Roller's Philosophical Friday: Birthdays!

Hip hip hooray it's a Granny birthday.... and an Aunty birthday!  You see our GH and her twin sister AY have a birthday today!

Aren't brithday's great? Cake and cuddles and lots of fun things to do!  Here's wishing our favourite GH and AY a lovely day.  Alas the rain has started here again so we will have to make our own sunshine for the big occasion.... ah well it's easy when you're as cute as me.

So I thought long and hard about what to get GH for her birthday.... would she like carrots (who doesn't?), maybe a new grooming brush, or possibly some glittery hoof shine (FH said definitely not), I thought I had the best idea when I suggested a mud pack treatment but apparently the ones that humans like are a bit different to us muleteers, maybe some tasty hay?  Hmmm it seems that every suggestion is just not quite there... but then it came to me!  What better present than some snuffles and some cute pictures of myself?  Granny can't help but smile when I strike some poses for her, after all what more do humans need for their birthdays than smiles?!

So Happy Birthday GH and AY!  Sending you slobbery snuffles, swishes of my tail and a whinny chorus :-) And just a little reminder...

Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!
Mark Twain

If Dogs Could Smile

Greetings Friends!  Well of course we can smile!  I heard the humans say if dogs could smile the Cloth Dog would be, duh well look at me.... I'm smiling!

Yippee, hooray, it's a Dartmoor doggy day!  My favourite place in the world for a lovely winter walk.  The sun was shining, the bushes were ripe for sniffing and peeing on and my naughty puppy was occupied with dashing and playing and chasing.

I always know when we're in luck and about to escort the humans on to the moor..... we head up this little track.  The edges are great for sniffing and it's definitely a doggy racetrack, Milo might be fast but I make up for his speed with experience.

He is rather prone to prancing and dancing and forgetting which way he's supposed to be going...

I think he rather enjoys running around in the long moorland grass!

I have to keep my wits about me as he is prone to flybys at great speed.  Oops this photo shows that even the inside of my ears are going grey, honestly folks if you had to bring up this pup and look after the humans your ears would be grey too!

There's always time for a quick look at the view in amongst running around. Sometimes we'll explore far and wide over those hills but today we made do with a bit of a meander, splash and soak up of the sun - it feels great on my back :-)

Just when I was enjoying the view it came from nowhere... beep, beep, zoom! Come back here rascal!

Have you ever seen such funny ears on a pup? Tehehe they rather make me smile just looking at them.....

One final thing before we head home.  I've spied a little bit of a swimming spot, time for some peace and quiet in the chilly water - one place the puppy won't follow! Something about it being cold, he needs to grow a labrador coat, no worries here!

You know what folks?  Us dogs definitely can smile.... I'm doing it right here, loving being a Dartmoor Dog.  

Woofs and Wags everyone, have a lovely weekend.  I'm looking forward to an afternoon snuggled with my mistress bonding with my next pup in the making, babysitter Murph at the ready.... I've heard that my ears will make the best baby comforter..... ah well guess I can cope ;-) I wonder if Human Foal will call me their Cloth Dog too?  I sure hope so!

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Size

Dumdedum, what a lovely week, some nice sunshine, lots of tasty grass and it's nearly the weekend - hooray! I've been having a nice time with my mini friend this week, we've been playing and chasing around, anyone would think we thought Spring might be on the way.... FH says we've got a long time to wait!  But you know what?  In Spring I'm gonna get a new playmate, I can't wait, imagine all those adventures I'm gonna have with Human Foal!

Cos us minis like a good adventure and we're not quite as placid as you think, when inspired to move and explore (and protest) we are giants!  Imagine my consternation when one of the humans peering at us over the gate announced that us minis must be no trouble, very easy to make do things and of course because we are small we are easily persuaded.... hmmm FH giggled and said that no we are not any less of a challenge than the big ones, just more wriggly!  One thing that us minis share is tenacity, never will a fence beat me, I'll find a way through, The Mini is not for persuading in any circumstances by someone he doesn't know and I will not be jabbed by the doctor man without a hoof waving hissy fit!  Hehe, just imagine all the mischief us minis can teach our Human Foal, I'm dreaming up the adventures already!

