Save The Best 'Til Last

Sunday evening had come and I had watched everyone else have their fun....

I was starting to wonder if my fly shield was making me the invisible mule?

I had tried neighbraying, I had hung around the yard a lot, I had rolled around in my most becoming fashion and had finally resorted to sulking.

When was it going to be MY turn?

Every time I asked FH she kept saying, don't worry I haven't forgotten you, wait until later.... wait until the flies have stopped buzzing and it's not quite so hot.   She promised that I would have the nicest time of all...







Dragon had gone out not once but twice.  She had not been on best behaviour on one occasion, hmmm well if you want a good mule you should look no further than my handsomeness - hint, hint!

Roller had been pampered and had a bath (I did too but that's not the point), he had also escaped like the slightly naughty pony he is.  Someone had left the fence unelectrified so he took firm advantage,  I however am perfect and would not think of doing such a thing....  see FH, pick me!

So there I was, late Sunday, everyone had been and gone, gone home for dinner, off to drink tea and eat cake.... looks like I missed my weekend fun :-(

But wait what's this?  My shield of steel has been removed and I'm all dressed up with somewhere to go!

Off we went for a lovely evening potter.  We walked to the moor gate and looked at the view, checked out the new arrival sheep and I had a spot of moorland delicacy grass.

FH said it had been a busy weekend but she couldn't let it end without the perfect walk with her perfect mini mule.  Oh yes, I like the sound of that.  FH reminisced that not too long ago I would not have been up here with her.  Apparently I would've thought this was all too exciting or scary (probably true) and tried to get loose which would not be the done thing in such a big open space.  No such problems anymore.

It's always important to sample the local delicacies when you travel.  I took this advice and snacked a while as FH sat and looked at the view.  

So eventually we had to go home as it was starting to get late.  I decided to try to pick some flowers for FH.  There was a 'little' problem though.  They were very tasty.  Mmmm I really like the taste of these flowers.  Just one little taste.  Oops I guess she doesn't want my chewed flowers.  Oh well.

So there we have it.  Maybe the best things do come to those who wait?  I sure had fun.  Hope your weekend was a good one too!

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Perspective

Greetings my dear Muleteers!  Gosh what a busy week we've had, there have been visitors and parties and fun.  I have been a good pony this week with no escaping (my lady friends from across the ocean persuaded me it was not good for my handsome physique...) and have been keeping the long ears in check.

We had a birthday day this week and threw the perfect party for our human.  We know just how to make her happy and what she likes to do.   Life is always about your own perspective.  My perfect day involves a bite to eat, a good snooze, a groom with The Mini, a game of kiss chase with Dragon and an early night - bliss!  I'm not likely to run a marathon or jump a fence but I do like looking good!

Our human is much the same, she would rather sit in the mud, read a book, watch the birds and eat an apple.  Much better than any fancy restaurant, throne of gold or night at the opera.  Seems we are all simple at heart in this house.  So in honour of choices we make and the ability to choose what we love here is a little quote that will appeal to many 'little girls' out there, bet you know who you are ;-)

Here is one little girl who would rather clean a stable than her own room
Here is one little girl who would rather wear chaps than a party dress
Here is one little girl who would rather go to the barn than the mall
Here is one little girl who would rather have a pony than a diamond
Here is one little girl who is happy.

To all those little girls (and guys!) out there, here's to the freedom to choose, enjoy your trip to the barn this weekend ;-)

The Perfect Party!

Sshhh don't tell anyone but FH got a year older yesterday..... we persuaded her to take a whole day off work (tricky!) and invited her to our party.  Apparently her human friends were all at work so a party with us it would have to be - any excuse ;-)

We planned hard for the day!

I greeted her with an extra special hug and said I didn't really mind how grey her hair is going as long as she supplies cuddles and apples.

All was going well!!  No party is complete without jelly and ice cream.... well us Muleteers had lined up the next best thing.... grass and twigs!

Yep FH looked content to watch us devour her 'party tea', yum, thanks for inviting us FH!

Catanian decided to climb on board and offer her congratulations in the form of miaows, snuffles and ample cat hair (in case FH hasn't already got enough!) 

FH and Catanian decided to curl up with a good book and watch the (eating) action from afar!

Dragon pulled some fine mule moves on the dancefloor to the sound of the birdy chorus but having got all over excited with too much grass and twig promptly fell asleep in the corner - oops!

There was just one last thing to do.... give FH our present.  Hmmm, well, we had asked Roller to organise this.  A nice picture of us all please Roller for FH to put inside so that she can see us even when we're outside... we know how she misses us...  What did Roller do?  Well he said that he had the perfect picture and that FH would like it very much.... we reckon there's something (or rather someones) missing!!  

