ICE WAR!

During the ice that fell last week

Which kept the equines locked in their small pasture: 

(That is NOT snow! It is an inch of ICE on the ground)

Nothing was spared!

Even our roof!

Hubby had to get up there and chip away at it.On this day, it was 42 degrees and MELTING rapidly, 

But not fast enough.

It was backing up under the eve's and leaking down our patio door.

This stuff was like snot.

Ever slip on snot?

Ok then ~ a banana?

Thank goodness hubby did not slip.
And once the ice was all chipped away,
the leaking stopped and our roof was saved!
We won that one!

Odds & Ends

Sometimes I catch Sydney sleeping like this.

 Can you see the white horse and the sheep?

They are not mine.

They are buddies.

They are actually quite popular.

They live on a corrner, and everyone in town knows of them.

I don't know the horse's name nor the people the own them.

But they are pampered and the horse is old.

Still a cutie and I can not drive by without checking on them.

A beautiful Sunrise the other morning.

I think it was Mother Nature 

showing her beauty before

Old Man Winter showed up.

Someone's baaaack!

Who's Dat?

 Star: "Who is visitin' at the neighbors?"

Libby: "They aren't visitin'. They have come back home. They have been gone for a few months."

 Libby: "Can we go play with them?"

Me: "No Libby you can not go play."

There are actually four horses all together, and Libby and Star

were very intent on watching them arrive back home.

I am just glad there is a pasture between them and us.

ICE Storm!

They were predicting SNOW!

4-8" of the pretty white stuff.

INSTEAD

we got ICE!

Lots of it!

 This is our driveway.

We could put ice skates on skate.

I worry sick about Libby and Star

walking on this stuff.

I can hear them as their hoof steps resound in the eerie quiet.

And if it wasn't for these wonderful boots I bought at the coast to walk in the surf with

I would be housebound and the equines would starve!

Instead I make my way out gingerly across the

inch of slick stuff, and feed.

All the while praying that Libby doesn't do anything stupid and slip and fall. 

Because if she did, she would not ever get back up.

My water faucet is safe from the ice due to a good idea by 

7MSN Ranch!

(Click to see)

 I could skate around the shop,

but I might get tripped up on the twigs.

We have Australian Willows planted for shade behind the shop

and I love those trees!

Fast Growing. Very shady.

And my most favorite is:

They do not blow over in a wind storm!

Their only down fall, is they loose small branches 

like most trees loose leaves.

But they are not big enough to do any damage.

Poor Star had Icicles hanging from her face.

Her and Libby did stay in the lean-to most of the time.

At least every time I checked on them they were in there.

All this crappy moisture came from the north and she liked to look outside.

The girls even have trouble

Walking on Water.

The promise of sunshine is on the horizon,

but then another storm is due in by tonight!

A very Crappy Camera!

Back in March of 2010 I purchased a 

Sanyo VPC-S1415 pocket camera

for $89.81 at our local Walmart.

The purpose was to be able to put it in my pocket and

carry it around to take pictures.

On the bike.

Riding Libby.

or just because.....

I have had issues with it off and on since i got it.

Mostly it would just freeze up, and I would have to 

open the battery case and restart it.

Usually I have missed that

"Kodak Moment" by then.

 

Mine is the Pink one.

 I thought it would of lasted more than just a year and a half.

I will NEVER EVER own another SANYO PRODUCT!
Especially after some of the reviews of various Sanyo products I have read on line!
OUCH!

Click here to read some reviews!

I am going to send it back to the company,

IF

I can find an address to send it to!

With a nasty nice little letter of what I think of their product.

Anyway, onto a more delightful subject.

"STAR".

Yes, this little Donkey has hooked me big!

 

 We have been working on desensitizing.

She is afraid of EVERYTHING!

It isn't just being cautious she literally will tense up.

I don't think she has been exposed to very much in her life, which is where this will change.

I plan to take her everywhere that I take Libby, and we have a long road ahead of us.

Everyday, I go to work, and rush right home to run out and play

Donkey games.

(I am open to any ideas on some new games by the way.)

She greets me with her honking....

 You can't see much here, but you sure can hear her!

Music to my ears!

I can now walk up to her, face to face, most of the time, but I can always catch her.

Sometimes I have to wait for her to decide it is a good idea.

She was terrified of my whip, (arm extension) at first.

But now, she will stand and let me rub it all over her, and I use it to guide us on our little pasture walks.

She puts her cute little nose in the halter!

Yesterday we picked up all 4 feet, and cleaned them!

I brushed her thoroughly.  ALL OVER and UNDER!

Of course this goes without saying, that each of these sessions

costs me a pocket full of cookies. 

(Nicker treats)

So, I thought maybe we would go for a walk outside of the pasture.

You know, get a change of scenery....

Star would have NOTHING to do with crossing that gate line!

I am sure that if the gate ever got left open, she will not leave the pasture!

I have kept the "L" part of my pasture fenced off for the past month.

So the other day, I thought I would open it up.

It is the first time Star has been in this part of the pasture.

And as you watch the video,

You will see, 

Libby sees it open...

But she knows it HAS BEEN CLOSED UP!

Last minute thoughts in her head! 

(I apologize for my yelling and the quality of the video. This is also the first time, the dogs, girls have pretty much met Star and her them. Sydney was not being very nice!)

So, now I am on the hunt for a pocket camera

to take lots of pictures of Star and Libby,

and of our Motorcycle rides.

And if you are looking for me, 

check the pasture!

