Dh had just called me, letting me know he'd be over to pick me up shortly when Kev called to tell me he was sending me pictures so be sure to check my email.
Me: "I just turned off my computer, 'cause your Pa is going to be here any minute."
Kev: "Well, you'd better turn it back on."
Me: "Why, do we have baby goats?!"
Kev: "Oh, you already know?"
Me: "No, I just guessed because that's why they're in that pen. You didn't know Starburst was pregnant?"
Kev: "Nope."
We came home to find two beautiful little bucklings. 95% of the time our bucklings are beautiful and flashy and gorgeous. Most of our doelings end up being plain brown or black. Figures!
They are doing good. I observed them nursing a few times. Mama's a little freaked out over these little mouths on her teats, and keeps hopping around, but they are able to get a few gulps of milk down before she cartwheels away. ;-)
I got Mama out of the pen and up onto the milking stand. She was a little creeped out by the stand, but was loving the grain treat. She tore into her hay when I threw a flake into the pen, and that is a very good sign that she's doing fine.
This little cutie kept falling asleep in my arms.
Here they are snuggled together in the corner of the maternity ward.
And here is what happens every Tuesday evening. Dh takes out the garbage cans, with all the dogs along for company.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
WOW! Babies!!
Labels: goats
Monday, February 18, 2008
Ladies In Waiting
Labels: goats
I had the day off today, thankfully because someone had to drive into town and pick up the prodigal son last night. No wait, he wasn't prodigal, he was just at Bible conference for the weekend.
We were home by 10pm and talked until midnight. I slept in until 6am. Finally got out to milk around 7am.
Came back in and went back to bed. I was still tired.
I got up again around 9am and went right out to paint the new maternity ward. Dh got the roof put on yesterday and I wanted to get the girls in there today. I put on two coats. One was a base paint - we've discovered it's important, otherwise the paint just soaks in to the wood and you have to do three and four coats. It didn't take too long, maybe 3 hours tops. I waited to move the girls into their new digs until afternoon milking, around 4pm.
They aren't too excited about the new arrangements. They happily scarfed down the grain treat they were given, but they refused to eat their hay. Starburst (the one with the white spot on her head) really wants to be back in the doe pen with the rest of her herd - and her mother. She is the one that is half wild, and I'm concerned if I don't spend some extra time with her, she will be a terror on the milking stand. The other doe is Mocha. Her mother died 26 hours after she gave birth to her triplet doelings, so she doesn't have a mother to miss. She was bottle raised.
It is also important for these girls to really learn their names, as I call them when it's their turn for milking. It's so cool to see the girls run in response to their names being called.
To the left you can see a doe headed towards me. That's Mocha's sister, Little Brooke. She thinks I might have a grain treat.
No joy. So she takes off and heads back to the herd, and the hay.
Starburst, the one to the right, is due on Friday. Mocha is due on March 12th.
I was thinking while milking tonight, that this new area is really going to work out good. What we usually do is separate the kids from the dams overnight, when they turn two weeks old. If the kids are wild, and the kids and dams are living with the entire herd, it's nearly impossible to get the kids and their dam separated. Then I milk the dam in the morning, and put her back in with her kids for the day. It will be important to get Starburst on the milking line as soon as possible; otherwise, she will think only her kids can have access to her udder. Since we have our goats for milk, they have to learn that milking is a big part of their life. A way to earn their keep. And they LOVE the "grain"stand, aka milk stand.
The last doe to join this group will be Miss Z. She and her doeling kid. Her doeling kid IS wild, and scared senseless of "the two-legs". When I milk in the morning, before work, it's 3:30 and it's dark. Sometimes Miss Z's doeling kid comes running out with her. I guess she doesn't realize I'm there, just that mama's leaving the pen, and she's going with her! She doesn't do it every morning, but often enough that I know I'll have an opportunity to put Miss Z in with the pregnant does. That way I'll have a chance to spend more time with the wild doeling. AND, the area is small enough that I'll be able to spend time with the new kids.
Until next time.
My Son Went to California and All I Got Was...
Labels: ds2
On the way home he gave me a hint that he was bringing something "White, square and absorbent" as souvenirs.
A pile of napkins from Carl's Jr. Apparently there was some debate from another member of church as to whether taking this many napkins would be considered thievery.
And all those aren't mine. I have to share with ds1 and dh.
