The up and down days of farm life...

Afternoon all!Whew it feels nice to have a few minutes to myself.LOL!It is still cold as all get out but we have been getting  just a few flakes of snow the last day or two so it is easier to bear.It has not stuck but has been nice to watch.I am glad to hear that Punxsutaney Phil is predicting an early Spring.I tend to think that he may be right.This afternoon as I headed to the goat barn to feed I noticed that the lot was full of birds.My first thought was poor black birds but the closer I got I saw that they were not black birds at all but robins.Sixteen to be exact.

As the title of this post suggest there have been some up and  downs lately in my life.Let's get the down side out of the way.One of which is the fact that I lost the baby goat I spoke about in my last post.Thank you all for your kind words and prayers!I have always said that the momma goats wait on bad weather to have their babies.Last Saturday proved to be that day.It was bitterly cold and still icy and not one but 6 goats delivered their babies.It was a horrible,horrible day!I spent 7 hours in the barn and usually I enjoy it but not Saturday.It is not unusual for one maybe two mommas to have a difficult birth,but all but one of the adults had trouble.The end result was 7 lost goats,two of which were adult mommas and their unborn babies.Saying goodbye to Phoebe (one of the adult moms)was heartbreaking,she was my most favorite goat.I had bottle fed her and  where ever I was at in  the barn or barn lot  she was my shadow.The other adult was Phoebe's daughter,they were both having the same problem and folks I can tell you animals are sensitive to each others pain.I had both of them in one stall because they stayed together and during all their struggles they stayed side by side.It was so uncanny because they also died at the same time.It was such a sad sight to see them laying together with their necks crossed asleep in death.I have cried most of the week and going to the barn is just not the same and never will be for me.I miss my Phoebe so very much.I did try to get them to my vet but was unable to reach him  until on Sunday ,he had a family emergency.It is sad but it is also comforting that they went together.Since I was 8 or 9 years of age there have been  goats in my life and never have I had such a bad delivery time.

Now on to the up side.During all the delivering of babies I ended up with two bottle babies.Both are girls and that is wonderful because bottle feeding a kid tends to cause attachment to the baby and it makes having to find a new home for one harder.Having the bottle babies is taking all  of my time but they are so worth it.I have been feeding one of them every two hours round the clock .The other one is smaller and needs hourly care.To me she seems to be more of a dwarf  than a pygmy.Dwarf babies happen sometimes and usually they do not live long.Sally seems to be doing well after a bad spell on Tuesday night ,I was sure that I was going to loose her but she pulled through.Sleep is hard to get and it has been happening on the family room couch for most nights.The babies are sleeping in the family room presently.Tuesday night was spent on the couch with Gretchen sleeping at my feet and Sally laying on my chest,so glad that no one thought to snap a pic.Molly the bigger of the two is doing very well and is full of spunk.

MEET MOLLY

THIS  IS SALLY!

 

 

 

Are you my mommy?

Can you tell that Sally is about half the size of Molly.?I have to keep them in different beds because Molly is so rambunctious.I know that  loosing so many babies and the adults is terribly sad but it is all part of farm life and just look at these babies they are such sweethearts that they lift you back up.Hoping and praying that they continue to do well.


Yesterday hubby and I went out to run some errands and I stopped at a second hand store to look for some wool.I scored all this ...

There were a few more pieces that I failed to get pics of apparently.I usually look for skirts, as the jackets do not produce as much wool for your time.The interfacing makes the wool not good  for hooking but hey if you are willing to fool with them you can use it for penny rugs.They have all been washed ,felted and taken apart.Not a bad haul for $7.00.Now to have time to make something out of them.LOL!

Well it is feeding time once more and sorry about the long post but I am tired and I ramble when I haven't had enough sleep.Blessings to you all!Hugs,Jen