You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘goats’ tag.
Can you identify this?
This, my friends, is what remains of our screen door.
Mother Nature can be a scary one.
The winds that were predicted by the weather services to kick up and be scary yesterday during the daylight hours never arrived. Instead they showed up last evening, arriving with the darkness. The wind was howling and very gusty. A sudden and very loud slam alerted us to the fact that the screen door (which was not fully latched at the time) decided that it liked the field across the street better than our door frame. Perhaps I exaggerate just a little, it didn’t quite make it to the other side of the street, traveling a few feet down the driveway instead. We reclaimed what was left and now scratch our heads because we now have a very large doggie door (minus the flap part) that could easily fit two goats stacked on top of each other.
SAY WHAT? GOAT DOOR???
(Hmmm… before those goats get any ideas, maybe we should just forget I said that.)
Could always have been worse… we could have had flying doors and flying goats. We must always see the bright side….always.
So, Sunday was a beautiful day. My garden was tilled (thank you Justin) and ready for planting. I put in two whole long rows of potatoes (from ones I had kept from last year) and a row of shallots and onions from seed (yes, I know, onions from seed grow really slow — but if it’s a warm fall I’m set, if it’s not, it was only a couple dollars worth of seeds I already had lying around). I also planted two long rows of various lettuces, iceberg, simpson, romaine, different types of mesclun mixes including fire lettuce as my neighbors’ boys call it. Much more to do, but it was a good start. Creme was watching me the whole time, they love the garden because they get the weeds and the bolting lettuce.
To give you an idea of how nice it was, here is a picture from the porch — did I mention that I love our porch?
Today, this little one was hanging on the screen door all day long. I have no idea what it is, but it is quite colorful. Anyone have a clue?
Related articles
- Greens (27thstreet.wordpress.com)
- Garden update (newhomeeconomics.wordpress.com)
- Three cheers for early veggies! (gardenbooyah.wordpress.com)
- Time to plant spinach and lettuce (giantveggiegardener.com)
- Looking forward to lettuce (wcs4.blogspot.com)
Here are some pictures of the goats in their “red light district”.
I feel like such a slacker lately. There has been a lot going on around here and consequently I haven’t had much free time to sit and do one of the things that I enjoy — write here. So to attempt to fill in, here’s what’s been going on (in no particular order):
1. Creme is sick and we are trying to figure out what it is – in typical medical fashion it could be something bad or something worse. The worse is something that would affect all three (goats -I’m talking about here, folks – not human kids) and ultimately could be fatal. Poor little thing’s face is all swollen and the swelling seems to come and go.
2. Frost. We have had some and this week is going to be in the 30s all week. This weekend I spent picking more tomatoes and celery than I care to count and drying and freezing and washing – and covering what’s salvageable in the garden.
3. I am taking over the publication of the Wallingford Historical Society’s newsletter and I have to get my wits about me to figure out what I am doing. The former newsletter editor has been super helpful in pointing me in the right direction and I’ll be knocking on her door this week again I am sure, but there is a lot of work to do on my own and I have to fit it in.
4. We are doing some renovation work around the house and there has just been a stream of things that need to be done and (quite honestly) are more fun and exciting than some of the other work I have to do. Let’s see — draft a foreclosure complaint or get things sorted away in the mudroom? — (I bet you’d pick the same as me)
5. We’ve had some company, lots of kids and soccer and cross country practices, meets, games and general driving responsibilities. Things will be coming to a close soon in that department since those seasons will be wrapping up this month, only to begin the rock climbing, snowboarding and skiing teams…..Go (notice my enthusiasm) team!
This week there are two soccer games, two cross country meets, scouts,practices, a concert (for which I am sure that I have to bake something) PSATs and middle son is interviewing for a winter job on Saturday….
Whewwwwww……..and it’s only Monday.
Well, it finally seems that Mother Nature remembers that we exist up here. The snow began falling early this morning and although this is supposed to only be snow showers in advance of the storm, there is already more than one inch on the ground. It is snowing steadily. We are forecast to get between 6-12 inches. While not an all out blizzard like the Mid-Atlantic states have gotten, there is a winter storm warning issued and this is about as close to a snowstorm as we have had in a while.
The goats and I went for a walk this morning in the snow and all of us were quite happy.
with the goats. We took them on a walk through the woods since they have been cooped up until we put up their new fencing. They loved it, but it reinforced that I cannot take them skiing with me. I would wind up on the ground more than on the skis. The goats like to walk in front and on the side of you. They keep changing their minds as to which way they like it better.
