Animals are always teaching me something, getting me to think. On a farm, we get bitten by mosquitoes, gnats, no see um’s, bees, wasps and giant black flies. Something is itching all the time, I had Benadryl tubes downstairs, upstairs, and in my office.

I used all kinds of holistic sprays, but there are just too many bugs to avoid, especially when it rains so much and there is so much manure. I’ve even had spider bites, which can be nasty.

Our animals get bitten by the same bugs, plus all kinds of ticks, and I can only imagine how image they are. It’s not too bad for the sheep,  because their wool shields them from the worst of it.

Donkeys, like most animals, are stoics. But they deal with itching by finding all kinds of things to rub against – gates, beams, limbs, stumps, almost anything that can hold up to a donkey rubbing against them.

We use holistic sprays, but it’s hopeless to think we can rid the farm of bugs, and they have a place in the environment. We can’t kill everything that is inconvenient for us.

I think insects teach me acceptance.  Bites are not drama. but a part of life, especially in the country, especially on a farm. This morning, I see Lulu has found yet another spot to tub the top of her head, a favorite spots for ticks and mosquitoes. And in the winter, a favorite thing to chew.