Indiana State Fair Re-cap -- In Which We Fall in Love with Zonkeys

The seven of us (Meelyn, Aisling, Kieren, Dayden, Nanny, Poppy and I) were at the State Fair on Friday. Consequently, I had to sit down for a moment and dry the tears that were welling up in my eyes when I found out that the draft horses, my favorite part of the fair, wouldn't be arriving until Saturday.

I found comfort in an unexpected place with some unexpected creatures. The creatures were zonkeys, a cross between a zebra stallion and a jenny, which is a female donkey. (Here's a nice Wikipedia article about donkeys; scroll down to Donkey Hybrids to read about zonkeys, and if "donkey hybrids" sounds like a vehicle that operates on both an internal combustion engine and donkey-power, I just can't help it.) The unexpected place was the Horse Barn, a place that I did not even want to go when I found out there weren't any Belgians and Percherons in it, but the zonkeys were there and they were the sweetest, most adorable little babies I've ever seen and I immediately asked my dad if he would buy me one of those instead of a corn dog.

He said no, but I can always hope for Christmas.

The zonkeys were all in their little stalls in the part of the Horse Barn that was opened up for petting the animals. All of us except my dad eagerly extended our hands out to pat the pretty little things on their necks, noses and backs, and they responded with friendly curiosity, regarding us with big, long-lashed eyes, their long ears flicking back and forth.

Their noses and bodies were all typical donkey -- white muzzle, sleek grey coats -- but their legs were all zebra, with tall, stripy stockings that came demurely up above their knees.

I was absolutely enchanted and would like to name my Christmas zonkey "Sugar."