Brutus told me that the two dragonlet’s may have shared an egg, which is quite rare and unusual. This sort of made sense, as they were alike, and yet they were not!

While their faces shared a striking similarity, only Dinky had the habit of changing color, while Boomer’s blue scales had a tendency to either brighten or dull, based on how he was feeling. Not only that, but if you scared Dinky in any way, Boomer turned a deep and stormy blue, followed by winds and rain… hence, my calling him a weather dragon.

Looking back now, the two dragons are so different from one another, it’s like night and day; aside from very similar eyes, the two dragons looked completely different. Where Dinky simply doesn’t grow, Boomer excels in this department. This dragon LOVES to eat… a lot! Sometimes, it feels as if Boomer eats more than Brutus, who is a full-grown dragon.

While Dinky has to be one of my more affectionate little ones, Boomer is more distrustful and stand offish. We’ve all adjusted to this, giving the angry little guy his space and letting him alone. Here is where I’d like to tell you what I find so special about Boomer…

There are many times, I stay in my office late into the night, working on one writing project or another. When I cannot sleep, writing eases my mind and relaxes my body. Shortly after the baby dragons settled in, Boomer began sleeping in my office. He was too small to do any real damage, so I let him be, to curl up on the floor beside the couch I keep in there. Here is the funny thing… he wouldn’t sleep On the couch, but off to one of the sides.

One night I’d been working quite late on a project, typing away on my keyboard, while my moody friend slept beside the couch, snoring gently. Feeling rather tired, I quietly closed my laptop and tiptoed over to the couch, where I lay down for a bit of a nap. Listening to the sounds of his little snores, I began to drift off to sleep. Just as I was fading into dreams, I realized that the sounds of Boomer’s snoring had stopped. As I lay there listening for him, I felt the warmth of a velvety soft nose, pushing against my side. Shifting sideways, I quietly made a space next to me on the sofa… and waited there in the darkness.

After what seemed like hours, Boomer slowly climbed up and crawled closely against my neck. There he circled three times, making soft chuffing sounds as he did, and then lay down against my chest. Once there, he fell fast asleep and again began snoring softly. I gently lay my arm over him, not wanting to disturb his sleep, and I too fell fast asleep.

When Brutus woke me in the morning, Boomer was already off, eating breakfast with the other barnyard babes. In honesty, I began to think it had only been a dream! Deciding that this was perhaps more than my imagination, I spent the next week camping overnight in my office… with a very real baby Boomer, curled up at my side.

To this day, Boomer is my faithful late-night partner in crime, as I work on my literary adventures, of one sort or another. Though he may seem quiet and shy during the day, a brave and fearsome hero he is, by the light of the moon. If one looks closely at many of my tales, they may see the evidence of Boomer’s imagination coming to life on the page.

Oh my goodness, I’ve gone on a good bit! Hopefully, you’ve learned about what makes Boomer so special. If I let myself, I would go on and on! But alas, I cannot… that will come later.

Join me next Friday, to learn what I love about yet another of our Barnyard Babes. Who knows, maybe it’ll be Squagon, or possibly Lilly. I’m saving Tilly for last, as she’s requested that I do so.

For now, it’s time to head to the pond… I can already hear the sound of splashing!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!