Walking in Wonder~

One would have thought when the ground hog didn't see it's shadow last week that the wintry stuff would have gotten the memo. I know it is just a game we play with ourselves to leave the fate of the weather to a small hairy critter. Not that it has any control of nor ability to predict our weather pattern for the rest of our winter. Which by the way was exactly halfway through it's journey on this highly anticipated Ground Hog Day.

Looking ahead on the calender, one can count the weeks till the Vernal Equinox ~ the First Day of Spring, leaving 6 to be exact. So whether Spring comes early or late it is not depended on a prediction but on the position of the sun in the sky. It will arrive right on time, no sooner or later. We in turn have the opportunity to use said weeks to be about the preparations and plans for our rainy season to come. SORRY, don't mean to be the bearer of wet news. But without the rain, none of our seeds, trees, flowers or green lawns will grow. They need water just like we do. So now is the time to go looking for your rain boots. Mine stay by the backdoor, my faded pink ones that leak some when it floods and the birthday gift from my sister with the bright yellow & orange sunflowers on them. One does the heavy duty around the farm and the other looks pretty as I work around my yarden.

The goat shed had finally met it's limit and needed a good mucking. After graduating the 2 mommies and 3 babies to holding pens within. The rate of poo had increased with the added bodies and lack of nice days to be out and about. We had been adding fresh hay all along since it was built. But the floor level was raising up along with the level of odor. So out it had to go on the first decent day we could find. Which in this case was this past Tuesday. Scooping out manure and wasted hay is a back breaking activity for anyone. Some how it multiplied itself and took us all day and some of the night. To rid it of the 15 wheelbarrow loads found within. Good news is we did find the dirt floor underneath and now have 2 compost piles to decompose for our garden.

Unfortunately we chose the day following our cutting and hauling of firewood out of the area for the future turkey pen. It alone require a lot of repetitive bending over, lifting and many steps as the fallen trees were cut up. Then were loaded and unloaded from the truck to the wood pile behind the house. You would have thought we were in our 90's with the way we carried ourselves back to the house late Tuesday night. LOL Darkness caught up with us and we were spreading new hay in the goat shed by flashlight. The girls seemed quite anxious to get to their pen for the evening. I assumed it was because of the darkness and their desire to bed down. The truth came out when instead of bedding down in the now fresh smelling, soft hay bed we had made them. They began to EAT it! See, it came from a roll that was fresher than the one they had been eating on. We could only shake our heads and hope they still had a bed come morning.

Today brought more of the predicted Springtime weather to our area. Sorry, couldn't resist! It began last night with an abundance of small flakes. This morning they were gathered together on every tree branch and nearly covered the ground. Not an impressing snow, but a beautiful one just the same. The trees were bending heavily with the added weight on even the tiniest bare branches. It was at least for me a treasure sighting. Lon was due back at the station, but had no trouble getting there. As the roads were not in bad shape at all. After getting the morning chores done, I couldn't resist the pull to be outside. Taking some pictures of the soon to be melting fluff, had me grabbing my camera, skipping breakfast and pulling my boots back on. Surely there would be some great photo shots down by the creek. Besides, I needed to get more exercise.

I started off by hiking out of the area behind the deer food plot,

down to the creek~ along it's bank a hundred yards or so, then back up behind the barn. Hopped a small dissecting creek and headed back down to the creek~ back up the old roadbed leading to it~ through the upper pasture, down our drive and back to home. Whew! it was a long trek, a good work out for my already sore legs and an exhilaration for my soul. It's frustrating at times though when I can't get the camera to see what I am seeing. I did snap some pictures with my little digital camera. While dreaming of the day when I can get a larger one with additional lenses. It was like walking in crystal caves, up under the bushes and trees. The only sound was that of my boots on the crunchy snow and a little heavy breathing at times on my part. (grin) I've read where we should get 10 minutes of walking in every day. My walking in wonder took over an hour and reminded me of how much I've neglected exercising. Something I plan to remedy in the future.

The snow didn't last for long and by evening chores was all but gone except in a few shadowed places. I had been working on a couple of projects all afternoon and let night slip up on me before I was aware of the hour. Gathering eggs, late feedings for the mommies in milk and checking the ones who are still due to kid is a regular chore for us right now. For use of a better term, we do what I call "hiney checks" at least once a day, if not more often. Today's gave me reason to add on to my evening chore list.

Glory, who has lost her ligaments already was showing a small amount of drainage. A possible sign of impending birth. I had already prepped the birthing stalls after Anna & Sugar was through with them. So needed only to gather her and a room mate and place them in the barn for the night. Neither had been back in these stalls since they themselves had been born there and was none too happy to be separated from the herd. Giving them a little extra feed and loving didn't quite them down either. No choice was left, but to leave them to comfort each other. I really didn't think she was that close to delivery. But the nite temps were going down low and I didn't want her out in it, trying to birth her baby(s). Waiting for them to arrive is a hard thing to do.

Speaking of kids, our newest arrivals are now 6 weeks old! I can't believe the days have past so quickly. All of them are now eating grain and hay with their mommies and putting on weight. They no longer look like babies, instead I would call them toddlers. They still stay in sight of their mommies for the most part, but are getting braver in their exploration of their world. We are no longer concerned with their safety, as all of the animals have adjusted to their presence and co-habit nicely.

We have left the mommies to nurse them completely this year as opposed to bottle feeding. Last year we did both as some were bottled feed and one ornery girl (Glory) refused to do anything but nurse. As an experiment we left her alone and watched to see if there was any difference in how they all turned out. She progressed the fastest in growth, mimicking goat activity and put on good muscle tone compared with the bottle fed ones. Seemed like the best option all around ~ healthier babies and no bottle washing / feeding for us. Letting nature do what they were intended to do ~ be goats.

We are now gearing up for the return of milking for ourselves. We both miss it, having had to resort back to store bought throughout the pregnancies. Hopefully in the next week we will begin to separate the kids from the moms over night. Milk some the next morning before turning them all out together for the rest of the day. What little amount we will take should not affect what the babies need, as they continue to transition to solid foods. As each of the 4 remaining does birth and is added to the milking routine when ready. We will steadily increase our supply to the point I can start back on making cheese and jump into making keifer, yogurt and a couple of other treats. Yummy!

I received a surprise package today. While caring for my mom recently I was able to visit with a cousin whom I hadn't seem in a few years. Conversation revolved around our continual interest in gardening, canning, eating naturally and those things we both try to pursue. She had brought along a new book she had yet to read. Flipping through the pages was inspirational in my desire to be self-sustaining in our food consumption. She is trying to do likewise at her home and was looking forward to trying out some of the recipes herself. My surprise came in a little brown box with her hometown on the stamp. Lo, and behold she had sent me a copy of the same Canning book I had admired at the hospital.

Canning For a New Generation, by Lianna Krissoff. Thank you cuz, for the wonderful gift. I am most thankful to have a like minded and soul-sister of a family member. Guess all those years at granny's elbow rubbed off on both of us. I believe she would be proud of how we turned out, don't you?

Counting all things good,

Deborah