Yesterday they escaped. We had left the front gate open. They came from the upper field thinking that perhaps lunch was being served. Raven was the first to see the gate open, and bolted. Merle followed.

We've had neighbors’ horses escape into our yard, and when they do, it's relatively easy to corral them. They are herd animals, and Jenny always tells me they like to be caught, meaning I suppose that they would like to be safe and protected. I've watched her gently throw a halter on them and lead one away while the other follows. Horses can be persuaded that way.

Not mules. They might not mind being back in the pasture, but the allure of fresh grass is too much. So, off we went, Jenny hobbling with her new hip, me shuffling as fast as possible at a pace slower than a walk. With neighbors pointing this way and that, we found them. With carrots, we tried to persuade them to follow us. Nothing doing. They were off again.

Hamilton Police were called to slow traffic. They're used to this sort of thing. Merle and Raven were spotted down the road heading into the woods. Jenny immediately knew where they were going. Donkeys lived up the road—-they were going to visit their cousins!

Once found, we corralled them in with some impromptu arrangements and called a friend with a trailer. It wasn't easy getting them into the trailer. As Don Draper said "Eventually the time for persuasion is over and force is what's being requested." With grain, tugging, pulling, and pushing, we finally succeeded, but they weren’t happy about it.

This morning, we are unforgiven. They are giving us the silent treatment, ears back, never looking at us directly. It may be a few more days of grooming, treats, and whispering sweet nothings, before we get them truly back.