Category Archives: Kids

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Little Green Balls!

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Finally, more than two months after sowing the little seeds indoors, one of my tomato plants has finally sprouted some little green balls!

Looks like they’ll be ready around the same time as the basil I planted out front.  Tomato-Bail pesto, here we come!!!!

Mostly the gardens out front are in serious need of weeding, re-planting and re-organizing.  I’ve been working on it as the weather allows, but it’s either been dangerous – stormy (tornado watches already!) or killer hot and humid.  The kind of killer hot and humid  that makes me want to commit complete and total herbicide and forget the whole blasted thing.  And people wonder why central air is so important to me.

The bee balm is growing in nicely, though.

Anyway, back to the pesto.  It’s my favorite summer food.  I put it on everything I can.  Including the muffuletta I made last night.

With homemade boule.

Stuffed with ham, salami, provolone and marinated artichoke hearts.  So yummy.

Even Mabel seemed to know something yummy was going on in the kitchen.

I really think she wants to be a house chicken.  She likes to hop the gate and hang out on the back porch.  It drives Pippa nuts.

But it gives Emily an opportunity for chicken snuggles.

Personally, I prefer furrier creatures for snuggling.

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The Odyssey, and Feeling Down

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If you drive any distance with me you’ll notice two things: first that I drink an insane amount of coffee, and second that I have an exceptionally iron – clad bladder.  This can be both immensely helpful and immensely bad, depending upon circumstances.

My sister has the bladder of an 85 year – old man.  Our trip to New York, therefore, was an interesting mixture of conflicting needs.

At first it was fine having to stop at every rest area since we were making great time.  Driving on Memorial Day seemed to be a fantastic idea as we zipped through No.Va. and D.C. in no time flat and got all the way through Maryland and into Delaware quicker than I have in years.  Maddie would need to stop and I’d think it was a great time for a refill.  The GPS put our ETA into Saratoga at around 4 pm.  Awesome!  Plenty of time to relax and maybe swim a bit before having a leisurely dinner downtown.

That’s when we hit Jersey.

Bumper to bumper, slow moving and at times dead – stop traffic.  What’s worse is that occasionally traffic would break and we’d get up to the speed limit for awhile before hitting more congestion and we never once saw a single good reason for the congestion to be there, other than the jackasses who continually were jockeying lanes for a better position, forcing everyone else to constantly hit the brakes.

But I digress.

By the time we got out of Hell with bad hair Jersey our ETA has shot up to closer to 6:30.  AND I was in need of more coffee.  At the first rest area in New York I grabbed a Venti Frappucino from Starbucks and we were happily cruising along again.  It was familiar territory, there was no traffic to speak of, and I was feeling all nostalgic and happy.  I hadn’t used the rest room at that last stop because I hadn’t felt the need, and I figured Maddie’d need to stop right about when we hit Albany, so Venti Starbucks aside and despite that small nagging feeling that was creeping up on me  I was confident my iron bladder would do just fine.

Then all traffic came to a screeching halt just south of Kingston.  This was odd.  It’s been awhile since I lived there, but I didn’t think there was much call for that kind of back – up in that part of the state.   That’s also when I realized I was feeling that “need” a little stronger now.  I started plotting out the rest areas on the Thruway and wondering how long this stoppage of driving would last.  Eventually I couldn’t remember if there was a stop between Kingston and Albany so we decided to play it safe and head into Kingston should the cars in front of us ever move again.  And they did, after much cursing and a more pronounced need to pee snowballing on me.  I was mad at myself for taking my iron bladder for granted and not going at the last stop.  Now we had to take an unplanned detour.  I was also mad because we had finally gotten to a flashing sign that announced the right lane was blocked and we all needed to merge right.  So we did.  Only to discover that it was actually the left lane and it was blocked by a tow truck.

I flew into Kingston and headed straight for the Grand Union plaza right off the highway, glad that I remembered at least how to get around that town.  We hopped out of the car and ran into the store and found the bathroom was locked. Stupid me.  I made the executive decision to screw this and go to find a fast food place or gas station.  I headed to the town’s main thoroughfare.  Which looked like it should have been condemned years ago.  Now, I knew it wasn’t going to be as nice as I remembered it, but still. Plus, no real open businesses of any sort.  My bladder started to become uncomfortable.  I hit a bump and may have whined a bit.

Then, A Dunkin Donuts!  And it looks relatively new!  And it’s open!!!  We’re saved!

Not.
Little sign hanging on restroom door.  “Out of Order”.

