Last night the power went out just as I was starting to cook supper. Thankfully the chores were all done and all the goats and kids were tucked in for the night. We did worry about the new goat kids because no power means no heat lamp. The power was off for 3 hours and they were fine. I was very thankful that the weather was in the low 30s and not sub-zero like it has been for so much of this month.
I finished cooking supper, thankfully we have a gas stove. We ate supper by candle light and just put the dirty dishes in the sink to deal with later. After supper we all sat around the living room listening to Richard recite a story. He went on for probably 10 minutes - he has such a great memory and can "do" voices and accents very well. After that we had a spelling bee. Just as we were beginning to wind down, the power came back on.
It was a lovely family evening.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Twins!!!!
Muffet presented us with two beautiful doelings about 6:30 this morning. I heard her on the baby monitor and ran out to check. I discovered she was indeed in labor and ran back to the house for my birthing kit and to wake Rhiannon and Brad.
She gave birth to a cream colored kid first (we wouldn't know until a bit later whether "it" was a buckling or doeling) and immediately started cleaning it.
About 10 minutes later and just after she had gotten the first one cleaned up, she had another one, this time all black.
The birth was text book perfect. Muffet seemed glad I was there with her, letting me help her clean the babies, pick them up and dip their navels. She even tried to help Brad when I asked him to put up a couple more boards between her stall and her neighbor's stall.
Rhiannon helped by fetching things and dipping the navels while I held the kids. She was also the official photographer for the birth.
Both doelings have nursed twice and Muffet has passed the afterbirth. I was able to milk a little over a pint from Muffet. She wanted no part of the milking stand, we'll work on that later. But she stood very nicely in her stall eating her grain while I milked her, no kicking or laying down. I brought the colostrum back to the house to warm it up a bit and tried to bottle feed the doelings. It didn't seem like they nursed much and I wanted to be sure they had gotten enough colostrum, but they wanted no part of the bottle. They did both nurse on Muffet again though.
The doelings were under their heat lamp and Muffet was laying right next to them when I left the barn around 10:00am.
She gave birth to a cream colored kid first (we wouldn't know until a bit later whether "it" was a buckling or doeling) and immediately started cleaning it.
About 10 minutes later and just after she had gotten the first one cleaned up, she had another one, this time all black.
The birth was text book perfect. Muffet seemed glad I was there with her, letting me help her clean the babies, pick them up and dip their navels. She even tried to help Brad when I asked him to put up a couple more boards between her stall and her neighbor's stall.
Rhiannon helped by fetching things and dipping the navels while I held the kids. She was also the official photographer for the birth.
Both doelings have nursed twice and Muffet has passed the afterbirth. I was able to milk a little over a pint from Muffet. She wanted no part of the milking stand, we'll work on that later. But she stood very nicely in her stall eating her grain while I milked her, no kicking or laying down. I brought the colostrum back to the house to warm it up a bit and tried to bottle feed the doelings. It didn't seem like they nursed much and I wanted to be sure they had gotten enough colostrum, but they wanted no part of the bottle. They did both nurse on Muffet again though.
The doelings were under their heat lamp and Muffet was laying right next to them when I left the barn around 10:00am.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
The End Of An Era
Friday night we came home to the contents of the "black bag" (sometimes called the mommy bag) strewn all over the hallway of our house. Our beagle (you remember the one who ate a whole bag of chocolate chips a month or so ago) had gotten into it for reasons only he knows (there was no food in it). Not only did he dump the stuff from the outside pockets, he chewed a hole in the top of it.
So I have now graduated from the mommy bag to a rather nice leather purse - it's a big one so I can still fit "kid stuff" in it as well as my own. It was time, but I will miss the "black bag" and the need for it.
Sprocket hates being crated so much, and he had been doing so well, that we tried to be nice and let have the run of the house. He will now be crated whenever we leave him alone, for his safety and our peace of mind.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Thankfulness.....
