Spring continues...

There is so much to write about and no time to actually do it (I gave you fair warning didn’t I???) I will try to finish my ½ written blog about our newest purchased herd addition because getting her was quite an adventure both in the preordering her and then actually obtaining her. However I think that it really deserves its own entry to I will leave that story for later.



In all brief updates (other blogs I should write) there are many animals who have left the herd as well. This year Zaire, Zinfandel, Annie, and Fritter were all sold to new homes. Ysis left to go live at a dairy although we will receive doe kids in the future back from her. When we dropped her off she took one look at the large empty feed bunk and didn’t hesitate. I have no doubt that she is having a delightful time eating as much as she wants as often as she wants in exchange for milking.


Several of the kids have gone too. Katie’s boys both went as herd sires to herds up north. One of Arizona boys also went as a herd sire and the other has a wonderful home as a pet where I have no doubt he is cuddled and well loved. One of Yodel’s boys went as a herd sire on the coast and one Saanen boy is leaving soon as well. Three other boys were also sold and it makes the pasture look much more reasonable to have a few less animals.


All the other kids have collar now too. They are wearing the large plastic chained collars which stretch and break should they actually get caught. Plus it means we do not have to pick them up and carry them because we can all practice leading and walking by the collar (in preparation for show season that starts in a mere 2 weeks!!)


Finally we had nearly our last set of kids born this week. The remaining two alpines bred to Brazil came over and gave us buck doe twins each. Ziggy seems rather surprised to see them at our house. They look a lot like her so it was pretty funny to watch her get confuse why we brought them here. Zulu’s doe is a beautiful solid black with a lot of personality. Zulu comes from a dancer line so I think the kid is getting the name Bossanova. Kahlua’s doe is beautifully colored and her coloring is similar to her half-brother, Kastdemur’s Watch Yourself with black front and back and a large white belt with spots intermixed. As she is from a dessert line, her daughter is named Biscotti.


Argentina surprised us to know end by delivering triplets – 2 bucks and 1 doe. Quite a lot of kid for one little yearling! The doe came inside for a few days so that mom could concentrate on feeding 2 kids. 3 kids is just a little overwhelming for a first time mom. When Artemis kidded a few days later with a single doe kid, we graphed Belize (Argentina’s daughter) on to her so that she now has a mom to look after her in the field. She may still get extra bottles here and there (or more accurately Artemis’s daughter Buri may get a bottle since Belize is pretty quick to that udder) to help her grow well, but now she has a goat mom to teach her how to be a goat.


Wheeeew, I think that is all the important things that have been happening here. More about shows as they happen, although with the quarter as crazy as it has been I doubt I will be back on a regular blogging frequency until after I finish with school.

Deja vu?

First let me apologize for the lack of quality pictures. The danger of storing all you photos on SD card is that when you want them they are not around. This top picture was taken back in Fall 2008. That was the time when 3/5 (that is, 3 of our 5 goats) of the herd was in Salinas. It was actually quite fun because they got lots of attention we would run around with them all over the school's farm. The Togg is Yodel, the blackish Lamancha is Yucatan, and the Sancha is Ysis. This bottom picture was taken on Sunday after we had penned everyone up Saturday for the first big rainstorm of the year. 3 of the kids got out and were in the pasture by themselves (enjoying the feeder until we let everyone else out). It caught my eye because it reminded me of something... then it hit me:
The Togg in the picture is Annie - Yodel's daughter
The blackish Lamancha is Argentina - Yucatan's daughter
The Sancha is Artemis - Ysis' daughter

Doesn't it amaze everyone else this little moments in life? Reminds you how much things change and how much they stay the same