The donkey gets mail

This sentiment captures Pino's effect on people perfectly, I think, don't you. Thank you to the kind person who made this sweet card for Pino [and for the little gift that came with it].

When puppets get mail

I live in a magical world where not only does the donkey get overseas packages of cookies, but the puppet gets mail too. Yesterday a huge package of vintage fabrics, aprons, cookies and other treats arrived for me and Pino - the donkey - but there was a little tiny apron in there too for Pino - the puppet.

My life is very good, albeit filled with mud and poop of all varieties and consistencies, but it is good and I am very aware of it each day. I'm soaking in every minute so I can hold onto it later - when I might need it the most.

If my posts are short in the coming week it is because the donkey and I have much to do before Pino Pie Day on June 17. I know you will understand. The Head Troll is also driving everyone in the barnyard a bit nuts as she has a certain ambiance she is striving for.

Aprons from the old prairie

A box of vintage aprons arrived from Sandstone, Minnesota, complete with donkey drawing. Sent by Patty Yager and her donkey friends Lucky and Shamrock. it also had a wonderful little poem:

"Some of these aprons are better than others, But all were worn by sisters and mothers, maybe even by some guy, to knead the bread or bake the pie!"

Thank you, Patty, Lucky and Shamrock! We love your donation and you are official Pino Pie Ambamssadors now. This is a noble title. [And I hope to get them all online before Pie Day].

More mail for Pino...

Pino received a wonderful package from a long time supporter of Apifera, Deborah Weber, who has also helped our old goats and participated in donations and emergency funds. We love you, Deborah! Today's package was a bright spot to a gloomy, rainy day - a vintage apron so sweet it makes you smile, animal crackers and fig newtons - Pino's fave, and a sweet little ring and other goodies. And a wonderful donkey card!

It's heartwarming to know people from all over the country care about Pino and his small efforts, one little hoof, and pie, at a time.

More aprons arrive for Pino!

A box arrived for Pino all the way from Texas, from his fans Karen and her donkey Ophelia. Usually packages for Pino arrive via snail mail or Priority, so he was honored to get his first UPS delivery.

The box is full of vintage aprons from Karen, and some from her friends too. How fun they all are. I'll have to get them online as soon as I'm able.



Karen and Ophelia, thank you for making our day brighter! And thank you too to Karen's friends who pitched in for Pino - Lauren, Ruth, Meghan and Linda!

The attached note said, "Pino, you are a fine donkey!"

Mail for Pino

Pino got this letter from someone who has been looking for aprons for his cause. It's so nice to get these....

"Yesterday when I was going through one of my mom's dresser drawers, I found two more aprons to send to you for your Pie Day. They are both half aprons, made on a home singer sewing machine which is still in my mother's basement along with two of my grandma's machines. Anyway, I digress again... One of these aprons is red and black with a little yellow and white and it has four squares of kitchen scenes on it. The other is blue swirls. They both have pockets, and I found a kleenex in each right-hand pocket. Smile. My grandma Ida and my mom Doris always kept hankies or tissues in their pockets. Smile again. I think these aprons are from the early '50s. I will wash, iron, and send them to you."

Thank you, Linda, we can't wait to see them!

More pics from Pino's friends

This wonderful picture was sent by Amber Goble of Kentucky of her donkey Freddy with his two mini horses, Sammy and Smokey. We posted it onto to Pino's album on his Pino's Facebook Page. So get on over there and become a Fan and join in.

Amber is also an artist and her blog is full of her scrapbooking work.

From Grandma to Mother to Pino

Pino received another apron yesterday. I love the functional simplicity of this one, not fussy but perfect for really working in your apron [versus sitting around and looking aprony in your apron...you know what I mean.]

But what makes this one so sweet is the note that came with it:

Dear Pino and family,
I am sending you this apron for your Pie Day in June. This was my Grandma's "working" apron" in the 1960's and '70's. My mother then wore it after my Grandma passed away in 1972. I hope it helps raise money to support the old animals. Sincerely, Linda J. and grandson James.

The stationary had "I love my grandma' in typeface, and there was a smiling picture of James printed on the paper.

I thought how wonderful, and generous to hand off an apron of one's own family history.It made me think that donating aprons not only helps Pino's cause, but I think it helps a lot of people 'touch' their loved ones of long ago and connect them to life in a meaningful way.This apron that once held hankies and had flour dustings on it, can go on and be useful for someone.

Thank you, Linda and James!

