With these very cold nights and cold days it’s surprising to see the African Girls go out of the Barn in the morning, but they do. They run out sometimes, go down the road to a certain spot along the fence and stay there most of the day. We look out and they are usually browsing, fiddling with a branch, playing with a cypress bush or just sun bathing.
With the cold winter weather settling in, the Divas choose whether or not they want to head outside for a while each day. Debbie and Ronnie are a bit more particular, and tend to go out a bit less than Minnie and Lottie, who usually head right out to soak up the sunshine, which feels pretty nice. Yesterday morning, Min and Lottie went out, and immediately Minnie began trumpeting and spinning in circles (this was the main activity of the day.) The cold brings out the silly! Minnie continued to trumpet, spin, and then do a short sprint. Lottie’s ears went out; she joined in the noise and the sprinting. They both headed for the creek bed by the sycamore where Minnie tossed sticks into the air during her spinning. They had a great time, and then settled down to eat some hay in the sun. Ronnie eventually joined them along the fence line, adding her squeaks to the fun. Debbie got as far as the alley, and then decided she would pass on this one, heading back in to her toasty barn.
One morning last week, Minnie and Lottie shifted to stall 4 while a caregiver cleaned their usual stalls, 5 & 6. Lottie munched hay, uninterested. Minnie, however, supervised the cleaning progress as she waited to shift back. As the caregiver was finishing up the rinsing phase with the hose nozzle, there was a splashing noise from stall 4. The caregiver looked over to identify the sound….Minnie had filled her trunk, lifted the tip high into the air, partially closed the end of her nose, and made an ele-fountain! Water sprayed out in all directions, and the caregiver acknowledged her efforts by telling her that her fountain was much more impressive than the boring one coming from the hose. Pretty sure Minnie agreed.
We remember the nurturing and kind Zula who passed one year ago on January 11.