Hen23's Journal~Goodbye

[freemotion]

Well, I know someone who will be available after Jan 3, assuming the doelings are preggers. They will both be past the 3 week mark from their dates with the boy by then, so we will be watching for the furiously waving tails next weekend. His batting average with the taller gals is 100% so far. I think he even got Willow, as I didn't see her flag :/ and Te'a, well, his aim was much better when I was running towards them with a collar and leadrope and he got 4 quickies in before I could get there, the little bugger.

He's gotta go, I have too many in the communal stall, and it is Plum that gets kicked out mostly. Mya is going into solitary confinement tonight for the storm so that I can sleep well and have the communal stall door mostly closed without endangering the little ones. Mya has been on a hormonal rampage lately. She is definitely preggers.

I moved the pygmies into the broody house/pen and that helps a lot, but not enough today. Mya bashed each of the other four goats and drove them outside in the short time it took me to feed this morning! Sheesh!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I have been checking CL for a young buck. I actually found a couple on christmas eve, but they were in the next county.

I really hope to find one close by. I'll have to get SO to help me get it in his truck. I am NOT bringing home a stinky he goat inside of my car!!!

Hope you stay nice and cozy in this storm.

 

[Henrietta23]

Well, I know someone who will be available after Jan 3, assuming the doelings are preggers. They will both be past the 3 week mark from their dates with the boy by then, so we will be watching for the furiously waving tails next weekend. His batting average with the taller gals is 100% so far. I think he even got Willow, as I didn't see her flag :/ and Te'a, well, his aim was much better when I was running towards them with a collar and leadrope and he got 4 quickies in before I could get there, the little bugger.

He's gotta go, I have too many in the communal stall, and it is Plum that gets kicked out mostly. Mya is going into solitary confinement tonight for the storm so that I can sleep well and have the communal stall door mostly closed without endangering the little ones. Mya has been on a hormonal rampage lately. She is definitely preggers.

I moved the pygmies into the broody house/pen and that helps a lot, but not enough today. Mya bashed each of the other four goats and drove them outside in the short time it took me to feed this morning! Sheesh!

I'll keep you posted. I think he would make great babies with Daisy! I just can't have a buck HERE. She will have to visit whomever Daddy ends up being. I'm off to check CL again to see what's out there... I will call our Vet's office, probably Tuesday, to see what #s he has for farms down in Lebanon. I just need to be sure we don't use the same buck he did last year, ya know? But he's got all those records.

 

[Henrietta23]

DH has made his first swipe with the snow blower. It's accumulating now and drifting a lot with the wind picking up. We have nearly bare ground in places and 5 inches where the wind has blown it against something solid. There's probably between 2 and 3 inches for real.
I brought down a pan of oatmeal for the birds and found everyone all snuggled together, birds on one side, goats on the other. I've got all the doors closed up to keep the wind out. First time I've had to do that to the goats. They were fine. I noticed Daisy and Thomas standing up to look out the window when I left. They came out earlier before I closed them up. It wasn't so windy then. They just walked around in it and looked up at the sky. They didn't seem bewildered by it like I thought they would. They have nice thick coats now, with some of their mother's brown coloring showing through the white. It kind of makes them look dirty but I love them anyway! I will bring them some treats when I go down to milk in a bit. They have a nice layer of fresh straw, a rack full of the nice second cut hay we found last week and a fresh bucket of water.

 

[Henrietta23]

The snow seems to have stopped. We did not get as much as predicted, although it's hard to tell with the drifting. I'd say out here we didn't get more than 6-8 inches. I haven't heard what the western hills got.
The kids are loving the snow more than I thought. They've never seen this much. They had a romp in it this morning until I closed the barn back up to keep the birds and Donki warmer. The wind was whipping! It was bad last night too but we never lost power for more than 2 seconds. DH is finishing the end of the driveway where the plow filled in again then we are headed out to feed our friends' cats (they are in Phoenix until tomorrow) and maybe buy some &$#% eggs since we are out again. I hate hate hate buying eggs!!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new Schmidt insulated overalls from TSC that DH got me for Christmas. I was warm when I came in from this morning's chores.