Pino's "secret admirer" strikes again

Pino has many that love him, and some like the sweetness of remaining 'secret'...Pino likes it too. He relishes in wondering who this secret admirer is? Could it be another donkey who likes aprons and sharing? We don't know, but we love getting secrets.

Last year, his Secret Admirer sent him this lovely package, which we still have. The package that arrived yesterday was also embellished with sewing, and had this fun sticker on it saying, "Who?"... I think there was one more, I will have to go look.

Anyway, it made my day. Thank you Secret Admirer. We love you.

First aprons arrive!!!

The first aprons have arrived! It's always so fun to have the mail woman hand me a box for "Pino Blangiforti'. Now that the post office knows it's a donkey getting aprons, it's even more delicious.

The package of wonderful vintage aprons showed up unannounced from Helen Hoelck from Connecticut, so it was a surprise. We love surprises. Good ones anyway.

When I emailed Helen to thank her for the generous donation, I discovered we have other things in common She too has cared for stray cats and senior critters , including her beloved Yorki who lived to be 20 years old. And when she saw the links on the site, she graciously made a donation to Old Dog Haven. That is one of the great things about the networked world we live in, it can bring causes and people together. I'm happy Pino and the aprons had something to do with it. Helen had also just made a donation to Haiti, so, we wish we could feed her some pie. She is an artist who specializes in restoring dolls, and had planned to use the old aprons for her work - but was having a hard time cutting into them [know the feeling]. And when she saw a little donkey needed aprons for a pie party, well, that sealed their fate. Saved by a donkey!

Thank you, Helen. You are now an official Pino Ambassador.

Gifts of the donkey clan

One of the many wonderful things of donkey ownership is people
from all over send donkeys, literally.

We cherish each one, and amuse ourselves with a vision of me as an old woman, surrounded in donkey knick knacks. Thank you for the sweet gifts, and cards.

Pino and Old Guinnias were also relieved to get more Teddy Grahms and Animal Crackers from a loyal supporter. The giant jar had literally just become empty. What timing!

Inspirational

A friend sent me this wonderful quote from Maya Angelou. Not to compare myself to her, but this statement is exactly how I choose to live. But it didn't come over night. As her quote states, "I've learned that..."I think this quote is perfect for what my goals are with Donkey Dreams. [And thank you Justine for sending it.]

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it
seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that
you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things:
a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that
regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're
gone from your life. I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as
making a life. I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both
hands; you need to be able to throw some things back. I've learned that whenever
I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've
learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that
every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or
just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you
did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Teeny weenie deedle donkey arrives at Apifera

One of the great things about having a donkey so many know and love, is when they see a donkey of any kind, they think of Pino, and sometimes they are propelled forward to send little sweet nothings through the mail.

Actually, this isn't a sweet nothing, it's a sweet something, and hand made by one of our readers/fans/animal supporters - Diana Alexander, otherwise known as Deedle Dumpling. Pino prefers to call her Deedle because it makes his lips twitch and tickle when he says it.

Thank yo, Deedle. You make us smile too.

Pino gets art

One of Pino's fans sent a sweet notecard with a stamp on it of Pino. Well, when other people besides me draw Pino, it's the highest of compliments. Paula also sent us a great apron this year. Thank you, Paula!

Reciprocal gifts

The blog-facebook-twitter explosion has much to be disturbed about, but there is also much to celebrate about it. It can allow people to share in ways that truly do move the heart. It can provide a platform to inspire people, and it can generate an energy around a subject that helps propel a movement of some kind.

I feel that way about the blog and Donkey Dreams. I have a long way to go to make Donkey Dreams what I envision, and that vision is evolving bit by bit. When I stop to imagine what I want this little pie and donkey sharing gig to be, I have to remember that there are already so many people that have been touched by it, and many or most of those people are from far away, people I've never met or spoken with.

The internet defiantly allows the crazies to rant without a face, the angry to vent about lovers they never really had and the lonely shut ins to find a cyber family. But it also allows genuine acts of friendship to take place. I have met people through my blogs- some are artists, some are farmers, some are just donkey crazy. Some of those are casual little email friendships, some have turned into genuine friendships developed like any other. Blog readers from all over the country ask to visit when they're coming through Oregon...while I have to screen these requests and sometimes say 'no', so far each visit has been memorable, and I'm in touch with each of them.

