Goat Photo Bomber...

I was testing out a feature called *in camera HDR*. I put the camera on a tripod and set it up.
Sven managed to dart into the photo on one of the shots.

Now that the forest floor is springing to life, Sven is in goat heaven on our walks.
He nibbles and catches up. Today he learned a bit about soft creek banks as the dirt collapsed under him and he rode a pile of dirt and rocks down the ravine.

He shook his head and soldiered on.
Charlie kept a sharp eye on him.

We have been extremely wet this year. So wet in fact that when the township graded the road on the ridge -- they do this to fill the pot holes in with loose gravel -- ...and then it rained and rained more...
well.
When I went to town yesterday, imagine my surprise when I turned off our little dead end road and suddenly felt like I was in a road rally with slushy mushy gravel mud conditions. The Subaru handled it but it weaved and wobbled and bobbed side to side all the way out to the black top. The vehicle is now mud colored and no longer blue....

Anyway back to the goat adventure. Sven was ecstatic about being out with us and ran up and down the trail doing goatie things like bouncing, running, leaping, and doing sideways jumps. He even got exuberant enough to come up to me and try a head butt. His head met my stick and he decided not to mess with me.

He stopped often to nibble and experiment on different flavors that the woods offered.

I can see where goats would be incredible for cleaning up forests. They will eat the unwanted plants. My Dexters did the same thing however they left larger poo piles.

Donkeys did much of the same thing, but they and the Dexters cost much more to feed in the winter time.

Anyway.
We had an excellent walk about the land. I went into different sections of my property that I don't normally get to because by mid summer it is just too overgrown.

These were pretty neat and very different than the other ferns on our land. I think they may be Cinnamon Ferns. Not sure, but now that I know where they are I can make my way back to see them as they unfold.
Sven didn't eat them.

However, as I knelt to take some shots of Anemones ...

And then sat back to adjust my settings...

A curious goat walked up and stared at me then proceeded to eat all of the blossoms of this plant. I swear he winked at me as I moaned to him.

Later on I set up the tripod at the creek. Charlie wandered around and then sat on a rock next to me.

I set this shot up and took a few versions of it.

Next thing I know, I feel the gloves being pulled out of my pocket. Sven. He then reaches over and starts to nibble on the camera strap.

SVEN! NO!
He was unimpressed and very goat-like. I bonked him on the nose and he just shook his head.

I can say this. I am having fun with both Charlie and Sven and going on our walks. It sure kept my mood upbeat on a dull dreary day. I started my day with CrossFit learning a new skill and got to enjoy time out in the woods.
Even IF I had a Goat Photo Bomber/Pest along.

Friday is a new adventure. I'm going to be a *guide* for another photographer and take him to a few different spots so he can enjoy what our area has to offer.

Today? Off to the VA after CrossFit this morning....

The Kids, Sven and Charlie

I took Sven and Charlie along with me to trim back some brush from the electric fenceline I'd just checked a few days ago. I took my machete and a big pair of nippers.

My Kenosha Pals said I could get it done it just moments if I used one of those weed whackers with the blade.
I replied that I'd cut my foot off. Then I pointed to the instrument that my husband used to use with a blade for that purpose.
It is huge with a back-strap. I'd never be able to control that huge piece of equipment. Thus, the machete and nippers. I also have a hand saw. My husband's chainsaw is too heavy and large for me to operate.
Again.
I'd probably cut something off with it.

Besides March and April are perfect times for fence clearing. You can see where the lines will be running into small patches of briers and other brush. I am going to replace the old electric line just above the creek in the next few weeks and fix the hole in the barbed wire that runs as a line fence. The mules leave the barbed wire alone and as a precaution, I've run a single line on the inside of it to keep them from being too curious about the briers and multiflora rose bushes on the other side.

Charlie was pretty unsure of my machete and wisely stayed well out of the way. He even stood behind me and occasionally put a paw on the back of my legs.

We finished up what I'd set out to do and we went down to the creek where it was play time.

It looks like Charlie is pushing Sven, but he wasn't. I think Charlie was trying to balance on the rock with Sven. Amazingly enough, Sven backed up and did not fall in.

And Sven claims King of Moss Rock.

Off they went trotting and leaping across the rocks, two odd playmates. Sven may not even know he is a goat. Charlie is enamored with Sven. He goes back across the creek if Sven gets 'stuck' by a larger spread of water. He will whine and cry and push Sven around until Sven follows him.

On the trail, Charlie leads and Sven follows. The difference is that Sven stops and grabs a bit to eat as he travels. Charlie thinks Sven is his personal tasty poo machine.
Ick.

When the two of them get to the open pasture, the races are on. Charlie zooms in large circles. Sven runs and leaps sideways with him.
I think it is safe enough to say that these two are enjoying each other's company.

Sven really keeps close. He even helps with the chores and keeps his distance from the mules on the other side of the fence. He and Charlie are nearly inseparable.

This is turning into quite the fun adventure with animals.

Crazy Crazy Me!

