After The Storm

 After a night of fierce thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and damaging winds, we rose yesterday to the sun's rays peeking through a transitional, purple, cottonball-cloudy sky.  Abundant birdsong filled the scrubbed-clean air above a soggy earth begging for the sun to work some drying magic.

We opened the gate to the front pasture and let the horses and donkeys wander and graze for a couple hours.  

Moonie and Red were quiet yesterday - no obvious signs that they were searching for Ollie.  They seem to sense he is gone. 

 I honestly believe that animals have the ability to see a soul take flight... released from its earthly shell - given freedom upon the wind.

A new day - peaceful and beautiful thanks to the magic of springtime with its abundant new beginnings.

As the horses and donkeys made their way through the gate into the front pasture, Ginger pushed her way past them... headed to the barn in search of breakfast.  She structures her days around mealtimes. 

 No matter what is happening around her, she never misses a meal!  We do insist, however, that she eat her chow out in the pasture, and so I carry her bowl low to the ground so that she can smell its contents.  She willingly follows me.  After eating her chow, she wanders down to where the horses are grazing and spends the rest of the morning in close proximity to them.

Seeing me out taking photos, she wanders over - a little piggy smile on her face -

then plops down on her side demanding a belly rub.  

I love how comfortable all of our animals are with each other!

You may wonder where Faith, our sheep is during all of this.  Faith patiently waits next to the pig house, in the pig yard awaiting her bowl of chow.  Later in the day, she, too, heads out into the front pasture.  But, in the mornings she is in no hurry.  And yes, it's time to get rid of that winter sweater... it's shearing time!

Elsewhere... this - and for some strange reason, yesterday, Forrest thought that humping a cat was appropriate.  He was quickly corrected!

I spent the rest of the morning scrubbing our front porch.  It's a yearly task - removing the greenish stains from mildew, algae, moss, and lichen that grow so easily in our very humid environment.  It's a job that requires a lot of elbow grease as I scrub and hose, scrub and hose.  Naturally, Forrest is all in for the hose part - not so much help with the scrubbing, however!

Meanwhile, Jack managed this situation.  We have lost far too many trees to wind storms this year.  I fear that with these fierce storms of climate change, this may be a new normal.

Thank you for all of the love you sent in honor of our little Ollie.

❤️