Happy Birthday!

If you read yesterday's post,

you saw a couple of photos of these two...

I love trans-species relationships

and have taken a lot of time to try to foster them.

Every source that I have read claims that donkeys and dogs are natural enemies...

that donkeys see them as predators.

What I have found, however, is that donkeys have the ability to learn

to trust our canine friends.

I always insist in the dogs treating the donkeys with great respect.

And for the most part the donkeys have come to tolerate the dogs.

Annie, being the newest, keeps her distance.

As long as she is far enough away, she relaxes in their yard.

Yesterday I sat with the donkeys for a while in the afternoon.

As usual, they were all over me.

Heads in my lap...

Nibbles on my jacket...

my hood...

(Oh...I forgot to tell you...I got my hair cut!)

At one point, Annie got up enough nerve to come over to us.

And while the donkeys were occupied in my lap,

she gathered up all of her courage and sniffed Daphne's tail end.

Satisfied, she found a safe spot and took a little nap.

"Is that the faint odor of donkey in the air?"

I finished painting the new farm sign...

It will need a few more coats of marine polyurethane to keep it safe from weather.

Today is my birthday.

My 40th... at least that's what my Mom says (every year!).

I am sure that there is a mis-print on my birth certificate,

because I sure don't feel as old as it says I am.

Regardless, one thing that makes today special is that I share it with my oldest and dearest friend.

Happy Birthday Laurie!...may we share many more!