Every morning when I get out of bed, the first thing I do is walk over to the bedroom windows to see where in the pasture the donkeys and the llamas are.
This morning, it took my brain a moment to comprehend what my eyes were seeing. The donkeys weren't in the pasture. The donkeys were on the back lawn - completely free. I had free-range donkeys. Dining on our backyard grass:
The llamas, however, were still in the pasture:
Chester and Beau had somehow found a way out of the (normally secure) pasture and were happily munching away on our little oval of manicured grass:
Beau would have been perfectly content to spend the entire morning there:
Despite having developed at least three very complicated plans for catching them as I was frantically pulling on my clothes, I've learned it is almost always best to start out with the simplest one. I pulled out the big orange guns (carrots) and Chester immediately trotted up the hill to see me. That's my boy!
It wasn't difficult at all to carrot-coax Chet back into the pasture. Turns out, it was this middle gate, on the way up to the barn, that had been left wide open. I swear I shut it last night. Here's Chet, already back on the other side again:
Beau required sweet talking, in addition to his carrot, to get him to agree to return to the pasture:
Such good boys. Why the llamas didn't follow them out, I'll never know:
Those good boys sure look guilty in that last photo...
ReplyDeleteWow, what a rude awakening! I guess the llamas just knew better, and figured if they didn't follow Chet and Beau they would get extra treats, right? Those rascals!
ReplyDeleteAww..no one could be mad at those cute, cute donkey faces! Glad you got them back in safely!
ReplyDeleteNaughty! I blame the new guy. Just look at him trying to be all "Who...Me?"
ReplyDeleteWow! Thank goodness you were able to round them up without too much trouble! I love those sweet donkey faces...They look like they are becoming good friends.
ReplyDeleteThat's too cute and funny, sorry for your lawn though, what kinds of locks do you have on the gate? I know the donkeys at the Sanctuary open gates all the time,so staff has to come up with new and donkey proof ways to lock them, they are all so very smart. Way to go Chester and Beau!
ReplyDeleteThe donkeys seem so gentle and sweet. They did look happy munching on your well-manicured lawn out back! Chester must have opened the gate and called Beau to follow! The llamas knew they'd be introuble if they followed, so they stayed behind!
ReplyDeleteThose big orange guns are so powerful, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteI'm so envious of your year-round green grass!
You are so lucky they didn't venture any farther than the front lawn.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help but notice you have shrubs in the fence that borders your lawn area. Your animals don't eat those?
ReplyDeleteYour Donkeys are so cute!
Them Llams sure is smart fellers!
ReplyDeleteI'm in a silly mood today Danni...go look at my blog!
I just can't stop looking at all that GREEN, grass and bushes, I suppose the donks were enjoying too.
ReplyDeleteNow those are some nice looking lawn ornaments. Loved it that the first thing you look to is out your window in the morning. It's always that surprise that you wake up to that makes you wonder how all sorts of stuff happens while we sleep!
ReplyDeletehehe. They looked so picturesque in your lawn!
ReplyDeleteChester and Beau were just making sure the grass was the same on the other side of the fence. And isn't it wonderful how food can get those silly critters to do what you want! All I have to shake is shake a bucket and they come a runnin'. Llama girls didn't trust the boys instinct on how good the grass was.
ReplyDeleteOur llamas are always apprehensive about "new" things, like new critters, new feeders, new surroundings, etc. They probably didn't go because it was too "scary" for them. Just as well!
ReplyDeleteObviously you have a poltergoat.
ReplyDeleteI think the one is saying, "It was all his idea." They are all adorable.
ReplyDeletehaha. I'm glad it all ended well. I know you'd like to blame it on the new guy, Beau, but I HAVE seen that Mr. Chester with a gate chain in his mouth, rattling on it. That Beau probably egged him on, though.
ReplyDeleteThey looked beautiful on the lawn!
ReplyDeleteThey look so cute! Our goats used to do that until we redid the fence. The worst was coming out one morning and finding goat poop on the porch at the front door!
ReplyDeleteThey looked really nice on the lawn, though! Glad you were able to get them back in so quickly!
ReplyDeleteOhnthey look pretty happy though....Cheeky things!
ReplyDeleteAnd your part of the world looks heavenly!
When opportunity knocks....
ReplyDeleteI hate to think what my house garden would look like if the goat boys ever got loose out there. I guess that's why we have double gates everywhere.
Those sweet donkeys were just having a little fun and frolic. They're so cute...
That was just way too funny !!! They sure looked cute munching away on your front lawn.
ReplyDeletei hate those panicky moments but what a good idea to pull out the orange guns!!! i love your donkeys!
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine you having to do a double take. It is funny that the llamas didn't follow them out. Chester and Beau are absolutely darling (and quite huggable) and looked very content on your patch of green. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, even tho they *did* break the rules by walking thru the gate into the forbidden...look how good they were once they were out. They stayed nice and close to the house...they even positioned themselves in line with your window so that upon your waking you would see them there. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd those llamas....always the watchers...they were just staying put I think to see how that situation was gonna be dealt with...just how much trouble were those donks gonna get into.....
Ha, Marigold - "poltergoat"! That's funny!
ReplyDeleteDanni - They are such cute boys. And I really can't blame them..... I think I would have been drawn to all that luscious greenness too!
I love the animals, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteJenny
I would love to wake up to donkeys in my yard. I would also love to wake up to green grass.
ReplyDeleteSadly, i have no donkeys and my grass is white. :(
Given how you have described how clique-ish those llamas are, my bet is that they stayed where they were b/c they were just glad to get those pesky donkeys out of there hair for a bit. Did they seem a little peeved when Chester and Beau were brought back?? Gotta love a little harmless mischief....keeps you on your toes!
ReplyDeleteDonkeys are so smart, they know they have a good home and had no desire to wander off. I hope the llamas got some goodies too, just for being good and staying put.
ReplyDeleteYour place is gorgeous!!