coffee !! one of the best reasons to get up in the morning..other than that.......
***
janine's donkey derby was good fun... the donkeys-- all pretty wild from the slaughter pens- could not have behaved better-- or i should say more safely.... they all had teh comfortably bewildered attitude-- ther was a prof photographer there... and we will have pictures-- i hope one of the 2 kids one donkey trying to "race" with the older daughteer in front and a 5 year old little girl in the rear --- in a tutu-- pushing- and th donk just mincing along...
and then ther was mo-- in full work harness like she was ready to plow a field, with a 20 foot thick cotton rope held by "24 young kids-- with janine drivinGe... she walked off maybe 10 feet dragging the kids onto the grass --- she did that 3 times as the tug of war group changed-- and did well-- the 4th time she found out that by backing up, the game was over... mules are clever... i am not sure we can do that aGAIN WITHOUT SOME PROVISION TO DEAL WITH HER BACKING UP. THERE IOS A PICTURE ON JANINE'S FACEBOOK PAGE-- NOTE THE PHOTO THAT WANDA IS AT THE END OF THE ROPE TOO.
THE CROWD HAD IT RIGHT-- MANY WOMEN HAD ON LONG DRESSES AND FUNNY "DERBY HATS" WHILE OTHER WOMEN HAD BLUE JEANS AND FUNNY DERBY HATS ALSO...
****
FROM JANINE Tug-of-War - Moe against a small herd of children. Moe won effortlessly three times before she decided it was time to let the kids win. On the 4th attempt, she let the KIDS pull her backwards - despite Marianne Speranza-Hartmannencouraging her with a bucket of grain and me shouting for her to go forward, she backed up through the cones to let the kids win. SERIOUSLY! Mules really are amazing.
****
These women and all the ERN volunteers were the BEST today. Not often are my expectations exceeded...but so many people worked very hard to make the #DONKEYDERBY successful - with so much going WRONG in the world, it is so inspiring when people come together to help make it RIGHT. Thank you Torie Palm Judy Tighe Joan Baron Flink Peter White David Kaupp @ Scott McLaughlin Scott Ryder Marianne Speranza-Hartmann Carlene White Wendy Willis and everyone else who showed up to help Equine Rescue Networkmake a difference. Rescuing donkeys is HARD but the Donkey Derby today was very fun.
****
THE EDUCATIONAL BIT....
WHY IS THAT TOENAIL BLACK? I LOVE QUESTIONS LIKE THAT.. ONLY BECAUSE I KNOW TEH ANSWER... IT IS ALL THESE "HOW MANY ANGELS ON THE HEAD OF A PIN" TYPE QUESTIONS THAT DRIVE ME BATTY.
TOENAIL IS BLACK BECAUSE THE SKIN/NAILBED IS BLACK... IF IT WAS WHITE THE TOENAIL WOULD BE PINK...
WHERE DIES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE..?? CUTTING TEH BLACK TOENAILS CAN B RICKY BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT SEE THE "LIVE QUICK" PART..
OTHER THAN THAT-- THIS BIT IS THE SAME WITH HORSES.... THE BUDWEISER HITCH ALL HAVE WHITE LEGS AND PINK HOOVES... IT IS ALSO A FACT THAT BLACK HOOVES ARE STRONGER... LESS INCLINED TO BREAK UP-- BUDWEISER HAS A 5 ACRE FIELD OF MUD FOR HORSES TO STAND IN WHEN THERI HOOVES CRACK.
****
other than the explore cameras, we now have several more that record photo and sound.. we also have a camera person... who is donating an industrial sound analyzer- so we are wired !!- might be interesting if any of you who are up at what is night around here like 1 to 6am US eastern time... finland??? germany???--- australia??? that could keep the computer on and just note any noises--or silence -- bark or cars or roosters etc -- we have 3 months of daily-- which is interesting...just send an email .. like this???
Noise report, June 21
1:24 am Start, all quiet.
4:15 - 6:00 am Rooster crowing, intermittent.
4:59 - 5:02 am Play barking inside the barn.
5:46 am One dog, several barks, not camera kennels.
5:52 am One dog, one bark in the distance.
6:00 am End.
there are enough of you so that even one night would porobably go together like a puzzle.
