I know, I know...

... I have said it almost every in entry that I write about the DSC, but really it doesn't get any cuter than this. This time I am meaning the Mini family, consisting of father Peter, mom Katy and brother and sister Gemini and Marci. All four of them arrived at the DSC some time in 2001, when their former owner realized that his advanced age was going to be a problem with being able to take care of the foursome, so one year prior he had made arrangement that the four minis will move all the way from British Columbia to Ontario to the DSC. While the four donkeys took a five day long road trip to their new home, their owner flew up to Ontario to meet them at their new destination and make sure they were settling in ok. I remember the family from my first few visits to the DSC, then they left to live on a Foster farm and they have recently been returned. As much as they look alike they are very unique in their being, except they are all very very cute. Peter makes sure that his family is well taken care of and has no problem to be assertive to make sure his family has a spot at the feeder. He is small but mighty. He never leaves his wife Katy's side. Peter also has a very distinct walk so he is easily to tell apart from the rest, he lifts his hind legs up really high and walks like a little snotty donkey, almost like " there is so much donkey poop all over here I don't want to step in it". Katy is a great mom, always making sure her kids are taken care of and always on the look out for them. Katy's crest is fallen slightly so I can tell her apart from the rest. Gemini is very nosy, but also very attached to his family and is almost always with them. His mane stands straight up and he is a little chunky, so that's how you know it's him. Marci on the other side, she is like a rebellious teenager, and doesn't like to hang out with her family, but they always make sure she is ok. Her crest is more fallen than Katy's, so that's how I can tell her apart from the rest.

Today was an absolute perfect sunny day at the farm and all the donkeys enjoyed the sunshine and just stood there for most of the day, relaxing and soaking it all up.
 After having done all the chores, Cheri and I decided to groom the mini family together, because it's easier to take two out at at time, instead of separating them and having the other ones upset. So we took Peter and Katy out first, I groomed Peter and he was not very happy at first and always had to make sure his love Katy was right there too. After we took these two back from where we got them, we were looking for Marci and Gemini, Marci was easy to find but Gemini not so easy, because all of a sudden too there was Monty, who looks just like Gemini, but I know Monte has a lump on his neck, so we eliminated him as Gemini fairly quickly...but where was the Gemi? So we walked up the hill in the paddock and called for him, and sure enough the little donkey came trotting along. So we took Marci and Gemi out to the other side to groom, Peter was in constant communication with them through the fence, and Katy, like any mother would do...the kids are away for a few minutes, hubby is busy, I will enjoy some alone time out in the field and she went for a walk. So cute. Peter on the other hand watched for his children the whole time they were getting groomed. Marci and Gemi were very easy to groom and very cooperative, even with their feet. Then it was carrot time and all of a sudden we had new best friends, even long after we put them back on the East side, they kept checking us for more carrots.

Marci checks "Are you sure you don't have any more?" 

Peter using Katy as a headrest for his little snooze in the sun!

It was an absolute beautiful day at the farm, not a cloud in the sky and you could feel the strength of the sun on your face, even though it was very cold. We got lots of chores done, had some cuddle time and grooming time and some time to just watch and observe.....

 like Braveheart playing in the barn window...

or Johnny rolling in the dirt...

or lots of donkeys soaking up some sunshine.

As for the big boys in the gelding paddock, they were doing the same, just enjoying the sunshine and fresh food in their feeder.