Sunday, Feburary 17th
188) Cold water
189) Take out pizza
Monday, February 18th
190) Doing math with middle son
Tuesday, February 19th
191) Trip to the feed store with the 3 youngest
Wednesday, February 20th
192) Made it home after driving through a white-out
193) All the does test results were negative
Thursday, February 21th
194) Watching old episodes of Family Affair with the kids
Friday, February 22nd
195) It's 22 above zero
Saturday, Februrary 23rd
196) Mornings
Sunday, February 24th
Monday, Februray 25th
197) A full nights uninterrupted sleep
198) Running drinking water - many do not have even that
199) I can home educate our kids
Tuesday, February 26th
200) The pink sky of sunrise
201) Good friends who let you borrow their truck and then help get the hay
202) The hay barn is full again
203) Walking in from the barn and seeing the sunset
Wednesday, February 27th
204) Birthday shopping on Amazon - I found something I didn't think I would
205) Twin doelings
206) Power outage
207) Dinner by candle light
208) Listening to youngest son recite
209) Spelling bee
210) The power came back on
211) The doelings were ok for 3 hours without a heat lamp
212) The doelings were not born during the subzero weather
Thursday, February 28th
213) Early morning hours
214) Getting a jump start on the day
215) Being the first one up
Friday, March 1st
216) Its March 1st
217) Spring is only 19 days awa
218) Skating competition went very well
219) Oldest daughter's smile when she got the 2 golds and a bronze
Saturday, March 2nd
220) Middle son loves Robotics
221) Gospel Choir concert
188) Cold water
189) Take out pizza
Monday, February 18th
190) Doing math with middle son
Tuesday, February 19th
191) Trip to the feed store with the 3 youngest
Wednesday, February 20th
192) Made it home after driving through a white-out
193) All the does test results were negative
Thursday, February 21th
194) Watching old episodes of Family Affair with the kids
Friday, February 22nd
195) It's 22 above zero
Saturday, Februrary 23rd
196) Mornings
Sunday, February 24th
Monday, Februray 25th
197) A full nights uninterrupted sleep
198) Running drinking water - many do not have even that
199) I can home educate our kids
Tuesday, February 26th
200) The pink sky of sunrise
201) Good friends who let you borrow their truck and then help get the hay
202) The hay barn is full again
203) Walking in from the barn and seeing the sunset
Wednesday, February 27th
204) Birthday shopping on Amazon - I found something I didn't think I would
205) Twin doelings
206) Power outage
207) Dinner by candle light
208) Listening to youngest son recite
209) Spelling bee
210) The power came back on
211) The doelings were ok for 3 hours without a heat lamp
212) The doelings were not born during the subzero weather
Thursday, February 28th
213) Early morning hours
214) Getting a jump start on the day
215) Being the first one up
Friday, March 1st
216) Its March 1st
217) Spring is only 19 days awa
218) Skating competition went very well
219) Oldest daughter's smile when she got the 2 golds and a bronze
Saturday, March 2nd
220) Middle son loves Robotics
221) Gospel Choir concert
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Thankfulness.....
Monday, February 11th
173) Reading my bible
174) 40 degree weather after sub-zero weather
175) Husband who can fix anything
Tuesday, February 12th
176) The wind
177) Eating all our meals as a family
178) Ice
Wednesday, February 13th
Thursday, February 14th
179) Home made valentines
180) Chocolate heart shaped brownies
Friday, February 15th
181)Lap dog lap warmers
Saturday, February 16th
182) Milk buckets
183) Cheese cloth
184) Middle son who vacuums the kitchen
185) Clean bathrooms
186) Freshly folded laundry
187) Soap
It seems I've missed a few days and a few (many) opportunities to be thankful. I've been busy. But how can I be too busy to be thankful. How can I not see, I need only to look. We have so much. So much to be thankful for. Sometimes things seem too common place, too, well weird to write down. Like tissues and toilet paper. I am thankful for these things, and many other things that sometimes seem too mundane to write.
173) Reading my bible
174) 40 degree weather after sub-zero weather
175) Husband who can fix anything
Tuesday, February 12th
176) The wind
177) Eating all our meals as a family
178) Ice
Wednesday, February 13th
Thursday, February 14th
179) Home made valentines
180) Chocolate heart shaped brownies
Friday, February 15th
181)Lap dog lap warmers
Saturday, February 16th
182) Milk buckets
183) Cheese cloth
184) Middle son who vacuums the kitchen
185) Clean bathrooms
186) Freshly folded laundry
187) Soap
It seems I've missed a few days and a few (many) opportunities to be thankful. I've been busy. But how can I be too busy to be thankful. How can I not see, I need only to look. We have so much. So much to be thankful for. Sometimes things seem too common place, too, well weird to write down. Like tissues and toilet paper. I am thankful for these things, and many other things that sometimes seem too mundane to write.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Fortunately they don't go far
Last Friday morning, just as the blizzard was starting, I headed for the barn. I noticed some rather large foot prints going around the yard. Self, I said, those are not cat foot prints, they look almost like people prints. Hmmmm, well no matter, maybe they were left over from yesterday, but, well, there was no snow yesterday. I continued on to the barn, making note that Reed's gate was shut - so it couldn't be him.
I began feeding the goats and happened to look out the window and WHOA, there was Reed (Rhiannon's horse) right there standing up against the barn, and from the looks of him he had been there awhile. I went out the back door and opened his gate. He walked right in and went into his shelter. I brushed the snow off and gave him a little oats and corn.
Tonight, I went out to check on Muffet, my pregnant doe and Louie greeted me at the door, tail wagging like a propeller. He had managed to squeeze out of his stall. He is quite small and can fit through spaces that the does can not. He seemed quite proud of himself from the look on his face. Brad fixed his stall, so hopefully he won't get out again.
There is never a dull moment.....
Thankfulness.....
