This whole process would have gone more smoothly if, instead of laughing and snapping photos, I'd been doing my appointed job, which was to lure Donkey Doodle Dandy away from the sheep with his bucket of treats I was holding. But how could I resist pulling out my camera instead? I did eventually help, though.
I love how Lucky Buddy Bear rushes in to the rescue—and then is so pleased with himself once the job is done he can't help but flip upside down and start breakdancing. Bear, who will be nine years old (!) in January, is half Australian Shepherd and half English shepherd. The guy lives to work.
And then there's Dan, who will charge up to the troughs and chase the sheep away from their own treats, but wouldn't dream of sharing his. Unfortunately I missed capturing some of the best shots—when the two ewes near Dan in that one photo kept coming at him from both sides, trying to raid his bucket. I think one of them even got kicked, yet notice how they both continue to linger hopefully nearby, looking totally innocent.
And then there's Da Big Guy (one of our two rams living in quarantine and patiently awaiting the start of breeding season) trying to figure out how to get out of his pen and into Dan's bucket. Poor Dan only gets to eat in peace if we sneak out to feed him while the sheep are grazing at the far end of the field. Somehow I don't feel very sorry for him, despite the fact that he has that whole pathetic donkey routine a la Eeyore down pat.
So why are the photos sort of fuzzy? It's a combination of afternoon glare caught by the camera (I shoot nearly everything on auto mode because I'm too lazy and usually in too much of a hurry to get the shots to mess with settings) and a cloud of food grade diatomaceous earth
dust billowing up from the troughs. We buy it in 50-pound bags and mix it into all the animals' feed because it's a great natural wormer. I also sprinkle it on and around plants in the kitchen garden to help organically control pests.
dust billowing up from the troughs. We buy it in 50-pound bags and mix it into all the animals' feed because it's a great natural wormer. I also sprinkle it on and around plants in the kitchen garden to help organically control pests.Just getting to know these cute fellows?
You'll find more photos of my hunky farmguy here. There are all sorts of other Donkey Doodle Dandy moments here and here and here.
And then there's Lucky Buddy Bear, who's somehow starred in over 100 posts:
© 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the fed up foodie farm blog where it isn't hard to figure who's the most willing to pose for pictures. It's definitely not me!
Bear has "somehow" starred in a hundred posts? BUT OF COURSE. I'm only surprised he doesn't have his own dedicated website by now. I'd read it.
ReplyDeleteLove how the series of photos tell a story all by themselves... had me giggling even before the narration! And automatic setting or not, you captured those rays of sun so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteDan got a little uppity didn't he!
ReplyDeleteSeems there were many species fed here...the critters via their digestive tracts, Bear by being useful, and you and the hunk with laughter and delight.
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