Old Friends
Daisy and Jenny were rounded up and taken off the range many years ago as wild burros and went from pillar to post, finally landing on a ranch that had no time for them. We would see them sometimes as>
BLM Burros Stories
Of Carrots and Life
Once a week we do a meditation on Earthfire’s vision which includes Hannah, a volunteer who lives in England. We start at 7:30 am our time and she at 2:30 her time. At the end of an hour she gives us a call and we discuss what arose for each us. This time she said a bit sheepishly, “What came up for me was carrots. Images of carrots.” At first I thought she said parrots and I thought of a remarkable one I knew but she said, “No, CARROTS. Does that make any sense?”
I told her what happened yesterday:
Robert, our farrier, had come to trim the feet of Jenny, the very ancient donkey we are honored to care for. She is very very ancient. When we first got her several years ago the vet came to examine her. We asked her age, he said “ She was born before Nixon’s first term.”
I came out to meet Robert who had been looking her over. He said, “Susan, you’ve got to put Jenny down. She’s depressed, moping, in pain. The wound on her back isn’t healing and her feet are falling apart.” I said, “Please do her feet. She still wants her carrots. If she wants her carrots, she still has a zest for life, and I’m not going to take that from her.” I described how, as we led her to the area where he was going to work on her, we passed the bag of carrots I always bring out in preparation for the event. They were several yards away but she started veering towards them, catching the scent even in the cold air and through the plastic bag. Food is a big part of her life.
Robert started working on her feet as we fed her the carrots. She took them with her usual grumpy acceptance.
We shared our thoughts about when, if ever, does one euthanize an animal? He had worked on big ranches where the animals were generally put down rather than nursed, especially if they were no longer “useful.” But Jenny is very useful; let me count the ways:
1. She certainly considers herself useful to herself. She thinks she is quite important and lets us know her rights and demands and opinions without any hesitation.
2. We love her.
3. She adds great character to Earthfire. She is the first to scream for food in the mornings, her raucous bray ricocheting around the ranch. She is the first to scream for food in the evenings, the loudest voice of all the animals. When we try to sneak extra treats to her she always gives us away as we approach, and the other donkeys and horses and buffalo come pounding from across the field. If we try to sneak by her to go to the yurt, she gives us away again.
4. She also is adorable with a great soft fuzzy gray forehead, hair covering most of her soft brown eyes and the very best longest donkey ears.
5. She has presence and dignity. No pushing HER around.
6. And she leans into us for petting. How can that not be useful?
But basically we are very reluctant to take an animal’s life under any but the most dire circumstances, and with Jenny, certainly not if she still lusted for carrots. Robert really loves animals and horses and donkeys. As we talked he softened and said “Yes, I can see that way of doing things. I’m just not used to it.”
Because we respected his opinion we called Summer, our vet, to look at Jenny again, see if she was in pain, and to re-dress the wound on her back which was actually healing. Very slowly, but healing. She was certainly old, slow, a bit hang-dog and not enjoying the winter cold and deep snow. But she loved her attention, her hay, and her carrots. As a wild donkey captured many years ago from the wild, in the Bureau of Land Management wild horse and burros round-ups, she did not have carrots. They loom large in her world.
Summer said she didn’t think it was time, so we left things as they were, her dainty hooves trimmed to Robert’s artistic and exacting specifications.
Back to Hannah and her images of carrots. Why did that come up for her? Was it a coincidence? If it was from Jenny and her will to live, how did Hannah pick that up? How did Jenny convey that? She never met Hannah, who lives across the Atlantic ocean. That was the only image Hannah “got” during that meditation and it was a strong one; it kept coming up for her.
I wonder at the implications of events like this. It hints at a reality much larger and richer than the one we normally inhabit, just waiting for us to tune in and enjoy. A reality in which we are all connected in unseen ways and sometimes can feel, if we are able to be quiet inside and attend to the softer knowings that come to us.
As always, comments, stories and personal experiences welcome.
