![\"Quanyin](\"https:\/\/www.stephaniemarohn.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/quanyin2.jpg\")
<\/a>Quanyin in the bird garden<\/p><\/div>\n
During the days of downpour, I stayed out in the most welcome rain long after finishing the animal chores, happy to get soaked. The dogs, ever loyal companions, came with me. Earlier they had been romping in a pool that appeared overnight\u00a0in the old foundation beyond the barn. They leapt\u00a0and splashed and wrestled and got thoroughly, joyously wet. They are so big now (90 pounds each) I sometimes forget they are still puppies.<\/p>\n
Giving thanks for the rain and also for the barn, where I know the animals are\u00a0weathering\u00a0the storm in comfort. I am able to\u00a0relax in my own warm and dry shelter, knowing they are warm and dry\u00a0in theirs.\u00a0What a relief!\u00a0I used to feel uneasy during storms,\u00a0knowing<\/p>\n
<\/a>Barn breakfast
(photo by Regina Kretschmer)<\/p><\/div>\n
the floor of the barn might be turning to muck as water seeped in. And now when it is raining, the animals can eat their meals\u00a0out of the wet. They all prefer open-air dining, though, so I feed them under the barn porch roof rather than in the stalls. It warms my heart to see the donkeys, horses, and sheep sharing the hay on dry ground while the rain feeds our thirsty earth beyond the porch.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Daisy, Merlion, Perseus, and Pegasus<\/p><\/div>\n
The dogs are usually hanging around close by. It is clear that all are family. The dogs are almost as tall as the miniature horses now, and still growing!<\/p>\n
We had some unexpected visitors recently. I was in my\u00a0dining room talking on the phone when I looked out the window and saw a mother bear walking up the driveway, with\u00a0two bear cubs gamboling along behind her. What a wonderful sight. I dropped the phone\u00a0and ran outside to make sure none of the animals were anywhere near the bears. The donkeys were standing with ears straight up, all looking in the bear direction. Merlion must have smelled the bears then because he raced\u00a0into the pasture next to the driveway, barking furiously. Fortunately, mama and her cubs\u00a0were already out of sight on the other side of the fence. Not sure what our brave champion would have done otherwise, but I’m hoping his instincts warn\u00a0him not to approach a mother bear.<\/p>\n
Joyous days on the sanctuary as we head toward Winter Solstice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thanks to the rain that arrived at last to\u00a0our drought-ridden land, the earth is beginning to turn green again. During the days of downpour, I stayed out in the most welcome rain long after finishing the animal chores, happy to … Continue reading