May 2019 – 3MULES.COM

Little Ethel

Report to the 3 Mules Nation on our new friend and addition to our endless journey – Little Ethel

The Mules went to Texas using the bus to get to Am arillo and look at two mules which we had found on an internet site that appeared to meet our requirements to join us on our journey, but they were not what we had expected. [See Amarillo, Texas post.]

We spent about a week in Amarillo scouring the internet, living outside and using a bike as transport. We were receiving many leads of mules for sale from the many people who were following the 3 Mules Facebook page and website 3Mules.com. However, most good leads were more than a hundred miles away and my scheme of using a bicycle to go from one lead to the next no longer seemed too practical.

The Mules decided to return to California. A lady named Barbara e-mailed us that she would like to pay our bus fare back to California. We accepted and thanked her for her support and generosity. So the pink carryall bag and myself traveled back to California by bus.

Pink carry all bag at bus depot — Our pink carry all bag at bus depot

The day before we were set to return to California, Annie, whose place where Little Girl was staying while the Monk was in Texas, found an internet site in Arizona advertising a 10 year old sorrel molly mule, 15 hands, 2 inches height, over a thousand pounds and halter broke only for $600 and named Little Ethel (isn’t that interesting?). Annie messaged me if I would be interested in Little Ethel. For $600, the monk replied, “Absolutely.”

Annie contacted the owner using her skill and experience, assessed the authenticity of the advertisement and circumstance. She then messaged the Mules her opinion. We messaged her back, yes please, purchase that mule named Little Ethel. Annie arranged with an Arizona vet to have the mule checked out and get Coggins test done. [A “Coggins” is a blood test that detects antibodies to the disease Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). This is a virus that can cause affected horses and mules to have fevers, anemia (low red blood cell count), edema (stocking up), or weight loss/muscle wasting. EIA is a relative of the virus that causes HIV in humans. Horses that become infected will carry the disease for life.]

A couple of days prior to arriving in Texas, Wendy from the Three Mules Nation, who we met a several years ago while in Orange and stayed in her backyard for a night, messaged the Mules that her husband Michael and herself would be passing through Amarillo on the 19th of May on their way back to California and would have an empty space in their horse trailer should we have found a mule and need transport for it back to California.

Annie contacted Wendy and made arrangements for Little Ethel to be picked up in Dewey, Arizona and brought to Annie’s place in California where Little Girl is staying.

After Wendy arrived in Dewey, Arizona, she took and sent us these two photos of Little Ethel.

Little Ethel
Little Ethel

Little Ethel turned out to be everything her previous owner said she was and more. The three of us, Little Girl, Little Ethel and myself will be heading northward on our journey.

The Mules say thank you to all those of the 3 Mules Nation for giving their energy and support which has materialized into Little Ethel, a new mule and friend ready to serve this Nation of like-minded people who know the extreme value of living, walking in harmony and balance with our home, the Earth.

The Mules

Note: While our trip to Texas appeared to be a failure, in the end, due to the energy of the Nation, the 3 Mules Nation, harbored and waiting to materialize from the collective effort of all those of that Nation, a new friend Little Ethel was made to serve us all.

Little Girl with pink carry-all and Little Ethel grazing in the desert.

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Amarillo, Texas

5/7/2019 – DAY 1 AMARILLO, TX. The Mules can’t get over how clean the streets are in Texas. No trash laying around anywhere, unlike California where you’re always walking through trash and litter. It was so unexpected to see. It truly is different in that respect.

In the morning, we met the gentleman who is bringing us to see a couple 16 hand mules that we traveled here to see. We first saw this nice 7-year old strong mule, but it is white and we don’t want that color as it makes the mules too easy to spot at night for thieves and others with less than a legitimate intentions.

Hopefully the two mules that well see today will be what we want so we can walk back to California. The tornado that was forecasted didn’t materialize.

5/8/2019 – Day 2 AMARILLO, TX. Made contact with the person who had the two mules for sale that was suppose to be 10 years old. This one photo was well over 20 years old with no front teeth and the other one had a bad front foot. So we continue our search.

