For the love of a Donkey!

Her name is Tonic. As is Gin and...She is now about 9 yrs. old. She loves anything and everything to eat which is why she has to be kept in a special lot without grass and only hay and small amounts of grain. It's a condition called founder, which causes lameness, in her case, in her back feet. But with proper care she gets along fine. And I do not give my horses/donkey/pony treats but Tonic loves a slice of plain white bread. You see the old man we bought her from was very poor and he could only afford to feed her stale bread. Which because of the high starch unfortunately led to the foot problem. but she loved him and he her, and she loves, loves, loves, a slice of white bread! SO ...once in a blue moon, a very blue moon I will give her a slice. She is a true donkey! She will only go where she intends to go, loading her on a trailer to move her here was truly a challenge, even feeding her is a game. If you do not place it directly in front of her she will bray until you give in. now I am not a soft hearted, horse spoiler. I have successfully trained my own show horses all my life and am very disicplined with them. Donkeys don't think like a horse, they don't respond like a horse. You have to make them think it was their idea....not yours...to even take a step...try to force them, or correct them and you are in for the battle of you life!

So Tonic has trained me on how to train her. And all for the love of a donkey!

Vines of Time

Time has taken its toll on me physically, sometimes just like this old house caught in the grip of nature's vines. But mentally, I still find my youth and wish for things I did in my past. Here in Mathews I hope to find the time ,,, and strength of body and/or will to do some of those things.
I got art books for Christmas from my husband...how to books...I use to dabble with painting and drawing. I want to dabble again. I am finding my love of photography again. Thanks to Mathews scenic vistas and an yet unmet friend who has me hunting down old houses!
We were driving down rt 14 and there were 3 riders with their horses out for a brisk ride on the side of the road, one rider with a santa hat over his helmet! It's been a long time since I have ridden my horse.
Time is not a friend to us in our house hunting endeavors. Seems we are picking difficult houses to finance, but then our finances dictate we pick the difficult ones because we need land for the horses. For the first time in my life I have considered selling the horses. Mike immediately stopped that train of thought saying he wasn't going to visit me in "Catawba" an old mental hospital in the mountains we just left! He's right...being a husband I try not to say that too often!! this time away from them, only a month, and I feel like that old house, choked with vines, part of me is missing.
Maybe time will pass quickly and the New Year will bring a new home and my horses back to me, and maybe some lost talent from my childhood.