Oh well, next year I'm going shopping and it will definitely be a framed picture of me!

Milliner to a Mini Mule!

Do you know how hard it is to find a hat fit for a mini mule?  No?  You do not provide to the whim of such a creature.... poor deprived you!  Oh sorry what was I saying, yes, hats!  FH has done super duper with her finding me a shield of steel to keep those midges from my body but then those nasty creatures started to eat my ears and my face... ugh!

I got all itchy and managed to cut above my eye with all my scratching, FH has tried fly fringes and bonnets to no avail, they were not manly enough for me so I trod them in the dirt.... she wasn't impressed.

So I sent her off with a bee in her bonnet (no pun intended ;-) and asked her to hunt high and low for a milliner fit for a mini.  A milliner she said, what is that?  Honestly, you just can't get the staff these days....

So I told her it was a hat maker and that I desired something in my favourite colour of mud brown that would be up to my rolling around and would not make me look girly....

Well, she did pretty well!  Look at my fine new headwear!  Isn't it brilliant?!  When it arrived in it's own personal hat bag I knew it was high enough quality for this mini, the milliner was not an amateur - hooray!  There was just one teeny weeny problem... well quite a large problem..... what are you supposed to do when you have superi-ears like this?  Never one to be concerned by such minor issues FH grasped the scissors (I gasped a little as this was my new hat....) and snipped off the ends!  Ahhhh bliss my ear tips can poke out and I can hear really well, with the addition of a tiny blob of anti fly potion on my ear tips I'm good to go!

 I've had my new hat for a couple of weeks now (some of my dedicated fans have already spied it :-)  and I have been reserving judgement before telling you all about it.  Well what can I say?  I LOVE it!

I have been testing it along with my shield of steel (aka anti midge suit) and I am pleased to report it is wonderful! For the first time ever I am totally unbothered by the midges and have a beautiful shiny coat.  FH takes my shield of steel and hat off every night for a good brush and check over (any excuse to cuddle me I think) and even she cannot believe the difference in my handsome self - I'm a new man!

Underneath that tough exterior is a rather shiny looking mini mule with no rubs and a shiny coat.  I am so pleased not to be spending so much time itching those scratches and FH is delighted that I am not threatening to push the stable over with my enthusiastic rubbing anymore.... not to mention my bottle brush tail and trashed "less than mulificent" rugs of last year.

 I have made sure that my shield of steel and hat are mini mule proof.  Look they are good to wear for dinner... what more could a mini mule want?

Happy weekend friends, I'll be spending it munching, rolling in the mud, walking with Catanian and snoozing... bliss!  Hope yours is as perfect :-) The Mini xxx

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Escaping

Greetings Muleteers!  I bring you pony tails from the other side of the fence, the 'wrong' side of the fence, the illicit side full of greenness..... oops!  The humans are beside themselves as they can't seem to understand how I keep sneaking through the fence that buzzes... I'm not going to tell them, it's my great secret!  While the two long ears stay on the side of the fence with meagre grass and lots of straw I have decided to embrace independence and take myself to the greener grass on the other side of the fence.  FH keeps going on about my ballooning belly and how I'll hurt my feet (sounds like human logic...), she has even threatened the extra fencing.

To me Muleteers I just thought the grass looked nice, I had a ponder and worked out how to get to where I wanted to go.  I can still see and touch my long eared pals but they are too scared to join me.  Little Mr and Mrs Goody Four Hooves are too scared of the consequences of doing something naughty.  They stand on the other side of the fence and swish at me angrily, occasionally neighbray and then tell tales on me when the humans get home.  The louder The Mini neighbrays the quicker FH comes running.  I must find a way to shut him up.... hmmm.... maybe I should just let him in on the escape artist secret.... nah.....

I'm off to recover from my latest eating expedition, doesn't look like I'll be getting many more after tomorrow as the fencing queen (aka FH) is coming out to play.  Oh well it was good while it lasted.  I shall have to try to crack the puzzle of the next fencing extravaganza and plan my next escape route - ah such fun!

Until then remember folks the grass IS sometimes greener on the other side.... you just gotta work out how to get there.....

Happy weekend!

To find yourself, think for yourself.
Socrates

Every Queen Must Find Her King

A throne befitting Queen Catanian

Greetings Miaowleteers!  Those equines have been keeping the blog all to themselves but today I have managed to get my paws on it.  It is only befitting that a Queen should get the chance to address her subjects.  As Queen Catanian of the Queendom Muleteer I wish you good evening!

