Making Hay While the Sun Shines | Wordless Wednesday

 Making hay while the sun shines
with our mules, Bonnie & Clyde (above) and 
Belgian draft horses, Tim & Tom (below.)

Mule Train by Frankie Lane | Dog Song Saturday

It's Saturday, so time for a dog song at Talking Dogs.  I know you're expecting the music video today to be about dogs, but we're still celebrating National Mule Day!

I'd been driving big draft horses for awhile before I ever drove any mules.  So, it delighted me that there really was a clickety clack of mule hooves.  I call them dancing mule feet.

Though you're not going to see any dancing feet it this music video today, you'll see lots of wonderful photos of mules working and taking care of business along with the 1949 Frankie Lane song, Mule Train.

Grab a dog.  Sit.  Stay.  Relax and enjoy Mule Train!

Fetch some genuine dog song music videos at Talking Dogs.  You'll be surprised at how many we've collected over the past few years!  And be sure to scroll down below today's featured dog song to explore some barking good blogs in today's Pet Blogger Hop.

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Follow-up Friday: Rain, Give Cancer the Paw, and Rosie's Birthday

I'm happy to be joining Heart Like a Dog in the follow-up Friday blog hop this week.  This is the blog hop that lets you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.  Hosted by FUF creator, Jodi at Heart Like a Dog 
and co-hosted by JoAnn at Sandspring Chesapeakes this week.


As I write this we're on our 4th straight day of rain.  The good thing is that the ponds are finally filling up.  They've been low the past few years from the drought.  The other good news is that we're on relatively high ground.  Otherwise we'd be scurrying around trying to build an ark!  None of the dogs likes getting wet.  We joke that they're so sweet they think they'll melt.  At any rate, they're very depressed.   One rainy day is a bummer;  four rainy days in a row is...  no fun!  The truly good news is that tomorrow the sunshine is supposed to return.  I just hope we'll recognize it!

Later today I'll be scanning some old photos of my dog, Benji, for a very special blog hop coming up this next week.  Benji was my tripawd and lost a leg to the big C.  I'll be blogging about our experience in the brand new Give Cancer the Paw blog hop, hosted by Jackie at Pooch Smooches and Peggy at Peggy's Pet Place.

This week also marks a very special time...  Rosie's birthday!  Yup, our girl will be one year old.  Where does the time go?  It seems like just yesterday that we brought her home from the animal shelter.  I love that her birthday coincides with National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week.

Our puppy girl, Rosie

Pit Bull Songs - Dog Song Saturday
If you missed this post, you really should fetch it.  More than one barking good original song about Pit Bull dogs!

National Mule Day - Monday Mischief
I actually tried to respond to most of the comments on this post.  JoAnn mentioned a mule she used for packing on their elk hunts and his nasty disposition.  I'm a firm believer that "evil" mules or donkeys are made not born.

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins - Tasty Tuesday
Sometimes, when I'm sharing people food recipes, I think I should share healthy food.  Then I decide that's no fun!  We actually put some of these in the freezer to pull out later in November.  I'll let you know how well they freeze.

Autumn Reflections Mule Style
Thanks so much for all the comments!  It's one of my favorite fall photos.   Jen,  the pond reflection was actually a happy accident.  Nope, Jodi, not framed and hung somewhere in the house, but that's a very good idea.  I don't think it is weird at all that you want to hug a mule, Jackie.  They're pretty cute and with their winter coats growing in, they're very soft and "plush."  Definitely hugable and I've been known to do a lot of that.

Talking Dogs is the official blog of For Love of a Dog Jewelry.

Autumn Reflections - Mule Style | Wordless Wednesday

Our mules Bonnie and Clyde

If winter is slumber,

spring is birth,

and summer is life...

then autumn rounds out to be reflection.

~ Mitchell Burgess


In honor of National Mule Day

Talking Dogs is the official blog of For Love of a Dog Jewelry

National Mule Day | Monday Mischief

I owe an apology to mules and mule lovers.  National Mule Day was October 26.  Unfortunately, I was too busy celebrating Pit Bull dogs (National Pit Bull Awareness Day) to celebrate mules.  However, in the spirit of better late than never and, as a fan of all equine, especially mules, I've decided to do some celebrating today.

National Mule Day marks the arrival of a special Spanish donkey to our country.

In addition to being a passionate American Foxhound dog breeder, George Washington is often called the "father of the American mule."  According to Our White House here's how the story goes:

In 1785, when King Charles III of Spain heard that General Washington, at home in Mount Vernon, was looking for the finest jackasses in the world to mate with his mares to create “super mules,” he sent Washington two of his best Spanish donkeys.

Only one survived the cross-Atlantic journey, landing safely in Boston. With meticulous care, Washington personally planned its arrival at Mount Vernon, making sure that his mares had lived a celibate existence so that they would warmly welcome their “foreign affair.” The regal jackass—Washington named him Royal Gift—was not at all pleased with the proffered country bumpkins and made no attempt to seal the deal.  

As frustrated as the poor mares, the creative Mr. Washington decided to trick Royal Gift.  He used a female donkey to capture the attention of the Spanish jackass, then, at just the right moment, pulled a switch substituting the femme fatale donkey with one of his Virginian mares. 

The ploy worked and by 1799 there were fifty-seven new mules at Mount Vernon. Washington farmed them out across the country to improve the nation’s stock and as a result many of the best mules today can trace their lineage back to old Royal Gift and George Washington’s mares.

Our mammoth jack, Mr. Jones

For those not in the know, mules are the result of breeding a male donkey (jack) to a female horse.   When a female donkey (jennet) is bred with a male horse (stallion) the result is a hinny.   Male mules are called horse mules or johns;  female mules are called mare mules or mollies.

Our john mule, Clyde meeting Spanky

Stubborn like a mule?  I prefer: smart as a mule.  While a horse's first impulse is to flee from danger, a mule will often freeze and refuse to move when danger is sensed.  Mule (and donkeys) will think about the situation and figure out the safest response.  Frankly, the mules I've known are often smarter than a lot of people I've met!

Yep, that's me driving a four-up of mules:  Molly, Nellie, Frank and Jesse

There's probably more mischief ahead... I really need to feature a mule song on Dog Song Saturday!

Thank you to Snoopy’s Dog Blog, Alfie’s Blog, and My Brown Newfies for hosting Monday Mischief!   

Wordless Wednesday: Bringing in the Sheaves

Center:  Mollie and Nellie, mule team
Right:  Tim and Tom, Belgian draft team

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,

Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;

Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,

We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Admit it.  You suspected our whole week of blog posts would have an equine theme!

Yes, it is a modern day threshing.   For you city slickers, that's all about oats.   

I have a farm story to tell.  Tomorrow.

Wordless Wednesday: Mules Coming and Going

 Coming...

Going..

A few words this Wordless Wednesday - this is yours truly learning to drive a 4-up.  That's Molly and Nellie as lead mules;  Frank and Jesse are the wheel team.

Love those dancing mule feet!