tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81993076826840614032024-03-05T09:08:13.895-08:00Home at Last SanctuaryDonna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.comBlogger645125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-42406147044487789602012-05-16T07:28:00.000-07:002012-05-16T07:28:55.115-07:00Let the digging begin!...From Jim: This morning Don, our good next door neighbor will bring his serious-big backhoe over and start digging the drainage for the upper barn! Hurray! The barn flooded several times this last winter during some of the biblical downpours-like 6 to 10 inches and hour. The current drainage was just overwhelmed. Don is a blessing. Dr. Darling will be here again today. There are a bunch of critters that need floats and we still have a few that have reached their time and will be getting their wings. Babe, our POA, and Cash, an OTT will be a last act of kindness today. They are now so old and so frail. We have loved both of them and I'll dedicate a whole blog to telling their stories. The sanctuary promises the animals that their welfare is the prime concern and that places the burden on us to do the right thing for them. We never like it and will never get used to it, but we will always honor our responsibility to the wonderful creatures. Thank Goodness for Dr. Darling. His wise and knowing counsel makes our difficult choices bearable. I hope you had a chance to read yesterday's blog. As I grow older, I realize that I don't know a lot, but I do know a few things. I know that we need to live our lives to fullest, everyday, all of the time. There's a limit on our time here. We need to make the most of every moment. I hope you have a wonderful and joyful day, full of the wonder and surprizes that are waiting just around the corner. Oh, and love on your critters. Those are good moments for sure!Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-67731540683033885852012-05-15T08:33:00.000-07:002012-05-15T08:43:36.313-07:00Life...From Jim: Yesterday was a hard day. It was jam packed with things that had to be done. It was Quest's time and that was really tough. It was a day to celebrate the little ones from the school that came to learn about the sanctuary and about our critters. There was a lot of hard work that had to get done so than the backhoe could get at the drainage work for the barn. Many fences that had to get moved and rebuilt. It was a school board meeting day-a chance to give back and insure that the kids would have a strong place to receive their education. It was really OK when it came time to put our heads on the pillow. And, today, we got up and got at the chores and took care of the herd-food and water and the odd pet or scratch or pat on the nose. Banjo, in particular, needed his pretty face rubbed. Juan asked to be in his "special" turn out, where he can spend his day eating and dozing in the shade of a big old oak tree. The modified goat pen needed some shoring up, as goats tend to leak through fences. Gotta love em! It'll be a little cooler today. That's a nice change. The sky is glorious and blue and beautiful. We're going to lunch with some really dear friends. Life will flow along. The art of being in the moment is always a work in progress. Worry and regrets and second guessing are the thieves of our present. We fret about the future and bury our now in the past. It's easy to do and such a waste. Life is about living and being in touch. It's about standing on the edge, not leaning back or forward too much. Our equine friends are so very good at sharing this with us. They accept what is and move forward. Their days are filled with living. They seek peace and know how to enjoy the content of their days. Yep! Yesterday was a hard day and that's really and truly OK. It was the day we had been given and we're grateful for it. Hope your day is wonderful and peaceful and joyful! Hope your heart sings!Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-39379426526337025142012-05-14T20:04:00.001-07:002012-05-14T20:04:43.900-07:00Good Bye Quest...From Jim: Quest was a big leapard Appalousa. He was Donna's horse and a great old friend to both of us. He had quite a story. He had been a string horse and was attacked by a mountain lion. The big cat ripped his withers open clear to the bone. The wings of his vertabrae were exposed and the wound gaped open by many inches. The folks that were running the dude string gave up on him and were going to shoot him. He was rescued and, with a lot of care and attention, recovered. Even the 4 or 5 inches of his mane that had been ripped out grew back in. Quest had been born with a moon eye on his off side. He never let that bother him. He was a good mannered trail horse with a good fast walk. The most remarkable thing about Quest was that he wanted a home, a person of his own, a chance to be someone's very own. He sure got that with Donna. As he grew older, he enjoyed being groomed and petted. He would spend lots of time napping and hated to be awakened. I woke him one time and for a week he would turn his back on me everytime he saw me. He had a temper. A while back, as he got into his late 20's, it was harder to keep his weight on. We moved him to the front yard and feed him senior equine 3 times a day and still his weight would fall off. Saturday morning he was standing in his stall, wouldn't eat or drink, but didn't show any signs of colic. Maybe a bad tooth? Maybe a choke? A virus? By Monday morning it was time to call the vet. Dr. Darling thought is was bad, but there might be chance if it was a massive choke and could be pushed on through. The tubing was really abnormal, like nothing we had ever seen. We've tubed many many critters. This was way different. Then chunks of the tumor came back when the fluid returned. Quest"s stomach was blocked off by a mass. Probably had been growing for some time and finally, the blockage was complete. There was nothing to do but let our old friend have peace and end the pain and suffering he was feeling. We had Quester for 7 years. He had the home and the person he wanted and he was a true pet and part of our family. See you at the rainbow bridge old boy. See you again.