Do you remember this cute little guy? My neighbor's offered him to me. I said yes.
And then I had to figure out how to tell Rich who doesn't care that much for goats that we were going to have a goat.

Sven was born on the 16th.

Here he was 4 days later when he met Charlie.

And here he is on the 28th. It was warm enough to take him outside with a harness on.
Sven will be coming home...down the driveway to our place once he has been weaned and the weather turns. [We have another frigid polar thing going on this week!]

Sven has grown in two weeks!

He is a Lamancha, which is the funny looking tiny eared goat. His one job will be to eat weeds along the fence-line and clean up areas of nettles which goats love along with another weeds.

But I thought what could a whethered goat be good for? I've had goats before but really just raised them to milk them. After the kids no longer liked the milk, I sold the ones I had.
That was many years ago.

I like to hike. So for whatever reason, I looked up 'hiking with goats' and found out that full grown goats can be trained to be hiking pals that carry packs! How fun would that be to go on a hike and have Sven carry my water and lunch along with a tripod?

The training is pretty straight forward. Bottle fed goats just like Sven are the best candidates as they form a bond with their human handlers.

Yep. I go and bottle feed Sven whenever I can.

Yesterday we did some 'training'. I wanted to see if he'd come to me without me trying to ask him too.

After a bit of exploring the snow [see the harness? He knows he is going out with me when I bring that out now!]

So I waited.

And...I sat in the snow bank....

And Sven came to me and ...

snuggled? He closed his eyes while I petted him and loved him up.

Here is some reasoning to have a goat carry a pack for you. While hiking you have company and someone to talk to --- yes, Charlie also! Two, if you are hiking and pass another hiker it will cause a conversation.
Goats are easier to work with than a mule or horse and a lot smaller!

Sven won't be able to fully pack any significant weight until he is 3 yrs old. But the experience of trying to train him would be a very fun thing.
After all, I have tons of trails in my woods and surrounding area that he can hike with me.

He is a perfect candidate for this sort of training. He was rejected by mom, and has been bottle fed by humans. He has no idea that he is a goat.

This will be fun!

I have figured out where we will have to put the Sven Pen, now I just need my Kenosha Gang to help me make it work as soon as the weather gets decent!

Stay tuned for more stupid and crazy ideas from the mule/goat/dog lady.

This and That

Well, a bit more fun with Sven the little goat.

Basil who is my neighbor's dog, greets Sven. She stayed by him while I bottle fed him and then she wanted to play.
He wasn't quite sure what he should do. A couple of times he tried to hide from her.

When I took them outside for some fresh air, Sven did go potty and Basil supervised. She was a good host and as you can tell, she loves having her picture taken....

Here she is cuddling with Sven and I after coming in from outside.

We had a short session of play and then Sven was tired. After all, he is only two days old.

Soon I will bring Charlie to a bottle feeding and see how they get along. I want Charlie to understand that goats are not to be chased. He likes to chase ALL things except the mules.

Gearing up for our next storm. Need to push some snow back further. My duties don't seem to end this winter.

PT went okay. Not much they can do for Rich. But Aric did suggest a few exercises to help him maintain some leg strength to assist him in getting up and down from his chair [he doesn't do recliners]. He also gave him a compression sleeve for the knee.

Other than seeking a visit from our local ortho guy there isn't much else to do. Though we will see Aric in another two weeks to see how it is going with the little light exercises and the adjusted chain.

Now to find a slightly higher chair for him to sit in. It was suggested to put nail 2X4's to some legs to give it some elevation. We shall see.

Should I?

Wakey Wakey...
to yet
another significant snowfall...

The front open pasture with the bale ring ... view off the porch before I started chores...

The mules. They were moving around to the different hay piles and later, took snow baths.

At 11:30 I walked up the driveway to the neighbor's house to bottle feed Sven. So named because they have a white goat named Elsa. The movie Frozen, seems to have a pattern here this January and February.

Sven is doing wonderfully. I am in current negotiations with the neighbors...well...actually with trying to approach my husband about keeping Sven to do the weed clean up work that Little Richard won't do.

Besides. I think pulling a kid goat and holding him and clearing his airways...and being the first thing he smells in life...may have done something to me..and to him.
Just call it silly, but I feel a special thump in my heart when I see him.

He is small now, but will be a full sized Lamancha [goat with the itty bitty ears]. As he is a male, they will whether him and sell him. They have offered to let me have him for free.

Could you say no?

I've raised goats before and know what a pain in the ___ they can be. And I also know how fun they can be, as well as useful.

Hmmm.

PT appt for Rich today. Our driveway is plowed, but I'll have to do some clean up work later today.
And prepare for the next 6 inch snow fall predicted to come in tomorrow evening through Wednesday.

18" of snow since last week. Well. I guess I could go enjoy a snowshoe adventure this afternoon? Or ski?
Make snow fun while the snow lasts...

Sven.
Hmmmmm.....

