Tuesday, November 24, 2009

thanks giving in advance of the day

I meant to take the camera out and get a picture or two, but have been so relieved that I don't actually have to GO anywhere today, tomorrow, or Thursday, I've been sort of floating from one place to the next all day long.

This morning I was thankful to see Salina marching around the barnyard, lining up at the feed room door, and generally being her usual self.

When I took the first wheelbarrow load of muck down the path, Redford wanted to join me, so I let him. He walked beside me until I turned onto the woodland path, at which point the labyrinth path was clear top to bottom, and that wild expanse of freedom was like passing a candle wick through flame.

His little face lit up and down he went, with a donkey buck and gallop, down to the edge of the labyrinth itself. I called out to him and he whirled and raced back up, pausing and then galloping all the way up to the barnyard. He was so excited he wanted them all to know where he was and that he had full access to the back.

He flew back down the path, past me, this time all the way into the labyrinth, where he made a complete circuit and then ran back up to the barnyard gate. He turned around and did it all again.

By this time I had dumped my load of manure and had the wheelbarrow pointed back up the hill, so he ran up ahead of me and when I got to the top, he had lured Rafer Johnson into the arena, where they were having another race.

Mid-morning, Keil Bay asked very nicely (with a quiet tap tap tap of his knee against the stall door) to come into the barnyard with Salina, the donkeys, and me.

I opened his door and he sauntered out, immediately taking over the round bale, which is getting low and had been turned over on its side on top of the two pallets. I rearranged the hay so the pallets were obvious - and proceeded with chores.

A little while later I heard a sound (one of those sounds just loud enough and unusual enough to make you go check it out) and Keil had dragged the pallets out from under the hay and shoved them against the barn.

I'm thankful that he's strong enough to move heavy pallets, and also that he didn't do any damage to himself OR the barn in the process.

This afternoon I have two pumpkin pies in the oven, made with the gorgeous puree I mixed up the other night using the organic pumpkin that came from our hay grower's garden. The pumpkin has been decorating our table for several weeks and now will grace our table in a different way.

I should get two pumpkin pies, a batch of pumpkin dog biscuits, and a caramel pumpkin gingersnap cheesecake out of this one pumpkin. If there is puree left, I'll make a pumpkin cake next week.

It's a grey day, good for baking and listening to music, watching a Corgi nap, monitoring the nap cycles of five felines who move and shift from room to room, new spot to new spot, and heading out to the barn every hour or so to visit and continue the chores out there.

8 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

Sounds like a nice day. I'd have loved to see some pictures of the little guy racing up and down the path.

It was a good day for baking I made two pumpkin cheesecakes, an apple nut pie,brownies(granddaughter)and a carrot cake with cream cheese icing. So we're all set with desserts for Thursday. It's raining on and off here too. Hope some sun is coming our way for Thanksgiving.

billie said...

Your baking day sounds wonderful - what a spread!

Hope your Thanksgiving week continues to be so bountiful.

Michelle said...

Ummmm....caramel pumpkin gingersnap cheesecake? What time should I arrive and may I stay please? I'm afraid I might have a carb crash and be unsafe to drive home. Sounds amazing and I now consider myself inspired. My evening is going to consist of a grocery run followed by some baking! Woo hoo!

Dougie Donk said...

I so love seeing donkey races, especially when little Dougs is pitting himself against Dennis the ex-racehorse! Sheer joy of life :)

I'm also very curious about "pumpkin dog biscuits" - please share how to make them?

billie said...

Well of course you may!

Enjoy your baking. One of my favorite Thanksgiving eve traditions is staying up late and baking when everyone else has gone to bed.

Although with two night owl teens in the house now, it's getting more difficult to do that!

billie said...

Will do - see newer post.

Dougie is quite the confident donkey to pit himself against an ex-racehorse!!!

Matthew said...

The pie was fabulous! Thank you for all of the hard work that went into making it. MUCH better than storebought pumpkin pie, or pie made from canned pumpkin. . .

billie said...

I enjoyed it too. Now for the cheesecake!