Goats, the end.

Recently we sold our Nigerian Dwarf goats -- four does and buck. The does have moved to their new home already, and the buck will leave soon. He was staying through November for the sake of three young does who are here for breeding. They leave this afternoon.

It's been fun having them all here. And in our current efforts to simplify at least a little while we work at finishing our new home while heating both homes and taking care of work and farm needs through this fall and into the winter season, something had to change.

RNB and I discussed which animals we were most attached to. RNB: the sheep and peafowl. Me: the horses, chickens, and guinea fowl. So, perhaps in our future we will have goats again. But for now, it's the end of our goat-owning story.

I have especially loved the kidding time. And as stressful as it is, there have been awesome rewards for helping a rejected kid survive a winter's birth.

Thank you, dear goats! I wish you all well in your new life.

Life lessons from the goats

I received an email update this morning about the twin Nigerian Dwarf bucklings we sold to a friend earlier this fall. As I was writing back and filling her in with my current job search efforts, I realized the goats may offer me some good guidance.

This is what she wrote:

"Just wanted to give you an update on our boys. We finally got the sheep to accept them and we put them all in together. The first day went fine and they were all getting along fine. I brought them into the stall again for the night because the weather was not so great and I didn't want them out in the cold. The second day started well but my mom called me around noon and said that she didn't know how they did it but the goats were out and the sheep were not very happy about it. We went to see if there was a break in the fence somewhere but I didn't find anything.

I brought some grain, so I shook the can and they came back into the sheep pen and I went out and shut the door and started walking toward the house and they came running by me!! So, I watched this time and they were jumping up to the top of the sheep house and then just a short little hop from the top of the sheep house over the fence. TADA, freedom!! So, now they are free goats. They have the run of the farm all day and stay in the barn at night. Talk about happy goats. They think that our pool deck is a playground and they love to play king of the hill with the stairs. They hang out with the horses quite abit unless the horses go down into the big field and then the goats stay near my house and eat tall grass that never got weedwacked this summer.

I know that next summer when my mom is trying to grow a garden we will have to find a better solution to the jump the fence problem, but for now they are fine. We love them to death, they are getting so they come when I call them, but if I don't have grain they don't stick around. Thanks for them."

This is what I wrote:

"I'm looking for more work. Maybe I should start trimming horses again. No definitive action on the resumes I sent out for clinical social work jobs. As much as I like working for someone else (security type reasons) I might need to take the plunge and work for myself again. Trimming? Start a private practice? I'm so cautious right now about spending money and I think I would need to spend money to get something set up in order to start making money...

That's MY update -- not much about goats although maybe I can learn a lesson from them. Hmmm... Don't like the current 'enclosure'? Jump the fence and go find fun and freedom. If someone shows up offering something enticing -- run to them, otherwise, keep finding the good stuff on your own."

Maybe I will compile these ideas into a little book called Goat Soup for the Soul? What do you think?

Tis the season

For a reason I no longer recall, I never published this entry on May 15th when I wrote it. Perhaps I expected I would have more to say. Today, on yet another chilly November day, I think it's time I submitted this, as is, for the reminder of what is to come, as an investment in a future I can count on -- merely six months from now! Whooppeeeee!


Asparagus is coming! Asparagus is coming!

Rhubarb is up! Rhubarb is up!

The orchard is flowering! The orchard is flowering!

The iris are blooming! The iris are blooming!