Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year One and All

Well, here we are, another year having whistled by like the proverbial bullet. Odd how the winter months trudge and the summer ones travel at the speed of light. I have a few news items to report on this first day of 2011.

First of all, my dear friend Mosby Horse (senior equine to Emi Human) turns 36 years old today. He is in fine fettle, still leaping and frolicing about his paddock and still very much in charge of his harem of older horse ladies. He is receiving lots of congratulatory cards; ours features a fortune-telling ape of some sort and was chosen by Doc. Doc was driven over there yesterday to use their large indoor riding room for two months and he was chanting "Partaaaay, partaaaay, wooooo!" as he drove away so I can only hope Mosby is prepared.

Our friend Laurel, who volunteers at PrimRose, took some photographic imprints of O'Sullivan and Simon in their new and colourful coats so you could see just how stylish they look. We believe Simon's to be a Black Watch pattern and O'Sullivan's to be a window pane design. They are both inordinately pleased.

I wish you all a very happy and healthy year to come, with lots of empty calories and warm sunshine, free of burrs and full of Stud Muffins.

14 comments:

billie said...

Look at those handsome blankets on even more handsome donkeys!

Happy New Year to you Sheaffer, and to your entire clan.

I have a completely off the wall question. I noticed yesterday that both R&R have lovely normal donkey tails. And then dangling down to their very heels a very stringy piece of tail that simply looks... odd.

I have never trimmed their tails since they came to live with us, although I do trim horse tails at least a few times a year.

Does The Woman trim yours? What do you think is the proper donkey tail etiquette? I don't want to remove any useful piece of equipment, but otoh, these longer stringy pieces really don't look very ... shall we say, sporting...!

Gazelle said...

CONGRATULATIONS to Mosby ! I hope you got lots and lots of cards and carrots on the occasion of your 36 Years Young Birthday.

And Thank You Laurel for your fine pics of the two well-dressed Donkey gentlemen. They do look very stylish ... and comfortable.

ponymaid said...

Billie, thank you very much indeed for your good wishes. On the tail "front" I must admit myself to be perplexed. I have seen these wispy appendeges on other donkeys - my own tail was so gnawed by a naughty young donkey years ago that I have an abbreviated version at best. I suspect that, donkeys being of desert origin, the tail wisp is meant as a fly deterrent. Or may be a splendid example of a simple and elegent embelishment. Like the figurehead on a ship, but on the other end.

ponymaid said...

Gazelle, Mosby continues to astonish us all. His zest for life is unparalleled and his eye for the ladies as sharp as ever. I had chosen a tasteful, Edwardian era card for him but no, Doc chose the one with the monkey fortune teller in a gold foil turban and that was that. It predicts much good luck for him in the coming year - or lots of bananas...sigh.

billie said...

Sheaffer, these wispy pieces do have the look of a sort of "whip" - I think I will leave them as they are and see how R&R use them as we move back toward summer and flies.

The wispy part seems to twirl itself into one solid piece, which I can imagine would hurt if one got swished by it - they tend to only swish their tails at one another while playing though, so I will let them sort it out. :0

BumbleVee said...

Happy New Year Sheaffer!! Here's to a good year for us all...

love the pics of the stylish new coats... they do indeed seem pleased with their lovely warm covers....

Hahahah.... sounds like Doc and ol' Mosby will have a partaaay over there alright! But, whoa.... it could get old after a few months dontcha think? Yep..poor Mosby... he'll need a rest when Doc comes back home.

Dougie Donk said...

A belated Happy New Year from Scotland, which seems to have been afflicted by the bugs from your side of the pond - at least, our woman has also been unwell & wheezing.

I fully concur about the Black Watch pattern on Simon's rug - please tell him we have similarly dashing tate!

I am a little unsure as to O'Sullivan's tartan; but think it resembles the recently designed pattern for the Scottish Rugby Union. Since they are all big strapping lads, O'Sullivan is also in fine company :))

ponymaid said...

Billie, how I envy your two lads their luxuriant tail extensions. I would feel quite empowered by that extra twisty, whip bit to thrash around...

ponymaid said...

Oh Vee, Doc is having such a lovely time that we fear he may be sent home early. He's very, ahhhhh, enthusiastic about life in general and very excited about the Mosby birthday event. This may age Mosby more than his first thirty six years...

ponymaid said...

Dougie, has your woman been a shade of nile green? If so, then it's the same bug. Quite revolting. O'Sullivan is ecstatic at the news that he may be sporting the colours of the Scottish Rugby Union. He keeps his coat very clean whereas, Simon, being very young, gives his a tad more wear and tear.

completecare said...

Hi Sheaffer,

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and all your family, friends and bloggers.

What great news to hear that Mosby has made it to 36 and is still enjoying "life" with the ladies. We have an elderly gentleman here who turned 36 on January 1st but we had to wait a few days before we could celebrate the momentous event. The old lad coliced on New Years Eve. His personal health care specialist had to make an emergency visit. The vet worked his magic and now Sting, like Mosby, is full of the joys of spring. It was certainly a relief when things started to "work" again. We donkeys, stood quietly and watched the procedings with heavy hearts but now all is well. Sting can party to his heart's content.

Your fan,

Willy

ponymaid said...

Willy, I hear that Sting is quite the old charmer and am very pleased that he is feeling sprightly again. It's always a good idea to keep an eagle/donkey eye on those vet creatures. We send you all our best wishes for a wonderful year to come.

Buddy said...

Happy Birthday Mosby - since I don't have a birth date mom and I celebrate on January 1st as well. I'm now 15 years old.

Tell your woman to check you email - mom sent you and Miss Molly a photo of me and all the snow we got yesterday - yes snow in the desert!

Happy New Year to ALL!!!

Your fren,

ponymaid said...

Buddy, this is just terrible! Your paddock looks exactly like ours right now. What have they done with your desert? Get yourself into the house asap.