Way to go with the souvenirs, Kev.
Until next time.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
New Scanner
Labels: Memory Lane
Actually it's one of those All-in-Ones. It's an HP Photosmart C3180 All-in-One Printer/Scanner/Copier.
It's used. I've had it a few weeks, but just got it hooked up today.
My other scanner was borrowed from work, and was horrible at scanning images. I'm happy to see that this one seems to be doing a much better job.
I found an old picture from 1970, and added it to my New Year's Post Memories of a New Year Long Ago - 1970.
Click to see three little cuties. I sure did look like I had buck teeth.
Until next time.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
When Pastor Loses Kev
Labels: ds2
I got a frantic phone call today from the Pastor Raw Justice. It went something like this:
"Rawmilkstar, hi, this is Pastor Justice. I can't locate Kev. He seems to have been abducted. OR something. I don't know where he could have wandered off to. This is a big place, he could get lost anywhere!! Can you give me his cell phone number so I can call him? We're trying to get the next sermon started."
"Oh, Pastor Raw, oh my goodness, heaven sakes alive. Here is Kev's number. Please have him call me as soon as you find him. Someone could have hit him over the head and drug him off someplace!"
"Oh, my goodness, no I don't think that could have happened."
"Right. I was only joking." (Actually the logistics were intended to make that a hilarious statement on my part, as Kev is a large man and if someone hit him on the head and knocked him out, they wouldn't be able to drag him anyplace, he'd be dead weight. Hey, Kev inherited his sense of humor from someplace, didn't he?)
Within moments, I got another call.
"Hi, this is Raw Justice. I found Kev. Sorry to alarm you. He was sitting on the other side of the pole, out of my line of sight. He was here the entire time. The lost sheep has been found. Sorry again. We're having a great time here, not to worry, not to worry. At least, we're having a good time. I don't know about Kev. I think he's having a good time, but I can't tell you for sure. Bye now!"
I was relieved to hear the little flock had been restored.
Until next time.
Questionable Business Name
Labels: Just Stuff
Is it just me, or do you wonder what this person was thinking when they chose this for their business name?
When I asked dh what was the first thing that came to mind, he came up with the same thing as I did.
Until next time.
LJ Plays Tug
Labels: LJ
LJ loves this rough game. He shakes his head real hard back and forth. Some dog raising books say you should NEVER play tug with your dog, but contrary to popular belief, Tug-o-War can be a great training tool for your dog. Especially if your dog is one that has a supposed "locking jaw". BTW, that's a myth. American Pitbull Terriers do not have a "locking jaw". What happens there is they do have a very strong jaw, and they simply don't want to let go. Therefore, it is essential to train your dog to "drop" or "release". LJ gets all hyped up when someone plays Tug with him, just like the dog in the YouTube video link above, and he stops immediately when we say "Drop!"
OH, and I forgot to report that LJ's histiocytoma dropped off on Monday. Now his ugly wart is gone!
It is still foggy outside! Usually it has burned off by now.
Some more links on the "locking jaw" myth:
Pitbull Fact vs. Fiction
Dogwatch: The Locking Jaw
THE REAL PITBULL
Until next time.
Fog in the Desert
Labels: Just Stuff, Ranch
We don't get fog very often but apparently the conditions were perfect this morning. Missing your camera, Kev!!!
Ironically on this weekend, when Kev is gone with our good camera, one of my coworkers needed to have the company camera which I foist around with me everywhere I go. We used to have two of these cameras at work, but another coworker had it in her car, when her car was stolen (from the parking lot at the building where we work at 2am in the morning - which in that neighborhood she shouldn't have been there carting things in and out of the building to her car at that time). She claims she bought a replacement camera, but when I ask her about it, she just offers to let the agency "borrow" one of her personal cameras, "that one doesn't take very good pictures." Grrrr. So I'm stuck using our old family digital camera - the Samsung Digimax 301. I digress. Here's the pictures I was able to get this morning.
Until next time.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Rawmilkstar Has Company
Labels: company
Some friends who recently began drinking our goat's milk were able to stop by our place on their way to their vacation destination. The little girls wanted to meet the milkers and try milking!
It has been raining most of today, and I wasn't sure how it would go over with my milkers. They hate the rain!