I spend so much time trying to blog well, and create ways to sell art, or do Donkey Dreams justice, that sometimes I forget I am making a difference. And last week, a wonderful gift arrived, not for Pino, but for me. It was a handmade bag from a woman that had already sent 4 lovely hand made aprons for the last Pie Day. But this gift was just for me, to 'keep' she told me. Her adult daughter wrote this note with the gift from her 70+ mother whose name is Ruth...

..."as I've told you, she's a pretty special person and a recent cancer survivor [diagnosed in 2007, came through surgery, chemo and radiation with rare aplomb]. She makes her bags for lots of people and her greatest joy is giving them away."

Well, that's what it is. Giving it away. That's what I want to do, give some pie to someone. Share my donkey. I know what it feels like. I do need help with it, to help defray costs. Someday, I hope to have weekend scholarships, where I can bring a cancer child or adult onto the farm. They can stay in a little retreat Airstream [now there's a dream!] and live like a farmer, or an artist, and commune with the animals. That's my dream. Ruth's gift helped me remember though, I do touch people already, and she in turn touched me.

That's the way I want the Internet to work in my life.

Thank you, Ruth. Your tote bag will be used for many things. And since I've already warned you and your daughter I'll be using is as a dirt farmer, I will take some pictures of it in action - like carrying carrots from the garden, hauling special junk, maybe even throw a chicken in it for a walk.

From a German farmgirl of WW1

After Pie Day '09, I recieved a note from one of Pino's followers, Kirsten in New York. She had two aprons she wanted to send for the Apron Gallery.

What is so touching about these is they came from her Grandmother, who was rasied on a farm in the WW1 era, before emmigrating to the US in 1928. Grandmother Erna was a wonderful baker, and she actually made the Christmas apron. She lived to be 98 years old. Kirsten thought it only fitting that the apron spend time on our farm before finding a new home.

I love this! I love that these objects have stories of love behind them. Oh, I'd love to talk to Erna and hear about her life on the farm.

Thank you, Kirsten, for sharing these. They are both special. And greetings to Esme and Doug.

Pino's Seattle girl friends write him

Pino received a heartwarming package from his Seattle friends Ganjana and Nuansi, and Holly. These three made a special visit to the farm to meet Pino [and Ward Schumacher the rooster], and the visit helped Nuansi that day with hearing issues.

They sent little drawings and a special lavender bracelet and handmade apron/pie cards. Plus a little cash to purchase an apron.

It's nice a little donkey inspires such love. Thank you, ladies!

A rooster apron arrives!

NOTE: I just found out Paul actually will make these for people too- but she needs seed bags. Read the comments section of this post if you are interested in others.

This might be our most unusual apron yet - a plastic apron with a rooster made from feed bags! I'm sure I'll get the details from it's maker, Paula over at Hawks Nest Farm. You can just get gooey icky things all over this apron and then hose yourself off- true farm style!
Here is a picture of the lovely Paula with her lovely chicken. Now you must go read her blog and visit with her chickens.

The other wonderful part of the package was the two jars of their home made honey!!
Lavender will be on the way, Miss Paula...

Five year old steals Pino's heart

Pino is 4 years old, so he looks up to five year olds. He understands them too knowing they hold a unique perspective on important things in life, like the sun, and aprons....and cookies.

A package full of mother and daughter goodness arrived today. A very large package of animal crackers, an apron my Miss Emma, and another one by her mother Angela. Now I need to take formal mannequin shots of all the aprons and will post them later, so for now, I just have to describe Angela's. It's so wonderful, made out of old dish towels, very worn but handmade. Love it. And then Miss Emma got the sewing buzz too and whipped up this little one-of-a-kind apron, complete with little fabric pieces sewn on in her very Emma abstract vision. I see donkeys.By the way, it's sized perfectly for a baby donkey, or a five year old. You can see Emma modeling it on her very own blog.

And of course, as an artist, it's rewarding and inspiring to see see the art of the uncluttered, non-ego'd, non-jaded mind of a five year old. Emma likes suns, and squares. She also wrote a very short story, which I think is succinct, but heart felt.

So, thank you, Emma and Angela - we are so happy you joined in, and I know these will be a hit.

Vintage charm from Illinois

Three wonderful vintage aprons arrived from Karen W. in Illinois. She must have read that Pino loves pink, and who doesn't like pink polk-a-dots. One of the aprons is embroidered with little tennis girls.

But the charming donkey sketch on the box, along with the vintage donkey postcard- oh, I love them both. I will frame that little card.

So thank you, Karen, these are just what we need to remember how many generous souls there are out there.