Saturday, February 2nd
144) Snow
145) Fresh warm milk, straight from the cow
146) Robotics
147) Local food
148) Eggs
149) Fresh towels
Sunday, February 3rd
150) Husband who is building more goat stalls for me
152) Sunday School
153) Going to be getting 2 new goats
Monday, February 4th
154) Going to the bulk food store
155) Nice visit with my mother
Tuesday, February 5th
156) Sunshine on a frigid morning
157) Sun shining in my kitchen window - warm
Wednesday, February 6th
159) 2 new goats
160) The trip with the goats was uneventful
Thursday, February 7th
161) Wood for the fire
162) Little dog curled up in my chair
163) Vet who came when we called
Friday, February 8th
164) Dog patiently waiting to get back on the hearth
165) Cat curled up in my chair
166) Aprons
167) The smell of baking bread
Saturday, February 9th
168) Snow shovels
169) Friends who stop by unexpectedly and plow the driveway
170) Sun shining off the beauty of the snow
Sunday, February 10th
171) The smell of coffee cake baking
172) Warm day
173) Family
144) Snow
145) Fresh warm milk, straight from the cow
146) Robotics
147) Local food
148) Eggs
149) Fresh towels
Sunday, February 3rd
150) Husband who is building more goat stalls for me
152) Sunday School
153) Going to be getting 2 new goats
Monday, February 4th
154) Going to the bulk food store
155) Nice visit with my mother
Tuesday, February 5th
156) Sunshine on a frigid morning
157) Sun shining in my kitchen window - warm
Wednesday, February 6th
159) 2 new goats
160) The trip with the goats was uneventful
Thursday, February 7th
161) Wood for the fire
162) Little dog curled up in my chair
163) Vet who came when we called
Friday, February 8th
164) Dog patiently waiting to get back on the hearth
165) Cat curled up in my chair
166) Aprons
167) The smell of baking bread
Saturday, February 9th
168) Snow shovels
169) Friends who stop by unexpectedly and plow the driveway
170) Sun shining off the beauty of the snow
Sunday, February 10th
171) The smell of coffee cake baking
172) Warm day
173) Family
Friday, February 08, 2013
New Additions To The Farm
It's been a wild week here at Long Meadow Farm.
Brad spent Sunday night and Tuesday night frantically building new stalls so we could bring home 2 new goats. A job well done!
Lil Miss Muffet, and Jazzman Louie arrived Wednesday. Miss Muffet is Lil Bo Peep's daughter, Bo Peep is the first goat we bought.
Both goats are registered Lamanchas. Hopefully Louie will grow a little more and can be our herd sire. Muffet is very very pregnant, due to kid soon.
Rhiannon and I drove to Malone to meet Hallie - their previous owner. Yes, they are in the mini-van. Brad has become quite good at rigging up the van so I can transport my goats.
Chloe was VERY interested in the new arrivals. Bo Peep was her usual composed self.
Brad spent Sunday night and Tuesday night frantically building new stalls so we could bring home 2 new goats. A job well done!
 |
| Three new stalls |
 |
| Kid Warmer |
 |
| Louie and Miss Muffet |
 |
| Going for a ride |
Lil Miss Muffet, and Jazzman Louie arrived Wednesday. Miss Muffet is Lil Bo Peep's daughter, Bo Peep is the first goat we bought.
Both goats are registered Lamanchas. Hopefully Louie will grow a little more and can be our herd sire. Muffet is very very pregnant, due to kid soon.
Rhiannon and I drove to Malone to meet Hallie - their previous owner. Yes, they are in the mini-van. Brad has become quite good at rigging up the van so I can transport my goats.
 |
| Checking out his new stall |
 |
| Could I get some room service please? |
Chloe was VERY interested in the new arrivals. Bo Peep was her usual composed self.
 |
| Chloe - Helloooo what have we here? |
 |
| If I could just stretch my neck a little more I could almost reach..... |
 |
| Bo Peep - yes, yes, all very interesting |
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
Saturday, February 02, 2013
Friday, February 01, 2013
Thankfulness.....
Saturday, January 26th
122) Popcorn dishes and the remains of movie night with the kids
123) Gravel that marks the path to the barn
Sunday, January 27th
124) Its Sunday
125) Visit with my mother
Monday, January 28th
126) 20 degrees above zero
127) Soap
128) Magnets
Tuesday, January 29th
129) Banana chips
130) Bowls
131) Youngest daughter learning to count
Wednesday, January 30th
132) Its 61 degrees!
133) Goats are outside
134) Windows are open
Thursday, January 31st
135) Milk - I love milk
136) Fresh laundry
137) Eating apples that we sorted and wrapped last fall
Friday, February 1st
138) Old sweatshirts on goats
139) Pajamas
140) Hair snaps
141) Spring is coming in a couple of months
142) Middle son and youngest son writing a story together
143) Friends who listen and understand
122) Popcorn dishes and the remains of movie night with the kids
123) Gravel that marks the path to the barn
Sunday, January 27th
124) Its Sunday
125) Visit with my mother
Monday, January 28th
126) 20 degrees above zero
127) Soap
128) Magnets
Tuesday, January 29th
129) Banana chips
130) Bowls
131) Youngest daughter learning to count
Wednesday, January 30th
132) Its 61 degrees!
133) Goats are outside
134) Windows are open
Thursday, January 31st
135) Milk - I love milk
136) Fresh laundry
137) Eating apples that we sorted and wrapped last fall
Friday, February 1st
138) Old sweatshirts on goats
139) Pajamas
140) Hair snaps
141) Spring is coming in a couple of months
142) Middle son and youngest son writing a story together
143) Friends who listen and understand
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