Told Maddie I was just going to go use the train tracks.  Only half – joking.

I remembered there used to be a Stewart’s gas station and convenient store further down so we headed that way and found a Burger King!!!!  I’ve never been so happy to see the King.  This time there was no sign on the door.  Sweet merciful Lord I thank thee.……it’s locked.

I’m in here!!!

Maddie started to laugh.  I was nearly hysterical myself, but I was just relieved we found a potty that worked, ocupado or no.  So we sat and waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  Then Maddie had the brilliant insight that she’s probably pooping in there.

Great.  Am I that desperate?  Yes.  But…..still.  A bathroom that’s going to be rather sketchy to begin with……..hey is that Walgreen’s next door open?

We made a mad dash across the street and found the jackpot.  Or jack – Pot. Then we had a nice laugh about how I should have just held it and we’d have made it all the way to Albany by now.

To add insult to injury, there IS a rest area not far north of Kingston.

We didn’t make it to Saratoga until 8:30.

Seems like better times to me right now.  T0day’s been a rough one.  Oona had to have all four top front teeth removed.  She fell and broke two of them right before Christmas and they started turning black not long after.  It spread like wildfire and by the time we could get her in to the dentist they wanted to cap them (for an ungodly sum of cash, to be pre-paid in full).  Then once we finally got to the appointment date (today) the nerves were involved to the point where there wasn’t a lot of hope for saving those teeth.  So they gave her that bright red cherry – flavored medicine to knock her out and she promptly threw it up all over me in the waiting room.  Then she acted drunk and mean for about an hour before they got her to sleep and pulled her teeth.

She is absolutely, 100% fine and happy.  I, on the other hand, am so traumatized I came home and cried my eyes out.  She’s going to have no front teeth until her permanent ones grow in.  Neve’s adult  front teeth just grew in a few months ago.  All I can think of is that we have 3 years of waiting and feeling guilty and wondering why these children have to constantly make me feel like the worst parent in the world.  3 years of toothless pictures and difficulty eating corn on the cob and apples and even, possibly, lisping.

Now excuse me while I go give thanks for Cymbalta.

Unknown's avatar

Scenes From a Short Vacation

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Maddie, Emily and I went on a short little jaunt up north this week.  I’ve been itching to get back “home” for awhile and thought the older girls would have fun seeing a bit of where our family used to live.  It was a lovely break from the usual and it went way too fast.

We stayed at a hotel in Saratoga Springs right downtown.  It was perfect.  The best part of the whole trip?  Getting to see my dear friend Shireen.

We went to high school together, and we live waaaay too far away from each other now.  Otherwise I can guarantee you we’d be inseparable.

We had really wanted to go on the Minne Ha Ha but they are apparently still only running it on the weekends.  That was a pretty big let down, but we still enjoyed the lake and the fort.

I miss getting to see this on a regular basis.  I also miss how wonderfully not – humid it was there the whole time, even right before a big rain.

Can you smell the balsam?  I am not kidding.  Standing there the air was thick with its scent.  This is along the west side of Lake George, just north of Bolton Landing.

Elephant rock!!!!  Also on the west side of Lake George, outside the town of Hague.

On the way to Ticonderoga.  We were going to tour that fort as well but it was late in the afternoon by the time we got there so we opted not to.

However we DID opt to pack quite a bit of goodies to bring home with us.  If you’re ever in Saratoga you must check out Mrs. London’s.  It is a European pastry shop with to die for food.

I won’t even tell you how much I spent there.  Let’s just say it wasn’t cheap.  But so very worth it!  The attention to detail in these lovelies must be seen to be believed.

It was tough leaving my animals and my little girls.  Neve told me on the phone every night that she wanted to be with me.  I just didn’t think she would enjoy the 12 hours in the car or the historic tours or the sightseeing.  I brought her back an Invader Zim tee shirt and that seems to have made it all better, just as the pastries bought me at least 6 months worth of gratefulness from my husband!

I’ve also been playing with Picnik – it’s a photo-shop style website for improving and playing with your pictures.  Bear with me as I get used to it and its features!

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Crazy Party Weekend

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I haven’t had a weekend this packed with events in a while.  Usually we’re only busy with chores, but this time there was acutual fun to be had.  We have several birthdays to thank for this.

First, my friend Amy’s kids all had birthdays this month and so they threw a wild Mexican- themed fiesta Saturday night to celebrate all 3.

