Tales of Expansion and Avoidance

As promised,  I present to you a peek at the chicken coop expansion, in disarray!

Disassembly was slow, tedious and perspiration provoking.  Can you see Rick through the yellow ladder.  He was the real hero of the day.

And, the following day, after toiling with many loads onto a trailer and bringing the whole sheebang back to the house - voila. 

Same pieces, but in a different location.  We are not re-assembled yet.  Hot, hot temps have precluded hard labor.  To be honest, I'm not chomping at the bit.  Perhaps we'll add babies this fall or even next spring.  Patience.

The next tale is of avoidance.  In a big way.
Little Sugar and Spice abhor fly spray, or fly repellent gel.  I can do just about anything to the two girls if not holding anything in my hands,  but that's the rub (no pun intended).  As soon as I approach either of them with a lead line or spray bottle, off they go. 

With the heat wave, come flies and more flies.  Eating up little donkey legs.  What to do!  I've owned horses for 28 years and donkeys for about nine years and never had a beast who feared getting sprayed.

Checked with a donkey acquaintance through the donkey rescue and she liked my suggestion of capture and reward.  So thats what Rick and I have been doing the past three days.  Entice everyone into the barn with grain, then dismiss Luigi and Gabby, leaving the two hellions.  On goes a halter, after a bit of persuasion and one of us holds a donk while the other sprays.  Lots of "what a good girl" followed by a treat.  Each day seems to be getting a tad better.  I'm thinking we may need to keep at it for a week.

In spite of her peskiness, I will tell you, that Sugar is the prettiest darn color.  Hiding behind her winter coat was a blonde beauty. 

Of course, a mere  photo doesn't do her justice.  Take my word.

Tale three is also one of avoidance.
I belong to the Michigan Greyhound Connection group on Facebook and have seen several posts of greyhounds joyfully stepping into a wading pool full of cooling water.  Out I scooted and purchased a large size (after finding some stores were sold out).

OK, see the greyhound joyfully stepping into the wading pool full of cooling water?  Yea, me either.
I tried the same trick on Faith today as the donks.  I stepped in, with a dog cookie in my hand and cajoled her to join me.  She stretched that neck out as far as she could to reach the cookie but would NOT step into the pool.  I'll give it another shot, but the pretty pool may be relegated to donkey feeding receptacle status. 

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."
Robert Burns

Wait, did he have donkeys and dogs?