Soggy Sunday This was 6/5 post got lost until now.

Someone , somewhere has my Spring. Could I have it back please? In the big picture weather wise I should be grateful that all I have is endless rain. But I am having a minor pity party over my goats ready to revolt due to "barn fever" from not being able to leave the barn for days. You may not know this but goats don't care much for water that isn't in a bucket. So the inside of the barn is beginning to look, despite our best efforts, almost the same as outside-wet and mucky.

Then there is the baby goat factor. 20 baby goats times 4 the number of hooves they have equal 80. That would be 80 little hoof prints on me at least twice daily. I didn't know designer clothing was a beni   of raising goats in a wet climate. Now I do and probably should be grateful I own a unique wardrobe.

Now the goat below is not only lovely to look at but also an easy keeper!

And I love the mini roses that live not too far from the goat and cart.

Now you why it is called a "cat tree". Top to bottom Chole, Boot Scootin Boogie, PT (patient termination - wait not a grim nasty name- I saved her from exactly that when I worked at the Central Cal. SPCA as a tech.) Helen who also came to us from CCSPCA. Missing are Monkey and Molly who are otherwise occupied.

We are suddenly having a break in the rain so I am dashing out to the barn to see if I can talk the a fore mentioned goats into stepping outside so I can put down more straw.

Have a wonderful Sunday and HAPPY 34TH BIRTHDAY to our baby girl Annie.

Mid week check in.

Busy week beginning on Monday with late night kidding. Then a wonderful thing happened - Spring returned! So we got busy outside again with this , that and the next thing. But the first thing was the oak tree that came down Monday night in one of the goat pens. We are thankful for it having been dark so all goats were tucked inside the barn, no fences or shelters were harmed either.

 As you can see the pruning crew arrived spot on Tuesday morning! Followed by the playground testing technicians below.

 

Followed by back up. And dear Raz-a-ma-taz our Nubian princess who took her work most seriously. You know Nubians all business when it comes to  good, fresh browse.

Journey beginning or ending

When one sets off in life it is always difficult to know if one is actually going or coming. When we left the central valley in 2006 for Mendocino County it was an adventure. Geoffrey and I always said that we would "run away". Well perhaps the running away time is for youth or not.

This county is lovely and has much to offer. But alas it was not long before we figured out it was not where we were to be planted. So long story short we are in year three of having our house on the market. We are having an open house tomorrow so we have both spent three long days tending house and yard to make the place shine like a new penny.

It is time and then some for us to leave. Time for this house to have those who are intended, not just place keepers, living in it. So this is a request from anyone who reads this post. Prayers, energy, begging whatever works for you will work for us. It is time to move on. Not back to the central valley but to the north valley where friends and our forever home on this earth await us. Your thoughts are appreciated to bring us a buyer and a swift start to our new journey.

And yes, the goats are going too.

Happy Mother's Day!

May all of you have a wonderful Mother's Day. 

Keeping good company

The company one keeps should be good. Good for you, for them and for whatever the cause is. Today I joined what I consider to be some very good company. I got this in the mail.

I see this certificate as a recognition of love. Love for not only the two breeds I have Nubian and LaMancha but for the species altogether. Love for the individuals , those does and bucks that steal our hearts and give us so much. Love of those long days of kidding, incredible long hours of milking. The delight in falling in love every year over and over.

It is also a recognition of small farms. Those who love what they do and cannot imagine doing anything else , no matter how long the hours, how heartbreaking the losses. The work is hard, never boring, never tedious. As with all farming there are periods of intense activity. With goats it begins in the Spring with kidding and that brings twice daily milking and up keep. Everything from feeding kids (if one is bottle raising) to pen cleaning, hoof trimming, vaccines (if one is giving them) and/or herbal support.

There are rewards the smell of a new born kid , the joy of an udder on a first freshening doe, a grand champion ribbon at a show, fresh cheese that is to die for. There are heartbreaks a kid too long in a poor position that came into the world without breath, a favored doe as she struggles to take her last breaths while resting her head in your lap while her yearling doe kid lies beside her mourning.

But in farming, that mostly dealing with livestock, we deal in two worlds life and death and with one you get the other. Would I change it for a moment? Would I even know what to do with my days if it were taken from me forever gone? NO. And that is a big no.

So I am thankful. Thankful that the passion has gone on for 25 years. That even tho I know realistically that the chances of another 25 years at my age are slim. I intend to press on and the worst that can happen is I die doing what I love. Thank you ADGA for the recognition. Thank you to all those bucks and does who for 25 years have made my life what it is. A bit of Heaven on earth.

Saturday Doings

We are having a cool, cloudy Saturday. The weather police tell us there may be some rain, which is good because it is better than drought but after almost 36 inches of it I am done. Wet weather encourages a wealth of muddy baby goat hoof prints on my jeans. Not one of my favorite side effects of muddy hooves. 

I searched and searched for kid feeders for the last week or two. Nothing appropriate or inexpensive enough. Geoffrey volunteered his services so today we (well he) hung two feeders that are just what I wanted and the price was right - sweat equity.  

Maggie Mae kid feeder test goat

PJ's girl and friend looking confused

Itsy's girl checking out the new "thing"

Finally all kidding pens taken down!

My two goat stand with the fold up ramps.

On the way back to the house I snapped a few photo's of this and that. Enjoy.

Bottle kids enjoying the day

Snowy River cat napping

The house dressing up for Spring

Love this volunteer Tulip!

Sitting area front porch I love porches

Almost Wordless Saturday or a walking tour of Walnetto Farm

                                            The last kids born

                                    Cradle proud Mom first freshening two year old.

                                           Holy Goat Batman! Bottle Babies!!

Maggie May

                                                               Buddy above

                                                     Below Buddy Lily of Redwood Valley

                                             Next Buddy's nameless sister gently sipping

                                                    Redbuds in bloom

                                                       Our bees survived the winter!

                                 Above the fellow in charge Walnetto Farm Longfellow

                                    Walnetto Farm Raz-a-ma-taz  above

The Three Musketeers 

                   Above Kitty Grandma of all the LaMancha kids this season , Longfellow's Dam

                                                PJ two year old first freshener

                            Spring two year old first freshener also

                     Walnetto Farm I C T-R-O-U-B-L-E above , dry yearling

                          Raz followed by Walnetto Farm Cats Paws both dry yearlings

                                          Apple trees in bloom

               Walnetto Farm Magnolia, Maggie May's Dam also the grand dam of the herd at 10 years of age.

I just might join him - a nap in the warm northern California sun!

Disclaimer? Because I manage to loose things this is as edited as this entry gets. Forgive the long line of photos and any typo's. Enjoy!