Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Two Armed Face Hugs


Did you know that donkeys can fix back pain?  It's true!  I felt that old familiar twinge yesterday morning, and by the time I got home from work, my back was twanging and I was starting to hobble.  Luckily, the donkey's need their yard mucked out regularly, sore back or no, and after scooping, raking, and tugging my little cart to the garden to dump the harvest, I was all loosened up!  Thank you Rufus and Hattie!  Maybe it's not the physical work, but all those donkey face cuddles that make the difference.  Hattie and Rufus are inseparable these days.  Rufus never brays any more, and even though I miss hearing him call to me, I'm so glad to know he isn't lonely when I'm away.  Hattie and I are still learning to trust each other, but I can tell it won't be long before I can put a halter on her.  She has the softest fuzzy face hair, and likes to have her face hugged.  It's lucky for the donkeys I have two arms, so I can give two face hugs at once.  


Lately, I've been keeping the donkeys locked in their yard during the day, and only letting them out on their pasture for a few hours at a time, after they have been fed some hay.  Each day, when I give the goats a small serving of pellets, I hand feed both donkeys a nibble of goat pellets.  They get really excited for their nibble, and stand somewhat impatiently with their heads over the gate, waiting for their bite.  Rufus is very gentle, and can snuffle up each pellet from my palm without losing a crumb.  Hattie rushes in for her bite, doesn't seem to understand that it's not necessary to put my hand in her mouth, spills half of her serving, and sometimes uses her teeth on my hand!  Silly baby.  Will she ever learn?  They love to play with their water buckets, so most days I have to refill them several times after collecting them from strange places.  It may be time to attach them to the barn.  


A few days ago Brandon was on the tractor cutting hay when he disturbed a nest of bumble bees.  He noticed the swarm of bees in the air before he made a second pass near them, and when we later walked to the edge of the field to see if we could pin point their hive, Wendigo got too close and was stung on the nose!  I yelled for her to run, which she did.  She was shaking all over, and her nose started to swell right away.  She was nervous the rest of the day, and that evening, we noticed that she was dodging the lightning bugs like they were dangerous, and tip toeing through the clover to avoid the honey bees.  


The next day, she spent most of her time cowering in her dog house, and when I coaxed her to come to the barn with me, a fly buzzed past her and she tucked her tail and ran away!  Some guard dog, right?  She's afraid of bugs!  It's been a few days, and she seems to have calmed down now.  I know how she feels.  I've been stung three times already this summer, and it hurts. 


Puck is so brave, he eats bees for dinner.  

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