Meet Gnarly, the coolest cowboy on the ranch.

He’s our smiling 90 pound ambassador of happiness that found his way into our home a year or so ago.
Gnarly (we kept his prison name) is a rescue from the Collin County animal shelter by way of the Denton County shelter…he was doing hard time in the joint for the crimes of being, “a lot of dog,” and, “quite a handful.”

He had been in prison for most of his life with out much hope of parole… Pit mutts get a wary eye and the cold shoulder when it comes time to adopt them in to a forever home.

Nar-Nar as we affectionately call him, has a sense of gratitude that you’re not gonna get from a store bought dog. He was feral on the mean streets of Denton, Texas, or in a shelter for the better part of his first 2 years on the planet. He has an appreciation for a soft bed and a nice meal that is palpable. He knows how good he’s got it, cause he’s seen the other side…

He has his run of the ranch, but has never once run off or even pushed the boundaries…Content to stay close to home cause that’s where he finally belongs.

He’s turned in to a pretty good cow dog, although a bit over zealous at times. He keeps the rabbits from over running the garden with the dedication of a mall cop. He’s an exceptionally OKish watch dog, though he rarely barks at anything but his food bowl.

What Gnarly does best, besides eat and sleep, is provide perspective for the human residents of the ranch.

No one I have ever met exudes contentment and genuine happiness like he does.

A ride in the truck, sunset on the front porch, or a scratch behind the ears is greeted with a Texas sized smile like he just won the lottery.

Every. Single. Time.

How many humans do y’all know with that kind of unsinkable spirit of optimism and gratitude?

Maybe we should all pause on the porch swing every now and again, and take inventory of just how good we got it.

Just a thought.