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-22624852743370524912012-05-13T06:01:00.001-07:002012-05-13T14:15:52.077-07:00Posey and Sugar Pie...From Jim: Here, at Home At Last, we love longears. These donkey/horse hybrids are pretty amazing and wonderful critters. Two of ours are miniatures-Posey, a mini-mule, and Sugar Pie, a mini-hinney. They're both mollys and both gunmetal duns. They're each very special in their own way. Sugar Pie was rescued from a local mountain community where she had been abandoned and survived with her friend, mini-mule Maggie, by going feral. As you can imagine, this was a tough time of life for this little critter. She did not exactly find our kind to be trustworthy or even very useful. Maggie, who got her wings at 45 years of age, was even more suspicious of twoleggeds. They were a pair for sure. As the years went by, Sugar Pie slowly came to understand that at least some twoleggeds were "OK", if not great. She made good friends with Gracie and is part of a small herd of longears and horses. One member of that herd is Posey. This little girl suffered more than abandonment. She was abused, beaten in the face with a coiled rope while a grown man forced her to spin like a reiner. Like most mules, maybe all mules, abuse is often a one way street. Mules are about self-preservation, not a bad trait. It can result in a mistrust of people that can, and often is, impossible to overcome. At the sanctuary, we never force the issue by putting a frightened and untrusting animal in a pen and "desensitizing" them. I'm pretty sure with a mule that would be a waste of time anyway. Nope, we put them with a herd, at liberty, and offer them friendship when opportunities come around. It can take years and may never happen. For them, sanctuary means being left alone by our kind. We respect that. Posey and Sugar are friends. Posey has a lot of equine friends and moves from herd to herd. Fences for her are about like they are for most mules-somewhat of a nuisance, but no big problem. We love our Posey girl for her willingness to just get on with it and have a good life. She has come to tolerate us and knows she won't be chased or cornered, but has no use for contact. We've caught her only for necessary vet care, shots and all. You see this is her sanctuary which we share with her, not ours. There is never an expectation that critters here will do anything but be themselves. We would be happy to see Posey master her "demons", but it sure isn't a requirement. There's no calender in play and no timeline or fixed set of goals. There's just the flow of life and what it brings. So Sugar Pie has learned that getting petted is a fine thing to do and Posey wants no part of it. Well, alrighty then. We love them both for who they are and for the certainty that they are the very best critter they know how to be. How many of us can say that about ourselves? Posey and Sugar Pie are just fine here at Home At Last. Just the way they should be. Oh! and go love on your critters, they either were or had mothers and need to celebrate!Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-46040933918544443372012-05-12T08:43:00.001-07:002012-05-12T08:43:20.081-07:00Thoroughbreds and Mules...From Jim: We have some really high-tone thoroughbreds at the sanctuary. One of our boys was training up for the Rolex when he was injured. Another permanently registered with the Breeders' Cup. Still others that were highend dressage critters. We also have some wildy mules that were put on the ground, but never trained. Two are a pair of molleys that are Bacshir crosses-curly horse mules. Now the reason they are mentioned in touching sentences is because they've formed a bond-mule to T-bred, T-bred to mule that's pretty remarkable. Our two big old T-bred geldings, Pedro and Marny are the apple of Tawny and Tango's eyes. They find the same devotion returned by their boys. Another of our T-breds, Teddy, hangs with Toby, the Kiger mule. Our Standardbreds have Wild Bill, another Kiger mule, as a stablemate. Our Hackney pony, Sweety Pie, is great friends with Lady Bug, a Hackney mule. And Jake, our Brabant Belgian is a very close friend with Tucker, our Appie mule. These friendships, however, are not the same as the closeness that Pedro, Marny, Tawny and Tango share. At the sanctuary, we try to always respect the friendships that form within the herd. We are very careful to not separate pals. Sometimes we even need to bring a friend along for a vet call or farrier work. That can be a trick when part of the pair is a wildy mule! Separation anxiety can be a training issue for horses that have work to do, but here the animals are allowed to just be themselves. Their days are their own. We have experienced an almost universal response from folks that visit the sanctuary. "The animals are so peaceful". "They're so calm and gentle". "They get along so well". It's true. We manage the subsets of the herd to keep the aggression levels balanced. We're careful about space for all of the critters to freely move about. We make sure there's food in abundance. And, we care about their peace of mind and emotional well being. Seems pretty straight forward to us. We believe that sanctuary is a state of mind. Peace, security, friendship, kindness, and love are all part of it, but as a wise man once said, "The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts". A state of sanctuary is a nice place to park your mind. Oh, and go love on your critters! You'll like where your mind finds itself.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-79752157300868272562012-05-11T10:03:00.000-07:002012-05-11T14:46:49.360-07:00New Hay! Layed down and ready to bale...From Jim: Gotta get hay tommorow. It'll be the last of last year's. We went through 5500 bales. There was none to spare and the back wall of the barn is showing pretty much side to side and top to bottom. The new hay looks really good. Our late winter rains and Lyle's extra shot of fertilizer worked wonders. There's something comforting about the May cutting and baling of the next year's hay. It's another of those cycles that fill in the patterns and routines at the sanctuary. The back wall of the big hay barn will disappear for another year and by the time we see it again there will be all of the changes that are sure to come with the passing of the months. We'll set aside the very best hay for the winter months. Anything that's not just perfect will be used right away. Some of the hay that was cut to make way for the swather will bale up a little loose and be fed during the next few weeks. The harrow-bed will most likely be in the way when I pull in to get a load and squares of hay will be sitting here and there until the squeeze can put them to bed in the barn. We use a square every 5 days. That's 12 bales a day on average. We'll hold back 4500 bales this year. The herd is down some. We have some critters in foster care at really great homes and a number of our very senior animals got their wings this Spring. Their days of smelling the sweet aroma of new hay have come to an end. But, the cutting and baling of new hay is about life and the joy of living. It is another expression of the promise the sanctuary has made to the critters. Not tomorrow, but the next load will be new hay. It'll be hay that was headed up, loose and maybe a weed or two, but it'll be new hay...the start of another cycle. I like that!Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-74517549085820324542012-05-11T05:51:00.002-07:002012-05-11T06:03:05.934-07:00Return of the Blog...Sort of...We've been off this blog for sometime now. The new blog, that was part of our new webpage, decided to have an issue and doesn't function right now. I will try to use this venue until the newer blog is repaired. We'll see. This has been a very challenging time for the sanctuary. Winter was late, wet, and intense. We're still working on repairing the damage. Also, the demographics of the herd meant that we've faced a number of euthanasias recently. That's always really hard. We miss our old friends, even knowing that they were no longer enjoying life. We still have more to ahead of us this year. The efforts to gather the necessary funds for Dunny's eye surgery has been both uplifting and frustrating. $5000 is a lot of money and it's going to take awhile to gather it up. On the other hand, the days go by for us and for Dunny and we work to get donations and he still can't see. The generous folks that have sent gifts lift our hearts. The time it's taking is a test of our patience. Oh Well! We'll not give in or give up. Dunny's eyes are just too important. If this "make-do" blog will work, I'll try to get back to a regular edition. Because it's no longer supported by our browser, I can't spell check or print pictures. That will have to wait for the blog to get back into service. Thanks again for all of your support, both financially and emotionally. We sure appreciate it!Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-15258277149339460432012-04-27T09:27:00.000-07:002012-05-11T05:54:45.190-07:00Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-29428899317741859302012-04-26T05:59:00.000-07:002012-05-11T05:56:42.412-07:00Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-5402815458406339842012-04-23T09:38:00.004-07:002012-05-11T05:58:40.695-07:00Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-61523842273667114762012-04-18T10:31:00.002-07:002012-04-18T10:54:23.911-07:00Dump Day...Recycle Day...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MxUXSMJ2irlHaTrjRZ2Z-TBghjnlxOr1siBdKZv-0w55pddqjscRybbCV5BU6_jFCGfFnaB99DmURwwlt_BJD59GDl9jVtCdaKwfh7zhcCab3XgELenp-LoXo6Y_8x-DUgzREc3xbgUd/s1600/6-17-11+015.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732800580793223298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MxUXSMJ2irlHaTrjRZ2Z-TBghjnlxOr1siBdKZv-0w55pddqjscRybbCV5BU6_jFCGfFnaB99DmURwwlt_BJD59GDl9jVtCdaKwfh7zhcCab3XgELenp-LoXo6Y_8x-DUgzREc3xbgUd/s400/6-17-11+015.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>From Jim: The white Ford pickup is loaded with trash and recycling stuff. We recycyle what we can and it's fun to see if the stuff gets enough money to pay the landfill fee for the stuff we can't. The solid waste stream that's produced by our economy is down right scary and a real shame. Our "land fill" is called Mt. Trashmore because it long ago stopped filling and started climbing. It's plainly visible from Hwy 99 as it shines in it's black plastic tarp and tire splendor. Scientists say the contents will take about 100 thousand years to break down. Let's see, we've been a nation for a couple of hundred years and our trash grows by leaps and bounds every year. Hmmm, maybe we can have a whole mountain range. Over packaging, toss-away diapers, plastics of all kinds, and so on and so on. I worry about it some. It's not just the land issue, of course. It's the almost certainty that the by-products of our waste will find their way into the water. Ultimately the chemical compounds that we've created that resist biodegradation will go to the sea. We have no right to despoil this place for all of the other living things. They have as much right to be here as we do. We are the only species that knowingly poisons itself. I sure hope there will be a strong enough wakeup call soon enough to not really crash this ecosystem we require along with the other critters. We can do better and it's about time we got on with doing just that. That'll do for this rant.</div>Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-43286210601471381322012-04-17T05:40:00.004-07:002012-04-17T07:00:08.493-07:00Moments...So Precious!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4v-ilgJe5EDWeZNjrP2b8W6UIvQJ79ohkPV0BfpHyRA01D9X4UG-83Aj96Yoc1KmHqGYW5QtbSAd0FVfMhDdKwLzs4Z4xlqKzP3LAzEQ4CU38lcKrUvE4Drhs7sLYD34kYrrM9gcaydR/s1600/6-26-11+013.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732360446648493794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4v-ilgJe5EDWeZNjrP2b8W6UIvQJ79ohkPV0BfpHyRA01D9X4UG-83Aj96Yoc1KmHqGYW5QtbSAd0FVfMhDdKwLzs4Z4xlqKzP3LAzEQ4CU38lcKrUvE4Drhs7sLYD34kYrrM9gcaydR/s400/6-26-11+013.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>From Jim: The content of our lives is measured out in brief moments-fleeting and fragile and leaving us with memories that compete with the flurry of everything else that's going on. We, our kind, has a way of letting the moments get by without much notice or fanfare. Sometimes, we even try to hurry through them. We want to move on and leave stuff behind as quickly as possible. We lean way out and stretch ourselves into a future moment at the cost of the one we're in. I'm going to suggest that we give each moment it's due. That we make it a habit of our mind to slow down enough to appreciate the moment we're in and enjoy living-simply being alive. The herd offers us this lesson every day and in many ways. Now I understand, we're not what they are and shouldn't try to be, but they do seem willing to share this planet and this life with us. They prefer peace and quiet, with an occasional rumpus, to angst and fretting. They find a good nap or time with a friend to be just fine. They savor each meal and are very content to celebrate feeding time as a highlight of the day. A pat on the nose or scratch on the neck, or maybe even a carrot or horse cookie-Well, that's really nice! That moment is focused and shared and connected. I've watched them hunt up just the right spot, with just the right splash of sun and the right guard horse and luxuriate in good old doze. You know, hind foot cocked, nose drooped, an occasional nose twitch or ear flick, but really just soaking in the warmth and quiet. The guard horse taking that moment to be a herdmate and try not to sleep on duty. Sometimes, when we're filling water tanks, someone comes for drink of the cold clear water. It's a "thank you" that's hard to miss. Some will even want to play with the hose and frolic a little. That common chore becomes a special and fun and gratifying moment. The point I guess I'm working towards is this, The time we have will be what we make it to be. We can rush through it, worried and stressed, or we can appreciate the unfolding of the events that make up our days. How we choose to go at life is up to us and the frame of mind we opt for when the day starts. Is everything in life pleasant and fun? Of course not, but all of it can be seen as part of our life and appreciated for that. The other side of the lawn isn't all that far away for any of us. Throwing moments away is high-cost practice. Oh, and go love on your critters, Good moments there! </div>Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-57034047028249839502012-04-15T16:49:00.003-07:002012-04-15T17:19:57.339-07:00Straw Hat Day...