Holidays Bring...

It's the holiday time of year.  Christmas, Hanukah.  And how are the donkeys celebrating -- with lights, of course.

All right, it's not quite dark enough to see the lovely lights, but the donkeys ooh and aah each night when they get plugged in.  Take my word for it.

It's also the time of hot slop.  You've heard me talk about it before when the cold weather arrives and Natural gets a bowlful once a week.  He loooooves his hot slop.  Licks the bowl clean until it's shiny.  Well, maybe rubber feed bowls don't get shiny, but darned close.

For donkeys it appears to be an acquired taste.  And, this morning (yes, Sunday is slop day) I saw some good scrapin's left in three bowls.  You'd better get back at it donks.

What are the irresistible ingredients in hot slop, you ask?  Take a healthy serving of hay cubes (never pure alfalfa for donks, too rich), add a cup of bran, as many carrots as you feel like cutting up, and a little splash of cooking oil.  Mix with hot water and stir vigorously.  Put the cover on the plastic bucket to marinate.
Voila, tastiness in a steaming bowl.  

It's That Time of Year

It's that time of year when donkey faces start getting shaggy...

When water has to be hauled...

And donkeys prefer to eat inside...

Julia Child Has Me In Her Clutches

I'm entranced... with Julia Child.

I'm in the middle of reading a book of letters between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto (a familiar name if you've watched the movie "Julie and Julia").  I recently re-watched the movie (which I love) and have read the book the movie was based on and, which, was the inspiration for this blog.  As you might suspect, for the moment, I am immersing myself in the world of Julia Child.

The letters in the book pave the way for her first book to become published.  They were written in the early 1950's (well at least that's where I am in the book right now) and include long details about cooking equipment, knives and all things culinary.  I'm on the verge of ordering this book as I'm finding her attention to detail fascinating.  Now the ironic part is, I don't usually like to cook.  And, I don't eat meat, which seems to be a huge part of her recipes.  But the sauces are appealing.  Take the mirepoix.  Now basically it's just sauteing some vegetables in butter.  But she mentions in a letter to Avis that she's freezed this sauce and whips it out to economize her cooking time.  I'm liking that angle a lot.  Then she mentions using her Waring mixer (which is actually a blender) to make this sauce.  This part is puzzling me.  But I'm game to try it.

Yes, next installment I'll return to the donkeys, but I may bring you highlights of my journey with Julia.
And yes, like you, I was crushed in both the movie and book that she did not react well to Julie's tribute to her.  But I'll forgive her that.

By the way, I'm also entranced with Michael Phelps, but that's another story.  

Typical Mornings with Two Black Dogs

Let me tell you about the morning routine.

I'm usually up first and feeding the dogs is almost #1 on the do-it-first-thing list.  Mostly because Dudley turns into a starved hyena until I do.

 (don't let those charming good looks fool you -- he can be a maniac when there's food involved)





OK, now breakfast is out of the way, I've looked at the paper and now it's time to go out and feed donkeys.  The dogs are insistent that they accompany me and I usually oblige -- just makes life easier.  However, the new rule is:  I, being queen of the pack, do not let you two dogs bowl me over while you fly out the door.  Dudley is 85 lbs and Gunner is 60 lbs.  When the two of them lunge for the door, I'd better hold on to my hat.  So, now they must sit and wait while I open the door to the garage, press the garage door opener and we wait for the door to completely open.  Waiting is r-e-a-l hard because out in the garage is the most scrumptious cat litter in the world!  That's why they turn into maniacs wanting to fly out the door.

I ride my bike out to the donks and we start morning duties.

Gunner isn't the helper that Dudley is, though.  He's usually prowling around the perimeter of the yard, sniffing who knows what.


Dudley stays with me, eating manure before I get a chance to scoop it up.

But the real sweet part  is -- he sits outside the gate, lies down and waits for me to finish chores.  Snow or sun, he waits for me. There's no incentive for him; he's just a sweet guy.

Double Take

I'm veering off from tales of the donkeys and pastures (pfffttt!!) to tell a small tale of Mr. Natural.

I had neglected the boy and needed to go to the horse barn to clean hooves, apply fly spray, feed treats and get a hug and kiss.  He's been a pistol this summer (again) and plays the runaway game, especially on those hot-hot-hot days.  I got there at just the right time -- before my dinner, but right after theirs.  Horses were just hanging around, chatting each other up before retiring out to the pasture.  Well, I approached Natural from the rear, without calling to him, and when I got up to within just a couple of feet, he turned and I swear, did a double take.  "Where the heck did you come from?"

The expression was priceless.


Out-takes from photo session ---

The "Pasture" -- in all it's glory

1.  No rain
2.  A strange weed arising
3.  No rain

This, gentle readers, is what our "pasture" looked liked until just a few days ago.  Doesn't look like a grass pasture you say?  I would agree, while gnashing my teeth.

Rick discovered this delightful foreign vegetation taking over, I'd estimate" 30% of the half-acre.  He delivered a sample to MSU Extension Service (have I mentioned how much I love these people) and they ID'd it as being in the turnip/mustard family.  Well great!

I called the store from whence the seed came and expressed my displeasure, trying to be as polite as possible while the volano was erupting in my head.

Then I called the "pasture guy" at the Extension Service back and he said those little turnip seeds could have been buried in our soil all along and when we tilled they were exposed to air and light, and voila -- a delightful addition to our already puny pasture.

Can you see me shaking my head???  The time and money we've invested -- ah yes.

 So, we decided to let the donks out on the so-called pasture -- don't have much to lose. 

P.S.  Rick mowed all the weeds down a few days ago, so from afar, it looks like the real deal.

Views From My Chair

Luigi

Luigi and Franny

Gabby

The fledgling, and very dry, pasture

and, finally, the skyward view.  Gorgeous, huh, if you take the time to look