Guest Blogger Susan McCabe:

After seeing Lisa Congdon, lying in repose in the pages of Martha Stewart Living, I realized, as her agent, it was time to come clean. Hey, I collect stuff too! It’s just not likely Martha will pay my collection much mind. You might get a kick out of it though.

People always ask me, is it a donkey, mule, ass or burro collection? Here’s what I’ve learned. A mule is a domesticated, hybrid animal that results from crossing a mare (female horse) and a jack (male donkey). A donkey is really just a domesticated ass often used to pull carts. Which, of course begs the question, “What is an ass?” It’s a four-footed hoofed animal related to the horse, but smaller, with longer ears, a shorter mane and often a dark stripe along the back. A jackass, is simply a male ass. The main difference between jackass and donkey is their domestication — the ass is wild and the donkey, tamed.

But what about the burro? A burro is a small donkey often used as a pack animal because it is particularly sure-footed. I don’t really know if burros pull carts regularly but ceramic burros often carry baskets laden with goods and they look pretty fabulous in little hats. I reveal to you my stable of burros.

These better behaved donkeys get to display themselves in my dining room.