December 7, 2009

A Christmas Donkey

Connnie and Sara are dark brown female donkeys who live at our farm. They are also sisters. They are the produce of wild burros who were re-homed by the Federal Bureau of Land Management. One is 5 years old and the other is 6 years old. They are virtually inseparable, often seemingly attached at the hip.

This morning, I noticed them eating from the round bale of hay in their paddock. They stood so close to one another that their sides touched. There are only George the Llama and Cooper the mini-horse to share their 4 acre area- but the sisters always stand so near one another that they appear connected in some way.

Earlier this year (July) they both gave birth to offspring just a few days apart. Connie foaled a beautiful fiesty Jenny (baby girl donkey) and Sara gave birth to a sweet, docile Jack (baby boy donkey). Connie's baby was named Elizabeth and Sara's soon came to be known as Jacob. Recently, Elizabeth and Jacob were weaned and Elizabeth has moved to a new home with a cattle farmer.  Her new owner reports that she is a natural-born guardian and companion for his purebred heifers. Jacob, however, remains behind and will perhaps fill his elderly donkey father's footsteps someday.

Recently, we were contacted by someone looking for a Christmas Nativity donkey. They came and "interviewed" the girls and decided that Sara would be perfect for the role. Having landed a supporting role in this production, Sara has been practicing her best I-just-carried-the-Virgin-Mother face. On Friday, she will leave for two weeks. We are excited and nervous as this enduring Christmas tradition at the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati, Ohio will be visited daily by thousands of people. Sara has handled the attention with grace and humility and remains unaffected by her new found celebrity. She is perfectly befitting of the honor of "Official Christmas Donkey" of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

4 comments:

  1. Wow! Very cool! Poor Connie at the same time though, she's going to be beside herself.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I was wondering what's to become of Connie while Sara is off playing the theatre?! Is Sara so starstruck now that she's forgotten her joined-at-the-hip sister.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well, Aunt Connie will be tending to her nephew Jacob and beginining her mare/paddock winter guardian duties this week. It's really sad to see them separated but during the Winter/Spring we separate them into different paddocks to guard against coyotes/etc. running amok. Then, late Spring, they come together for the Summer/Fall.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well at least they would have been separated anyway, but there is a big difference between separate pastures and Kentucky/Ohio! Can't wait to hear how Sara does as the Christmas Donkey!

    ReplyDelete