The Joy of Retirement

By Amber Donkey

It is now official, I have retired from my duties of head greeter in the big barn. However, my role has merely shifted, not gone away. I have actually moved closer to Dawn’s computer now, so there is sure to be more writing activity going on!

Last winter was really hard on my old bones. My teeth have seen better days as well. I have enjoyed an incredible summer with all the great care my human friends have added to make me even more comfortable. However, the cooler nights and the thought of winter chill, admittedly began to worry me. Dawn told me there was a second option but it would require moving to another smaller barn attached to her house. I was a little skeptical at first, as I truly love all my friends in the big barn and they need me. My goat herd needs me the most. But Dawn informed me that I could still go out with my goats on nice days and it wouldn’t be any more of a walk than I already manage. And Dawn and Margot both promised me that I would still see all my human friends and could still greet visitors, although it is by appointment now.

I thought that whole idea sounded dignified. I mean, being seen by appointment is kind of special actually. But the most important thing is that I am not without a job. That is not what retirement is all about. Retirement isn’t a time for doing nothing. It’s a time to reassess what it is we are here to do and to spend more time doing that, rather than being distracted by work and other busy kind of things. It’s a time to look inside ourselves. At least for me, that is what I’m doing.

My new job is a big one. First of all, my new friends now consist of a herd of geldings. As soon as I stepped into that barn, I knew my work was cut out for me. They are badly in need of a female to help guide them. There is young Shawnee, a 4 year old paint gelding, who seems to be quite smitten with me actually. He breathed new life into this old sagging body. Then there is Jeremy who is the leader of this band of orphans. I call him Prince Charming. He is quite magnificent actually and I find his energy to be very refreshing. He is strong and noble and very gentle and soft spoken. I like him very much. And he welcomed me to his barn. And then we have the two donkey boys. I have heard them on the farm for years now, yet we have never met. They call me the wise donkey. And I now call them the wise guys. They are badly in need of donkey supervision. Its not their fault. Neither of them had their mothers with them for long and they did the best they could by relying on the wisdom of the horses. But donkey wisdom is different. They are for sure my project.

I also have another herd of goats now to tend to. There are three of them, and one of them has a special stall at night right next to mine. I find great comfort in goats. They bring with them the calmness of the earth and the laughter of the wind. There is nothing as good as a goat to lift your spirits on a dreary day. They demand laughter from their friends and I am the first one to sign up to be their friend.

So, although I have retired, I have a new found purpose. I have actually always wanted my own little barn. They tell me I will be so much warmer for the winter and I have to say that is very appealing to me. I still have all the same staff caring for me which is great, because I care for them too and I would have not opted to move up here if I had to leave everyone. And then there is the writing. Now that I’m retired, I think we’ll have much more time to write. I’m just trying to explain to Dawn now how that all works. She still gets caught up in this time thing. Stay tuned, there is more to come about all that I will now learn from my new friends and family.

Please come see me anytime, but by appointment only!

Season of Change

It is incredibly hard to believe that it is already September 1st today.
Here, in upstate NY, there is already a scent of fall in the air. The nights have been chilly, the days fairly cool, and the apple trees are starting to bear their fruit. Soon the leaves will be changing color and the magnificence of fall in upstate NY will be out in full force.

Fall is my favorite time of year. It brings with it the promise of slowing down and settling in for the upcoming winter. Right? That always seems the way it should be. The rest of nature seems to abide by that cycle. But humans somehow don’t necessarily fit in that routine. I laugh each year as I think winter means a slower time. A time to hibernate and rest and reflect on all that has occurred the seasons before. Yet, instead, we find ourselves wearing layer upon layer of heavy clothing so that each time we go out to do anything, it takes 5 minutes of gearing up before we even go outside. Then we have to continuously move snow around. Either by the shovel full or the tractor bucket full. The snow falls and we move it. Only to have the wind come up and put it back where we moved it from. It becomes an endless cycle of moving piles back and forth. That is winter in upstate NY. Gorgeous, but labor intensive.

But winter reminds us that spring is not far ahead. Days start getting longer ever so slightly and by February we are all eager for warmer days and green grass. We forget though that it will be May before we see flowers blooming and the world turning green before our eyes. And then summer once again comes our way.

