Donkeys...

Dad has a small farm, out west of Houston.  
We stopped by yesterday for a look around.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

Early morning fog... 

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

The cows all came up to check us out.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 ...as did the donkeys.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

An avid photo-volunteer, this one's nose 
is just a couple of centimeters from my wide angle lens.

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

 Don't leave anything sitting around within their reach...

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

There are a few prickly pear cactus on the place.  In Spring and Summer, they have brilliant yellow flowers on them.  The petals finally fall off, then, the base of the flower swells in the fall, until it's fat, round and purple.  

Photo by Mark W. Laughlin

If you go a bit farther south, into Mexico, the fruits grow larger and fuller. They cook them down to make a sweet, tart purple jelly.  Perhaps a sign of the environment getting warmer, these seem larger and fuller than the ones I remember from years ago...

Y'all stop on by,
-Mark