Thursday, February 26, 2009

Loving On Those Goat Kids

For those of you that have heard this before, you are about to hear it again, I did not sleep last night, not hardly a wink. No, barn activity did not keep me awake, I enjoyed the quiet and couldn't sleep after the first few hours. Hilarious!


We had a few goat kids born around 8:00 yesterday evening. This is Sunday's 4th kidding. I could see Sunday gearing up as soon as the other does started kidding a few days ago. Good for Sunday, she had a buck and a doe and she is elated. The new buckling runs after her so quickly that he flops over, he is all legs just yet. We like Sunday for various reasons, she is a large boer goat, but we especially love her voice, she bellows with a loud, "Mooowwwww!!!" Her new buckling has a set of lungs too. I like loud lungs, it usually translates to a kid born healthy.


When I fed about an hour ago I did a head count. I kept coming up with one newborn kid missing. I spent a good 20 minutes looking, counting. The kid appeared finally, but I never did figure out where she had been. I did find a tiny gap in the fence. A farmer quickly learns to keep all sorts of materials on hand such as baling wire and pieces of leftover lumber. Needless to say, nobody will be escaping from that gap again any time soon.


I enjoy picking up newborn kids, watching their stubborn little faces, hearing them (sometimes) squawk at the human that picks them up. By golly, they have a mission, and I disturb that well thought out plan. They have playing time mapped out!


After arriving back up to the house (and yes, my back and legs hurt from the many treks down the hill this week), I went out to the shop and cut the soap that I batched yesterday. I love the subtle blue and red marbling in the soap on the left!


The rest of my day is going to be intense office work and listening to the monitor. I have plenty enough to do right here. I am too tired to do anything else, so the focus will be on that!

I hear the frogs on the pond this morning, always a grand sound to hear. They have their own spring announcement to make! They remind me of tiny birds in the early spring. They do not sound like bullfrogs this early in the season. The pair of geese are back this morning as well. I heard the honking of their arrival while I was working in the barn.


I love farm life.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely soap and congrats on the goat kids, don't you just love this weather, good kidding weather;)

Gioia Made Soap said...

Hi Annie,
love your story about the little goats, I also love your new soaps it is great, goat milk!

Joanna@BooneDocksWilcox said...

Melatonin about 30 minutes before bedtime. I take it every night.

Boozy Tooth said...

I love farm life too, and someday I may even have it for myself. But until then, Mary, I have to enjoy yours. Thanks for the update. LOVE, love, love your kid stories.

PS: The soap is gorgey. What are the scents? I think I may need me some.

Jennifer said...

Great post! Congrats on the new kids. Sometimes I can't sleep when it is too quiet either, especially when I have mama goats due!

Twisted Fencepost said...

I'll bet they are adorable. I couldn't keep from picking them up either.
I love the farm life too!!

The Courteous Chihuahua said...

I love farm life, too, although the closest I get is helping my dad feed his three cows a couple of times a year. Thanks for stopping by to check out my blog the other day. I'm anxious to try some of your soap!

The Scavenger said...

Love those goat kids, spent the better part of the day with ours too. Been almost spring like here today too.

Chris

KathyB. said...

So, Sunday sounds like a cow when she bleats ? I have some sheep that sound like cows...Mmmmmmooowawa! What fun, and the soap is so pretty. With spring around the corner, you will only get busier, maybe you should schedule a nap....after a nice hot bath with goat soap and lotion for relaxation and revitalization.