PS – I read somewhere that carrots share 50% of our DNA
Nomad Lives by Jennifer Sauer
I feel exactly the same way regarding animals as friends and staying true to them during the rough parts of their lives as well as the easy. I had the honor yesterday to hold vigil and cradle my old feline friend Mr. Cookie Puss, as he took his final breaths. He died naturally and I believe, stayed around weeks longer than he should have because of all the love and affection he received from his family. When we see animals as “equals”, we are able to receive so much from them. Thank you for all the inspiring and beautiful work you are doing at Earthfire.
Comment by Shelley Meaney — March 16, 2012 @ 7:39 pm
She is so sweet with her carrot in her mouth!
I wish her as many more years as she wants!
Comment by Alice — March 16, 2012 @ 7:40 pm
Thank you for the good work you do at Earthfire.
Jenny will tell you when she’s ready.
Comment by Laura Anderson — March 16, 2012 @ 8:19 pm
you are a complete inspiration. my dream is to have a family of animals – that seems to have come true at earthfire. I hope to visit someday but I enjoy reading your beautiful posts in the meantime… and thank you for caring as you do for our fellow earthlings.
Comment by yvonne troyer — March 16, 2012 @ 10:00 pm
She truly sees her life as bountiful! Carry on. She will let you know….
Comment by Cathy — March 16, 2012 @ 11:03 pm
Susan – your writing and stories about the residents and visitors of Earthfire draws me in so deeply that I feel as though I experience the tale in real time with you. what a rare gift you bring. Coming to your website is my church, my weekly dose of holiness, kindness, and sweet joy. someday i hope to visit in person. much gratitude for the sharing of these exquisite stories! love to jenny!
Comment by Isha — March 17, 2012 @ 12:55 am
That is a great story, I have let all my animals die naturally, even when I was gone a lot they have all waited til I was at home before passing. It seems to be important to them
Comment by Mandy — March 17, 2012 @ 1:06 am
How blessed a life you have. How I envy you, with kindness. A bit of the strenght of the mountain, the clarity of the water and the cleansing of the air transpire through your stories and it does me good. It reminds me that real life is good. That somewhere, there is a Jenny longing for a carrot and it is all that matters in the world. If there is longing, there is a want for life. How I pray that everyone could see the animals, each and every single one of them, through your eyes.
Comment by Doris — March 17, 2012 @ 2:25 am
I love this story! I’m a big donkey lover and in Burgundy, France where my parents live there is an old donkey called Pétard. He lives in the next door field. He is 31 years old, just like me so I feel a big connection to him. Whenever I visit my parents I buy a huge bag of carrots and go and feed them to him everyday. Just like your Jenny he never says no to a carrot and I get to kiss and hug him which is great!!! He has trouble braying now, it’s more like a rusty old cough but he stills gets it out there when he sees me from afar with a bag full of carrots!!
Comment by Ginnie — March 17, 2012 @ 4:49 am
Wonderful story!
We are neighbors (new house to your east) and I truly enjoy hearing the wolves on a daily basis… Would love to meet you and the animals some day!
Keep up the amazing work!
Comment by Paul — March 17, 2012 @ 10:04 am
I love reading the stories from Earthfire! They are so touching and emotionally moving! I believe sharing is important because you never know who needs to just read the story and receive a message at a time that it is most relevant to them. My dream is to build ThunderWolf Medicine Lodge & Sanctuary for Wolves here in Canada and I find Earthfire to be a very inspiring role model for Animal Partnership and as a Retreat Center!
Comment by Sonara — March 17, 2012 @ 12:31 pm
I have the privilege of caring for two young donkeys–the same color as Jenny–and they, too, love their carrots.
There are radio waves, micro waves and others too numerous to mention, so, it is hardly a surprise that we can tune into one another’s frequencies.
This story of Jenny is beautifully written and conveys a spiritual eloquence. Thank you for it.
Comment by Connie Glavin — March 17, 2012 @ 3:37 pm
What a beautiful story! Just seeing Jenny’s face with her carrot, I wish I was there to give her a hug! You live a life surrounded by angels – all the fur people who share their love and gratitude with you – you are truly blessed! If enough love and energy is felt across the oceans, maybe some day all creatures will be treated with the love and respect they deserve. Thank you for these beautifully written words and all the work you do.
Comment by Dee — March 26, 2012 @ 3:24 pm