Of all the things I see in the animal world, I think the donkey’s eyes are the most soulful, beautiful, and spiritual. Their eyes are deep and brown or black; they are deep wells.

This morning, just after sunrise, I went out to the pasture and sat in an old chair by the red barn. There are a few better ways to spend the day.

I just sat there and waited for the donkeys to show up. Donkeys are sweet when they feel like it, at least ours are, but everything has to be their idea and done in their own time.

Donkeys have learned to be wary of human beings telling them what to do. If they don’t like it or think it is unsafe, they will just not do it.

Our donkeys live the good life; they protect the sheep from predators, and we have never asked them to do anything else.

Fanny

I sat still for a few minutes, and sure enough, Fanny came right up and her head on my shoulder, and Lulu, instantly jealous, came over and presented her butt for scratching. She loves to have her butt scratched, it’s one of the places she can’t reach.

Our donkeys are loving and sweet, and we talked, scratched, rubbed my ears, and ran my hand down their necks. Donkeys are as imperious as hens. When a donkey loves you, they often butt you in the butt with their heads. I got a few of those.

Fanny

When they want attention, they just stand still, as if there can be no question about it.

They expected to be treated well, they demand it, and by the time I was ready to go, I’d taken some photos of their soulful and expressive eyes and given them each a palm-full of the alfalfa treats I had just bought yesterday for them.

Lulu is the lead donkey, the guard donkey. Since she came, no sheep or chicken has been lost to a predator (except the chicken who died of  Bud’s attack, which was outside of the pasture.) She loved the scratching I was doing of her neck, she almost fell asleep.

Lulu.

A donkey’s eyes say so much, they are grounding, and deeply spiritual creatures, and their eyes are full of foul.