This beautiful mule belongs to Guido, The Mule Man. He has two mules which live in the meadow down the lane from Val di Pozza. We pass them everyday, with the guests who come on our painting holidays in Italy, often stopping with a bag of apple pieces, carrots and zucchini.
Guido was loading up the mule with logs which he tied on either side of its muscular torso.
He told me that the mule loves to be a beast of burden transporting the logs to his house where they are stored for the winter fires. He could transport the load in his truck but a working mule needs to be kept fit and well exercised. I was taking some of our art Toscana guests to the hill top village of Sommocolonia when we saw Guido and his mule. Of course we all got out of the car to take photographs.
