Abundant Picnic: Burritos With Ears

Quirkiest moments sure can happen out of the blue - when you least expect them. Here's the scenario ... I'm on my ~~daily~~ {almost daily} walk. It really was golden today. Warm with a flag-blowing breeze. Neighborhoods decked out for the Fourth of July.

Up and over hills, in and around gates and fences. Admittedly even into some gated areas with warning signs! But, I'd been there before. I knew the ropes.... NO PROBLEMO! I had watched other people coming and going 'round these parts hundreds of times.

Sitting on this particular hill is a chi-chi winery on many acres. Heck, how would any of those wine-people even know I was here?? Number one rule of trespassing - Walk straight towards your destination, do not stop and admire the scenery.

A Burrito stopped me in my tracks!! Yep, a Burrito out in the field. I did not know it was a Burrito. I happened upon a pace {term for a group of burros} of donkeys grazing the sun-crisped thistles of the hill.

So?.. where does a Burrito come in?
A strong voice from behind me startled my Instagramming hand. "JUANITA!!"
...not my name, must be yellin' at someone else... Footfall coming towards me...
Uh oh, I was caught! Traipsing in unwelcoming fields... what now? Sure that I'd be asked to get my tennies running right off the winery acres, I put the camera down and turned to explain. Before me was an elder gentleman in overalls, cowboy hat, and piece of straw in his mouth. NAHHH - just kidding about that! But, he was in overalls.

I was scuurrred. Lo and behold, this fella just wanted to tell me the name of the donkey whose photo I was trying to Instagram. "That one there is Burrito!".. "And over there - the black one is Jack", and "the two that look alike are Jerusalem donkeys. Their names are Juanita and Juan".
GEEESHH.. this guy was just an old softy with a penchance for talking....{ hmmm sounds somewhat familiar}.

The old guy never knew what hit him - I talked him up, I asked a dozen questions, I admired his job and the beauty of his pace. I was also honest and forthcoming explaining that I pass this way only infrequently. "Yes, the trespassing signs are posted - but the neighbors on that hill are treated kindly and allowed certain privileges" - said he. "Ah, I see" I kindly retorted. "I am not of this hill". Til now~

I officially belong to the legally allowed on winery trails group

It was my love of Burritos that did it!

The end....