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLw4Aptvr9nSOVHbOfgp9x-YPQ8C-cVbX77EcUAax3sJ4hJr4hUr5wE8wSP61IsU3PVZnur4TSXY3PBuaPZcxDLptxBm_sfrm2XMdx2zU74001tSDRRsH5omg2N1cSvBYiWdNXxfB4oOVR/s1600/12-23-11+036.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731785443816079874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLw4Aptvr9nSOVHbOfgp9x-YPQ8C-cVbX77EcUAax3sJ4hJr4hUr5wE8wSP61IsU3PVZnur4TSXY3PBuaPZcxDLptxBm_sfrm2XMdx2zU74001tSDRRsH5omg2N1cSvBYiWdNXxfB4oOVR/s400/12-23-11+036.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>From Jim: Since forever, I've marked the change of the seasons by which hat I put on. In the Fall and on through Winter, I wear a felt hat. My old Resistol has completed it's fourth year and it shows it. At one time it was black, but it's had enough rain on it to be bleached sort of reddish, brownish black. The creases are really more memories now and the pinch crown is sure enough pinched. Trouble with felt hats is that they develop a kind of personality, maybe even a cult of personality and get hard to replace. I'll stop every now and again and try on hats, but the idea of starting over with a new hat is more than I'm up for right now. Besides, the weather has turned and it's straw hat time. I won't need to think about felt hats for quite a few months and, by then, I wouldn't want to take a new hat out in the rain anyway. Today, I wore my newer straw hat for chores. My old straw hat needs to get tossed in the bailer. The poor thing is just falling apart. I think I'll pull the brim wire out and feed it to the goats. Generally a straw hat'll last about 1 1/2 seasons. It never fails but that you'll have to get a new straw hat around mid-summer, when it's 100 and hot, and the dust wants to stick to everything, but especially that nice ring just outside the sweat band. I've noticed some of the cowboy boutiques offer hats that already have that well used look. They're stained and crimped and frazzled. You have to pay more for that as it's considered stylish. I've not convinced those folks to offer me much for the real thing, thus the goat snack. I like a 4" brim, tall crown with a ranch crease and not too much bend in the front of the brim. It's seems so futile to get a broad brim and then fold it up so the sun leaks in. There's some pretty good straw hats around these days and they're pretty spendy. Makes for future gourmet goaty treats I guess. I've worn Resistol hats since I was a kid. I've a Stetson or two and liked them fine also. The main thing about a good hat is that you come to feel like you need it on in order to leave the house. If you don't, you probably need to hunt for a new one. When you find the right one, don't expect that it will get all the respect an old timer deserves. I cringe when I hear,"You're not wearing that out to dinner tonight". That's why you have to have a "dress hat". But that's for another blog. Hope you loved on your critters today! It's a good thing to do.</div>Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-44709171502610644872012-04-14T06:52:00.003-07:002012-04-14T10:11:20.161-07:00Chad 2.0...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVQWUzwM6l2D6fPI_pARhY23r7iTkM93jM4OgyAP2ZqSl3eAspyGGxa2PJ4qIzKPcW5GBmN_MFaw6JVj5GxDqQ0MX6RUFv9YNMpf8izsSOpkLQkLeehY3fqwjEH3pvpHHXmhQ96qZVmqa/s1600/8-12-11+003.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731261469358284514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVQWUzwM6l2D6fPI_pARhY23r7iTkM93jM4OgyAP2ZqSl3eAspyGGxa2PJ4qIzKPcW5GBmN_MFaw6JVj5GxDqQ0MX6RUFv9YNMpf8izsSOpkLQkLeehY3fqwjEH3pvpHHXmhQ96qZVmqa/s400/8-12-11+003.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>From Jim: Chad is a buckskin Quarterhorse around 30 years old. Before he came to us, he was a therapy horse. He has worn his teeth to the gums and keeping his weight up is a real issue. He was retired because his back got too sore to continue working. A couple of days ago, he pulled up lame on the left rear-really tender. There was swelling from the hock down to the fetlock. The hoof and leg showed no external wounds. He had apparently wrenched his hock, maybe a slip in the mud or ? He has some arthritis in his legs as any 30 year old does. A twist would hurt a lot. The swelling, a pitting edema, was sinuvial fluid building up in the capsule of the hock joint. We loaded him up and took off to the vet's clinic. Dr. Darling was booked up and, due to a schedule that would have been really difficult to change, it made sense to take Chad in. An examination confirmed the injury. What to do with a 30 year old with worn out teeth and arthritic joints that's torqued a hock? We try to let the animal make the call. If they're done, weary of the battle to go on, off their feed, suffering moment to moment, we offer a final gift of kindness. If the critter makes it clear they're in the fight and not ready to pack it in, we go for treatment and the chance to recover. Chad was all in! He was not about to concede and give up. The good Doc drained the joint, injected steroids and antibiotics, and wrapped the leg for support. We made sure Chad got some pain meds. We're keeping him in the stock trailer. It's clean, dry, and warm. It restricts his movement. He hates it and lets us know what rotten people we are. He'll be there until tomorrow when the wrapping comes off and exercise will help more than hurt. In the meantime, Chad thinks that we're mean this time. Chad may not make another winter. He might not have even without this injury. So why go to all the trouble and effort? Because it's what a sanctuary is all about. Chad's days are precious to him and to us. He wants to live and feel the warm sun and enjoy his feed buckets full of senior sack chow. He wants to be petted and groomed and share time with Juan, his friend. We needed to give the chance to have those things. His days of work are over. These days are his. We want him to have as many of them as he can get. We would never ask him to suffer needlessly. He'll let us know when we're there. Dr. Darling often says, "Short term pain for long term gain". If, for Chad, that long term is just one more summer, well, that's OK. For him, that's all of his time and we value it.