To dream the impossible dream…. the melody of this song is played in my head as I looked out the window at our newly acquired farm residents; Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. These two baby mini donkeys were and still are the realization of my own “glorious quest”. When we finally moved into our house and started building this farm in 2016, miniature donkeys were at the top of my wish list.
Long before we had them, my daughter came up with the name Don Quixote, which is pronounced “Donkey Hote” of course! Besides being a fun play on words, The Man of La Mancha and I shared a Quixotic devotion of a dream unfettered by everyday common sense. I admit there is nothing specifically practical we gain in their addition to our farm but an abundance of Joy. If you are ever near one of these adorable creatures, you will know this feeling.
So, last summer 2019, I saw a post on facebook for a miniature donkey, a two week old baby available in our local community. He was on display with his mother at our county fair and he was in my budget. One look at this little fellow and I was in love, it was a done deal. Waiting for Don Quixote to be weaned wasn’t too hard except I began to worry that he was going to be lonely without a friend. I was told they would do fine with our goats but I had serious doubts.
And then the unexpected happened, we received a message that our donkey had a half- brother that was available as well. I barely even thought twice about it, and one look at this tiny blue eyed baby and once again…SO MUCH LOVE! We decided then and there to bring home two donkeys instead of just one. We named our bonus donkey Sancho Panza, after the fictional character in the novel Don Quixote. In the story Sancho acts as squire to Don Quixote and he is famous for his many pertinent proverbs that are a combination of broad humor, irony, and earthy wit. I am confident these two will inspire many humorous and witty stories to share in the days to come.
Don Quixote
Sancho Panza
The Smith Farmhouse 