We were quite amused at their attention to us. We stopped and much like the game Red Light, the goats would stop and wait. Pretty amusing stuff. A good afternoon.
Sunday was actually a sunny day. It was the first that we have had in a while. The first day that it actually didn’t rain, even a little, at some point during daylight hours. It gave the peepers a chance to get a good look at the leaves some traveled pretty darn far to see, without having to be bundled up in layers of plastic and gortex to keep from getting drowned.
All around us these days the mountains are exploding with colors – foliage is definitely at its best, but come on people, be careful where you just stop on the side of the highways to take pictures.
Even the animals enjoyed the warm, sunny day. Here, Skye and Phoenix catch some rays while they take in the foliage and think – mmmmm – leaves and apples, life is good.
Okay, this post is strictly for my hubby – who is grunging with the best of them out in Seattle. He is calling to ask me how things are going and it usually hasn’t been a good time for either he or I – so
in order here’s the scoop:
Black dog – not limping and appears happy to see the Boy at the end of the day. He seems quite happy to hang with her too.
White dog – amazingly still alive – although we do have another full day so there’s still a chance that she can screw that one up so I cannot make promises on her viability by tomorrow evening.
Goats – send their regards and Creme asks “WHERE ARE MY COOKIES?”
Fish – Still swimming but their world is getting darker – they need you back.
Chickens – Hanging around commenting that they like their new high-rise accommodations so much better than the swamp. Laying eggs, crossing the road to get to the other side (oh, wait sorry, wrong story). Chili is as angry as ever and getting his exercise running along the fence back and forth- kind of like watching chicken Pong and Chickenzilla is hanging around, being king of the roost as usual.
Kids – Well, as to the 2 that are here, they are fine. Sore, with the occasional grumble, but trooping through double camp week – leaving at 9:15 and getting home at 8:15 (personally I think that school is looking MIGHTY GOOD to them right about now) As for No. 1 son, he doesn’t call me, he doesn’t send me flowers anymore (little Barbara Streisand in there for good measure) so he either doesn’t love me anymore or he loves Rhode Island more. Haven’t heard from him but then again, haven’t heard from Peggy that he is hurt or driving her crazy – so no news is good news there I am guessing. Makes me wonder if we’ll ever hear from him when he leaves for college.
Renovations – I came home this afternoon to 6×6 thrown about the front yard in preparation for the porch removal. The cross pieces (supports, rafters or whatever they are called – Lou, no making fun of me, ok?) are on the roof part of the lean-to and there is a basement door in our basement (although it is being held up by the refrigerator and not the door frame). B. was going to order the decking for the porch and I ordered the siding and roofing for the barn lean-to. It should be here next week.
Neighbors – All appear to be doing well and carrying on their normal routines.
Birds – Now, they are complaining, seems that their feeder is absent this week. Guess I will have to remedy that and take over as stand-in feeder until you return.
http://www.nycom.com photo
In general – the whole State of Vermont misses your wit, humor, good looks and company. They wish you a safe and uneventful trip home tomorrow evening and will be waiting to greet you (now you see why we need the new porch people – has to bear the weight of all those people waiting on the doorstep for Tom).
and me – well, you know that I miss you alot and much like a bear on the first crisp days of fall – I need some sleep. 🙂
Hurry home. Love ya.
Yesterday we installed a gutter on the side of the goats’ house to catch rainwater. They were naturally curious about what this big, black tub was, not to mention the gutter itself. Here’s a video and some pictures.
Here’s Sky trying to figure out why this thing isn’t petting her back and why she can’t seem to eat it. She’s wondering what good is it?
Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying watching Dad work.
The goats enjoyed saying hi and getting some attention from TJ —
Excellent, Dad you made us a shower!
Ahhh… nothing like the smell of manure in the morning. Turns out the farmers who hay the field across from us are spreading manure. Luckily, the windows are closed because the aroma is a real eye opener. The goats are getting a bad reputation though, since a few people who have stopped by, unaware of what has been going on these last few days, are thinking “boy – do those goats stink!” Sorry goats – you’re getting a bad rap.
Well, there is an awful lot of snow out there, it has drifted into some of the biggest piles which is just plain crazy. My neighbor told me that another storm is coming Monday into Tuesday! Had to dig a path to the chicken coop since the drift over there was up to my chest. Luckily getting to the goats was easier, the field drifts were only knee-high.
The goats weren’t too fond of all the snow. Seems to have made it difficult to navigate to me.
Happenings on the Hill 