Popeye

I've been working at SAINTS for almost three weeks and i am enjoying it, i find myself eager to get there and see everyone and get the work started.

My first day i was being shown the chickens and found myself with Dionne in the shops bathroom with a chicken over the laundry tub removing a poop ball with warm water.

And because each animal there is not only a different species but they are unique in there own rights. Ziggy a little donkey, loves the cows and got the zoomies when i let him go in with his cow herd tonight. Chewy a little goat closes his eyes when you stroke his soft fur. Pete , another goat can be sneaky and can fit threw the narrowest opening if i don't get that gate closed. He has a built in natural smile, just like our pigs. Carl , the Llama does look at me like a predator anymore and has accepted my presence. He no longer walks the pasture in front of me giving me his buck toothed evil eye. And Ellie the first farm pig there is a Princess but you should of seen her duking it out with Carl the other day. A little frail goat who i am told was such a brat when she was young, is now a shop goat getting special care. She likes oatmeal cookies the best. The horses sing to you when you get there in the morning and open the barn doors.

Every day i am there i learn something new about someone and i watch over them like a mother watching every one of her kids to make sure they are okay. Hours and moments can change drastically when looking after special needs animals.

You know "they" say cows are dumb but let me share with you what i saw today. It was not a unicorn but he is to me. Popeye is but a very old white horse and was laying down much like the unicorn in this picture. A horse perhaps not long for this world and there a cow - holding her giant head into this old horses side was Emily. It was a gentle face pressing so lightly only just to make contact with her freind. And yet another giant of a cow pressing his nose to this horses nose was Percy. Were they comforting old Popeye ... were they saying we love you. It was truly one of the most endearing pictures that will forever be in my heart. I wish i had of had a camera , perhaps i will draw it one day.

Edited to add that Popeye was not any better today even after the new strong pain meds he was given.. tommorrow morning he will fly.

Merry Christmas

Well many of you must be wondering if i dropped off from the face of the earth. Its been while since i blogged as its been a crazy last few months. Projects on going and unfinished all the while under a tremendous amount of stress with out being able to find work. Thankfully My Mom covered the mortgage here month after month while i kept believing everything would be okay. Two weeks ago i was at Moms crying as i was at the end of my rope and only a month left in the bank for the both the pigs and the house.

The phone rang and it was Carol from SAINTS also a rescue who gives home to senior animals in need with many cats and dogs and a barn full of farm animals. Her full time gal had given notice and asked if i thought i could take it on. Farm work , 8 hours a day Monday threw Friday scared the hell out of me as it takes a huge amount of physical strength to do what i must do here. Would there be anything left of me to care for my own when i got home??

Its been two weeks and i survived, because after the first two days i thought i would die LOL .

And today only Roxane and i were out here today in the pouring rain trying to do clean up for the 45 aniamls here and we were both dragging our feet. I am beat as i am sure Roxane is , but we managed.

Its Christmas and its been a ritual for years that I shopped for the animals here for there big Christmas feast on top of getting gifts for my family and the my volunteers. But because of the financial crisis WEE were in , i will have to make it up to everyone.

But Christmas not about things , its about love and there is plenty of that to go around here. And the cupboard is not bare as we have been provided for and we give our thanks !

Blessing to all my freinds and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!