So for this week I leave you with a little saying that sums up what it is to be small.... it means nothing at all in the grand scheme of things, it's all about how you face the challenges in front of you ;-)

What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of fight in the dog.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Mule Racing

Ready for Mule Racing?  Who will be the victor in today's high stakes race, winner gets a carrot!

Hmmm what's this it looks like Roller is taking an early lead…. but his ears are too short, we may have an impostor!

He's off, there's no stopping this competitor, and look he does it with style!

But wait there appears to be a problem, oh dear this runner has decided it's too much hard work, he needs a lie down…

And roll!

Looks like Dragon Mule is taking the lead… she's passed Roller on the outside narrowly missing him.

And she's in to her stride, looks like a sure winner to us.

But wait!  What's this?  It looks like there's a late push from The Mini.

He's catching, watch those little legs go!

Oh No!  Disaster!  Dragon has taken a wrong turning and has been overtaken by The Mini, a terrible mistake on the part of the Dragon Mule!

The Mini looks like he's got this one sewn up!

Nothing quite says 'nah, nah, nah, nah, nah', like the whites of your eyes ;-)

But Dragon's gaining again!

One last burst of Mini speed needed!

And he's over the finish line and coasting, he's done it!

The crowd goes wild!  The first past the post poses for photos in the winner's paddock!

But wait, what's this?  It seems that Roller has woken up and thinks the race is still on…. come back here you pesky pony!

Oh dear, he missed the whole thing, he's a little miffed, he's going for gymnastics instead ;-)

Gosh that was fun, must be time for a rest now??

You'll be glad to know we all got a carrot, only winners in this gang :-) Have a lovely weekend friends!

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Truth

Greetings my Muleteer friends!  This week I have been listening to FH's grumblings about people who ignore the truth because it suits their politics or agenda.... hmmm weird human stuff.  But then I pricked my teeny tiny ears up and listened a bit more (as well as lending snuffles and soft nudges of encouragement) to the rant when FH mentioned badgers.  I like badgers, we have some friendly ones in our neigh-bourhood that we Muleteers like to watch at night.  They do us no harm.

So here in the UK the poor badgers are having a rough time, apparently they are being completely blamed for a disease in cattle called TB, hmmm now this isn't nice apparently and cattle and badgers can both get sick.... but it is a complicated story and badgers are not the only piece of the jigsaw puzzle, to blame them entirely sounds like it's nothing short of dishonest..... hmmm human logic again!  FH is a scientist and despairs of the bozos that seem to have been authorising people to kill our friendly badgers, all backed up by dishonest science and complete incompetency, our very own government department DEFRA..... finally they've had to admit they've messed it up AGAIN.... cue much more ranting from FH - Badger Bodges

Now we Muleteers have no time for politics or human logic, it's all weird but we are sad about our badger friends.  To base the cull of our friends on untruths is unforgivable.  So OK I listened hard to FH, my Roller brain is a little frazzled, I had to simplify things for my Friday thoughts. Who better to set us all straight than a very wise man indeed, Mahatma Gandhi.

An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.
Mahatma Gandhi

Have a lovely weekend my friends and please always question that which others tell you is true......

Battle of The Beards

Hmmm there's been some beardy bragging going on in the Muleteer gang... I turn my back and they're all at it.... my beard's better than your beard..... mine has a better colour, no mine is more bushy!

Well anyone would think that a beard is this season's 'must have look'.... come to think of it they do keep your face warm, even MH sports one some of the time!

So first up on the designer beard front is Roller's fluffed out Polar Bear effort - marks out of 10?