Hello, food table.  I loved you.  I swear Amy could’ve fed an army.  Which is just as well, since about that many people were there!


Love this dog.  I’ve never seen a more well – behaved, CALM lab, ever.  Think they’d trade for Pippa????

The always – fabulous Amy in her margarita glasses.

My beautiful friend Sallie and her daughter.  I just love these two.

Somehow, with three kids and a full – time job she still has the energy to plan and organize a huge bash like this complete with games for the kids.

Sombreros for all!!!!!

Even the littlest birthday boy gets a pinata………..

While the oldest gets a face full of cake.  At least it matches her skirt!

My girls had a blast, I got to hang out with some great friends and stuff myself with all kinds of good food and then I got to go home and plan for today: Neve’s 7th birthday.

That’s right!  My middle terror turned 7.

So sad.  Seems like just yestereday she was a toddler trying to steal mama’s “crappucino”.

Yes, she asked for the Cyndi Lauper Barbie doll.  This both amuses me and makes me feel very old.

She’s had quite an eventful 7 years, and she’s got the scars to prove it.

This world does NOT know what it is in for.

If they can learn how to share, this little one just might help her older sister take over the Universe some day.

Along with their butthead llama who is easily bribed with food.

PS – mom and I got Jerry half shaved today.  Who knew electric shears could make such a difference??!!  We’ll get his other half when he’s calmed down a bit from having the first half done.

Unknown's avatar

My What Big Horns You Have

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My boys are getting so big.  They can’t fit under their mama to nurse anymore, though they sure try.  They’re more difficult to hold in my arms, though I sure try!

And their horns are growing pretty large now, as well.

I’ve been out in the ungodly heat and humidity with them because………drumroll please…………..

I GOT A NEW CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Nikon D3000 came today and I have been mokeying around with it all day, trying out various settings and so forth to see how it works. I still have a lot of learning to do in terms of how the camera works, but even my first go round with it has made me ridiculusly happy, since the quality is leaps and bounds beyond my last camera, without having to do much more than point and shoot.  Wait until I get the knack for the various features!

They like to wrestle on top of the chicken tractor.  Goats are  climbers, afterall.

Wish me luck.  I’m off to take pictures of everything I can.

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Over-run with Goings – On

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First the big news:  Truffles the hen, who has been sitting on a cache of eggs (which keeps getting added to by her pushy peers who keep bullying their way into her nest and laying more eggs on top of her), has hatched a little baby chicken.

I am really hoping it’s a girl.  I am on the fence about the whole situation, honestly.  On the one hand, it’s pretty cool hatching your own baby chicks, and the kids are way fascinated by the whole thing.  It’s a spectacular learning opportunity and it makes me happy that my kids will grow up understanding where food comes from, where baby animals come from and how they are cared for from day one.  (btw: her back feathers are missing because before she went broody she was the roosters’ favorite hen)

On the other hand.

I have WAY.  too.  many.  chickens.

Getting fresh eggs every day is a pretty great thing, and when you get enough to share, it’s even better.  I picked fresh arugula and lettuce out of the garden the other morning and carried it into the  house along with 6 fresh, warm eggs.  I felt like a real farmer for the first time (I know…..I’ve been a real farmer for awhile now, but somehow I’ve always kept of felt more like a “wanna be”).

But we have plenty of laying girls.  Plus the babies we bought last month – Magpie and Penny.  There are nine – that’s NINE – more eggs under Truffles right now, and you just know half will be roos, so they will have to be re-homed or eaten, right off the bat (no I don’t have anything against eating them per se – it’s great to have fresh free – range chicken.  I just don’t think I can bring myself to kill them).

Chickens are fun, funny, friendly when properly raised,  entertaining, they eat lots of bugs, and they destroy everything in their path.  DESTROY. The reason that the animal pen has no grass in it has nothing to do with the goats or the llama.  It’s the chickens.

See how they dig down and tear up all the hay and grass to get  into the dirt?

Plus they poo indiscriminately.  It’s everywhere.  The coop, the water trough, you name it.  A dozen chickens?  No problem.  A few dozen?  That becomes a much more dirty situation.  It’s something I will have to ponder and work with until we can get around to expanding the fence out.

As for my boys, they couldn’t be better.

Well, maybe they wouldn’t quite agree with that, since Susie came over today and helped me put the castrating bands on them.  I went yesterday to Tractor Supply and bought the tool and bands (how many people get to say they spent their afternoons shopping for a castrating tool? I’m just sayin’) and today she showed me how to use it.