</div>Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-89966171395892370392012-04-12T19:34:00.003-07:002012-04-12T20:24:51.078-07:00Great Expectations: How To Feed in the Mud<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zFVQvix0N0dUcffzIpwAP7BNzMx9_SgZZNrLzLpYoMVwkBbQqA9difTYvzusuaxshgK4tJIl56cC1yUtKL1uMIwr2nztJHoXnbnOc_eTSNKRX-cINV6LuA57AkQh9HDmiYVD4eckMSt8/s1600/Picture+012.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730719954669984306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zFVQvix0N0dUcffzIpwAP7BNzMx9_SgZZNrLzLpYoMVwkBbQqA9difTYvzusuaxshgK4tJIl56cC1yUtKL1uMIwr2nztJHoXnbnOc_eTSNKRX-cINV6LuA57AkQh9HDmiYVD4eckMSt8/s400/Picture+012.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>From Donna: Now that the rainy season is almost over (I think), there are some words of wisdom I have to share with you about feeding in the mud. First, however, we have to talk about the different types of mud.</div><br /><div>There is, of course, the semi-wet, mostly dry stuff that may drop off on the floor, but is easily swept up. You can wear just about any shoe or boot and you can be assured that nothing dire will happen.</div><br /><div>There is the mud that gooshes and requires a more substantail type of foot ware. It's kind of fun, because it is so squishy.</div><br /><div>Then there is the serious stuff. It comes in two types. There is watery ooze that when you step in it it's OK if your boot is high enough. You can step sink, step sink. No problem unless you want to move quickly or hope to keep your pants dry.</div><br /><div>The BAD stuff is gooey, sticky, deep, and devious. One step is OK and then whooosh you are sucked in to your kneecaps and there is no moving forward, unless, of course, you strain too hard and land on your face. Occassionally, the backside hits first, but usually it's a face splat.</div><br /><div>Now, here is the advice.</div><br /><div>Go out to feed in a good mood. Be ready to laugh at stuff, especially yourself.</div><br /><div>Expect to have fun. Do not expect to stay clean.</div><br /><div>Expect that every piece of clothing from pants and shirts to socks and underwear will be stained with mud.</div><br /><div>Expect that your socks will come off inside your boots, just before you become bogged down and have to step out of your boot and into the mud to get it pulled free.</div><br /><div>Expect that when you step off the tractor you will sink to your knees and at that moment the calves will come bouncing up to give you sandpaper kisses.</div><br /><div>Expect that when you go to put your knife back in your pocket it will fly from your hand, land under the tractor, and sink into the mud. You think about leaving it but can't remember if it is closed, so you must goosh around, while standing on your head.</div><br /><div>Expect that sometimes the tractor will quit and not restart when you are at the farthest point from any turn out and you will have to hand carry all 34 flakes up the muddy hill to the critters.</div><br /><div>Expect to slip and slide and get fairly good at navigating slippery rocks. No one gets really good because when one gets too cocky the rock moves and the slipping and sliding becomes a wild arm waving balancing act- usually resulting in a person-mud interaction.</div><br /><div>I have found it is best to remember to close your mouth as you head for the mud. I'm not sure of all the nutirents in the mud-manure mixture, but I can tell you it doesn't taste good.</div><br /><div>Expect that when you go out after a cloudy day the heavens will open, soaking you to the bone. It will continue to pour until you pull in the drive after feeding everyone. The sun will then peek through.</div><br /><div>Expect that the horses, donkeys and mules will expect you to be there rain or shine, mud or dry. Their expectations and trust make all the mud and goo worthwhile.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-85205623562898661202012-04-12T04:48:00.003-07:002012-04-12T05:22:56.774-07:00Things we hear...From Jim: There are several recurring comments we hear pretty often. The most frequent is "We really like or appreciate what you do". Thanks for that. It's a nice affirmation that we're not viewed as totally demented by everyone. Actually, it's humbling to have our work acknowledged by other caring folks and it does mean a lot to us. We also hear, "I didn't realize there was such a big problem with unwanted horses". That doesn't surprise us. The plight of horses in our modern society is not very well known. Part of our mission is to make this issue more generally understood and to work toward lasting solutions. We share our beliefs about responsible ownership, breeding, and good practices regarding care and training. We have tried to be a resource to the horse community and we've certainly received a warm welcome from many folks. We hear, "How do you afford it? Isn't it really expensive?" We work very hard to raise the necessary money. We are so grateful that folks make donations and support the thrift store. We hear, "I wish I was wealthy and could give more!" All of our gifts are deeply appreciated. When someone donates, no matter what the amount, we know they have made a choice to help the horses and that they've sacrificed something to do that. Wow, that's pretty incredible! We hear, "I hope you're getting help. How do you two do all the work?" Donna and I love what we do. We're getting older, but we're used to physical farm/ranch work. Our days have a structure and pattern we find purposeful and comforting. And, yeh, it gets cold and wet, and hot and sweaty, and dusty and muddy. That's part of the deal. We hear, "Why do you do this?" We say, "Come meet the herd and see if you think they don't deserve to live and be cared for". We hear, "Aren't you angry at the people who have abused these animals?" We want abusers held to answer and restricted from having animals. We prefer to use our energy, our life forces, to care for and love our critters. We think it does them more good to be loved, than to have us spend our efforts being angry. There's a lot we hear. Most of it is music to our ears. We hear from really wonderful people that really "get it". We like that! Take some time to love on your critters. It'll be good for all of you!Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-44623100521414036402012-04-11T07:16:00.004-07:002012-04-11T07:52:49.129-07:00Quincy: A very long road...From Jim: I know I've told you a number of times that I am constantly learning about the equines that surround us. Sometimes the lessons are small and subtle. Other times, the insights are profound. Quincy was one of the latter. When we got him, he had been through a number of failed adoptions. He had been seized by another county's animal control and placed at another sanctuary. He was the most abused animal we've had. He had been beaten with ropes, chains, boards, wire-you name it. He was covered with scars and sweenies. His hock had been broken from being tripped by a rope and pulled off his feet. As horrible as his physical injuries were, his psychological wounds were far worse. He would shudder and shake when touched. He was in fear ALL OF THE TIME. Quincy is a Quarab-cross of Arabian and Quarterhorse. He inherited a mind that was naturally trusting and quiet. The abuse he was given was a complete betrayal of the careful breeding that gave him a desire to be with our kind. He was shattered. Everyone that had tried to adopt him, gave up because he was unreachable. They had followed the conventional wisdom-round pen, lots of attention, efforts to desensitize him from his fears. Quincy couldn't get across the abyss that had been caused from his horrible abuse. When we took him, we went at it very differently. We put him a herd and let him relearn how to just be a horse. We figured he wouldn't do too well with our kind until he was OK with his own kind. One year, two years, three years passed. I asked only that he put his nose on my outstretched hand. This was always done when he was at liberty. It was his choice alone. No pens, no restraints, no ropes-just Quincy and me. Slowly, he began to stretch his neck toward my hand and eventually made very brief, tentative contact. He would recoil back-eyes wide, head up, ready to wheel and run. We caught him up only for vet care. Put him a stall, sometimes took an hour to quietly get a halter on him. Funny thing was, one haltered, he was a perfect gentleman, even in his state of near panic. That quiet peaceful mind was in there still. Well, the years have passed and Quincy now gets petted regularly, expects it. He catches you and wants attention. He has defeated his demons. He still carries scars, but not as many. His hock is huge and always will be, but it works fine. He can get spooked, but not much more that any other horse. His eyes are soft and gentle. He has a place in the lower herd and many friends. His days are good. He's at peace and in good health. His resilience, and will to get well, his capacity to move on and make a good life, his unwillingness to feel sorry for himself, his loving peaceful ways-There's some lessons! Quincy will live out his life with us. He's home, at last. He has helped make this Home At Last. His lessons to us have helped us deal with other critters. He has enriched our lives. He's a good boy.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-31197529768952454472012-04-10T03:16:00.004-07:002012-04-10T10:09:40.909-07:00Navaho, Smoke, and Stoney...From Jim: I was down in the lower turnout, day before yesterday, to cut some firewood. It really is strange to be cutting firewood in April, but we have a big storm on the way and it's supposed to get colder for a few days. Well, anyway, while I getting the chainsaw and all of the other "wood-cutting" junk ready to go, Navaho (AKA Navvie), Smoke, and Stoney showed up. These boys are Quarterhorses. They are all around 14-2, 1050 lbs, and stout. They've got big round rumps, massive shoulders, and nice thick necks. They are gentle, quiet minded, and kind. Smoke was being trained up as a reining horse. The trainer pushed him too hard, too far, and he was too young. Bowed a tendon, and learned to dislike and mistrust people. He was scared to death. It took about a year of careful, gentle work to get him settled. The bow healed, but left a cosmetic lump on his foreleg. He's sound and peaceful now, but sure needed to get out from under the situation he'd been in. His papers are overwhelmingly good. Three Bars line. It's nice to be able to pet Smoke on the neck and have him doze off. He's a good boy. Stoney came to us really lamed up. His front feet were so sore it was thought he might have some really serious injuries or disease. Turned out he had been run really hard, day after day, on a gravel driveway. The small stones had been driven into the soles of his feet and were completely buried in the tissues. Brian dug seven rocks out of his front hooves with a screw driver and a lot of patience. Some antibiotics and bute carried him along till he could heal. He quickly returned to soundness and hasn't had another problem. Can you figure out how Stoney got his name? Navaho was rescued from a dirt lot. There had been three horses there. Two had starved to death. They were laying there, dead. Only Navvie was left alive. He was a yearling, stunted and poor as a snake. He had no love of people and had never been taught a thing. With a lot of extra care, lots of good food and some supplements, and a patient hand, he overcame his rough start in life. He's a big ole boy now. Got his size and his gentle mind back. He expects that he'll get petted whenever you're around him. So, there's the story of three young, nice horses that were given some pretty bad cards and overcame all of it to be the wonderful Quarterhorses they always knew they were. I guess it would be easy to spend awhile being angry with the ignorant fools that messed them up, but I'd really rather use the time to love on the boys. And, yeh, I got some firewood cut. Not as much as I would have, if the boys had left me alone. I'm sure glad they didn't. It was a nice afternoon.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-14001798579627059552012-04-09T05:37:00.002-07:002012-04-09T05:59:22.696-07:00The Store...From Jim: Home At Last is an expensive proposition. The upkeep of any large animal is costly and we have a bunch of 'em. Thanks to Home At Last Thrift and Gift, it's not as hard as it might be. Folks that shop there are significantly benefiting the the herd. The change that gets dropped in the donation jar adds up too. The items that are donated to be sold play a real part. Altogether, shoppers, donors, contributors, and volunteers are making a difference. At the sanctuary, we're pretty focused on what we do. It's easy for us to forget all of the efforts that are going on. The day-in and day-out energy that is given to keep this special place going is amazing. Everytime we visit the store, we're so impressed with the enterprise that bears the sanctuary's name. If you haven't stopped by, even for a look, I hope you will. The folks that work and volunteer there are wonderful and really nice. If you have some "stuff" to donate, take a few minutes to drop it by. And, you never know when you'll find a real treasure as you review the offerings. It's been pretty overwhelming to have such a significant commitment from so many great people for the support of the critters. I hope you know how much we appreciate it. Without the efforts of so many, our herd wouldn't have a home at all. Now, they are home, at last! Thanks!Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-88156047812944396262012-04-08T09:34:00.002-07:002012-04-08T10:02:15.070-07:00Oh Happy Days!...From Jim: Easter! Spring! Renewal! The Spring is my favorite season. I love the soft colors and the new life that's all around. It's the time to cut hay and put it up. It's when the chickens get serious about hatching some new peeps. It's the tail end of the cold, but not blazing hot. There's a promise of another year in the air. Here, we often lose a number of our seniors in the Spring. They hang on through the winter and come to their end when the weather is better. We've come to expect it and I will never like that reality. The Spring is when our last gift of kindness gets asked for the most. We're blessed to be able to be here for our great residents when their time comes. The cycles come full circle. It's also what Spring means for us. The beginnings and endings touch edges as they should. We are a part of that. There's a very spiritual aspect to these Spring moments. Many feel that there's not much to support a spiritual part of the living experience. All of us living things are simply biological computers, supported in biological body. And that's it. I'm not able to agree. Without something more, much more, life would be a painting without color. The sharing of time and connections with living things are so much more than simple computations and stimulus/response behaviors. There is a part of us and all critters that transcends that. The Spring seems to make me especially aware of this, and that's another reason I love this season. We bumble along, getting through the days, and taking so very much for granted. The times when we appreciate the wonderful gift of life and a life well lived are truly special and profound. Why we are so blessed, I'll never know. It bends my knees in humility and gratefulness. I wish a wonderful Spring for all of you. Happy Easter!Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-66254504374415545332012-04-07T07:38:00.003-07:002012-04-07T08:01:44.163-07:00Toby: Mule, Gardener, Escape Artist...From Jim: This morning found Toby in the front yard, selectively destroying all of the emerging plants. His sense of landscaping is pretty much limited to eating it. He's been asking to be let our in the front with Juan and Chad for the past few days and finally took matters into his own hooves. We love our Toby boy. He's a Kiger mule and strikingly beautiful. His primitive markings are truly outstanding. He's also full of personality. When he arrived he was a wildy mule-never had been taught anything. He came with Tango and Tawney. They're curly mules. All three had been rescued after being abandoned and left to fend on their own. Because of their lack of training, they were deemed unadoptable. Toby decided, in his best mule-like way, that if no one would train him, he'd do it himself. He found a way through the fence and in with the Backyard Bunch. He let it be known that the mule was open for business and in need of lots of pets and attention. His level of trust was a real surprise! He's a young guy and still has a lot to learn, but there's no doubt that he's willing and gentle of mind and spirit. I think that's from the Kiger side of the equation. One of the joys of the sanctuary is the opportunities that critters like Toby offer. This little mule has fulfilled his need to be a pet by his own determination and through his own efforts. Where that need to be with our kind comes from I'll never know or understand, but I sure enjoy it. Toby may wreak havoc with the yard and show no respect for the fences, but he lets us know that he loves us and that he's home. That's more than enough. We really do love our Toby boy.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-61357334939541183782012-04-06T16:57:00.005-07:002012-04-06T17:36:04.709-07:00Always look your horse in the mouth...From Jim: That old saying of not looking a gift horse in the mouth has to do with aging a horse by it's dental development. It's pretty accurate if you know what you're looking for up to about 20 or so. After that, the markers you look for are pretty much gone or amorphous and the guessing game gets sort of vague. That's not what this blog is about. This is about making sure your horse's teeth are able to do their very important work so that the animal can stay healthy and flourish. Used to be that the grit that was part of the grazing/eating process ground the chewing surfaces down and usually kept sharpies and points from developing. Also, horses didn't have the kind of care they get now and didn't live as long. They were usually still erupting teeth when their time came. We now see horses that have worn their teeth to gum and can only get by on sack feed. These guys are late 20's or older-sometimes a lot older. Genetics plays a role here. Some horses get really good teeth. Breeds like Arabians and Barbs will generally have good teeth. Same with some of the older Quarterhorse lines. Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods, not so much. There are, of course, individuals of all breeds that win the tooth lottery or get the booby prize. That's why you have to look at their teeth-often. They will fall off their weight pretty quickly if their arcades are sharp and causing cheek abscesses. Sometimes their occlusion is just out of shape and they can't grind roughage properly. A good float by a vet will always cost a lot less than the wasted food and health issues that bad teeth will create. Points and hooks and waves and the occasional abscessed or fractured tooth all need to be addressed by a Pro. This is not a good do-it-yourself project. Way back in the day, when I was an apprentice farrier, we did the floats, rasped by hand, used a rubber jaw block and a lip twitch to get the advantage over the critter, rasped away till the hooks were flat and called it good. Wolf teeth were clipped off with the hoof nippers. That's how it was back then. It was hard on horses, hard on us, and, though it helped, it was nothing compared to what a trained vet can do now. I guess knowing the difference makes me especially sensitive to why it's so important to get it right. Forty some odd years has seen some real improvements in the care of equines. I'm sure glad for that. I suppose the critters are too.