 

[freemotion]

Yup, this sure is the test of our winter work clothes....my new woodstove is passing with flying colors! Woohoo! Our first warm winter since moving into this house!!!

I let Mya out for an hour, then she had to get locked up again. She is just too bossy and the others can't be safely confined with her. So she is back in solitary. She and Plum stood up against the wall and looked at each other this morning, it was rather cute. But now that Plum is bigger and maybe because Mya is preggers, she no longer is gentle with Plum and Peach. She is downright nasty to the buck!

I have the communal stall door open a goat's width, and the buck box door, too, where the pygmies are holed up. Ain't winter fun??? :/

 

[Henrietta23]

Yup, this sure is the test of our winter work clothes....my new woodstove is passing with flying colors! Woohoo! Our first warm winter since moving into this house!!!

I let Mya out for an hour, then she had to get locked up again. She is just too bossy and the others can't be safely confined with her. So she is back in solitary. She and Plum stood up against the wall and looked at each other this morning, it was rather cute. But now that Plum is bigger and maybe because Mya is preggers, she no longer is gentle with Plum and Peach. She is downright nasty to the buck!

I have the communal stall door open a goat's width, and the buck box door, too, where the pygmies are holed up. Ain't winter fun??? :/

Yeah, fun! That's it!! I can honestly say I'm more glad than usual that there was no school today. It would have been a royal pain testing how our set up works in snow while rushing to get out the door to work. Granted it would have been a snow day most likely but still.... much more convenient this way!
I love our wood burning furnace. I usually grumble because it's too warm in there.
I am thinking Daisy is not in heat after all, just enjoying the weather or something. She's very playful with Thomas and me but I'm not seeing any signs of actual heat.

 

[Henrietta23]

I can see I'll be spending part of today catching up here reading everyone's posts. We were gone all day yesterday on our annual trip to Bennington VT. I got a gift certificate from my mom to Bennington Pottery so we drove up to spend it! We stopped at the Webs Yarn Store annual sale on the way and ate lunch at the Blue Benn Diner (gluten free menu items!!) Going up through the hills as we headed west from Brattleboro to Bennington was gorgeous! The trees were coated in white. It looked like lace. I'll post some pics later. I had fun shopping but was disappointed when we got and home and I discovered the sugar bowl I really needed had not made it into the bag. Checked the receipt and it wasn't even on there. I can picture it sitting on the counter. It must have gotten pushed to the side as everything was being wrapped in paper for the trip home. I'll either have to wait or order it and pay shipping. Oh well.....
I got some fun yarn and will start my first BIG project, a cape for myself. I rarely knit anything big, or anything for myself! So this will be interesting. Can I sit and take the time and not feel selfish? Hmmm.
This week brings barn chores, garden planning (so I can place a seed order), and cooking for the freezer for next week. We have no plans for tomorrow night. I will make a nice roast, maybe some fondue, and we will play board games and watch movies with DS until we are tired. I really don't mind being home on NYE. After years of sitting with the other band spouses watching DH play in a swing band, I've earned the right to sit on my own sofa and play board games while sipping my champagne. Oops, better add that to my shopping list...... we didn't get any when we stopped at the New Hampshire State Liquor store on the way home. They only had full sized bottles and we'll never finish one.
The old dog kept us up for a while last night. He couldn't settle, just seemed uncomfortable. He hasn't been himself for a month or so. He sleeps a lot, seems a little confused at times. He can still clear a 3 foot high gate though and his appetite hasn't diminished any. Still, I think we may be seeing the beginning of the end.

 

[i_am2bz]

Oooh, I love Bennington Pottery! (I used to live in VT.)

I hope your doggie gets better.

 

[BarredBuff]