I was thinking about this as I walked into the barn last night to check on all the equines, goats, sheep, ducks, and chickens, and of course the two barn cats Bella and Izzy. It seems I have slipped into this routine of being the weather person in the barn each night. The animals are so quickly affected by the weather conditions. Our horses with asthma do not do well with high pollen counts and heat and humidity. The older horses don’t do well with the rain and the cold. And none of them do well when the weather is such that they cannot get out and enjoy their day in the pasture. When its too hot, the flies bother them. Too windy and they get nervous and want to come in. Weather is a constant part of our days on the farm and something that can dramatically affect the lives of the barn animals. If we have too much rain or not enough rain, we can have a bad hay crop and the food supply is immediately affected. So much depends on the weather.

So when we have several hot days in a row (which only happened once this summer but it was difficult), I go down to the barn and reassure the animals there that cooler weather is coming soon. When its been raining, I let them know when its supposed to be dry. When its windy, I let them know when things will quiet down. And when its cold, I let them know when it will get warmer. But this week, we have been blessed with absolute perfect weather. The days are 70-75 degrees, and the nights 45-55. And we have abundant sunshine with bright blue skies. When I came into the barn last night, the weather wasn’t on my mind, because it didn’t have to be. And that’s when it was called to my attention about my role in the barn with the animals. I was met by Amber Donkey who had the following to say to me.

Amber: Well, Miss weather forecaster, what say you today? What’s it going to be tomorrow? More of today? Less of today? Today all over again?
I’ve noticed that when things are calm, you never tell us that its going to change soon. Yet, you know it always does. The world was not meant to be without change. Perfection is not to be without change. Perfection is to understand that change happens moment by moment, but perfection is also staying present in each moment. You are always looking to see what is going to be in the next moment. We just smile and know you gain comfort in knowing what the next day will be like. We like to share that with you each night because it is what you do. But the fact is that nothing ever stays the same for long. If it did, we would never learn anything. We’d never be able to find out anything about ourselves. We’d be like a white spot on a white wall, never to differentiate ourselves from what is around us. You see, change is perfection itself. Because in change, you can always find permanence. In change, you can always rely on forward movement. It is change that brings you all the wondrous, miraculous things in your life. Change makes the caterpillar into a butterfly. Change makes the rain turn into the rainbow. Change makes my hair go from short to long and then to short again. It makes me look out my door here and know that soon it will look different. It is never the same two days in a row. Change lets us know we are alive and that we are a part of this creation.

So each night you come in here and tell us the weather forecast, we honor that because we know it is change. Even though you don’t realize it as the gift for which it is. The success of any being is to stay present in each moment of change. Because the very idea of a moment, is all about change. One moment is never permanent. It simply morphs into the next moment, is built upon the last moment, and only can be experienced in the present. That is what life is all about.

Testiomonial of Growth

Running a website and maintaining a blog sometimes becomes a busy task in the bustling days of the Farm. Being in charge of 250-300 animals daily, 30 human employees, and all of the other desk work that comes with all of that, as well as doing animal communication consultations can many times be challenging enough. So when Amber Donkey suggested we start a blog I was not all that excited to start with. She actually requested a "forum where people could write in to me and we could answer their questions." I of course then determined that sounded like a blog.

Opening the daily lives of the animals and my relationship with them up to the public was a difficult decision. Its sort of like inviting a whole lot of people into your living room and saying to them, "hey, ask me anything you want." It can be exhausting, and as you see, I don't always keep up with it as frequently as I'd like. And there are days I have wondered if we are even reaching anyone. Is anyone out there? Does anyone really care? Sometimes, it is just dead silence in the ethers of the blog space. Friends tell me it is because people are thinking about what the animals are sharing. They are processing things. But sometimes even that would be helpful to hear. I don't have time for Twitter tweeting. I don't have time to do daily blog posts. But I have always intended for this blog to be a window for the wisdom of the animals to flow through and to get many of you to see things from a slightly different perspective.

Recently we got this letter in our email box from one of the people who submitted a question for Amber and whose life has changed from Amber's response. Amber was so touched, that she asked me if she could respond to her. That person has given me permission to share her experience and Amber's response to her with all of you. We thank you Anna!

Dear Dawn & Amber

Can you pass this on to Amber.

I just want to thank both of you and everything you are doing to help all these beautiful animals. Several months ago -April 2009, I wrote to Amber regarding how can I send someone love and pass no judgment for doing horrific things to animals.