Happily, the rain let up when my friends arrived. The oldest daughter tried her hand at milking, as did Papa and Mama. Mama and C managed to get the hang of it, but Papa didn't. At least I don't think he did.
The milkers were all a little skittish. Usually they come in order to be milked and run out of the gate and into the milking parlor and up onto the grain stand. One of them would not come out and I had to chase her around the yard, well, slowly walk up to her so as to not alarm her by moving too quickly.
I really, really enjoyed having them out to visit. I hope they are able to stop by within the next month and see the new kids.
Thanks for stopping by!!!!
Kev Runs Away
Labels: ds2
No wait. He hasn't run away, he's on his way to Bible conference in California.
He's called me a couple of times already, in tears. He misses his mommy and daddy and BroMan. I told him, "Suck it up, you're a man now!" And then I texted him five times with "Are you there yet?"
I haven't had time to miss him yet. But maybe after dinner, when there's no one else to ask to put away the food. Or the chilled goat's milk.
No one to sit silently with while we both make blog posts about our lives. Maybe we can reminisce about the old days when he was hopelessly addicted to the Internets, stuck in his room and we'd instant message each other.
No one to ask to go out to the car and get my purse. Or my asthma bag. Or my laptop bag. Or my crocheting bag. Or my knitting bag. No wait. I could ask my husband to do that. Okay, that's okay. I'll survive.
Maybe he will be so happy to be home when he gets back we can do hoof trims and blood draws on the goats on Monday.
Have fun, son!! Can't wait until you get back home to help me with those hoof trims!!!
I love you!! Be a good boy!! Uh, be a grownup adult man!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy 2nd Birthday LJ!
Labels: LJ
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, Little Jihad,
Happy Birthday to you!
We love this boy so much. Here he is when he was less than a month old.
And now you can see how he has grown... still thinks he is a lapdog. Sitting on dh's lap just like when he was a tiny puppy. LOL.
Dh bought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day. He brought them to work for me yesterday, when I was having another meltdown. Sheesh.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
I'll Be Back
Labels: Just Stuff
I promise I'll be back soon. I've just been really, really, really, insanely busy. And preoccupied. But I'm looking forward to a four day weekend, where I get to stay home every single day. I can't wait.
Love and hugs to all my readers.
Until next time.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Nostalgic Popcorn Maker
Labels: Just Stuff
Ds1 likes popcorn quite a bit, so we considered getting this nostalgic popcorn maker at Christmas. It was marked down to $50 from $100. We decided against it, because we know air poppers can be had from the thrift store for under five bucks.
But when our local grocery store went down even further - to $25, we decided to get it for him. Only he doesn't really like it.
I think it's a great novelty item, I really do like it. I thought it would be something fun to have when we invite guests over for dinner. Which we never do in the first place, so that's always ridiculous when I have that thought.
Maybe someday.
It's a pain to clean as it uses oil in the silver part. You have to take it apart, wipe it out, and then soap up the clear windows on the inside as they are splattered with oil.
The popcorn tastes as good as if I'd popped it on the stovetop in the pan which would be much easier to clean.
So I have mixed feelings about this product.
Maybe I can try selling it on eBay.
Until next time.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
How Chuck Helped Me Build a Maternity Ward
Labels: goats, Never Forget, work
We have two does due to kid in February. One is due on February 22nd. I haven't figured out the date on the other doe (oops). I am sure I have it in my barn records, I just have to look for them.
Last year, I put in a request to my husband that he build me a maternity ward for the pregnant does. Well, the wedding kind of took up all our spare time and the doe ended up kidding in the doe pen. Which wasn't that big of a deal except that made it basically impossible to get hold of the babies and spend time with them, so they are the wildest babies we've ever had.
Also, one of the does due to kid is half wild. She is not scared of me, but she won't come up to me readily either. So I am going to have to really work with her, to tame her down for milking. My hope is to get her into the maternity ward by next weekend, and then start spending time with her every day. I also hope to be present when she kids as that helps the bonding process between the doe and her human milkers. We let the does keep their kids, but we get kidding goo on our hands and then let the doe lick us clean. She's licking her kids clean, which helps her to bond to and get to know her kid, so licking us helps in the same way.
It is very important that a doe licks and cleans her kid because she will reject them otherwise. If a doe has twins or triplets and she licks and cleans one and the other crawls off in the other direction and she never gets to "know" the kid, she will very likely reject the kid. Most does hate other kids, and will head butt them. If she doesn't bond to her kid, she treats the kid as another doe's kid. Then you end up having to bottle feed.
