In Praise of the Kindness of Strangers

There have been more instances than I’m comfortable speaking about when, save for the kindness of strangers, I would have been in deep trouble, of whatever nature it might have been. At times, I have been overwhelmed by how kind and helpful most people are.

Right now, I am benefiting from such acts of kindness. In Southern Alberta, most RV parks open around the third weekend of May only, as snow and cold can occur any month of the year. Besides, I know for a fact that most ranchers and farmers start very early in the year praying for moisture. The area is very dry with often no more than 22% humidity. So many ardent prayers do not go unanswered and April is sometimes the month with the most precipitation. Which brings me to my predicament. . .

For the past 8 to 10 days we have been experiencing night temperatures falling below freezing. I needed a shoreline electric connection since the batteries power diminishes in direct proportion to the lack of degrees at night. A friend graciously offered to have me stay by her sister and brother-in-law’s and connect to their house current. I gratefully accepted after I’d been refused by a campground that was to remain closed in response to my request for power that I would pay for, even with the gate wide open in the middle of a snow storm. It became an almost life-saving gesture as I suffered a serious attack of asthma triggered by the cold, which necessitated medical intervention.

So here’s to expressing my deeply felt gratitude to Goldina, Gerrylee, and Jason for their kindness. May they and their families be blessed in all ways.

Perhaps it is true that A Stranger is a Friend you haven’t met yet.

Donkey Doings in the Desert

We are warned by BLM against feeding wild animals in the desert, but there seemed to be nothing advising against bird feeders. So, I put a hummingbird feeder a distance away from my RV. My first choice had been next to a window to observe them more closely but it proved to be so attractive to dozens of hairy bees that I had to move it. I was far from expecting that donkeys would discover it until I noticed a pair slowly making their way towards my site.

One was a female (she might have been pregnant judging by her rounded belly) the other a male, perhaps her baby’s daddy? In two steps she was next to the hummingbird feeder that she started licking right away. It eventually ran dry but she was smart and not to be deterred. She finally figured out that by swinging the feeder from side to side, the sweet water would come out. She kept at it until it eventually attracted the male’s attention. He got closer to investigate but she was not about to give up the juice or the trick. Her posture changed, ears drawn backward, a fierceness in her countenance that left no doubt as to her intentions, “Butt out Bucko, this one is mine.” He got the message ok but, as any self-respecting male would do, he had to save face and began nibbling on the seeds left on the ground for birds.

Well, this is the story, these are the pictures taken on a hazy day.

I think there is no need for captions, body language is enough!