Our donkeys love children as do most donkeys. Donkeys are different from horses and other animals, they are untuitive and calm and curious. They sense, smell and feel emotions and it is written in myth and lore that donkeys have loved the purity and innocence of children since Biblical Times. There was much love on the farm today, these children are our friends and are welcome here, they are the friends of animals and they love them well.
It was wonderful to see some children here this afternoon loving the animals, getting loved back. Simon is an amazing spirit, especially given his troubles, he adores children, he will stand and cuddle with them all day, he never seems to tire of it. They never tire of him. I can only imagine what it would have been like for me as a child to meet Simon, it would have touched me deeply. I am grateful to have this farm, to have these animals, to see the love that is shared here.
It is the greatest gift to see how much some children love animals and how much some animals love children. Some friends came to the farm with their children and the lovefest began – with Simon, with Red, with Lenore. Red herded the sheep and then turned himself over for his second favorite activity – loving people. The thing that happens between animals and children is a powerful thing, I am so grateful I have and will always seek to have animals that can sustain that.
Women have a special connection with one another that is almost palpable, I see it in the animals as well as people. Since she has become pregnant, Zelda has calmed, changed, she and Maria have developed a special connection, an understanding, I can see it in the photos and in the pasture. They are talking to one another, connecting on an emotional level. It is beautiful to see. I imagine women can relate to birth in a particular way, it is something men can only wonder about.
I had a wonderful one-day trip to the Emerald City yesterday, New York was awash in sunshine, teeming Easter and Spring Break crowds, traffic jams. My train was late, I was dashing around all day. I had some surprisingly wonderful meetings about my next book – I was shocked at how creative, connecting and affirming they were. I will definitely be writing more books, I feel my writing life is being reborn. There is wonderful enthusiasm for my “Talking To Animals” project, I told the editors I met with that every once in awhile, there is a landmark book that helps us understand the true nature of animals and challenges us to think about the animals in the world and our relationship with them.
I think of Henry Beston’s “The Outermost House,” Elizabeth Marshall’s “The Hidden Life of Dogs,” and Temple Grandin’s “In Translation.” I told the editors I want “Talking Animals” to be the next one, the wiser and more mystical understanding of animals that Beston called for, the book that as yet, remains unwritten. I am happy to see the great enthusiasm for it, I am on fire to get to work on it. I confess to being discouraged in the past year or about my ability to remain a viable writer in the modern world, I have no doubts now that I will be. Publishing has changed, but at it’s sore, much of it’s spirit and energy remains.
“This could be a good book, a wonderful book,” one editor told me. Everyone is talking about the carriage horses, is fascinated by them, wants to hear about them. I think I will include some of that writing in my book.
I had dinner with my daughter Emma, I think it was the first time we were alone in a long time, she has an exciting new job she is going to, I am proud of her. I spent an hour or so wandering in Central Park grabbing some photos of the horses, I am going back to New York next week for some more meetings. I am grateful for the creative life, once again, I journeyed to the Emerald City to find myself and give rebirth to my work, I think it is beginning to happen. Thanks for coming along.
Back home, Red and I went to work in the pasture this morning, Ma was balky, tried to stare Red down. Didn’t work.