Bottle feeding isn't that big of a deal, but it does add about an hour to chores as there are now bottles to clean, babies to feed, in addition to milking the dam, processing the milk, etc.
So we decided this weekend we'd get the maternity ward built. We are building a small shed 8 feet by 8 feet square. Dh is also supposed to be working on his other weekend job, but he keeps going 90 miles to the jobsite, only to find the electricity isn't turned on. That's a real bummer, not to mention a huge waste of gasoline!
After we get the maternity ward built, we'll paint it. After it's painted, we'll put a fence around it. We have a lot of fencing material, so we just need to take the time to put the posts into the ground and we'll be set. Hah. Here's the hubby sawing the boards down to seven feet long.
Here I am framing the wall, which means I'm hammering the wall studs together.
I have to make sure the 2x4s butt up to each other, and since the ground isn't perfectly level I have to stand on one stud with my foot angled over onto the other one, press down and hammer. Dh took some pictures of this technique, but they didn't come out. The camera actually considers them a different format and won't show the image at all.
Okay, I hammered all the walls together, and now we have to move the green swimming pool (the dog's water for drinking and laying in, when it's hot in the summer) and the dog's shade area.
Here's a closer view.
Here's Mocha, one of the pregnant does. She's standing with her front legs on a higher surface than her back legs. They like to do that later in their pregnancy. She's also chewing cud as you can see by the golf ball wad sticking out the side of her mouth on the right side.
Here dh and ds2 are carrying the walls to the area where we're putting the maternity ward.
The walls are up!
Now the plywood is up! We've got a BOX!
Here's the front side. We only framed in three sides. We'll leave the middle section here open for a doorway.
Dh had to leave at this point to go in and make Rattlesnake Stew for Question and Answer night at church tomorrow.
I stayed outside to finish shearing the walls - which means I was hammering 8 nails into each set of studs. 8 nails multiplied by 23 studs. Okay? That's 184 nails. It takes about 6 to 8 whacks to get each nail in. Not to mention the ones I nailed into the stud, but missed by a fraction of an inch, had to remove and nail it back in so it would catch. Let's say an average of 7 whacks to get each nail in. That's a minimum of 1,288 whacks.
Speaking of nails, I broke my thumbnail by whacking it.
And my hands are covered with rust from handling all those rusty nails.
OH yeah. Chuck's not my husband's name.
Here's Chuck:
Remember when we took Chuck 1100 (Total Gym) back to Walmart? Well, his big brother Chuck 1700 Club actually had showed up the day before. I swore myself to secrecy so I could see how it was going to work out.
My goal was to get some exercise, and that was it. Not get sucked into diet mentality, just get my body moving.
I am very pleased with the results. I'll tell you more about it sometime. To say the least, one month ago I would not have been able to pound in over 200 nails (remember I also pounded two nails into the top and bottom of each stud on the walls, so that would be another 44 nails) without having exercised this body like I have been for the past month.
Go Chuck!
Until next time.
Make Your Own Vanilla
Labels: Nourishing Traditions
I discovered about a couple of years ago that the most popular brand of vanilla, McCormick's Pure Vanilla Extract contains corn syrup. The ingredients listed are vanilla bean extractives in water, alcohol (35%), and corn syrup.
I was actually surprised to find that pure vanilla extract contained water and corn syrup.
I am on a mailing list for the cookbook Nourishing Traditions, and last year they were talking about making one's own vanilla.
So last year, on January 20th to be exact, I started my first bottle of vanilla. We are just getting down to the last few ounces and I started a new bottle yesterday.
Here's how I do it.
Buy a bottle of vodka. I buy the cheapest one I can find. I found a 750ml bottle on sale for $5.99. 750ml converts to 3 cups. I ordered my vanilla beans from eBay. I still have a bunch left from last year. I'm trying to find my order so I can see how much they cost so I can figure out how much it costs to make 3 cups of vanilla. I'm thinking $10 and I used about 1/6th to make vanilla last year.
The bottle on the right is last year's bottle, the bottle on the left is my new bottle. It takes about one month to turn into vanilla.
Now I'm going outside to help build the new maternity ward.
Until next time.
