STAYING BUSY..........!!!!!!!!

This is Cisco, he has been here since the beginning.  I didn't realize how white his face is getting until I saw Linda's picture.

 Still not really sure what keeps us busy all the time, but it seems to be working just fine.........!!  LOL  We've had a lot of tours lately, this is a good time because it's still fairly cool and we haven't had to put fly masks on everyone yet.  Just the ones that have allergies, or are fly magnets, I think there are 4 with masks on so far.  Quilla has stockings on his legs already.  They were getting bloody from the sun, because we still don't have many flies.  The ones that are here, seem to be attracted to my fly traps, which is good.  

Yesterday we had Janice come out to groom and Barbara came out to do energy healing on the ones that have problems with pain or arthritis or something like that.  She worked on Gus, Cisco and little Cheyenne and even worked on my toe.  I was surprised at the difference it made.  I hope the donkeys had a good experience too.  

Janice hadn't been out for quite awhile, so we had to catch up on what had been going on in our lives.  Most of the donkeys really enjoy being brushed, she even brushed on Penny.  Barbara might be out again this week, with a friend.  

We really appreciate when people want to work with the donkeys and come out to interact with them.  It's good for the donkeys and I think probably good for the people too.  Actually Lynn and Linda have been working with Tula and brushing.  Tula is so distrustful of humans that it's really hard for her to allow people that far into her space.  Linda started taking a brush and even uses different brushes each time, so Tula won't freak is a different brush shows up.  Linda has worked up to about 20 strokes on one side.  She always breaks away before Tula can't stand it anymore.  Now Linda has to work on the other side.  Equines are left and right brained, just because you do something on one side doesn't mean the other side will get the same reaction.   So Lynn is now doing the 1st side and Linda is doing the other side.  They are both so good with the animals, so patient.  They'll be going home in about a month unfortunately.....!!!   LOL  I know they have a life, but we're really going to miss them.

Actually we might get in one more parade before they leave.  I think it's the 9th of April, and it's a pet parade in Tombstone.  Leddy and Turbo need to get comfortable with being hauled and going into new situations if they are going to be participating in Burro races in Colorado this summer.  So this will be another opportunity to get them out in public.  Actually Leddy was in the St. Patrick's Day parade and took it all in stride.  But, Turbo needs to find out there is a whole big world out there to see.  He is really very mellow and easy to work with, so it shouldn't be a problem.  But he is just a big baby, he won't be 3 years old until May and mammoths don't mature until 6-7 years, even though he's already a big boy.  He really likes running with Lynn, so I think they are going to be a good team for racing. 

Since it is at Easter time, Linda wants to do an Easter theme.  The donkeys already have big ears, so I think they are going to be BIG, HUGE bunnies, complete with fluffy tail.  She wanted to do some of our donkeys too, but I think this time we'll just go with two, John and I can be the helpers if needed.  Our guys don't need to learn to be out in public. 

Frijolita "posing", I hope she wasn't eating cactus..!!   Actually she was probably checking to see if Linda had a cookie in her pocket....!!!  LOL

The 3 new boys settled right in to the routine, and are usually the 1st ones in their pen at feeding time.  Don't want to miss getting fed I guess.....!!  Shaggy Bill and Smokey Joe both had 2 names, but Don didn't..............so..........he is now Don Juan.....well, at least while they are here.........!!!

Smoky Joe the smallest one is actually in charge, at least he seems to think he is.  He also seems to think the feed is all his if he wants it.  We've pretty well figured out the problems and it's actually going pretty good.

I think that's Shaggy Bill  with Smokey Joe behind him the 1st day they were here.  The 2 roans are hard to tell apart unless you can see their manes.  Shaggy Bill has an actual mane and Don Juan has an upright roached mane.

Wednesday John's cousin Tim is suppose to fly thru with a few of his friends, they are doing a motorcycle road trip from California to somewhere.  I haven't seen Tim since 1982, when he and John were both stationed at Holloman AFB, at Alamogordo NM.  John has been back to Indiana to family reunions a few times since then, but I stayed home to take care of the donkeys.

A good friend asked if we could haul 4 large geese for her Wed.  It never fails if we have something to do, something else just as important will come up.  Lynn and Linda said they will haul geese.  I don't know if they know what they are getting into or not.  LOL   Geese can be formidable opponents if they want to be.  The plan of attack is to haul them in the stock trailer from Florence half way to Phoenix to half way between Benson and Sierra Vista.

Nine years ago, Teresa took in a number of chickens, ducks and geese, when one of our neighbor's died and her animals needed to be rehomed.  All she has left is one male goose and he is lonely, so she found someone that needs to rehome 4 females.  There was also a pot bellied pig named Fred that ended up with a woman that works at the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary north of Tucson and he's still kicking too.  Anyway Teresa wanted Mr. Goose to have a harem, so Lynn and Linda are going to make it happen.   While they are delivering geese, they can visit with 2 mini mules that Teresa adopted from us years ago.  Jack and Molly, became Jack and Jill because Teresa already had a pot bellied pig named Molly.