They took it just fine and were off jumping and playing again in no time.

I went out this afternoon to get some pictures of them, which is never easy since they are both so very snuggly.  Whenever I go out there, this happens:

They crawl into my lap and lay down.

They’re like little puppies with horns.  I won’t be de – horning them.  It’s just completely unnecessary for us to do so.

Milkshakes is happy for it – it gives her a break from their constant wanting to nurse.

She’s getting antsy to get out and do some more weeding.  I haven’t had a chance the last few days due to all the rain we’ve gotten.  The garden is loving it, though.  Everything I planted out back – the potatoes, butternut squash and corn – are all coming up nicely.

I also got some sewing done since we were all stuck indoors.  I finally finished Neve’s Easter dress.  The pattern is Jump Rope Dress from Oliver & S.  It took me forever to get started on it but it sewed up pretty fast.

I used Heather Bailey’s  Nicey Jane fabric.

Yes I know it’s an awful picture.  My campaign to convince my husband I need a real camera has so far been a failure (I’d really love a Canon Eos Digital SLR – something that takes great pictures without constant adjusting and re-setting and blah blah blah) .  I’ve tried the whole “a blog is only as good as the pictures on it” approach, but he didn’t buy it.  I even tried to guilt him by reminding him how many people I know who are neither artists nor bloggers who have waaaay better cameras than me.  He responded by saying  real artists like me don’t generally  have money for things like a good camera anyway.

Rats.

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Musical Mama

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Last week I took Maddie, Emily and Neve to a big concert in Charlottesville.  Emily and Neve’s favorite band, Paramore,was in town and when they had heard about the concert back in January they went nuts.

I may have mentioned that last year Emily got Rock Band for her birthday.  It was probably the best money we have ever spent.  They play on it all the time – singing, playing guitar, banging on the drums.

My kids have always had music around them.  I love listening to just about anything – with the exception of country.  I am sorry to all of you country music fans out there.  I know there are an awful lot of you and I mean no disrespect, but I would rather claw out my eyes than listen to it.  Just about everything else is fair game, and my girls and I like to listen to a lot of the same stuff.  Sometimes it’s funny stuff we’ll sing to amuse each other (cartoon theme songs, for instance), sometimes we’ll crank up a great song on the radio and for a few minutes no one’s arguing or complaining about who is touching whose stuff.

Emily zeroed in on Paramore a few years ago after hearing them on the radio and it’s been quite a love affair ever since – though Lady Gaga is the current flavor……wrong as it seems for your 6 year old to be singing Love Game or your 2 year old to light up whenever Poker Face comes on. I’ve done my best to balance things out a bit and am proud to say that both younger girls have taken to Flaming Lips’ Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots quite nicely.  Because killer robots are so much more wholesome than taking a ride on a disco stick, right?

ANYWAY.  Moving on.

They had a total blast at the concert.  It was loud, it was late, and Neve fell asleep 3 songs into the act, but the sheer bliss on their little faces seeing that band take the stage was worth every penny those tickets cost.  I even had fun, I have to admit, and wasn’t the only parent holding a sleeping child for much of the show – two rows down there were two little girls that could not have been more than 4 who also didn’t last too long before passing out.  The only downer to the whole thing was getting patted down by security before being allowed in – even Neve.  (I’d like to add that no one got patted down for the John Mayer concert or for The Wiggles).

Lately Oona has begun singing Paramore as well and it’s so cute I can’t stand it.  She’s starting to take an interest in what her sisters are doing with Rock Band and trying to play along.  Maybe one day she’ll even be able to rap a Beastie Boys song, like Emily.

Uncle KB, this one’s for you:

Unknown's avatar

Some Days

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Some days all goes well and I feel like the most fortunate person in the world here on my micro-farm.  Because really, when you come right down to it, all the place needs is some cleaning up, clearing out, and some beautification (yeah, we’re owrking on it, slowly) and it’ll be great.  We even have a pool we’re getting ready to install.  Most of the time I can cure any of my various ills by spending some time with the critters, be they indoor (Japser cat!) or outdooor.  Some days, though……some days make me want to change my name, move to Timbuktu and pretend I never met any of these people before.

That day was yesterday.  Obviously I did not move, nor did I change my name.  I did try to pretend I didn’t know any of these people, but theywouldn’t let me.

It started on Sunday.  I decided it was high time to get the back garden planted.  Problem was, the tiller wasn’t functional.  So, I did it all by hand.  Just me and a shovel.  That back garden is HUGE.

