Back at SASHA Farm

Wednesday of last week was a good day.  I mean a good day.
It was the first time since surgery that I gave the new knee a test run at SASHA Farm Sanctuary.  For  newcomers to the blog - a friend and I volunteer twice monthly to feed, water and clean.  Its a gift of love to the many rescued residents at the Farm.

And I made it through the whole shift.  That in itself was a reason to celebrate.
Of course, I also got to see my human buddies and all my non-human favorites.
Yes, it was a good day.

Let me introduce you to some of those who allowed a quick pic.

   

I am partial to the equines and in the middle of this threesome is Walker the mule.  

At my first visit to the Farm as a guest, I donated to help support this gorgeous boy.  

He has remained one of my favorites. 

His counterpart, Angel

Also a beauty, but a little more aloof

Daisy Belle, the belle of the ball

We cannot forget the Jersey Five who preceded Daisy

My, how they've grown since I was there last

The regal Dave Ramsey

And two cuties I cannot introduce by name - oh dear

Last we have little Puck, who clearly had enjoyed the proverbial roll in the hay

It's impossible not to love them all.

It's March, It's Michigan, It's Madness

All of us are sick of the white stuff -- the donkeys, the chickens... and me.

The donkeys are tired of single path roadways (no, we do not like to walk in the snow).

And those roadways are now mud.  Boot-sucking, slop-onto-the-bottom-of-your-pants mud.

Chickens are sick of limited exploring room.  (no, we do not like to walk in the snow)

For a few hours in the afternoon I fling open the coop door (which opens into the donkey shed) and close the donkey shed gate.  Chickens can roam as far as they wish on muddy pathways, hop back through the gate and get into the coop. 

But donks are blocked from the shed and coop. (if allowed in the coop, they are apt to go on a chicken feed gorging destructive rampage)  We only do this on sunny, fairly warm days when the four hooligans don't need the protection of the shed.

And I am oh so tired of those single lane pathways as well.  They are easily and frequently (no read that always) blocked by donkeys who just stand in the way.  I explain if they don't move and let me through there will be no hay on the menu.  They turn a deaf ear and stand.   I, not the model of patience, explain more forcefully and loudly.  And then there are the times I get caught in the middle of a pushing war and remind the culprits I am in the middle of this and to STOP IT. 

Ah yes, it's idyllic.  Sigh.

If the weatherman is forecasting with some semblance of competency, we'll be warming up into the 40's in a couple of days and (fingers crossed) lose a lot of this dadblasted snow.  Of course, we'll be back to lots of mud, but as long as I know we're moving forward, I can stand it.


And finally, to close on a pleasant note, I leave you with a new possession.

It makes me smile.

Faith aka Fay aka Fayray

A number of unusual events gobsmacked us this week.

For starters we went from balmy weather without ice, without snow, without too much mud to this... in a day.  And then we got dumped on again. 

The sweetness of a new spring is out of our grasp again.

So exciting for me, but most likely ho-hum for you -  for the first time since knee surgery, I was able to take a much-missed steamy hot bath.  And get out of the tub.  It takes a big bend of the knees and weight bearing to get up and out and I did it!  Glorioski, it's downright fabulous.

Lastly, and quite significant, a new little girl came to live with us.

About a month off the track and with a foster mom for three weeks, Faith was ready to launch into her new adventure.  She has been with us for less than a week; hardly time to get a full picture of her personality, but we do know she is playful, inquisitive, gentle and has some handy training under her belt.

Is a goofball

   

And clearly likes to snuggle.

 Gunner is pretty OK with the whole arrangement