The move is all done! It was a close run thing: I am back to work on Monday for two weeks of summer school, so I have a rest day tomorrow to recover from the move. It has been an amazing effort and I am so fortunate to have the support of friends who share the vision of the space I am creating for the donkeys: particularly Carl who has put more muscle power into the work than I could. (Every muscle aches now: I literally cannot any longer raise my arm above horizontal holding a power drill.)
Rubí was the first to visit level 2. It will not be opened to the donks until all the safety bars and fencing are put in place in August. I will give them each a preview (safely on lead-rope) so they can see what is down there and try out the slopes between levels.
Matilde, Morris and Aitana were going crazy watching Rubí on level 2. Enough work for now! It has been more tgan a month since the heavy work began: building on one site; demolishing on the other. The Elca Seriu field is now cleared of every shred of evidence that donkeys ever lived there: the fencing, the posts, the concrete and timber have all gone. The field has been returned to the landlord.
And on Monday I go back to work… For a rest.
Equus Asinus 
I love the red soil. Is it good for growing things in?
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There is to be a full moon next Tuesday. Hope the donks enjoy x
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The new moon will be great in the new place. Donks already looking at it.
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The soil is really rich. In the future I will be trying to restore the grape vines. The place is called “El Parral” (The Vineyard) but the grape vines all died years ago when it was abandoned. Another long-term project.
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Very apt for you to be toiling in the Lord’s Vineyard.
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Many projects to look forward to and many moons!…
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Does this mean the name may stay afterall?…The idea of the Lord’s vineyard is a lovely thought. It’s possible that the name may go back further than the existing house.
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When I first moved in, I thought the name should be changed because there is only one vine still left, and that’s down in the valley; so it didn’t seem appropriate. But then it gradually seemed like a good idea to stay with the name. As Alys suggests, the name may pre-date the house (which was built in the 1980s) and the previous casita on that site may have been there simply as a working dwelling for tending the vineyard, with the main house being down in the village in Orxeta a couple of kilometres away. “El Parral” it is, and I would like to explore the possibility of restoring vines to the place eventually. Maybe after advice I could start by taking cuttings from the only one left, down in the valley. Also the biblical reference has grown on me now, after Annie’s prompt regarding the symbolism! I must look at the Gospel of St John again: the vine and the branches.
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Hope you can read this. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15&version=KJV
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More modern translation plus notes 🙂 http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/15
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It would be interesting to find out more about the history of the place. It’s a wonderful idea to restore the vines from the last existing one. A future cheers to that plan!
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The last existing vine that I know of, which is down in the valley, was looking in a very sorry state when I first saw the property. I scooped out the earth around the vine stock and flooded the roots regularly. It is now looking quite healthy. I must put up a photograph soon. There may be other ‘lost’ vines somewhere: I still haven’t explored the valley fully, as I have been too busy with the donkey terraces.
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It looks in very good spirits now! Fresh and green!
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