Afternoon Walk

Thursday

Finally begged a day off from the farm to do some things around here.

Set a date for the saplings to have their year end testing to meet homeschooling requirements.

Trimmed some goat hooves-Anna, Moonshadow, Obiwan. Nothing too serious.

Obiwan is still shedding. I was looking up pygora goats and decided he is definitely an Angora cross with type B fiber. I think he has some dairy goat instead of pygmy, because he has adorable floppy ears. Anyhow, he took a quick slick and earned us several more handfuls of his long silky fiber.

Nicholas is still hanging onto the last of his cashmere. He hates to be combed and promptly butted me. Out of the eighty plus goats I work with he is right up there on the jerk list.

Did the laundry. Ugh. At least it is clean, dry, folded, and upstairs.

Went to the farm to talk to Boss about the Farmer's Market details. That took quite awhile, and was pretty much common sense. I think if she just left the stuff and a price list I would have been fine, except for the freezer tour where she told me what meat to take. Actually she had already told me that earlier in the week, this time I got to see it. Having been a cook for years it was self explanatory, really, but I didn't let on.

I think it was more to reassure herself she had told me everything, and I had Willow along who was listening to it all as well, so she could probably handle it herself. She might, if I need to slip off for a cig, and I will since it will be over four hours. LOL.

I did take some notes on people's names. although one was just referred to as "the bread Lady".

Mr Boss was obsessing over the extension cord still at Prescott. Mr. Boss' contribution is going to be a pot of meatballs for free samples that will go on a pot warmer, which needs to plug in. I guess I should have offerred to run to Prescott and get the cord, but I figured it is on the way to the market if I need it on Saturday.

I am actually looking forward to the meatballs...I figure I will put them front and center on the EIGHT FOOT table!!! I am obsessing about having enough stuff for the table-a few skeins of yarn, some roving-the meat cooler will be in the shade-some knitting directions and recipe pamphlets..

I insisted on taking some pelts- we get two, although at $100 each we probably won't sell any.

Still, there is that GIGANTIC garage/book/perennial plant sale going on across the street, so who knows? I hope we sell out of everything! You'd think it was my farm products...lol.

Saturday

Firebird CR

Today was a raptor day. This morning Willow spotted a golden eagle flying over the house. Then later we heard the call of a broad tailed hawk, and spotted a pair hunting right around the house. One would fly ahead, perch on a tree, and call, then the other flew up, and perched, still behind, and they tagged tandem out of sight through the woods.

We went fishing this afternoon, late. The Firebird went along and caught his first fish of the season, a small large mouthed bass. Now they are tied one each. Two folks had used boat trailers to put in bass boats, and in short time the first one came to put in.

We had a nice chat and learned their catch of the day was a 7 pound bass. The Firebird headed home after they left-Willow wanted to stay, but right away the second boat came in.

Younger guys, bigger boat, and they took more time then the first ones. The water in the cove was well murked up by then, so I convinced Willow we should head home and try again soon.

While the second boat trailer was backing up, Willow spotted a bald eagle flying down off the pond.

I am going to have to nick name her eagle-eye with all her sightings.

Trimmed Nicholas' hooves today and bug sprayed all the goats. Peko had a bath. It took three of us to drag him into the bathroom, but he is all soft and shiny now.

Hooves

Just a quick note recordkeeping.

Caesar, Sir Nick, and Daphne had their hooves done today. NO major problems, except Nick was a jerk. Nice and clean with the snow on the ground. Now it's all gone after 50'sF today-back to muddy soup.

Wednesday

Stayed up late last night, and paid for it when the house woke up early this am. Dang!

The storm was over, thank goodness! I decided to take advantage of the wet and work on hooves.

I re-touched all three big wethers:

Caesar:front and back. He needed evening up and looked much better. He was a total ass and I had to yell at him. He kept rocking and pulling and he is a big goat! He is such a nice goat otherwise.

Sir Nicholas: front and back, looked much improved over last time.

Julius: front and back. Had what looked like an old puncture in one front sole and I stabbed my hand with the shears trying to level it off. His soles are like cement!

Cricket: front and back. She had some high heels going on there! She tried to struggle but after wrestling with Caesar, she didn't get very far. Her legs are so delicate like bone china.

Then I worked on ditching out the driveway with the help of the saplings. We got the water flowing pretty well. The water was bubbling right up through the drive in some places. Yup, the ground is saturated. We also picked up misc stuff all over the yard and tidied up a bit. Yesterday I walked up the road and realized with the leaves down, anyone driving by can see the entire front yard which looked a terrible mess! So, I think it looks a little better now.

The pond is nearly over the top of the dam, and all the way up to the logs. I should have taken the camera over-I need to charge the batteries up and take some more pix.

So far just the three of us for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. The turkey is nearly defrosted. We will have turkey and stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, baked potatoes, sweet potato, carrots, and two pies. Pumpkin and chocolate cream. Yum.

I pried the door open on the old woodcookstove out back and left it open to dry out. I just hope I have enough short firewood to cook the turkey! I don't want to be fighting with the chainsaw tomorrow! The firebox is very tiny and it will take a 14" stick at the largest.

Well, that's today's update. Wishing any and all readers a blessed Thanksgiving if you celebrate it. If not, drop on in -we'll have plenty of food! :D

First Post

Photo Tree1108
I am creating this blog as an offshoot of http://treeocean.blogspot.com . This blog will function as more of a personal diary in day to day life. Weather, animal notes, personal notes. Anything worldly or earth-shattering will go on the other blog.

I have cycled back into goat hooves.

Julius was trimmed front and back Friday.

Obiwan had his front feet done Friday-need to do his back in the next day or two.

Anna,9 months,daughter of Cricket and Derek, had her first trim-she was very passive. Her feet were fine.

Sir Nicholas had his feet done yesterday. He had two problems. One back clew looked like it had a puncture awhile ago-trimmed the sole back flush and washed with H &H. A front clew's outer hoof wall was separated on the outside nearly up to the coronet. I trimmed it off and washed thoroughly with H&H. Hopefully it was torn by a stump and not hoof rot.

Cricket is in heat and Derek has claimed her. No more babies for those two-he's a wether now.

Started my period on Friday without any premenstrual symptoms. Yesterday I wandered around wondering how I could combine chocolate and chicken for dinner. I gave up and had a handful of chocolate chips as an appetizer. This morning I woke up feeling emotional and had tears in my eyes before coffee. Damn hormones.

It rained hard during the night. The ground is saturated. This morning I watched a black squall come tearing down out of the west-which just gave us a brief shower. The lower clouds were tearing by the upper clouds, which appeared to be at a standstill.

Tonight the clouds had bright spots that kept reappearing in the same location despite the cloud movement. Weird. Caught one on a pic I will be posting over at the home blog. (see above link).

Went to town for a few staples to last through the week. The temp was 50 there at noon.

The above pic is Obiwan. He is probably about 1 1/2 years old. I bought him at auction last summer as a weanling. He is most likely a dairy goat angora cross. His fiber does not have a lot of crimp, but he is very friendly and huggably soft.