There are many advantages of being the Queen.  I am always the first to be fed and unlike my hoofed subjects I can go wherever I please, no chance of fencing this kitty cat in!  I have so many acres of farmland, moorland and lanes to roam but I am rarely to be found far from my Queendom, I am most happy when I'm with my Muleteers and enjoy watching my subjects benevolently.

There are two things that a Queen must have.... one is a King and the other is a throne!

As I am a thrifty Queen I am keen to save on expenses wherever I can (except when it comes to my kitty cat food) so I have come up with an ingenious solution.  What if my King can also be my throne?

I summonsed The Mini and commanded him to assist me in my quest...

Oh yes!  This is perfect, Queen Catanian approves of her throne, it is always warm and cosy and I can converse with my King on matters of Queendom importance... I name thee King Mini!

Do I make this throne look good?

A Queen must also have a soft, soft bed to lay on.  As befits my majestic place in life I must have a day bed and an evening bed.  You never know when the need to sleep may overcome you.

A Queen has the right to claim any area of her kingdom that she desires!  So here I have decided that I should like to sleep in the Muleteers straw, no nibbling now my subjects, not when your Queen is in residence.

Finally when night falls and I have finished prowling my Queendom I take up my place in my Queenly night bed.  Here I am all tucked up in my bed, the minis think this is their stable, they are incorrect it is the Queen's Palace. 

When I have dreamed a while I often need a snuffle and pampering so I call upon my King to join me.  Mini comes to stand over me and is rather partial to snuffling and grooming me when I'm dozing in my Queen's Palace.  When FH first saw this on her peeking camera she was so worried, would The Mini stand on me, did he mean me harm? What a silly human, of course he didn't for a King only wishes his Queen to be happy.  What a lucky Kitty Cat Queen I am!

So my dearest subjects as you can see a Queen must have her Queendom and her pleasures....  With King Mini and my loyal band of subjects I really am a lucky Kitty Cat Queen ;-)

Mule Power: Learning to Log

Mule Power!

If you wanna job doing right.... you gotta get a mule to do it!  

I have been enthusiastically watching MH this week chopping down some old branches and trees that have gotten a little out of control. I neighbrayed and encouraged him especially when he reached my favourite tree, the ash (yummy).    I was delighted when I saw this huge pile of branches all with green leaves and shiny bark, just ready for the tasting.

MH was a bit slow at dragging the bits up to the paddock though.... it involved a hike up the road which has an incline and he said he was too tired to bring me the spoils of his tree surgery....  

Hey MH!  No worries I said. I'm a mule and I like nothing better than to work.  I'll drag those branches up to the paddock for some tasty dining.  

OK so I know I've never pulled anything before and it takes a lot of practice to make equines happy to pull stuff safely.... but then this is me.....  

Oh and yes we haven't got the right kit.... that's what you think!  Remember that old military mule collar with chains attached that FH has from the war? That'll do the job.  Just think the last time it was used it might have been one of my long eared friends pulling a gun, at least this is a better use for it.  

Yeah yeah so ok we need to practice a bit with the swingle tree and you need to make sure I'm not gonna run away and think I'm getting chased, ok so we should be using blinkers as those things 'trick' me in to thinking there's nothing behind me.... but really?  I am a mule you know... and not just any mule.... I am super mule Dragon who is scared of nothing and reporting for duty to drag those logs.

So we'll practice a little first (give me 15 minutes and I've got the idea) .... come on MH get those arms working... I can drag you and the log up the lane if you like?  This is a piece of cake!  FH is at my head, we're just doing this off my halter, she's dressed me up with my bit and bridle so I know I'm 'working' but is leading me from the rope, I'm such a calm muletta aren't I?

Come on MH, let's get some logs attached and drag those branches up here ready for dinner time.  Do you think I look the part as a logging mule?  I know I'm not one of those big draft mules but I can move branches that are hard work for you.  I know some of my human followers won't believe this but I really do love this stuff.  If I have a job I am so very happy, you see us mules love to be useful and I get soooo much praise when I work that my ears nearly touch in the middle with pride.  

That's more like it!  Let's drag this up the lane.  It's nice to be able to play with MH for a change.  He is very keen on this logging thing and reckons that he and I can have lots of fun doing this, he is also wondering if I might provide some mule power for him on wheels?  Who needs horse power of the wheeled variety when you got mule power? He looks pretty pleased with me, I could get used to this adulation!

Logging mule extraordinaire!

