Searching for Spring....

The Mini on the hunt for Spring!

Dearest Muleteers, I have been a little worried that Spring has got lost, maybe she has wandered off across the ocean to our friends in the USA?  A mini mule like me loves the green grass and warm temperatures that Spring brings so you will see why I was so worried.....  I persuaded FH to accompany Explorer Mini on a search for the elusive Lady Spring.....

We set off to see what signs there were in the neighbourhood of Spring appearing, surely she must arrive soon?

I can't tell you how relieved I was to find my first clue that Spring has already paid a fleeting visit... look at those lovely daffodils, I had to sniff them to check they were real.  I offered to pick some for FH with my teeth but ughh they don't taste nice so best to leave them to look pretty.

The daffodils are a beautiful sign of Spring

Next we wandered off up the lane to see what delights we could find in our neighbouring fields, it's such a long way when your legs are as tiny as mine, I'm always happy to walk with FH though, special us time is welcome.... I am No. 1 you know but don't tell anyone else will you?!

Mini Mule on the Hunt for Lady Spring!

Spring rewarded us for our walk with her next clues.... I spy with my little eye (and rather large ears ;-) some bleating lambykins!  These ones are lucky as they're with their Mums enjoying the sweet, tasty grass that Lady Spring has delivered.

These little lambykins are not so lucky, they are orphans.... thankfully our nice neighbour is rearing them as tame lambs, us mules keep an eye on them and take it in turns to visit them and talk to them over the fence, they just say....baaaa, baaaa but they're cute anyway :-)

The Mini visits the lamb creche!

The next clue Lady Spring has left us is the carpet of Snowdrops, they are staying a long time with us this year, normally they would have said goodbye by now but the freezing temperatures have let them stay a while longer.  Aren't they pretty?

A carpet of beautiful snowdrops

After a hearty Springtime walk (I'm convinced she's arrived now!) I could tell we were nearly home as I could hear Dragon neighbraying.  Come quick you missed a sign!  

Look there's blue sky here too!  Not just horrible grey clouds but real blue sky.

Mule alert - blue sky ahead!

And look there's buds on the maple tree too!

Finally home time, I am such a clever Mini Explorer, I found Spring, she was there all along just quite well disguised.  Phew!  This Mini is all overcome with emotion at the arrival of the long awaited, best season of all..... only one thing for it...... a secret kiss from FH! Ssshhhh don't tell the others!

A secret mini mule kiss.... sshhhh!

The Story of The Donkey's Cross

Good Friday is here again and with it a reminder of the story of the donkey's cross.  Have you ever wondered why most donkeys and mules have those marks of the cross on their backs, a sign for all to see?  We are not religious folk ourselves but do find much truth in the donkey's story....

Look closer at the long ears in your neighbourhood and you will see that so many of them carry a cross.  Why a cross and why the donkey and mule?  It all goes back many hundreds of years when the donkey stood by a lifelong friend - Jesus. 

The donkey had been with his friend for all his life, he'd been there at his birth and had carried his water as a child. He snuffled him gently when his tears fell, looked on benevolently as the child grew, he offered no words but a depth of undestanding as the wiser, older man grew.  If you've ever looked in to the eyes of a donkey you will understand that he looks in to your soul and offers calmness and hope.

Jesus understood the value of the most humble of all animals; the donkey.  When Jesus found himself on a trip to Jerusalem he called for his friend the donkey to accompany him, his friend carried him through the streets of Jerusalem, for the donkey is the bringer of peace, in older times his cousin the horse was a bringer of war.  On Palm Sunday the donkey carried his friend with ease and all around crowds welcomed Jesus and his donkey.

It was not to last.....

A week later Jesus was ordered crucified.  His donkey friend could not understand the evil that men do to each other.... Jesus was to be hung on a cross that he was to carry through the streets past people who had once been his friends, now they were calling for his death.

The little donkey loved his friend Jesus so much and wanted to help bear the load of the heavy cross.  As a donkey he was used to bearing heavy loads and the humiliation of the jeers of men, he asked Jesus if he could bear the load with him.  Jesus thanked him but said no, this was his cross to bear and he would do so with dignity. 

His little donkey friend followed behind watching the jeering people with horror and a tear in his eye, why are humans such strange animals? No other would do such things.

The donkey waited until the crowd had left, he went to his friend and waited with him until he was gone....

Sad and lonely the donkey turned to leave.... the shadow of the cross fell upon his back and shoulders.  And where it fell it remained and was passed to all of his kind as a mark of thanks for the loyalty and love of the humblest of all animals, the donkey.

Whatever you believe our friends, we're sure you agree that our friend the donkey deserves the mark of the cross, it would be hard to think of a more worthy bearer.  Still today he toils alongside his human friends dreaming of the day when his cross will mean that mankind shows him the respect he so rightfully deserves.

Happy Easter Friends!