Libby is a mini-donkey who is about 7 years old. She came to the farm in 2018 with six other mini-donkeys from an animal cruelty case. They all came here in very bad shape. But that was then and this is now and Libby is a healthy and very happy little donkey. When she first came in, she wasn’t very trusting of people, and for good reason. But as they all were allowed to regroup and heal, Libby has started to come out of her shell. She loves her donkey friend Carley (who may in fact be her daughter) and she is a good calming influence on Carley who can be a little pushy at times. Libby brings a sense of serenity and calmness. She may be in a tiny body, but she has a very large spirit. We are thrilled to have her as part of our family!
“I love participating in this every year. But why do you only look for inspiration from us once a year? Seriously, you should come check in with us more often. Now, being a goat offers me a very unique perspective in life. I love being a goat. Goats really have something special. We have a connection to the earth that is very strong. And we also love to play and be silly. You humans need more of all of those things. When I see a human taking things too seriously (which is like everyday!) then I have to jump into action. A goat body is made for expression. I can make people laugh in an instant. I can make them talk baby talk to me and do the silliest things. And if need be, I can be downright annoying as well. I admit it, it’s true. My message is simple. Wake up each day and have your first thought be that you have awakened to a new day. All the rest will unfold. Wake up with gratitude. Go to bed with gratitude. If you would do that, your whole life would change. But who would believe a goat anyway?”
“Every year I have been at this farm, which is a long time now, I have been asked this question. I love to share what it’s like for me to have no eyes and still be able to see more than most of you with two. I don’t say that with any judgment or negativity. I truly don’t. But you humans sometimes get very set in your ways and you tend to see things through a very narrow lens. If you could see with your heart, you would see so much more beauty in the world. I can see smiles because I feel them deep within me. I can still see colors because I can feel them and smell them and taste them. I can see the truth of whoever stands before me, even when they themselves cannot. I see their beauty. I see their tremendous worth. And I hope that by sharing just a momentary touch or breath together, that they can see themselves through my heart. You are all truly beautiful creatures. And I am happy to see you inside of my heart the way I do. I hope you’ll try that too. You’d change your world into something you’d find much easier and safer for all of you.”
“I know a thing or two about feeling hopeless and despondent. I dedicate my message to those of you who may feel lost or feel the loss of someone else around you. I understand a heavy heart as mine has been heavy before too. I felt like life had no meaning and there was no sense continuing on. Boy was I ever wrong. What changed my mind and healed my heart was the love and belief of someone stepping in and saying to me, ‘I want you to be here.’ Just to feel wanted again was incredible. We all need to belong. And when we feel we don’t belong, it is important to understand that we each have a unique place in this world and a beautiful plan. But if we separate ourselves out from our own destiny, then we become disconnected. Believe me, I know this is true. If you have the ability to be the light in someone’s darkness, it is a gift that is as precious as life.”
“I may not see as well as I once did. I can’t fly like I once enjoyed. My body is a bit more rickety now. But my joy is still flowing. I love all of my friends of so many species. I have cats and birds and rabbits and guinea pigs and of course humans. Over the years, I loved my dogs too. I used to be able to call them and they’d come over and I’d drop food to them. It was funny. Yes, I miss the ones who are no longer here. I’ve seen a lot of lives come and go. One day I too will leave this body. But when I do, I will leave richly filled with the most amazing experiences and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities of this lifetime. Your life if your most precious gift. Don’t waste it worrying about how you are doing. Just live it the best way you can. And be grateful and kind and loving. You can never go wrong with that.”
Your support helps so many animals who have nowhere else to go and are in need of help. We’d like you to meet Waylon and Mia, two horses who came to us in June. Here is a video showing you the importance of what you do and how you change lives.
Mary Beth: “I have a very unique view of life. Seriously, I’m not talking about something philosophical here. This is anatomy and science. I was born with my head crooked and I cannot lift my head up very far. So I have always seen and experienced life from a different and unique perspective. No one here sees things the same way that I do. But in reality, that is true about all of us. Each one of us has a unique look at the world. But there is not a single one of us that sees things the way they really are. Each of us sees our own unique little piece. When we put them all together, we get a grander view and a deeper understanding. But when we criticize how another sees the world, we are losing a key piece of understanding and perspective. We should listen to what each of us sees because when we do, we’d all be a lot happier. I guarantee you that I see things about you that you might not even see about yourself. And you may also look at me and think you see a perspective about me that is not true for me. We need to listen to one another without judgment and always with compassion. We’d learn so much more.”