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-42897743435537573602012-04-05T21:28:00.002-07:002012-04-05T21:53:51.352-07:00Rico and General at the Rainbow Bridge...From Jim: Today Rico and General got their wings. They were good horses. Rico was a Thoroughbred, tall and graceful. He had a wonderful personality, a great sense of humor, a true charmer. He had been placed at Home At Last by a loving owner that wanted him to have a safe and secure retirement. His performance days had ended and he needed to just be a horse. He was in the upper herd. His best friend was Pedro, another T-bred. They were quite a pair. Rico was fairly young, early teens. About two months ago, he began to lose weight and started looking poor. We had the vet check him out. His teeth were OK and his blood showed only one abnormality-one generally associated with starvation. Rico was eating regularly, but we stalled him and poured the feed to him. His appetite was good, he ate well, and he continued to fail. He had a lump on his forehead, not a traumatic injury. It was a tumor. Rico had a very aggressive <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">sarcomic</span> cancer(Dr. Darling says it very rare). There was no treatment or hope of a cure. The mass doubled in size in a week. Rico lost more weight in that week than full starvation would have caused. We gave him the last kindness we could. It's really hard to see these great beasts suffer and fade. Better to provide them a peaceful and pain free end. General was a rodeo horse. He was too old to work and was in a pasture with his friend, Harley. A dear friend of Home At Last had the two boys moved here for their retirement. Harley is younger and he'll have some more time with us. General had reached that stage in the equine life cycle where he could no longer absorb nutrition. He was eating well and starving to death. We've seen this so many times with our very senior critters. It was time for General to rest and no longer grow weaker each day. We are so grateful that he had the time with us. He was a good boy. I often say that these animals are the very best they know how to be each and every day. If they could be better, they'd do it. I believe that. We face hard decisions about our friends so often here. We have a sad place in our hearts when the time comes to see them off. It's such a privilege to get to know them and have them be a part of our lives. Fair winds Rico and General! See you in a better place.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-37319275572038653952012-04-05T04:25:00.003-07:002012-04-05T04:51:39.369-07:00A Sustaining Effort...From Jim: The sanctuary has had a month and a half of really nice support. Since our local paper wrote an article about Home At Last, donations have just about covered the feed bill. The thrift store has been contributing toward the vet bills. We're still having to dig into our our declining retirement account, but not as much as in the past. That means the herd is able to be sustained. That means they have a lifeline. We sure have appreciated it. There's a constant and unending need for support. The animals' needs don't go away or diminish or "get paid off". They are linked to their lives. We're not a rescue/rehab/rehome operation. Our critters, for one reason or another, are not adoptable. They're also not ready to die. They just need a place to live and be cared for. Around here, everyday of life is a good day. The future needs to be accounted for in our thinking, but can be a little much if pondered all of the time. I suppose you could say faith has a lot to do with our outlook. We trust that our supporters will hang in there with us and their numbers will grow to meet the needs of the sanctuary. The scale of our efforts is pretty much fixed by what Donna and I can do in a day. Seventy to eighty critters seems to be the limit. There's certainly many more unwanted horses, but we have to focus on the herd we have before us. We have to sustain them with your help. We are getting on towards 70 now. The years have slipped on by. We still enjoy everyday and the work that fills them. We also recognize that we won't go on forever. We have and will plan for the security of our critters. Their future mustn't be dependent on us alone. Home At Last is a small partial solution to a huge problem. The need to provide for unwanted animals of all sizes is nothing new, but it sure is hard on the critters when we, as a society, don't pay attention to it. We hope others will be inspired to adopt and foster rescue animals. We are humbled by the great folks we've met that are working so hard and making sacrifices to help our fellow creatures. We share this world with them and they share it with us. We sustain them and they sustain us. What kind of world would it be without them? What claim to humanity would we have if we ignore the life around us? Thanks for your sustaining effort. Thanks for your humanity.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8199307682684061403.post-38653957636647456722012-04-04T10:37:00.002-07:002012-04-04T10:55:45.842-07:00A few minutes with Cal...From Jim: Every so often someone asks us why we do what we do. Why have you "dedicated" your life to taking care of horses? The answer to that is not some grand and noble calling that will earn us a place in the "goodie-two-shoes" hall of fame. It's because of times like the few minutes I had with Cal this morning. Cal came to us by way of Butte County Animal Control. He had been darn near starved to death. When he arrived at the sanctuary, we were cautioned that he was a wild boy, hard to catch and pretty high strung. He had been at the AC facility long enough to have most of his weight back on, but was sure in need of some kind hands-on attention. That was a while back. Cal is a big love now. Comes when called and expects a pet on his ears. He has a lot of friends in the Backyard Bunch, mostly hangs with the other Arabians. He was sunbathing by the fence this morning after feeding time. I went and stood across the fence from him. When he stirred awake, he leaned in for a pet. I advised him he would have to "come close" and, like always, he stepped forward. A gentle nose bump on my extended hand completed the greeting and it was on to some serious ear scratching and T-touches on his neck. Often, Cal will close his eyes and soak up the attention. Today, he needed good solid eye contact. He needed me to softly praise him and let him know what a really good boy he is. He needed to share his peace and happiness with me. So, why do we do what we do? I guess you could ask Cal. He knows. Life gets by pretty quickly. Time passes, no matter what you're up to. The sanctuary is a place where time is filled with precious irreplaceable moments with great souls, like Cal's. I'm pretty sure he, or one of his herd mates, would share with you too. It'll clear up any questions about Why.Donna Kylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01286193818427868815noreply@blogger.com0