There’s at least 4 feet between each of those posts, to give you an idea.  This was how it looked last year.  Now there’s grass grown all in around it and it was full of weeds I had to pull out.  By the end of the day I was very, very sore.  The good news was I had all the corn, potatoes and butternut squash planted.  I ended up taking a shower around 10 pm with Oona because I felt filthy after all that and she has been miserable with allergies.

Yesterday morning I woke up feeling like I’d been chewed up and spit out.  My muscles were all on fire, my head was threatening another migraine, my ears were crazy itchy, and my throat was swollen and sore.  I wanted. to. die.  So…..I stayed shut in the bedroom, lounging in bed while Oona stayed with me and watched Spongebob.  I drifted off at some point, and woke up to, “SNIP!  SNIP!”.  The unmistakable sound of scissors being used.

The bedroom door had been flung open and there she sat, next to me, my big sewing scissors in hand, shredding her pajamas.  Her hair, which had just this past week been fixed by a hairdresser, was missing chunks right down to the scalp.  Several barbies lay strewn about, locks missing.  I can’t even tell you.  I was so mad.  After that I felt I couldn’t properly rest or recoup, especially because all the kids had apparently decided to make the house as unsanitary as possible, and stinky to boot.

I didn’t kill my kids, I didn’t run away (though a mini vacation for me is taking shape in my mind…..details to be worked out later).  I can’t honeslty tell you how I made it through the day.

Oh yeah and did I mention the dog ruined the living room carpet?  Big pile of poop + Neve = ground in anstiness that cannot be cleaned.  We had to order a new rug.

Anyone want a dog????

Switching gears.

Rather than start a whole new post for this, I figure I’d leave you with the  happy parts from today.  We let the babies out to play for awhile.

Jerry decided to hang out in the chicken tractor today.  I have no idea how he even fit in there.

And lastly, a video of the babies playing and jumping.

Unknown's avatar

Good Stuff

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Ok, y’all know how much I love Susan over at Juniper Moon Farm. Not only is she my hero for doing what I want to be doing (um, raising sheep and goats and making yarn?  Hello!!!) , but she is also one of the best people you’ll ever meet.

Today, she and her assistant Maggie, along with numerous other friends and helpers, staged a fun – filled day of Sheep Shearing, eating, spinning and knitting.  Who the heck needs MD Sheep & Wool???Well, lots of us do, but that’s besides the point.

I brought blueberry cobbler.  Good thing I made two batches, because I was so overwhelmed with the incredible food everyone else brought that I never even made it to dessert.  (I know, I am as shocked as you!!!!)

They started out shearing the angora goats.

Then came Ernie the sheep.  He is massive.  Huge.  Unbelievably ginormous.  You can certainly see him from space.

And petite little Emily the Shearer is totally badass hauling that 300 lb sheep around like a ragdoll.

Despite his size, he was rather compliant.

Post – haircut.  Still huge……but decidedly less – so.

With all the action going on around him this little lamb (Rushworth, or “Mr. Tiny”) enjoyed a quiet snack with his mama.  If you follow Susie’s blog at all you’ll recognize him as the touch- and – go preemie from this past week, and you’ll be happy to see he is nursing on his own.

Can I please, please puh-leeeeeeeze have this as my backyard?????  Talk about the most serene, happiness – inducing scene imaginable. Happy, healthy sheep grazing a fresh pasture.

This is what happens when Neve gets the camera. I have to say…..I think I may hire her to take all future food pictures for this blog.

And though Hattie just might kill me for posting it, this also happens:

Hattie drove up from Charlottesville and rode along with us for the fun.  Despite how close with live to each other we don’t see each other very often, so it was a good day for it.

We stayed for quite awhile but the kids were getting restless and my head was threatening a migraine, so as much as I did not want to ever leave, we left late afternoon, while most of the visitors had migrated indoors into the living room and were very cozily spinning and knitting and joking around having a great time.  I was very sad to leave that scene!

Fortunately Paul has Oona out for a short car trip this evening and for the first time in far too long I have a chance to sit and relax and I think I will work on a striped scarf (with some scrumptious Noro Silk Garden yarn) (and maybe catch up on some brain – rotting South Park or Deadliest Catch on Hulu)  instead of the many other things I should work on.

But first!!!

I have opened my etsy shop at last.  I have several flannel tote bags listed that I made this past week.

Some with sheep,

Some with chicks.

I really need to make some llama ones.  But not ones with bad haircuts, I promise.