“Oh there is so much to be happy about. One could look at me, and maybe some people do, and think that I have a lot of problems in life. But, you have to realize that I had problems in life for sure. But what I also found were a lot of solutions. If you focus only on the problems and difficulties in life then you will miss the very solutions you are looking for. Be on the ever lookout for miracles because they will find you. But you have to be willing to welcome them. If I stare at my empty food bowl and focus on the fact that there is nothing in there, I could be filled with sadness. But if I look at that empty food bowl and feel grateful that I just ate all the food and there will be more coming, then I will live in a state of gratitude and hopefulness. Not everyone has a bowl that gets filled. A lot of cats would do anything for the ability to even have a bowl. My point is this, you need to focus on what you have and what is coming and not on the problems for which you can’t in this moment see the solution. The solution will be shown to you when you welcome the answer, and not a moment before that time.”
Our Latest Book – Stories From The Magic Years is Now Available
Stories from THE MAGIC YEARS
A Thirty-Year Interspecies Conversation
celebrating the Thirtieth Anniversary of Spring Farm CARES – 1991-2021
This an amazing book! We, ourselves, did not realize just how amazing it would be until we began to re-read thirty years of letters and newsletters to you–our friends, students, and supporters–and to remember sometimes forgotten events and details from thirty magical, often other-worldly, miracle years. Many of you have been with us every step of the way! Many of you read and loved the stories in these newsletters way back when. You, too, will again laugh, cry, thrill, cry out in amazement, and be inspired as you re-read these stories and remember the wonderful, often Master, animal teachers and friends who have graced our lives and yours. While those of you who have joined us somewhere along the way are in for a heart-warming and soul-inspiring experience.
There is no book that has ever been written—or that could have been, or could ever be, written–like this thirty-year chronicle of continuous conversations, comradery, companionship and spiritual communication between human beings and animals. For, as you know, Spring Farm CARES is the world’s only living, breathing, daily-functioning sanctuary dedicated to carrying on a dialogue between humans and animals and then sharing that dialogue with you.
(This 8 x 10 book is over 475 pages and is filled with over 340 photographs)
Where is it Available?
Please note that in prior communications advertising the release of this book, we had anticipated the price to be much cheaper than what Amazon has it listed for now. The list price is correct. Due to the size of the book, and the many photographs, the printing cost ended up being much higher than we anticipated. We apologize for the confusion.
E-Book: Stories from THE MAGIC YEARS is available on Kindle, and Smashwords
and will soon be available on Nook.
“I like when there is a sense of quiet around me. Sometimes life moves too darn fast. What the heck is the hurry? You all speed around like you have to be somewhere that you can’t get to fast enough. But you rarely stop to enjoy where you are. If you’d enjoy each moment, you would actually get to where you are headed much quicker and with way more joy and peace. I have had a lot of change in my life. Many times I didn’t belong where I was. Sometimes I was alone and frightened. Yet, it was all that change that brought me exactly to what I was looking for – a family. If I hadn’t gone through the discomfort of change, I’d still be alone and afraid and certain that there was no hope for anything else. Instead, I ended up finding sheep friends and lots of animal and human friends who treat me like I’m special. Slow down. Be in the moment. One thing is certain. Things will change. They always do.”
Coal is estimated to have been born in 2016 and came to the farm in fall of 2017. When Coal came to us he was in really bad shape. But now he is doing very well. Coal’s story is worth telling because he is a perfect example of the mission of our organization and the impact these animals have on so many lives. At first look, most people would look at Coal and say “oh that poor cat” and walk away without having a chance to meet him. Coal is not “a poor cat” nor is he a lost soul. Coal has found his place in life and indeed may be more content in being who he is than most humans get the chance to find in ourselves. Yes, Coal’s story is a tough one. He was found on the streets alone, starving, and sick. A good Samaritan rescued him and brought him to a veterinarian for care. Unfortunately, not only was Coal abandoned but he tested positive for both FIV and FeLv. Instantly, most places probably would have stopped right there and euthanized him. But the veterinarian who tended to him saw past his disease and his immediate condition and saw the soul inside this cat who desperately still wanted to live. It just so happened we had just lost an FeLv cat ourselves and we were able to offer Coal a place to live and heal. But the most amazing thing about Coal is that he also came here to offer us something as well. Coal is an amazing cat who is all so willing to share the love and gratitude that fills his heart. There isn’t a human here that doesn’t love and appreciate every second they spend with Coal. And Coal will have a place with us for the rest of his days.
Coal currently does not have a sponsor and would love to have one or more!
