May 5, 2010
For the first few days they were here, Fergus and Nigel were terrified of the water tubs we have in the corral and pasture. Naturally, we were concerned about them taking in enough water. Fergus was much more bold about drinking from the tubs and from what I could tell, Nigel was only drinking when Fergus was drinking, which also worried me. Yesterday, I saw Nigel drinking with Bernard, which brought joy to my heart.
Of course, I was excited to get more pink donkey tongue pictures.
May 4, 2010
Don and I enjoy taking our camp chairs out into the corral or pasture as often as we can to sit and be with the boys. When I did just that yesterday afternoon, Bernard decided to lay down for a nap next to me.
I decided to join him.
May 3, 2010
We were hoping we might have Fergus in a halter by the time our farrier came around on Saturday.
Not yet, but that’s okay.
Okay because Shorty; our farrier, said the difference in Ellsworth this time versus last was night and day. It was only last time Shorty was here he was able to trim Ellsworth’s back feet.
Don bought a new (smaller) saddle cinch for Ellsworth and we tried it on for size later that afternoon.
Everything looked good, so we gave Ellsworth a test drive. Our gentle boy walked me around the corral several times. I never asked Ellsworth to move, but he did turn and stop when we asked him to. I couldn’t believe I was actually riding Ellsworth! ♥
I finally got pictures of one of the boys with their pink donkey tongue left sticking out as they tend to do after they have their drinks of water. It was Bernard.
Love you, love you, love you, love you Bernard. Okay, so here’s another secret. My nickname for Bernard is Buhbee. I don’t know why.
And then, after the post last week about mutual grooming, guess who I saw grooming each other? Ellsworth and Nigel!
May 2, 2010
Don and I were talking yesterday about how we’d know Bernard’s or Ellsworth’s bray anywhere, and how the donkey boys have been braying much less since Fergus and Nigel arrived two weeks ago.
So, for posterity, we present Bernard and Ellsworth braying. It was at about the time these videos were taken we decided Morning Bray would be the name of our little farm.
In case you’re wondering, not a peep from Fergus or Nigel yet.
May 1, 2010
This is Cecil, just one of the many barn swallows we have here at Morning Bray Farm each spring and summer. He’s sitting on a wind chime hanging on our back patio. The string heading off to the right of the wind chime is a horse or donkey hair trailing from Cecil’s nest.
To simplify matters, we call all of our barn swallows Cecil. When the babies come, we’ll be calling them Sons of Cecil, just like we do every other year.
Some interesting facts about barn swallows from whatbird.com:
April 30, 2010
Oh, the wind. I never knew it could be the way it is here. Some days it’s relentless.
Like yesterday. Oy. According to the National Weather Service, gusts in the valley where we live reached as high as 74 mph.
Fergus and Nigel don’t seem too affected by it.
Neither do Bernard or Ellsworth. As is always the case, wind or no wind, they’re in line ready for dinner before it’s served.
Don’t worry Mom. There’s no place like home.
April 29, 2010
Lovey Baby Enzi’s birthday was April 23. I can not believe it was nine years ago this gorgeous puppy came into my life.
The puppy who was all legs and ears,
grew up to be my beautiful girl.
I love that she’s a diva. Might have something to do with the fact that her first car ride was in a stretch limousine. In the Bahamas, no less.
To this day, she still thoroughly enjoys chewing on a good shoe if I forget to close the closet door. I attribute this to her love of fashion.
I love that despite the fact she refuses to walk on wet grass, she gallops with joie de vivre through the pasture on watering days. I love that she always smiles when I walk in the door.
I love that there’s really no point in making the bed because she insists on being tucked in every morning as soon as we get out of it. I’m not kidding. And yes, her head is always on the pillow.
Even if celebrations are a tad scaled back from what they used to be when there were fewer children, there’s always a cake and ice cream for birthdays here.
And the birthday girl or boy always gets the first bite of cake.
The cake recipe:
Ingredients
Directions
Mix together flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients and mix well (it comes out more as a cookie dough than a cake batter). Press into a pie pan or tart dish and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
April 28, 2010
Ellsworth, a.k.a. our sentinel, evaluated a potential security breach at Morning Bray Farm yesterday afternoon.
What is that thing, Mom?
Ms. Turkey must feel safe around the boys. She fixed herself up with a nest just on the other side of the corral fence. She’s sitting on a dozen or so eggs.
April 27, 2010
Sunday afternoon, I looked out the window and saw Nigel and Fergus doing something that up until then, I had only seen illustrations of in The Donkey Companion. They were mutually grooming each other.
Then again, in the exact same location, yesterday afternoon. In this video, notice Ellsworth in the background rubbing his head on the pipe fencing.
I wonder why Bernard and Ellsworth don’t do this. Do George and Alan do it? What about Chester and Beau? Ruby and Gracie? What about your donkeys or horses or other critters? I wonder if it’s a trust issue. Surely Bernard and Ellsworth trust each other; they freak out if they’re separated for five seconds. You equine enthusiasts out there must have some thoughts, and we’re all ears.
April 26, 2010
Each time a horse and rider pass the road in front of Morning Bray Farm, time seems to stand still for the boys.
They watch with rapt attention,
and gentle curiosity.
I always wonder what they’re thinking.
Morning Bray Farm 