Wildlife

Wildlife seen here:

coyotes
buzzards
hawks (not so many recently, but they used to LOVE watching the chicken coop)
bats
western shovel-nosed snake (in the FRONT ROOM! Yikes!)
100s of cottontails
geese (wild)
ducks (wild)
gophers (does that count as 'wildlife'?)
mice (ick)
lizzards
burrowing owl(s?)
great horned owl (landed on the back porch and watched us through the window!)
many small birds of which I don't know all the names

Plenty of black widows, brown spiders (scientific, I know), FLIES, and the occasional camel spider (which do bite, I learned. Owie.)

Milk Total

I didn't milk Penny this morning; she had her kids with her through the night, helping them recover from the traumatic disbudding.

Belle has gotten extremely impatient the last couple days. This morning she was SO full, she had to waddle very slowly to the milking stand, but after about 10 minutes, she decided she was DONE. I could tell she wasn't empty; she was about 1/4 from being done. There ensued a mighty battle of wills and wits. 10 minutes later (and several close calls with the milk pail) I have succeeded in getting about 6 more squirts. She got a strong scolding as I put her back in her pen. I went to fetch the kids and walking back with them, watching her with her head through the fence, I all of a sudden wondered if she figured out the pattern of: grain, milk, kids. I think she knew that when the milking was 'done' she could have her kids back. I might have to figure out something else, because wrestling with a 120# goat at 5AM isn't exactly what I had imagined...Still, she gave just under 1/2 gallon.

2 batches of ice cream, 2 batches of yogurt, 2 batches of rice pudding, and there's still a gallon or so in the fridge, with more to come tomorrow. Love this!!!

All Disbudded

Got the last two kids disbudded this evening. Thier horns were more pronounced, and it went very easy. Still left to do: shots (which we already have) and the banding. 4 boys. Should be interesting.

Lawn Water

Oh, how I wish for irrigation.... Changed watering times from 2x/week, 20 minutes to 3x/week, 20 minutes. Hopefully it will start to green up again.

Baby Food

I got the second cheapest food processor avaliable at Target, with a goal of homemade baby food in mind.

I did a large batch of each: green beans, bananas, and carrots. Serving sizes are frozen in baggies, ready to thaw (just a few minutes, since the size is small) and use! Easy and appetizing-looking!

The 'Herd' Gets a New Look

I checked out a couple 4H LaMancha yearling does this afternoon. There were two, sisters, avaliable. I chose the more petite of the two ( I know, I know, less room for udder space, but she was very satisfactory in every other way and with the two other does, I wasn't too worried about 1/2 a quart here or there). The gal told me that their mama was milking just over a gallon/ day, and I got a chance to check her out, too. She was beautiful and had a very nice udder.

It was fun asking questions about the does, and specifically the breed, because I would ask the lady and she would glance down at her daughter, who would pipe up with a wealth of answers. She was shy, but VERY knowledgeable about the breed, and the two sisters in particular. Also a huge plus: they have a circuit of bucks that they take turns with during breeding season, and there are 'plenty to choose from', of registered LaMancha bucks. Since ours is registered, that means the kids are actually more valuable, and I am thinking I will try to get in line for the LaMancha bucks this fall.

'Rosemary' came home to join Penny and Belle, where she was re-named Reese in honor of my favorite candy. Penny and Belle were VERY wary of Reese, and huddled in the corner while Reese went to town on the feed. Reese is significantly smaller then the other two, though the same age, and I was concerned that she might not get her fair share of the feed. No such trouble tonight, but I will be watching to make sure they don't start ganging up on her. She looks so different then they do, that I think they are just really worried about where her ears are!

I like what I hear about the 4H program. I hope to get the kiddos involved when they are old enough.

Gift-ing

In honor of my 'spare time' and the creative side of my brain, I am going to try to use/ buy things that are handmade, where possible. I like the idea of buying something that supports other SAHMs. I like the idea of giving gifts that I put some time into and felt good about giving. I know there are those that DH will protest, and that's understandable, but as much as possible, I am going give it a try.