The Ring of Protection is complete! That is what I’m calling the new security fence around the barn that allows the animals to spend the night outdoors rather than shut into stalls to protect them from predators, namely, mountain lions.
The Ring of Protection gate open for the day with Daisy and Merlion on security watch
The guardian dogs, Daisy and Merlion, provide another ring of protection, day and night. When the fence was complete, the dogs were still too little to be safely in with the donkeys, so they spent the night in one section with the sheep and miniature horses, while the donkeys were in the other area. Now, everyone is together every night and getting along beautifully.
It has been fascinating to watch the animals establish their relationships. Each relationship is different, just as it is with people. As one example, the ewes Fleur and Snowflake rammed the dogs frequently at the beginning. Beau did little of this and bonded with the dogs immediately. I wondered why the ewes were doing this, but now that the dogs are almost full grown and larger than the ewes, I see that Fleur and Snowflake were wise in setting their boundaries so the dogs would respect their space and not jump all over them. The dogs got the message and peace reigns.
Snowflake, Beau, and dog play
I know we have arrived at a new level of harmony because a few mornings ago when I came out to open the gates and give everyone breakfast, Snowflake was in the dog area with Merlion (the dog area is a small fenced place with a chain across an opening to keep the other animals out, giving the dogs a lair that they can retreat to if they like). Merlion came to greet me and Snowflake ducked under the chain to come out, just like he did.
Now that the fence around the garden is also complete, everyone is together all day long as well as all night. Before that, I couldn’t let the donkeys come into the area around the house where the garden is because there would have been no plants left. As it was, the sheep did some serious pruning, and the fence went up just in time to save the poor struggling plants.
Daisy, Merlion, and me with the new garden fence in the background
Now everyone has their safe area, including the birds because the garden fence is cat-proof. I did that on purpose to give the birds their protected aviary—many finches, hummingbirds, sparrows, and woodpeckers, although the woodpeckers can most often be seen on the post by the water trough in the animal area, hanging upside down to take a drink. What acrobats they are!
Toward evening feeding time, the donkeys, horses, and sheep come to stand in front of my office window, letting me know it’s time to stop work.
Donkeys dropping by the office for a visit
If I’ve left the garage door open, Perseus enters and starts rooting in the recycling bin, tossing plastic bottles around the garage. The racket he makes usually suffices to get me out there, laughing at his creative antics.
Perseus helps with garage vacuuming
It is a sheer pleasure to live so closely with the animals—to come out the front door to find the three donkeys standing there, waiting for a visit from me; to hear the donkey and horse calls throughout the day as I’m writing; to walk outside and have Beau joyously bound across the yard to greet me; to have the whole flerd (flock and herd) escort all visitors to my door; to look up from my computer to see one of the animals running across the yard in front of my window, in pure fun and joy; to wake up in the morning to the animals’ snuffling sounds in the Ring of Protection, knowing they are all safe and ready for the day.
Perseus, donkeys, and dogs start their day