I’ll be adding to the shop on and off as I am able, so check it out!!!!!

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My Happy Place

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There are adorable baby goats, blooming flowers, chicken eggs in the laying baskets and a box load of fabric waiting to be sewn up.  Life’s good.

My lettuce, arugula and snow peas are coming along swimmingly.  This week I’ll till out the back garden and put in the corn and potatoes (I’m also thinking some butternut squash is in order, considering it freezes well and I looove it).  I’ve got lots of herbs and tomatoes started inside waiting to go out, and we’re going to enclose a spot out front where we’ve got strawberries and rhubarb.  I need to keep those hungry deer from mowing it all down!!!  (Is it too late to plant some asparagus in there???)

My peonies are about to burst.  I can’t wait!  Peonies and lilacs are my favorite flowers.  I have a small lilac bush but it has never bloomed – I am not sure we have the right climate for them.  Up in New York there were massive lilac bushes and trees all over – it was always the best time of year for me when they were in bloom.

I couldn’t help but pick up a marigold pot for the front porch.  I think next time I will grab a few of those Martha Washington type marigolds – they’re lovely.

The past weekend we were busy showing off the adorable twins!  They are so cuddly I can’t even stand it.

They’re doing fantastically well, and Milkshakes is a natural at the mommy thing.

Yes, that’s leopard – print fleece they’re wearing.  I needed to make them little jackets since it’s still been getting rather chilly at night, and this was all I had.  It’s left over from Maddie’s Halloween costume circa 2000.   Check out Frodo’s ears – airplane ears!  That’s how I tell them apart.  Finn’s ears are floppier, but Frodo keeps his out straight all the time.

See?  Airplane ears.

Jerry does this all day.  He’s dying of curiosity.  He hasnt’ been allowed in with them yet because he doesn’t like having the door closed behind him.  I’ve been holding the little guys up for him to sniff at so he can get to know them, and he love love loves them.  He sniffs and nuzzles and smiles……and I suspect he thinks they’re his babies.

But they aren’t, are they?  And so I shall tell you a tale…a tale of their father’s true identity…a tale which only those of you I’ve spoken with in person have heard.

With apologies to certain uncles, aunts and cousins……

Way back when I entered the Goat Giveaway that Susie was sponsoring, people started realizing that when I said I love animals and I want a farm , I wasn’t just talking out my back end…I meant it.  Some of those people got to thinking.  Thinking about a goat they had that had worn out his welcome.

So it happened that when I did not win the goats I got a call from a dear relative of Paul’s informing me that I had won one beautiful purebred Saanen billy goatwho was no longer being cared for the way he deserved.  A loving, friendly but lonely guy who would love to come live in the country where there would be chickens and a llama and kids to play with him and nurture him.  I had heard that he had found himself in some mischief recently (due to his lonliness); he had a penchant for breaking into the house and following Paul’s uncle around the kitchen.  I found it charmingly hialrious, this image of David standing at his kitchen stove, then, upon hearing some strange noise behind him, turning to discover Hunter the goat standing there, chewing his cud, watching the cooking happen.  Sure, I would take this loveable but lonely guy. I had acquired Milkshakes from a local farm and figured they’d keep each other happy.

This is what went down.

We got home from Mexico on a Tuesday night, right around dark.  We had driven all day after picking the kids up in New York and I was beat.  Hunter was expected sometime that evening and Paul planned to wait up.

Around 1 o’clock in the morning, the truck pulls up, the back is opened, and from the way Paul tells it…this wild – eyed, stinky as all – get – out BEAST emerges from the darkness.  We estimate this guy weighed around 250 lbs.  Hunter immediately went to work chasing Jerry and Milkshakes all around.

In the morning I woke up to signs posted over every door stating that none of the kids should be let near Hunter without an adult.  Hmm…well that’s curious, I thought.  I soon discovered that this loveable lonely guy also had a thing for butting.  Hard.

I couldn’t feed the other animals without nearly getting knocked down.  Emily was terrified to go in the pen to take care of the chickens.  Milkshakes sported a look that made me want to bring her in the house with me, and Jerry stayed as far away as he could at all times. Hunter seemed unconcerned by all of this, happily chewing on the electric fencing wires!!

He lasted two days before I found a lovely woman in a neighboring town who raised purebred Saanen females but had been searching for an affordable male.  I happily gave him to her.  He went to a small dairy farm with 12 females to mate.

So there you have it – the story of how this stinky guy fathered this cute little guy and his brother.

And I am glad he did.