“Life has a funny way of teaching you things, sometimes in ways you don’t want to hear, but in a way that is necessary to hear it. It was like that for me. I thought myself to be a majestic little prince. I have it all – the good looks, an athletic little body, and a sharp mind. The world was mine. All of it. I thought perhaps a title like ‘his royal highness’ might have been appropriate. In short, I got a little too cocky. But I am a pony afterall and we are a special bunch. It’s true! But life dealt me a setback. I got abandoned. Totally and completely abandoned by the humans who once saw me as a prince. Left to fend for myself was more than I could even fathom. There was nothing more shattering to me than being alone. I wanted to die. But I didn’t. I had to reach to a deeper understanding. Once I did that, life sent me a different direction. I am forever grateful to have now found my way. Life is very different for me now. I have scars that I still deal with. But I have people who truly love me for who I am. Even when I am a naughty little pony. After all, that is what makes Charlie special! Don’t ever give up on learning. Don’t every lose hope or faith. Life can change in an instant for the better. Trust me on this one. I’m much wiser than I ever thought I was before.”
“When life throws changes at you, there are different ways you can respond. At first, change doesn’t always seem good, when in fact, it may be just what you need. That is what happened to me. When I lost my person, my heart was hurting. And I couldn’t imagine what would happen or where I’d end up. But now, I know happiness again. I work with people to help them understand that change is ok. That life is good. That love is always a good thing. Sadness from loss shifts into something different. It truly does. But you can’t give up on the hope of a new day. It won’t’ look the same. It won’t feel the same. It won’t be the same. It will be different. But different doesn’t mean that it will be void of happiness. Because, if you let it, happiness is still within and around you. You just need to allow yourself to be happy. That’s what I wanted to share with you today.”
“Sometimes it can be the simplest of things that make me happy. Why do humans think it strange that animals have the same kind of feelings that humans have? We don’t question if humans have thoughts and feelings? Anyway, there are days that I love to see the light starting to dim as the sun sets and the clouds turn all sorts of special colors. It is beautiful and it reminds me that there is so much out there in the world that is larger than I am. I don’t have to understand everything to appreciate it. I hope you can find happiness and beauty around you too. It’s there. I know that. Because it is everywhere. There are magical insects and majestic trees. And the wind on certain days brings the most amazing smells. All of life makes me happy. But what makes me most happy is the chance I have been given to live it.”
“I’m kind of the new guy around here but I’m figuring things out. It’s not always easy being a rooster you know. I have lots to contend with. Some of the hens wander off and I have to get them back. I have to dodge horses and tractors and then of course there are the wild animals too. By the time I get back to the roost at night I’m pretty tired. But I am grateful to have had a day to manage. It fills me with pride to do my work well. When the hens are safe, then I’ve done alright. I take pride in being the best me I can be. And that makes this rooster really happy. I hope you are proud to be you too!”
“The very idea of happiness makes me happy. Maybe that sounds silly. But it’s not silly to me. There was a time that I didn’t think I would live. I watched all my friends die one by one and no one seemed to care. There was little to feel happy about. In fact, I couldn’t even think of being happy. But life changed, as life tends to do if you let it. I remember when I first felt joy again. It was a specific day. I was here at this farm. I had gone outside for the first time to see what the farm looked like. It was not what I saw that changed my life, but what I felt. Because, although it is very beautiful here, what I felt immediately was the peace and serenity and joy coming from the horses and other animals who already lived here. In a horse’s life, that is not as common as you think. Often times we do not find permanence in our lives. We move from person to person and place to place. It is hard to keep adapting to that change. But when I got here, I knew joy. And I knew that joy was mine to hold onto. I wish you the same joy in your life. I truly mean that.”
“It is very true that we all see the world a little differently than one another. I see the world through one eye. But I also see the world through a perspective of trauma that caused me to lose my eye. Vision is a tricky thing. Because no matter how hard we may try otherwise, we only see things through what we believe to be true. No two of us see things exactly the same way. Not just because our eyes are different, but because our experiences are different too. But what I see that makes being human look difficult to me is that you seem to insist that everyone else sees things the way you do. You can not force people to see things your way. And why would you want to? Each of us sees a different piece of the puzzle. And the plain truth is – we are not meant to all see the same thing.”
“I love to share my heart with humans. And actually, that is also the very thing that brings me happiness. I love when people are drawn to me that have never had anything to do with horses. So many times I have been the first horse that someone has ever touched. I love to feel the amazement and wonder when they experience and feel how a big animal can be so soft and kind and fit inside their heart. I love getting inside someone’s heart and leaving softness. I think that humans should practice this with one another. Simply being kind is a gift you can give to someone that can change their lives in ways you will never see. Just be kind. Be present. And breathe softly. You literally can change the world that way. I know for sure that is true.”