There is only one limitation to this logging thing.... your human's have gotta work too and well... they're not as quick as us mules so there is some waiting around to be done, oh well guess we're not all mules.... I put on my most patient ears while MH messed around with ropes and chains.  FH says I was the most patient muletta ever, she reckons I know when I'm 'working' - of course I do!  I'm a mule!

Well that was soooo much fun, I'm excited as there is talk of more logging and more dragging and maybe a new harness.... and more mule powered fun!  Yippeee I love this work thing....

Especially when I reap the rewards - ash tree for dinner!

Can't wait for my next mule powered adventure!  A happy mule is a mule with a purpose!

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Silence

Dearest Muleteers, can you hear it?  Listen carefully... it's there..... ahhh the blissful sound of silence.  We've been having a busy week, the mules have been out and about, searching for Piskies, exploring and lots of other fun things no doubt they'll take mulish pride in telling us all about.  They are errrm a little noisy sometimes.  Honestly I do love my long eared pals but good grief they make a lot of noise, they're always on the go, always got lots to say.  Places to go, people to meet, neighbrays and whinny brays etc...

Is it any wonder when I have a little 'me time' that I like to day dream and reflect a little.  Think about what's been and what is to come (hopefully dinner!) My friends were out for walks and eating grass so I just had to sneak in to my stable for a little lie down to reflect, breath deeply and listen to the silence.  Hope you get time for a few minutes to yourself this weekend, sending you snuffles to help you on your way!

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.
Francis Bacon

Searching for Piskies......

Searching for Piskies on Dartmoor.

There are Piskies in our neighbourhood.  They are tiny little fairies known in other places as Pixies.  They have lived here on the moor for mules years, they were here before them humans and will be here long after they're gone.  Them Piskies are little people with a mischievous sense of humour and secretive ways.  Many moor folk have been led astray by the Piskies when they were being bad or rescued by the Piskies when they got lost in the notorious thick Dartmoor Fog.

Right near to Muleteer HQ is a notorious Piskie Haunt here on Dartmoor.  Human legends have it that when they used to put their ponies in to the walled enclosure (known as a Newtake locally) overnight to stop them straying they would be ridden by the Piskies. The local folk would find them sweaty and with saddle marks in the morning.  I reckon being ridden by a Piskie would be fun! I'm about the right size for a Piskie rider..... I'm off to see if I can find them!

Come on FH I've had my bath and need to dry off so let's go hiking.  All that fitness work we've been doing should mean that this Piskie Hunt is a piece of cake!

So up, up, up on to the moor, lots of climbing to be done, stop huffing and puffing FH, you've got no excuses as those legs of yours are much longer than mine....

OK here we are in the Newtake!  Trips on to the moor are not just for Dragon, Minis can manage hikes too!  Isn't it pretty?  That grass looks yummy..... oh whoops forgot we are on the trail of Piskies not snacking.

Those look like Piskie sized trees over there! They are stunted hawthorns that won't grow any bigger because of the wind on these exposed slopes, I wonder if that's why my little legs didn't grow much?

Let's follow this track!  Looks like it's going somewhere.  Mmmm must just stop for a little snack, this Piskie searching is hard work!

Interesting!  The Piskies have left us a clue!  Look at this row of stones!  Surely too big for you humans to lift but the Piskies with their super powers could have made this Stone Row.  I wonder what it means? Maybe it's a marker to tell me I'm close?  The suspense is making me...... hungry!

Must just have a little snack. FH I don't know why you bother with that watch thing.  Don't you know that here on the Moor there is only Piskie Time or Mule Time?  Always time for a snack!

That's right, time for snacking and sitting and dozing and looking at the view.  This Piskie Search is pretty fun isn't it?

OK energy reserves are replenished!  Time for some serious searching...

This looks suspiciously like a Piskie Hole!  Hello Piskies are you there?  I'm here to take you for a ride!

No one there..... maybe this looks a bit better? I'm sure this is a Piskie Hole!  Look.... that little entrance there looks very neat and tidy.  What's that FH?  The Piskies might not want to go for a ride today?  But why not?  I like Piskies and want them to come play.... maybe having a human with me is the problem, those Piskies are secretive....

OK Piskies I get the message... no rides today but I promise to come back soon!  If you want to find me I'm just down the road and always happy to take you for a ride.  Just one thing left to do before heading for home.  What moorland walk would be complete without a picnic?!

I'll keep searching for the Piskies.  One day I'll find them.  In the meantime I reckon what better reason than Piskie Searching to persuade FH to take me on some more moorland walks?