We give 7/10 for substance, 6/10 for cleanliness (needs a brush Roller) and 8/10 for style - dig that graded colour Roller :-)

And next up is the bearded lady..... well it's Dragon and it's ok Dragon because girl mules can sport beards too at this time of year.

Hmmm yours is a little sparse so 5/10 for substance, 6/10 for cleanliness - let down by your general bog monster appearance and 7/10 for style, improved always by your beautiful eyes (will that make you forget the bog monster comments..... quick run! ;-)

And the final contender chipped in from the other side of the fence that he wanted to be included..... hmmm guess we could let him, we think this competition may be fixed?! This puppy does spend a lot of time parading his beard.....

Substance we give you a 9/10 - not bad for a canine creature, it is rather luxurious isn't it? Hmm cleanliness might have to be a 6/10 as we're sure we can see some staining in there, is that due to your messy eating habits, goodness knows what you're saving for later in there?  And finally style.... yeah, yeah ok you win we'll give you a 9/10 for style.... we admit your beard is quite handsome!

So there we have it the beardy competition is decided, Milo the bearded wonder wins.... honestly you'd think that us Muleteers have nothing better to do than stand around comparing beards, chatting with the neigh-bours and enjoying what sun there is, well come to think of it sounds like a perfect day!

Happy week friends xxx

We're Having A Foal!!

Finally the secret is out!  Guess what everyone?  We're having a foal!  Well to be precise FH is growing us our very own human foal, our very own partner in crime, our very own mini mule rider!

FH told me to stop being rude and telling everyone she'd eaten too many chocolates at Christmas ;-) Hehehe I've known for quite a long time!  I've been checking out my future mini mule rider for quite some time and making sure it recognises my dulcet tones..... I have to say I'm hoping that it comes out with proper sized ears and mini mule sized hooves, FH is hopeful too?

It's never too early for me to try and bond with Human Foal (I shall call it HF for short).... I wonder if it will be of the filly or colt variety?  And will it love me?  Of course it will, FH says it won't be able to help it :-)  Just to make sure I have been giving it kisses and snuffles....

The only problem is that some people keep trying to edge in on my territory.... first there's the pesky cat! She thinks it's her foal!

She seems to think the bump is quite a good cuddle shelf and something to play kitty cat games with!

And then as for Roller well he's trying to get in on the act too!  Something about him being the first mount for the Human Foal, well maybe I'll let him train it first and then it'll be ready for some mini mule moves extraordinaire!

FH says we have to share the new HF with the others but we know that secretly this foal is just for us minis, finally a human that will be smaller than us!  We promise to look after it and play nicely and teach it everything we know!  It's due to arrive in early May, great time of year for a ride..... what do you mean it'll be a while til it's ready FH??? We'll be careful, honest!

We're off to tidy up the stable nursery and look at babygros with ponies on..... best make sure they're brown.... the mud doesn't show that way ;-)

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Weather

Hmmm this weather thing is getting a bit frustrating isn't it? We've had torrential rain and flooding here with only the occasional glimpse of sunshine and our friends in North America have had arctic temperatures, snow and ice.

We're hoping that this weekend will bring some better weather for us all, the signs are good at least for a day or two.  I will cross my pony hooves and plead with Mother Nature….. again!

My mule friends are even more glum about this weather thing than me, they would like to move to the desert.  Underneath all the frustration I am actually quite content.  I get to shelter indoors, test out my lovely waterproof coat and it's a great excuse to indulge in the sweet hay!

But for the sake of everyone else come on Mother Nature let's have a nice weekend, I'd be very grateful.

In the meantime I have a little quote to put an optimistic slant on the weather, the others are a little cynical about this quote but hey sometimes it's all in how you look at things……

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
John Ruskin

And just to prove this, here's the lovely weather we had just the other day…. with the rain follows the sun, it just makes us appreciate it that little bit more :-)

Happy Weekend and here's hoping for the sunny kind of good weather!