Friday, April 18, 2008

Sprung Upon by Spring

This was the epitomy of a perfect spring day. The grass is up enough for us to snack on and the temperature was just right. Though I do enjoy those days referred to as "scorchers".

I took the woman for a constitutional around the property this morning . My goal is to give her an airing out more often this summer and this seemed an ideal day to start. We took the route through the forest, where the stream has a very long green bridge over it. It's much longer than the one that bucked the woman off. Since that incident I've become very wary of green bridges so I stood at one side and examined it for a long time. Finally, I gathered all my strength and made an enormous bound over the entire stream. thereby avoiding the bridge altogether. The woman was quite amazed and said it was at least seven or eight feet. I don't know why she was so surprised - my rather portly exterior hides the heart of a track and field athlete.

This afternoon she rode Doc for the first time since TJ moved in. He was what the brits call "gob smacked" - absolutely incredulous and horrified. His eyes bulged, his nostrils quivered and he said "The maniak's tryin' ta killin him." He assumed she had put some sort of curse or spell on Doc and that was why he walked in circles with her on his back. TJ's agitation grew too great and he hurled himself on Doc so violently that both his front legs ended up on one side of Doc's neck with the rest of his body on the other, back legs pedalling along furiously while he tried to work out how to save him. Twice the woman stopped Doc and gently pushed TJ down, trying to reassure him all was well. TJ said, "He's a goner, she finally kilt him." Eventually the truth began to dawn on him and he calmed down enough to merely gyrate on the spot.

The machinery from the farm across the road is out in all it's maginficence and that fills me with a wonderful sense of satisfaction. I have a busy summer of supervising and potato counting ahead of me. I know I am up to the job.

6 comments:

OzArab said...

I'm very glad that your needs are being met so appropriately. Us equids really needs humans to pay us proper respect. Over here the weather is cooling down at night. Very pleasant during the day. My human keeps muttering about lack of rain and having to buy hay. I guess when there is green grass there is usually mud to go along with it. Not very fond of the mud but I wouldn't mind some green grass. It's been dry and brown for ages.

Today my human was trying to tell me about a donkey she visited yesterday. Naturally I thought of you and insisted she place a picture of the noble creature on the internet thingy for your perusal.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21742944@N05/2424333733/

Merry
(She as muttering something about a *bath* for me tomorrow. I might have to change her mind...)

billie said...

Rafer Johnson sends his regards!

We had a 93-degree day yesterday, but today seems more normal for the season. Rafer Johnson decided not to go out in the front field with the geldings and he and Salina (our mare) are grazing in the barnyard instead, with full access to the barn aisle and the wheelbarrow full of muck. For some reason Rafer likes to stand between the handles as if he's going to push the wheelbarrow down the hill for me.

Enjoy the big machines!

the7msn said...

TJ, we wish your human had video camera so we could watch you on YouTube. You crack us up.
George and Alan

robert5721 said...

sheaffer,
yeah, the grass and the trees are greening up real good here too....looks like it might be a good year here if we continue to get rain..smile..tater counting sounds like fun, but we don't grow them around here much..
enjoy the weather!!
Mr Gale

Gale said...

Bravo, Sheaffer! One giant leap for Donkeydom! You and your woman certainly have some wondrous places for Royal Progress walks. I learned long ago never to underestimate the athletic prowess of donkeys.

After reading about TJ's reaction to Doc's ride, I went on a search for mini mule videos (see your previous post). Perhaps you, Doc, and Molly can watch them with TJ and inspire him to greater things than trying to ride double with the woman.

Of course, whenever I watch YouTube, I find surprises. So here is one just for you:

"Donkeys Aren't Allowed to Vote"
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfa_zG07los&feature=related

Time to get to work on this, Sheaffer. Your talents would be wasted counting potatos.

ponymaid said...

Merry, those bath ordeals are to be avoided at all costs. The donkey you photographed is quite magnificent and I especially like the hot, dry background. Remember -water bath bad - dust bath good.

billie, 93 degrees sounds quite nice but I know some equines prefer their temps a bit less like hades. Clever, clever Rafer - he has seen you pushing the wheelbarrow and wishes to do the same - it's most discouraging not having hands.

George and Alan - the YouTube thingy sounds intriguing but I'm afraid herself is possibly the most technologically challenged human on earth. I once had to point out the ON button on our clippers...

Mr. Gale, last year I got up around the million mark counting potatoes and then suddently the last one was hauled inside. I felt so empty inside.

Gale - we're not allowed to vote?? How utterly shocking. The finest brains in the mammalian world and our voices are silenced. We watched the video link twice to figure out if it was a jest - we rather think it was on account of the hat - but you just never know.I thought the man made a good point - why aren't we allowed in legislatures? We never get drunk and hurl insults or spend government money at "Fifi's House of Delights" or rent helicopters to commute to naughty weekends. I chalk it all up to jealousy in high places.