Edit....
I don't know if Rich knows that he just agreed to let Sven come and live here or not. I sort of was vague and indicated that Sven would be excellent for clean up of weeds with Lil' Richard. Lil' Richard doesn't it noxious weeds, but Sven will.

Yes to Sven.

I am tired!

Early morning work out yesterday with CrossFit. I got home to do my chores, the neighbor's chores and of course the regular stuff.

Last night I caught an opossum in the neighbor's hen house. It was in a nesting box and I have no clue as to how it got in but I couldn't leave it there!

So I had to get it out, but it was not cooperative and it was very nasty.
I used a shovel and a rake to get it out and got it in a bucket and put a lid on it with a metal weight to get it out of there.

From wrangling angry possums to....
a pretty bad night with my sweetie...

to...
finding a goat in the throes of labor when I went up to do morning chores....

I didn't know it was Sedona's first time kidding. I called said neighbors to ask where they were on their travels back home and they said they would be home in about an hour.

I told them that their goat was ready to give birth.
Only after the hoof and nose presented, Sedona gave up for a long while. She came an leaned up against me and I could see she was chilled and exhausted.
I wondered how long she'd been at it.
All I recall from my goat days was that they hardly ever have kidding problems and usually give birth after presenting within 30 minutes.

Thankfully the neighbors did show up. Their oldest boy came in to see if Sedona had given birth.
I told him: Get warm soapy water and your mom and her goat kit. Sedona needs help.

Everyone came and I had Lauren hold Sedona while I examined the baby. It was alive but the sac had broken. I washed up and soaped up, Lauren offered me some gloves but I know from ages of birthing animals that my hands could feel much better without. Oh well, it would be messy anyway.
The kid was twisted the head turned as to make the birth impossible... and as Sedona bawled out her protest, I got the kid straightened and pulled the both feet gently forward as she pushed.
I saw the nose and tongue.
Lauren's husband got me a piece of twine and I caught up the slippery legs.

Funny now that I look back on it. I talked to Sedona like this:
Hey honey, I got the feet, okay I got the nose,...oh sweetie just give me a little push...come on that's it..
that's good...
oh sweetie...
yes...
come on...

I kept up the blather until with a huge bawl the head came out and I told Sedona that it was all easy peasy now!
Baby came out all slimy. Broke in my new coveralls as I pulled the kid onto my lap and started to clear the nose and mouth of goo and ick.

Sedona gave one sigh and walked away shaking. We adult humans kneeling in the bedding with a newborn goat were in wonder. The children stood glued to the stall panels watching and talking.

This little one was brought into the house and wrapped in warm towels and dried off. He ... it was a he...got some colostrum and warmed up.

My neighbor sent me a photo just before I went out for our evening chores...

What a beautiful little Lamancha!

One of the kids asked me later if I'd ever helped deliver a baby animal before and I had to smile at all of the times I had.

I feel good inside.

Bugs and Slugs

Sometimes it just takes some kids to put things in perspective.

Kid goats.

Kids with fungi.

Looking for bugs.

A jaunt through the woods with kid goats and kids.

Hunt for fungi.

And find some very cool slugs.

Laughter, slugs, and bugs with a bit of Fungi tossed in.

Thank you neighbors for an awesome day.

Spring and Kids...puppies and all that!

Kid goats that is!

Every play room needs kid goats right? Well, they were born early in the morning outside and were shivering. So they were brought in the house. Mom will be a milker.
These are LaManchas, those fun looking goats with 'no' ears.

The 'kids' will be bottle fed so my neighbors are learning a new skill. Goat milking and bottle feeding the kids. I know that bottle feeding kid goats makes them much easier to handle and they bond with the humans much easier.

I'd show you the human kids and the goat kids together, but I don't have any photos of that yet!

However, I can show you a photo from many years ago...

These are my sons who are grown now.

I can't wait to see more of Lily and Sophia. I have a soft spot for new born anything!

Yesterday was a busy day. Off to the nursing home with edema slippers for mom in law. Eeeks, they had triple wrapped her legs and feet so the slippers ... almost fit but not quite.

Early afternoon was farrier time. Sundance behaved like a charm. She has been a bit 'bouncy' in the past. I am hoping that all the extra footwork I did with her loose in the pasture has paid off.
Sundance will start her training as soon as the large square bales are out of the round pen.

Hank is now a steer. Next week he and Stella will move into a pasture next to the other Dexters so they can become re-acquainted through the fence before putting them back together.

The cattle and the equine are starting to shed. Who would have thought that Stella would love to be curried?

Charlie is doing great. He had no hikes yesterday but we did play fetch in the yard and he got to meet the farriers. They liked him.

Dixie and Charlie helped me on Friday afternoon while I cleaned up one of the pastures and had a very small brush fire to burn up burdock and branches.
Dixie showed her good temperament again by being docile and patient when Charlie annoyed her.

After our busy day Rich and I had waffles for supper and then relaxed and were in bed early.

The daffodils and hyacinths next to the east side of the house are starting to come up and open.
It is only March, but things feel like we are whirling towards spring at a high rate of speed.