Most days everyday I am out there playing or just hanging with my best friends:

Libby and Star.

(And in case you are wondering, the above photo and video's were taken with 

the "crappy camera" hence the picture and sound quality.)

Trials of First time Donkey Ownership:

What NOT to give your Donkey to play with!

I repeat NOT!

I had 2 of these noodles.

As you can see, I have 1 and 3/4 of them left.

I only had put one in the pasture, thinking Star wanted something to play with.

Both had been in the pasture for months with Libby and Poncho and they never touched them.

So I did not think twice about it.

(Hit self on head, "THINK")

 As I come home the next day, 

I see Star carrying it around and throwing it about.

I "thought" How cute!

Until I went out to pick it up!

 YOWZAAAAAA!

For three days I have been watching her!

Like a HAWK!

The pieces below is all I could find of the missing parts.

As you can see it is not nearly enough to make the thing whole again.

Star has had Diarrhea as you can see in the above picture.

Below is, One of Libby's (the bigger) and One of Star's.

She finally took a normal poop today! YEAH!

I put them side by side for comparison.

As I was doing this, 

Of course Libby, thought they were COOOOKIES!

Till she got a whif!

PeeeUEW!

Then I got to thinking.

I read where Donkey's digest and use up most of what they eat, and their bodies utilize most of the moisture from their grazing...

ummmm....

YEP!

I smelled them!

Star's had no odor whatsoever,

where as Libby's were pretty stinky!

I still did not find any green foam in there, 

but they were nicely shaped,

So I am hoping against hope that 

the foam got digested!

You would think they would make them digestible anyway.

They are for kids,

Anything made for kids, can be eaten!

Right?

I went an bought two traffic cones. 

So far she only sniffed at them.

Yesterday she was very skittish of me, and would not let me touch her.

So I took my bucket and went out into the pasture and SAT!

with my back to her.

Libby stood to the right of me.

I finally saw Star's shadow come up to mine.

She sniffed me all over.

She worked her way to my left.

Finally I looked at her and asked if I could pet her.

Her eyes said yes.

I got my Donkey kisses.

Once I start to pet her, 

she just melts and I can pet her all over.

It is getting that first touch in.

I have been doing the
"Donkey Cram" on the internet.

Trying to learn all there is out there.

I learned that Donkey's REMEMBER things.

They also have a thought process where instead of using the

Flight method like a horse, they will study the situation first.

Star does study a lot.

When I go out to visit with her, 

she will not let me touch her right away.
She shys away from me.

This bothers me.

So I spend a lot of time with my back to her, and let her make the first move.

I know I am the one that took her away from her home.

She might be holding a grudge.

I do not give her chocolate donuts like her other mom did.

Maybe she thinks I don't love her.

So today I went out with Whinny power!

I figured if this doesn't break the ice, 

I would be back at square one!

So off I go, with Two Whinny Cookies in hand.

Of course Libby knew exactly what I had.

I broke them into 4 smaller pieces each.

Makes them last longer.

Star gobbled up each of her 4 pieces.

She could not get enough of them!

I was her best buddy today!

She followed me all around.

She let me pet her right away.

So I got my donkey hugs and kisses today.

 I have found that Star is not very cool with the camera.

She is not sure what it is.

Even though I have let her sniff it.

She does not like the noise it makes.

So I keep snapping pictures,

because if you live here,

you have to learn to be a STAR!

 Libby is a camera hog!

 Star: "Does this thing produce cooookies?"

Libby: "No Star, but I bet she has some extra's in her pockets!"

 Star following me.

 Star still not sure of the camera.

Maybe I will let her see the images next time.

Today I was her best friend.

After a few scratches and pets,

I would turn away and walk.

She would follow.

Yesterday felt like I was loosing the battle.

Today I felt like I made progress with her.

 I love the shadow image.

More handouts?

After I spent about an hour out there,

It was time for me to go in, because I was quite cold.

Star laid down to rest.

I just love the cross on her back!

So in my trial of new Donkey ownership,

I pray that I take good care of her.

I just asked her to guide me along the way.

.

Star Gradeeated....

Star willingly walked up to me today, even got up from napping

to come to me.

So she got lots of pets and rubs.

 "Hey Star: You passed the test!

Do you want to know what your reward is?"

Star: "What a Chocolate Donut?"

"No Star, you get your halter off today!"

 

Star is so mellow!

Such a sweet thing!

And since she is so short, 

I had to get on my knees to take these pictures!

She let me kiss her velvet soft muzzle!

.

Then she had to smell my hair!

 Libby even got a kiss or two.

Then it was time to go out and play in the big pasture.

Star is a bit nervous in the big pasture yet. 

She kept looking up to see where I was.

"Yes, Star. It is ok!

Go play and wander around.

Eat a bit of grass and follow Libby.

She will show you the boundaries."

I sat and watched them for 1/2 hr or so,

In the FREEZING COLD (31 degrees) mind you!

And I will be back out there within the hour, just sitting and watching them.

As cold as it is, I felt warm inside just knowing that 

they have each other.

Star seems to always be on guard.

I don't know if it because she is still not use to all

the different sounds out here or not.

I will give her the winter to settle in, and get use to the routine

around here.

But come Spring, we are going to have lots of adventures!

One other thing I have noticed:

Libby sure wants more attention than she use to!

She is not as standoffish as she use to be.

She could take or leave my company at any time.

Now she HOUNDS me!!!! :))

She can't get enough of "ME"!

Makes my heart sing!