FAQ Friday, episode 1

Because I'm a such a delinquent and rarely get around to responding to the comments you leave for me (which I love and look forward to and am eternally grateful for and which my parents love as much as the posts themselves – Hi, Mom! Get well soon!), I'm going to try something new over here that I'm calling FAQ Friday. I'll collect the questions that you ask during the week and answer them in Friday's post. Sounds simple enough, right? As long as you don't start asking me hard stuff, like the meaning of life, or the name of my first grade teacher, or what I ate for breakfast this morning.

From Nancy in NC:
Q. Hank is way too cool to play with a stick! Do horses "play" with anything?
A. My horses have never played with toys in the way that George and Alan play with their cones or jollyballs or sticks. I have taught Hank to pick up the jollyball when he wants his belly scratched, and it sort of looks like we're playing soccer. But the burros play for pure enjoyment's sake - I've never seen anything like it, even when I had a pair of yellow Labs.

From Gaina:
Q. Have you ever tried throwing a stick to see if one or both of them will fetch it?
A. Sort of. What happens is, George and Alan will stop playing stick before I'm done taking pictures, in which case I'll pick up the stick and toss it to encourage them to keep playing. Sometimes Alan will pick it up and start the game over. Other times, he just gives me that "what do you think I am - a dog?" look.

From Pat in east TN:
Q. Will George and Alan be getting any brothers soon?
A. As much as I would love to have a dozen burros, for Hank's sake, I'm going to maintain the herd's status quo. I don't want him to feel any more outnumbered than he is. And I've always got to remember there's only one of me to go around - the size of the herd can't exceed the amount of poop I can scoop.

From Sandra:
Q. How are you doing with that cute little donkey cart? Have you been able to get any training in now that spring is here?
A. I hope to get George and Alan's cart training back on track soon. We've been stuck in the same rut for awhile and it's time to seek professional help.

From Deejbrown:
Q. How about a post on your animal photography...tips, etc.? Your pictures are always fantastic!
A. I love it when readers give me ideas to write about! I'm working on a "Top 10 Tips for Capturing Your Critters" post. Watch for it soon. And if anybody else has post ideas, shout 'em out.

Another one from Deejbrown:
Q. How is the roaming hen house working out?
A. Great! I move it about once a week - not too far, just far enough for the girls to have fresh grass to pick at and new dirt to roll in. And the fertilizer they're leaving behind seems to be working, too!

From Lilla:
Q. My cats don't seem very interested in the chickens either, but two of my three dogs are still way too curious! As a matter of fact, they are lying at the door right now, begging to go out and check on the chickens! What about Smooch?
A. I have not let Smooch into the garden where the chicken tractor lives. She watches the girls very intently from her perch on the window seat inside the house, but that's as close as she's going to get for now - and maybe forever. I'm a believer in non-confrontation and probably won't mess with success.

I'll stop now before you doze off.

Thank you, each and every one of you, who stops by to visit with us. I mean it. Taking pictures and writing stories to share with you here has become as much a part of the daily ranch routine as feeding, watering, and scooping poop. That may not be the most flattering comparison, but it's all about priorities.