Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

oh wow! i didn't even know goats could get lice. can your dogs pick them up from that area?

No - lice are species specific. It gives me the heebie jeebies - but I've never "caught" any. There is some scuttlebutt that chickens might spread/carry them. I dunno...but I'll clean and treat the barn anyway.

Geesh....they're only a week old??? Close anyway if just disbudded. Unusual. Mom have them too?

Actually, closer to two weeks. Yep - lice love the babies. Moms seem to be clear, but they'll get treated anyway.

Sigh...

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yikes - stick a fork in me - I'm done!

Treated a bunch of goats today for lice. Didn't even check 'em all - just treated 'em. Noticed that one of my sr. does was very short haired in several places. Obvious that she's been rubbing. So....just started treatment.

Noticed that the sky was dark and weather forecast says 60% chance of rain on Monday and Friday with smaller chances during the week. I will pick up my fish for pond stocking on the 16th so I needed to get the mesh up to keep the baby fish from running away in the case of another (very likely) pond overflow. Actually, pond isn't totally back in banks even now. Sigh... Might have to address this issue at some point in the future - but for now - I've got mesh "fencing" around the pond.

I can't even begin to tell you how hard that particular job was. Working in ankle deep mud and literally needing to pull my boots out of the mud at every step was exhausting. When I say "pull my boots" out of the mud - I mean that I literally had to grab my boots (with foot inside) with my hands and try to break the suction so I could move. I'm pleased to say that I only fell in the mud once. Here's how it goes - feet are stuck. Body is trying to move. When body starts going forward and feet don't - momentum creates a problem and something is going to happen in a less than favorable fashion! But - at least that job is done!

Have a couple goat gals who will probably deliver in a couple days-ish. Moved some mamas and babies into the general population and moved the closest does into the kidding staging area. More babies should happen within a few days to a week at most....hopefully!

Chicken thighs in the oven. I was too tired to be creative so ...

 

[flowerbug]

there's so many times i've gone to move and left my shoes behind and ended up barefooted and stepping into cold mud... movies would be funny later in life but at the time certainly not.

congrats on getting it done and i hope you have a nice evening.

 

[Mini Horses]

Hmmm....not even a game cam for remembrance? well, it's done, your tired but, ok -- all is well. At least you didn't "take a swim". .

We're getting rain to often right now, too. It's messing with my garden plans!! I'm thinking that my girls are giving me a couple week break with kidding. Need to check. Honestly, keeping track of 9 does & 13 kids in a week has been all I wanted to do! They're running and hiding " everywhere". And ya have to find and count, just to be sure all is ok. Check moms for bags, nursing, etc for a few days.

You know the drill! These are the weeks we use that word "downsize"

 

[frustratedearthmother]

You know the drill! These are the weeks we use that word "downsize"

You know that's true! Not even picky about the method of downsizing right now. Beef prices are going up - goat might taste pretty good, lol! Ok - haven't gotten there yet, but consideration is on the table.

Thank goodness there's no evidence of my mud-soaked adventure except some muddy pants. Went to bed in agony last night. Shoulder was screaming at me that it should not have been expected to push at least 60 6-inch staples into the mud. Wasn't that hard, but it was all that repetition. It seems to have mostly forgiven me this morning - thank goodness.

I should have a couple more does due within the next 7 - 10 days or so and might get a break after that for awhile? Heck, I don't even know. I was so inattentive after losing DD last summer that I didn't care who got bred or by whom. Mass confusion abounds around kidding dates as a result. However, they will kid at exactly the right time for them, lol. Glad I've got a pretty good handle on reading the signs and giving myself a day (or an hour) or so of warning.

Have to get to the feed mill this morning and get stocked back up. I almost never let myself get as low on grain as I am right now. Might have enough for two more feedings. Yikes! Goats would forget how much they love me if the feed stops appearing, lol. I kid myself that they like me...HA! They like feed!

Honestly, keeping track of 9 does & 13 kids in a week has been all I wanted to do! They're running and hiding " everywhere".

Little buggers are so good at hiding. I remember looking for hours for a pygmy kid that was hiding behind a broom leaning in a corner of the barn, lol. She was so tiny that the broom was perfect cover for her. The new Myotonic babies are pretty tiny too - and cute, cute, cute! Guess I need to get some paperwork done so I can get 'em registered. I hate paperwork...

 

[murphysranch]

You are a strong woman! If I had even attempted that job, I would have collapsed in tears after a bit.

 

[Mini Horses]

Ok - haven't gotten there yet, but consideration is on the table.

I can't do the deed but, I've helped with all skin&gut on one of mine...then all the cut/wrap. Good meat. I'm thinking one this fall/winter for freezer. Hey, we're raising meat goats! Most of mine sell for that, so I can't deal with $14 a# at the store when it's here. Actually, I've cooked some cuts that were almost beef taste...other eaters thought it was.

It wasn't as easy to mentally accept as the pigs. Speaking of which, if there are AGH at this Sat auction, I'm probably gonna buy.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

You are a strong woman! If I had even attempted that job, I would have collapsed in tears after a bit.

Nah. I'm a whole lot more stubborn than strong! I'll bet you can do a whole lot more than you give yourself credit for.

I can't do the deed but, I've helped with all skin&gut on one of mine...then all the cut/wrap. Good meat.

I've done the deed on pigs. I expect it will be much harder for me to do a goat. It's one of those things I can't stop to think about. Just do it and get it over with. As soon as it's done I'm good. At that point I see it as meat that needs to be processed. Have to honor the animal by using as much as possible and not letting that life be wasted.

Went and picked up 15lbs of ground beef and 5 pkgs of bacon from Kroger today. I'll break out my brand spanking new Presto canner and figure out how to use it. I've never even tried to can bacon, but I might give it a try just because I'd like to see how it is.

Ugh - typed this all out yesterday and never posted it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Woke up at 3am. Tried my best to get back to sleep. DH sleeps with a CPAP machine AND a chin strap, but there's something amiss. Wind tunnel type noises coming from his face, lol. How HE sleeps through it is beyond me. I moved downstairs about 3:45. Nope - still couldn't get back to sleep. Gave up about 4:30 and commenced to inhaling coffee.

He has an appointment with podiatrist this morning. I'll be chauffeuring him to said appt. Not looking forward to it, but feel better about going with him to this particular appt. Parking sucks and his handicapped sticker has expired. That means I'll drop him at the door and I'll take a hike, likely from several blocks away. Yay - exercise!!

I had hoped to be able to get some gr. beef canned today but it's dependent upon what time we get home from this appt. Need to check goat girls before we go - but I guess if it's their time they'll be on their own. The does that are up next are all experienced moms so I won't stress too much about leaving them. Hopefully they'll wait a day or so before they decide it's time.

 

[baymule]

Boot sucking mud, I understand. That will work muscles you don’t remember ever using. The fish fence is up and job well done.
A day at doctors office just might be a day of rest!