Trying to find a bicycle so I can put my necessities on it and travel around rather than riding the bus, which will still leave you a long way from looking at a mule.

Also photos where me and the pink bag spent the night. It rained cats and dogs nonstop hard and steady all night.

I am still searching to purchase two 15.3 – 16 hand stout draft mules, 3 to 15 years of age. Must be easy to shoe, healthy and located within the United States. Do not want white. If there are any in the Amarillo Texas area that I am currently located, let me know. If you have mules for sale that fits this description, please private message photos, location, price and your contact information.

Thank you to those who have sent us leads, which we have been following up if it fits our criteria.

5/9/19 – DAY 3 AMARILLO, TX. Spent the day making phone calls and following up on leads provided to us by the Nation, the Three Mules Nation, since the mules we saw yesterday didn’t fit our criteria.

5/10/19 DAY 4 CANYON, TX: After walking 15 miles south from Amarillo to Canyon carrying all this stuff, I decided that I must get a bicycle. Taking a bus is way too expensive and still won’t get one close to areas with mules that one wants to look at. Bought this 18-speed bike at Walmart for $78, an unbelievable price because back in the 70s, I paid $100 for a ten speed. Managed to get my stuff tied on and will go from one place to the next looking for a mule. It didn’t take me long to realize that I’d rather be walking with a mule than riding a bicycle. All the more reason to find a mule as soon as possible.

5/11/19 Day 5 AMARILLO, TX: Where we slept last night in Amarillo.

The Mules are still searching to purchase two 15.3 – 16 hand stout draft mules, 3 to 15 years of age. Must be easy to shoe and healthy. We don’t want white as it makes the mules too easy to spot at night for thieves and others with less than a legitimate intentions.

If you have mules for sale that fits this description, please private message photos, location, price and your contact information. Would like to see photos of teeth and video of back feet being picked up.

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The Pink Carry-All

While in Palmdale, California, the Monk was waiting for a bus to Texas. The Monk went behind a building, found a water spigot and was getting clean when he noticed this pink carry-all bag resting in a pile of garbage out in the sagebrush. He approached the bag out of curiosity as he was standing there, looking at the bag, checking its condition, wondering if it could be put to good use for his trip to Texas. The pink bag began to speak. The bag asked the usual questions: “Where are you going and where are you from?”

The monk replied, “We are from wherever. We have our feet in any moment of time. We are going to Texas to look for mules.”

The pink bag then said, “I’ve been stuck in this pile of trash for months. Could I go with you and help with your quest for mules?”

The monk replied, “Can we use yourself to carry our stuff until we find some mules?”

The pink bag responded, “Of course.”

So the mules being alone but never alone have acquired a friend in the guise of a pink carry-all bag to accompany and assist us in our quest to bring the Nation, the 3 Mules Nation, to a condition of full power, full speed.

Note: Another living down to the bone example of the energy harbored in this place in which the Mules reside. A place for anybody and everybody who will travel with his/ her animal companions in one of any four directions with love, respect and reverence for this beautiful creation known as Earth materializing into what the Mules need at any one point of time. This time a pink carry-all bag offering assistance and friendship in our quest for mule companions.

May 6, 2019
The Monk and the pink carry-all bag have made it to their destination in Texas after 36 hours on the bus. The trip took six hours longer than scheduled as the bus got a flat tire in Grants, New Mexico. Tuesday weather forecast here in Texas: “Strong thunderstorms, damaging winds, large hail, and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 74F.” Pink carry-all bag continuing to offer assistance and friendship in our quest for mule companions. Some photos from our travels in the past 36 hours.

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Makeshift Shelter

A makeshift shelter put together from what we found that was laying around. The nomadic life style live as close to and with the natural world as you can in anyone moment of time and reap the rewards of those moments of time. This plastic swimming pool shield us from the freezing cold temps as don’t have sleeping bag or tent with me.

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