Meet All of Martha's Pets Over the Years

It's no secret that Chow Chows are among Martha's favorite breeds. Meet the famous Ghenghis Khan. Ghenghis—or G.C., as we like to call him—was a Chow Chow and the great-grandson of the late, great Paw Paw.

Martha has always loved animals. This was her first cat, named Chiggi, who was adopted from a shelter. We are told she was a very sweet kitten, and also very affectionate. Martha said that as Chiggi grew she became quite the hunter. Can you guess who that is holding Chiggi? 

Look at this nice photo of our old pal Paw Paw, G.K.'s grandfather.

Two of Martha's wonderful chows strike an elegant pose.

And here are Max and Zu Zu.

Here is Martha's beautifully designed and crafted canary cage. Sometimes, so many babies are born that she gives pairs of them away to her friends. Once, though, she found that she gave away all the males, which are the ones that sing. (It's very difficult to tell male from female canaries.) So she had to get a new batch. 

Martha's birdkeeping tip: Before introducing new canaries to the cage, it's important to first clip their long nails, which can actually prohibit the birds from moving freely in their new home.

Dear old Uncle Vanya, another beloved adopted pet of Martha's. We've heard that he had so much character.

Martha told us that friends who were moving gave her New Kitty to care for. She didn't mind because New Kitty was very sweet.

Here is Weeny. She has a sister named -- what else? -- Teeny.

Here is Max, we have seen this photo in Martha's gardening book. He looks like he was a good companion just like we are. Martha calls him the king.

This is Empress Tang, who, with her sister, Princess Peony, is a dominant calico Persian. They were born on May 11, 2009, and moved in exactly four months later. Among others of Martha: Persians Princess Peony and Empress Tang.

This is Princess Peony, Empress Tang's beautiful sister. "Empress Tang and Princess Peony have acclimated nicely to their new home and are so joyful, as only kittens can be," Martha reports.

Martha has kept chickens for years, which provide wonderful and colorful eggs for the farm. These little peeps represent 22 different breeds, including Speckled Sussex, Mille Fleur Bantam, and, of course, Araucana, whose gorgeous blue eggs Martha has made into an instantly recognizable signature.

Francesca: "Here are Clive and Rufus, Martha's miniature donkeys, wondering how to get away from Sharkey."

In the summer of 2008, Martha decided to give "cow-sitting" a try, and hosted two miniature Hereford cows. They look just like regular-sized Herefords, but are about half as big. By late fall, Dandy and Clover, as we came to call them, returned home where they had indoor shelter for the winter. They enjoy a diet of grass and dandelions. This is Dandy, the male.