Last week, CeeCee left the following comment for us:

“With 6 donkeys in the family now, could you do a little tutorial on identifying each one. Obviously, Ells is the only redhead, but I struggle to tell them apart in a group photo. I believe that Buck is red, but much darker. The rest leave me wondering.”

While she was here on Sunday, I asked our friend GK if she would help with the tutorial. She was able to point to the Boyz and Gracie and identify them each by name without batting an eyelash, after all. (I was so impressed!)

Here’s Buck and Nigel:

Buck is definitely red, and is darker than Ellsworth.

Ellsworth is bigger than Buck and his face is much whiter:

Nigel is also unmistakable:

Such a strikingly handsome boy.

And here’s Bernard:

Bernard is short and has shorter hair. Most of the time, Bernard will be next to Ellsworth.

Patrick, however:

Patrick is fluffy all over; his body, face, legs, ears. He has the longest mane of all, and has very cute leg stripes:

By the way, I have to say that it really, really touched me when (out of the blue) GK said she was so happy that Patrick was here at Morning Bray Farm. She’s a young lady who’s so wise for her years.

From a distance, I still sometimes confuse Gracie and Bernard. Here’s Gracie and Buck:

Look at Gracie with GK:

GK was right when she pointed out that Gracie’s nose is more wrinkled than Bernard’s:

Gracie’s taller than Bernard and Patrick too:

It’s all relative. Sometimes, it just takes time to see who’s who. ♥ ♥

August 2011

Welcoming our beautiful Gracie Belle to Morning Bray Farm:

Being mesmerized by Patrick’s transformation:

Always being amused watching Bernard amuse himself:

 

And always being amused watching Bernard amuse us:

September 2011

Loving all of my Ds:

Realizing the way to Nigel’s heart:

Tell me that Buck isn’t laughing at Patrick.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Yesterday Don and I took Bernard, Ellsworth and Patrick to visit Carson and the herd at 7MSN.

Patrick hadn’t been loaded into a trailer since he came to Morning Bray Farm back in March, and we worried about how he would do.

Something I never told you is that Patrick’s former people used a cattle prod to trailer load him.

Well, world, I’m here to tell ya… Patrick don’t need no cattle prod to load into a trailer. Our fluffy boy walked right in.

I was so excited that he could be part of the adventure yesterday. So happy that he got to experience the beauty of life.

It was interesting how the addition of Patrick made things feel different. It felt like a herd this time. Just like that, the boys played and played.

The icing on the cake was my best ride yet on Big Red. Thanks to Carson and Lucy, Big Red and I learned a ton, gained confidence and had a blast.

We practiced a one-rein stop, we trotted, we loped and we maneuvered up and down and through and over various obstacles. Big Red was cooperative, willing and confident. Life was beautiful yesterday!

Do you recognize this beautiful donkey boy?

Can you believe it’s Patrick Patty Pat Pat?

If you remember him like this…

… it’s hard to believe this is him now, isn’t it?

We love him to pieces. Oh my, how we love him so.

He’s such a sweet, sweet boy and doesn’t have a mean bone in his body.

Patrick Patty Pat Pat has undergone an incredible transformation this summer.

Here he is the night in March he came to Morning Bray Farm.

We loved him right from the start, even if he did look like an Ewok.

And here he is later in March, after his first comb out. He hated looking like a cotton ball.

He’s been very patient with us while we’ve spent hours brushing him this summer. 

It’s amazing what five months of love can do, isn’t it?

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