May 26, 2011
We were fortunate to have a new friend, Cat with Cats, visit us over the weekend.
The Boyz could barely contain their excitement when they realized Cat arrived bearing gifts of Paco treats.
As always, it was great fun having a fellow animal lover in our midst.
Cat was great fun and great help.
Thank you, Cat! ♥
May 20, 2011
The Boyz reminded me yesterday that they haven’t been featured on the blog in a while.
I’m sorry, Boyz.
You’ve missed the new game that Bernard likes to play. He comes up behind me and gently puts his head between my legs so that I’ll put one of my legs over his back.
I think know he just likes being hugged.
Patrick continues to come out of his shell more and more with each passing day. He’s a remarkable donkey boy.
So does Nigel, by the way. We’re now touching Nigel’s face, so it’s a matter of time before we get a halter on him. He’s a remarkable burro boy. (Many thanks to Mel in NY for your advice with Nigel.)
You’ve also missed how happy everyone is when Don daddy gets home.
Daddy pushes down tree branches so the Boyz can eat leaves. The Boyz love leaves. Good golly… just look at Ellsworth’s face.
I kind of think the Boyz look like giraffes when they’re eating leaves from the trees.
Yes, Patrick… that’s a good thing. ♥
May 2, 2011
It was one year ago on April 16 that we brought Fergus and Nigel home from the BLM holding facility in Canon City, Colorado.
And it was last week that we received Certificates of Title for them and their adoption became official.
A wild horse or burro actually belongs to the Federal government until the BLM issues a Certificate of Title. After you’ve had the animal for one year, the BLM sends you a Title Eligibility Letter, which you must have signed by a qualified person (such as a veterinarian, county extension agent, or humane official) verifying that you have provided humane care and treatment for your adopted animal. Once you sign and return the Title Eligibility Letter, the BLM mails a Certificate of Title to you. After you receive the Certificate of Title, the animal becomes your private property.
There was a lot of excitement here at Morning Bray Farm the afternoon the big brown envelope from the BLM arrived in our mailbox. Don showed Fergus his certificate, and Fergus rejoiced at the news of his adoption being official.
Patrick was very excited about all the commotion and wanted to know where his certificate was.
Don’t you worry, sweet boy. You’re not going anywhere and you’re officially a part of this herd, okay?
Then Don showed Nigel his certificate.
And Nigel gave his lip of approval.
Both Fergus and Nigel have come so far in the past year. We’re so thankful that they’re here with us and part of the amazing herd at Morning Bray Farm. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
April 14, 2011
I made Paco treats for the boys the other day.
Judging by the looks on their faces, you can tell who has had Paco treats before.
Bernard has no shame.
Yes, Bernard is actually smiling.
I love that Goober.
Ellsworth loves Paco treats too.
So does Nigel.
What do you know… Fergus too.
Fergus does a great James Cagney impersonation every time.
Can you tell from this picture that Patrick hadn’t yet experienced a Paco treat par-tay in his mouth?
And that in this picture he had?
Patrick decided instantly that he loves Paco treats too.
Life is good. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
April 13, 2011
March 19, 2011
Our friends Stanley and Cindy did it again. They captured the emotion of every moment they were here last Saturday.
Just like they did last August.
Thank you once again, Stanley and Cindy. ♥ You both are amazing, talented and wonderful… and the boyz love you! (So do we.)
You can also visit Lei Photography on Facebook here. ♥
March 17, 2011
Patrick’s braying started at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. He has an excellent set of lungs and begins his brays with an extremely high-pitched “WHEEEEEEEEEE!” followed by a bellowing “HAAAAAAAAAAAW!” “HAAAAAAAAAAAW!” “HAAAAAAAAAAAW!”
After this repeated four times over the next hour (every fifteen minutes or so), Don got out of bed, got dressed and went outside to sit in the corral with Patrick for a couple of hours. After Patrick brayed twice more, Don gave up and came inside.
Because we think Patrick was calling the boyz (he couldn’t see them or hear them because they had gone out to sleep in the pasture), we decided to physically introduce everyone on Tuesday evening to avoid a repeat performance of Patrick’s overnight serenade.
Patrick’s first inclination was to check out the green Jolly Ball. His first toy?
Everyone was very interested in saying hello.
Bernard insisted on being the first to meet Patrick.
Fergus wanted to be next.
Nigel joined Fergus.
They were very curious and assertive, but never really tried to touch Patrick.
I think initially whether it was from humans or donkeys, Patrick didn’t know how to handle the attention he was receiving.
As soon as no one was paying attention to him, though, Patrick covertly tried to check things out.
Nigel was the most expressive about putting Patrick in his place.
Meanwhile, Ellsworth was promising Don that he would be on his best behavior.
Bernard, Fergus and Nigel came out and Ellsworth headed in.
Ellsworth was a perfect gentleman.
He was gentle. My heart soared.
Patrick was still nervous.
I think Ellsworth did his best to reassure Patrick.
I’m not sure if Ellsworth’s feelings were hurt, but here’s what he did next.
He went to Don.
Don reassured Ellsworth that Patrick would soon come around. Don’t worry, Worth.
What happened next amazed me. When Don opened the gate to let Ellsworth back into the main corral, Ellsworth pushed the gate open all the way.
It’s as if Ellsworth was saying, “It’s okay Dad. Patrick can come in now.”
And Patrick came in.
And we all slept extremely well on Tuesday night. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
March 7, 2011
We put the burro brothers in a stall yesterday afternoon so I could work with Nigel.
The next time our farrier visits will be a year to the day short one week of when Fergus and Nigel came to Morning Bray Farm, and Nigel needs a pedicure.
We still haven’t managed to get a halter on Nigel because he’s extremely hand shy when it comes to having his face touched.
He loves being scritched everywhere else, but please don’t touch his face, he says.
Fergus did a smashing good job of being a supportive brother though.
He even brought out his best goober face to make Nigel laugh. Fergus learned well from Bernard, don’t you think?
All things considered, I called our session a success because I was able to clean out Nigel’s eye boogers for the first time. ♥
February 16, 2011
February 2, 2011
I promise this is the last bucket post you’ll see for a while.
If you’ve ever wondered, this is what happens when you combine four inquisitive donkey boys with one bucket filled with water. Mind you, there’s a perfectly good tub filled with water just steps away from the bucket. (In other words, don’t let them convince you it’s been three days since their last drink.)
No surprise that Bernard is always nearby. That’s Ellsworth’s tongue again, by the way.
Bernard convinces Fergus that this water is worth going out of one’s way to drink.
Then manages to drag the bucket away from Fergus. See the water sloshing out of the bucket?
Fergus makes an appeal for help. Mamma, isn’t there anything you can do about Bernard?
Fergus gives it another shot, with Bernard up to his usual antics…a la Lochness Monster.
Fergus: Look here, you little squirt.
Fergus: Mamma, do you see that he’s outta control?
Me: It’s a madhouse, I tell ya.
Ellsworth: Mamma, isn’t there anything you can do about the pipsqueak?
Me: Well, will you look at that? Nigel has finally overcome his fear of bucket alligators. (Nigel was terrified of buckets when he first came to Morning Bray Farm.)
Fergus and Nigel in unison: Mom!
Fergus: Don’t you worry, Nigel. I got you covered.
Fergus: You drink… I got your back. ♥ ♥ ♥
Morning Bray Farm 