Day: October 26, 2017

I warned Maria that the donkeys might be ticked off that we left them for a week or so, they can be temperamental that way. It did not turn out that way, they were all over us, and especially Maria, when we went out to the pasture this morning.

In beautiful New Mexico, we fantasized a bit about moving there, wondering how that would work, we kept saying the donkeys would love it there, the climate is perfect for them, and they would enjoy the sage brush and meadow grass that grows there, they are, after all, desert animals.

That is, after all, desert country. The donkeys were not annoyed, they were all over the Maria, and this was a joyous reunion. Maria’s relationship with the donkeys is among the most beautiful and heartfelt connections between humans and animals that I have ever seen.

They just all put their heads together and cuddled. Makes it especially nice to be home. If we ever do move, the donkeys will have to go with us.

I sometimes think the purpose of small dogs (and border collies) is to teach human beings some humility. Small dogs, big egos.

We have an absolute rule in our farmhouse, no dogs are allowed on any furniture. Gus, who is six months old now, is teaching me some of the limits of dog training.

He is not like a Lab, who is eager to please. I sometimes think he is eager to love but not eager to please or obey. I’ve shooed him off of furniture 100 times, and he looks at me and jumps off. Two minutes later, he simply appears on the chair he likes, or returns to the one I ordered him off.

He is just there when I look.

I see he will go on the furniture when he pleases. I am giving it up, just as

idid when I saw that Fate had no interest in quarreling with sheep. Sometimes you just have to let them be the dogs that they are, you cannot always tailor them to your will. I don’t wish to break his spirit.

That is a lesson in humility, the small dogs think of themselves as royalty, everything is really theirs, you are just there to do their bidding, play and cuddle with.

Gus is fond of me, but he is not impressed by me. Labs and border collies have always been impressed by me, grateful to get outside and work or eat, and devoted because you give them what they love.

Gus is a dog of entitlement,  the Little Prince, everything here is really his, I am just a renter in his space. My chairs are his.

It was my first night back, New Mexico is in my head.

I had a dream about the White Place, some limestone cliffs that Georgia O’Keefe loved to paint, near Abiquiu in New Mexico. The space is mystical and enchanting, I think I will offer this photo for sale, it speaks to me of dreams and creativity and connection.

Maria’s figure walking along the cliffs evokes a special feeling in me, the artist drawn to place.  The scene evokes the creative’s relationship to space and environment. The image has a lot of feeling for me, it is especially inspiriting, and was taken with my art lens.

The photo gallery is exciting for me, an inexpensive and very high-quality way to sell my photos, Maria is handling the sales, [email protected] and getting a commission. Take a look.

I want to share it. I had a long and sweet dream about this space, I was walking along the base and feeling the wind and listening to the great stillness. A sacred space for sure. I’ll put it up in my new photo gallery, where I post photos that I have decided to offer for sale. On rag paper, 8 1/2″ x 11 “, signed and unframed, $130.