River is estimated to have been born in 2008. He came to the farm in 2010 after he showed up as a stray in our nature sanctuary and was caught in a humane trap. There were several cats who were found in our nature sanctuary that same week and one of them was Marvin. They were caught separately and a few days apart but when they found each other once safely inside, they literally ran to one another and began grooming each other. Obviously, they knew one another. We assume someone dumped a whole group of cats off together. River and Marvin were inseparable until Marvin died in 2016. River, however, suddenly became the favorite buddy of every shy cat that comes into their room. He snuggles up with all of them and is such a great peaceful and loving presence. Several cats have benefited from his graceful way he lives his life. He is a great healer and a very special cat.
River currently does not have a sponsor and would love someone to share their energy with him!
“I love being a pig. I love life! Where I live, I get to see so many things. I love hearing the donkeys calling out first thing in the morning. They let us all know they are there and we are welcoming another day. I love to hear the nickers of the horses. I love the honking goose and the quacking ducks. All these sounds are around me all day. It reminds me that I am safe at home. At night, when it’s quiet in the barn, I can hear the contented sighs of all my friends. Life is really good here. I am a lucky pig. And I am grateful for every second of this.”
“I love my life. I love each day. Now there are some parts of my days that get annoying at times. But you have to overlook those little things in life. If something gets too uncomfortable for me, I simply move along to something else. I love humans. I think each of you is special and I think most of you don’t know it – or you have forgotten it. So I like to remind people how special they are. But not everyone understands that about me. It’s ok. But I have a wish for you. I wish you could stop for a moment each day and appreciate your inner beauty. Some of you pay too much attention to what you think are mistakes or flaws. You focus on negativity and you feel worse each day. If you start focusing on positive things, you will be far more happy. This is a truth that I understand. And it is my mission to share this with anyone who will listen to me. Appreciate yourself even when you feel no one else does. I appreciate you.”
“So many things make me happy and filled with gratitude. Standing in the sun makes me feel charged with energy. Spending time outside with my friends fills my heart with contentment. My friend Finnegan and I start each day by grooming one another and feeling great appreciation for all that we have. I live with other horses who have, like me, known great pain and sadness and challenges that are profoundly difficult. But when you make it through to the other side of that, and have been shown love and kindness, you heal in a very deep way. With that healing comes deep gratitude, for you know you have seen the worst there is to see, and you realize that love brought you through to something so magnificent in life. And with each step you take, you get more brave and secure, and you start to open to new friends. You find hope. You feel peace. And you find deep love in all places around you. That is what it is like to heal. We hope you will come visit us and experience this for yourselves some day too. And then take it with you and spread it like seeds being planted around the world. That is what I am here for. And I am blessed.”
“Have you ever seen my tail in action? A cat’s tail is a wondrous thing. We balance with them. We think with them. And we announce our annoyance of others with them at times too. I love my tail. Yet, I’ve never even seen it. I was born without eyes. And I have learned to explore and appreciate life to the max. Nothing is too high for me to climb. No toy is impossible for me to play with. No heart is out of my reach to touch. My purr is superbly loud. My skills of chasing and catching flies would astound you. Because I have learned to do all of this without eyes but only with feeling. I can feel my way through anything. What I notice with people is that they seem to be afraid to feel things with great depth. Yet, if you did, and you dedicated yourself to exploring that to the fullest, you’d find that you are amazingly sensitive and special creatures. We cats know that. And I know that even though I do not have eyes to see you. I see you in a way that I only wish you could see yourselves.”
“Let me tell you about what makes me happy. There is so much love in this world if you’d really stop for a second and look around you. I’ve noticed humans feeling so heavy about things. But they seem to then accept a notion that you can’t change them. Everything can be changed! I see it every day. Please don’t accept someone else’s hopelessness and fear as your own. If each of us could hold on to the truth about hope and love and kindness, then we’d all create magnificent change together. We do it in our barn every day. I can tell you it works. It fills my heart with joy when I feel someone come in who may be a bit lost or sad. They will come over to see me and my other animal friends and you can feel them reach into their hearts with the genuineness of a child. For a moment, they forget their worries. And when they do, their hearts fill with joy and wonder and hope. This is what makes me happy. Let’s make happiness and kindness the next pandemic. Wanna join me? Let’s just do it!”
Libby is a mini-donkey who is about 7 years old. She came to the farm in 2018 with six other mini-donkeys from an animal cruelty case. They all came here in very bad shape. But that was then and this is now and Libby is a healthy and very happy little donkey. When she first came in, she wasn’t very trusting of people, and for good reason. But as they all were allowed to regroup and heal, Libby has started to come out of her shell. She loves her donkey friend Carley (who may in fact be her daughter) and she is a good calming influence on Carley who can be a little pushy at times. Libby brings a sense of serenity and calmness. She may be in a tiny body, but she has a very large spirit. We are thrilled to have her as part of our family!
