the very best thing about July is...

celebrating Rafer Johnson's birthday!!

Rafer Johnson, miniature donkey extraordinaire, is 3 years old!  We have postponed his party until this heat wave breaks, when I will hopefully have the camera back in my hands, when party treats don't melt down into mush, and when Cody is over his sudden patch of hives.

But meanwhile, a very very very happy birthday to the donkey who has taught us about the best hugs in the world, about courage when a bone is broken, that a happy donkey is a fast-healing donkey, and that all those things people say about donkeys (in the vein of stubborn, etc.) are so far from true it still befuddles me where the sayings came from in the first place!

We love you, Rafer!

stopping for as long as it takes

This morning I was reading Ponies At Home and Maire reminded me that one of the many lessons we can learn from horses has to do with attention and intention and being present in each moment.

Sometimes I get too busy rushing around the barn/barnyard, doing chores, etc., and the horses and donkeys seem to be sending me the message: Stop!!  Just stop for a moment!

The sound of all those equine voices is silent and yet very powerful, like a wall of noise I can't ignore. So I stop, and stand, and let myself be quietly with any one of them, or all of them in turn.

And when I do, they test me - will you stand here for as long as it takes, or will you stop, pat, rush on? Are you in a hurry, or are you willing to be here, quiet, listening and absorbing, but mostly just being?

They remind me daily that we lose nothing and gain everything when we stop for as long as it takes, which in the scheme of things, isn't very long at all.

miscellanea

Last week I had the camera on my desk but no cord, and this week I have the cord but no camera. I will eventually add some photos and video, but if I keep waiting until I have both necessary parts to that process, it might be awhile before a new post goes up!

Lots of little stuff going on here, though.

Saturday I went and met three Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies and ended up putting a deposit on a tri-color male, firstborn, big, cute as can be, called Bear by the breeder. Bear has a certain presence and self-assurance that I think will mix well with Kyra Corgi and the five felines here. Not to mention the donkey boys, who are going to get well acquainted with this little guy right from the start so there is no question that he is allowed in the barnyard.

Bear (who will get his permanent name soon) will be coming home in 3 weeks and I'm very happy we've found the new Corgi family member. I did not take photos, but you can bet there will be a ton once he gets here.

Thanks to Catherine who sent me the photos!

We've had rain daily since Friday, and the grass is growing at an astounding rate. Today was fairly mild at 90, but we're back into the upper 90s starting tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to it. July is when I wish we had a mountain farm to escape to, although I'd surely be a nervous wreck transporting every one of our animals at once to anywhere, much less up the side of a mountain. The thought of that makes the heat a little more bearable.

My son started driver's ed today, and was there for one hour before my cell phone rang and he said I needed to come back and pick him up. Apparently they spent the one hour being lectured to about cell phones and the fact that the teacher feels they are unnecessary. Until someone came in to the classroom and informed him that the water pipes weren't functioning, class was canceled, and the students would need to "get out your cell phones and call your parents to come get you."

Needless to say, my son is not all that enthused about his very first experience with the public/formal school system!

And finally, I have done a bit more work on my very important project, something I care a lot about, and something you'll be hearing more about as time passes. For now, if you're intrigued, head on over to November Hill Press and see the little bit that's there. Slowly, but surely, another lifelong dream is coming to fruition.

chris irwin tosses a gauntlet?

I don't know anything about Chris, but I found this intriguing. Anyone know more?

no drama here, just a peaceful July evening on November Hill

I actually have video! But can't find the cord for the camera, so will have to add it later.

Horses and donkeys are transitioning from back field to front, so in the evenings they go to the front for a few hours, until dinner tubs are served, and then they go to the back field for the rest of the night. The first few days of the new field they are very intent on grazing, and yesterday there were lots of equine jaws in action, along with tails swishing away whatever insects were out and about.

The setting sunlight made sections of gold in the front field, and periodically a horse or donkey would pass through, utterly illuminated for those moments in the light.

Sometimes I think "I should be riding" or "the back field needs harrowing asap!" But yesterday, no thought of any chore intruded, and even the idea of riding was an intrusion into the moment. The horses and donkeys were doing their own work, grazing and sampling, walking and swishing, enjoying a new patch of ground, and keeping track of all the herd members as they reclaimed the front field.

My job was to stand there and share the moment. Rafer Johnson made sure I knew I was wanted. You'll see, when I find that cord!