Donkeys are imperious and intelligent creatures, when they want something, they let you know. When Fanny feels she is being neglected – this happens often – she will either come up behind me and nose me in the butt, often hard enough to move me a few feet, or even know me down.

If she is facing me, she will nose me in the crotch. We’ve had some painful exchanges over the years. Fanny has been with me almost from birth, we know each other quite well. She is very sweet, not as vigilant as the protective Lulu, the chief guard donkey of the farm.

No animals loves shrieking wind, things flying around, the barn creaking and straining. Our Pole Barn is well built, it is dry, deep enough for everyone and offers shelter from the wind. But Fanny wanted some attention, I was taking photos of Red and Fate with the sheep and came up to me and put her nose right into the camera.  She looked serious and purposeful. I knew that was next, I put the camera down, grabbed a brush and started paying some serious attention to her.