Chloe got a fly mask for horses today. We tried many times to get some for the donkeys, but they always pulled the masks off of each other, they don’t seem to need them nearly as much as Chloe does, flies swarm all over her face. We got two for her. We’re going to keep the masks on during much of the day. Not at night, and not all day.
Sometimes, when it’s hot and still, there are clouds of flies swarming around her eyes. The best idea, it seems, is to use it when necessary, but not to leave it on for long periods. It can irritate them if left on too long. I’m relieved to see her take to the mask so easily, she gave us no trouble putting it on. She took to it right away. The donkeys, on the other hand, took off as soon as they saw it
As many of you know, I am no cheeerleader for the Corporate Nation, I think greedy corporations are tearing at the fabric of America, driving off small and individual and retail business, ruining work, paying too little to workers, too much to bosses, widening the gap between rich and poor. They generally pretend to care about us – our calls are important to them – but we all know most of them don’t.
In fairness, I do love some corporations, they give me hope, and I appreciate the way they treat people like me – Apple and UPS come to mind.
Bernie is the regular driver on our UPS route, and the service he gives us is always far and beyond the call of duty. He is careful with the many packages we receive – he has never damaged or misplaced one – and he is friendly and thoughtful. We see him as a friend who just happens to deliver stuff from Amazon, mostly, and some other places.
The dogs are wild about him, Fate and Red listen for his truck, and rush outside to see him. He always has biscuits in his pocket, and loves to get down on the ground with them. He loves to photograph the animals on our route with his cellphone. Once in a rare while, he has time for a brief chat, and I have become especially fond of this conscientious and decent person.
Bernie reminds me of the men and women I know who love their work and work hard to do it well, they are heroes to me in many ways. I try to do the same.
We live in a cloud of complaint and victimization, I think sometimes we are becoming a nation of full-time victims and whiners and complainers. I know not to speak poorly of my life, I rarely do, but I sometimes forget to speak as well of it as I should, and of the many good people in it.
Anger and lament seem to be the currency of our social dialogue, yet there is so much good if we will look for it.
Bernie, like Kelly, is another example of a story that will never make their news. His customers appreciate his work very much, and it is a gift to be happy when your UPS person drives into the driveway and the people and animals on the farm run to say hello. I would trust Bernie with my home, my car, my wallet in a second.
That means more than people realize, I think, and I appreciate Bernie for it. So, clearly, does Fate, who showered him with kisses.
I guess I’m falling for Chloe, it took us a bit, but she is onto me, and I am loving her. She gives me a kiss, she usually gets a cookie. I wash her down with a hose every afternoon, and she loves it, comes running up to the gate to welcome me. She puts her head on my shoulder once in awhile, and we have a deepening understanding.
I wasn’t sure about getting a pony, but it was a great decision, for Maria, for the farm, for me. Chloe is the kind of woman I love, strong, proud, independent and loving. I love her soft nose.
Sheep never like to be alone, they don’t like riding in trucks, they don’t like carrying that weight around. Izzy will be a lot happier when she is shorn, back here, cleaned up and with her new flock. I don’t think she even minds the pesky dogs much.
Red guided Izzy out of the flock in the pole barn and into the stall where she could be grabbed and moved into Jay Bridge’s truck, Red followed her every step of the way and locked eyes with her, not moving until the truck drove away. I felt bad for Izzy, she just got settled in and is already going away for a day or so. But we’ll be able to clean her up and acclimate her and she will be much more comfortable when she gets back.
Red pays close attention to the flock, he watched as the truck pulled out of the driveway and onto the road, he will know she is gone and will look for her until she returns.