She explained to stop the wheel of hatred and judgment. Back then, I couldn't understand why I would want to do this, because I felt so bad about these animals being abused and hated and judged the person or persons doing such a thing.

Not too long ago, it finally hit me! I don't know what happened, but something came over me that this is the way I should feel from now on. To this day I don't judge, hate or dislike anyone that does this. I actually send them love, compassion and bless them AND the animals that are involved.

Thank you for helping me be a better human and to stop the wheel of hate.

Sincerely,
Anna

Amber's Response:

Hi Anna,
I just wanted to thank you for all that you are doing in this world to end the wheel of hatred and judgment. What a fine human being you are! Because of you and the conscious shift you have made, many more humans will benefit and grow, and many more animals will find peace in this world. Mark my words, it is how it all works. It is great to know you are out there.
Blessings,
Amber Donkey

Animal Wisdom

Ever notice how time just seems to be getting faster and faster? We started this blog to keep up with news on the farm, yet we often spend our days just keeping up with the farm itself. Managing the care of the 250-300 animals on the farm, plus the 30 member staff who care for them and run our programs, can be an incredible endeavor. The challenges we all face in our daily lives also affect the farm and all her inhabitants. This is a time of great growth and change for the planet as a whole, and certainly the farm reflects that as a microcosm of the larger whole. As with all change, it has its moments of wonder, its triumphs and joy, as well as its challenges and sometimes hardships.

Currently, we have the challenge of orphan kitten season in full swing. Adoptions are down and the need of so many helpless animals is increasing. All of us here feel the strain, not just of the 50 orphaned kittens we currently care for, but also for the ones we cannot help. Our phone rings off the hook continuously with people asking us to take in their animals that they no longer can keep, or about the stray they just found on the side of the road, or in their garages and gardens. We have to say no to most of them, and try to offer what we can to help. Each year we look for that ray of hope that lets us know that maybe, just maybe, our spay/neuter program is working. We look for that sign that shows us that humans are starting to take more responsibility for their actions and for the welfare of the animals in their care. We look for any sign of hope that we can. There are signs out there, but some days they are very hard to find.

As I was closing down the barn last night, making sure that all the horses, sheep, goats, ducks and chickens were settled in and safe for the night, I was consumed by my own thoughts of calling in the angels to help find wonderful homes for these kittens, and some other things on my wish list for the farm. My routine is to stop at each animal and just be with them for a short check in for the day. They all felt my weariness and as they are wont to do, they began feeding my heart and soul with their love and wisdom. One of the horses said to me, “Look around you in this barn and see what hope has given us. Your belief that it could be better created all of this, and in turn gave each of us a place to rest and be alive and safe. If you hadn’t believed, then we wouldn’t be here. We’d all be dead.”

Each horse came to their stall door as I approached, as if to underscore what the first one had said. Then, each one, shared with me something personal of what they experienced with me and the farm as a whole. It occurred to me that they often take time out of their day and out of their lives to thank us for what we have given them. They have thanked me for what we share together and for communicating this with others. And I began to notice how often I come into their space, their home, their sanctuary, with my own thoughts of doubts and misgivings, without stopping to thank them for all they have given to me. So, last night, as I went around to each one of them, I paused just for a moment and felt my love for each one as I stood with them. I thanked them for what they brought to the farm, what they brought to the many visitors who come to see them, and for what they continuously give to me. Life hasn’t been easy for them. Their path here, for many, was troubled and difficult and painful. I have watched them unravel layers of pain received at the hands of humans who were supposed to look out for them, and I have witnessed their journeys of healing. And I learned from them as I saw each of them unplug from a life of tragedy, to sign on to teach about a life of hope. If you knew their stories like I do, you’d be amazed that some of them could find a life of hope. Yet, each of them has. From each of them, I daily can feel their gratitude, appreciation, and love for what they now have and for where they now are, and I realized that if all of us did the same thing, no one would ever give up on hope. We’d all realize that hope is all around us all of the time. And no one would ever treat an animal the way that so many of these animals have been treated. How ironic from the human perspective. The “victims” are the deliverers of the healing. They stand here and show us daily a better way to live and a more sacred way to be.

As I left the barn, I stopped at the gate and said “I’ll see you all tomorrow.” And Amber Donkey gave me one last look and said, “Yep, we’ll see you tomorrow, just like we saw you today. The question is, will you see yourself tomorrow? We’ll see.”