Food for thought...

I have a thing for Ghandi quotes.  I especially like "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."  Intent means so much in terms of your character and your impact in the world you live in. Are you in this life for what you get out of it yourself?  Or your own personal gain?  I feel that we truly achieve when we live a live that brings great joy to others, also bringing great joy to ourselves from our own accomplishments which improve our world, without tearing others down.

 It has been a tough night for me.  Yesterday, Remington was sick.  She got worse in the evening, despite seeming like she had been holding her own.  Charlie help load her in the car, Bailey wanted to come to the emergency vet with me.  I thought she needed more rest, Charlie felt if she wanted to go, it would be good for both of us. 

Remi was still very responsive in the car, trying to connect with us and be pet.  When we got to the vet, they took her from my arms and back to the ICU.  When they had her set up, they let Bailey and I see her for a moment.  She was tired, but wagged her tail and lifted her head to see us.  As the initial tests came, they thought she was a diabetic in crisis.  Then the test results didn't match, they thought Addisons disease.  The docs said they were going to stabilize Remi girl and let the specialist look at her at morning rounds.  When we got to say good night, over three hours after our arrival, she didn't look good to me.

We got home, and Bailey to bed, and I filled Charlie in, crying.  I knew she was getting worse.  We had been worried about the stress of being there on her.  She hates being away from her friends and duties here.  But she had needed to go, and would not have gotten better at home.

Early in the morning, the phone rang, she was deteriorating.  They wanted to get my definition of lines to draw on heroic measures.  Within five minutes they called me to come back.  I had barely had time to fill Charlie in, let alone put shoes on.  I headed for town.

Remington Pups, or as we called her, Remi (among a host of nicknames she answered to)  made the world a better place.  She never let me go outside alone at night, or any other time, for that matter.  She hated when i went out for cardio without her, and would cry.  She helped me get through bottle feeding, and warmed baby chickens which fell into water bowls.  Bad day?  Remi nose in your lap.  Not feeling good?  Gentle kisses and someone right next to you.  Scared, she had your back, front, and everything else.  Stranger at the gate? They had better not reach over or they were losing blood.  Can't find old man Vegas?  She is on it. Goat won't walk?  She will walk behind it. Going for a walk with the kids?  Sure she would love to run with Wyatt, as long as she could still see me.

Remi was also a toad licking stoner dog, who my husband reminds me had more lives than we can count.  One time, while Charlie was away, she had such an awful seizure that Bailey and I were up all night working on her.  With Wyatt checking in on her in intervals hoping we could keep her from dying.  She was a living, breathing example of your brain on drugs, but at the same time coud round up goats or pull baby chickens out of trouble.  And I was never alone.

Remington, as goofy and crazy as she was, was also so much of the best this world has to offer.  The kind of friend we all wish to emulate and be for our friends.  When I came inside from watering the greenhouse, I saw Bailey had some quotes up on the computer screen.  I thought it was a good reminder to me, to go along with giving this life all the energy it deserves, throwing myself all in.  "Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity."  That was Khalil Ghibran.  Friendhip isn't about social climbing or giving you something, but about what the relationship brings as a whole, greater than either of the parts.

Remi, like many in my life, made me a better person, a less frazzled military wife and a more patient Mama.  Now it is for me to honor her memory, and help her friends whi miss her like I do.Remblers, Remsworth Remi-bemi-bo-bemi was an awesone working dog, and better friend and family member.  I will always love you, little goofball, and you will always be a part of me!  And of all of us!

Christmas Eve Goat Walks.

Charlie Brown came up to inspect the Christmas lights Mama and Daddy were putting up.  Then he wanted to nuzzle Bailey.

He says, Hi I am cute!

This is Bailey trying to teach little Jecks Cassia to pose,

And Jecks smiling for the camera

Chrlie Brown heading back to the pens to play with his friends.

Hellos and Goodbyes

With Christmas just a few days away, the celebration of family and friends is at the forefront.  Around here, some of our friends have hooves, feathers and paws.  Farming comes with great joys, and some of the most special work we do tugs hard at the heartstrings.

Bailey is once again participating in the market goat project for 4H.  Last weekend, we met Bonnie at tag-in and brought home this year's market goat.

This little girl rode all the way home cuddled up in Bailey's lap without a protest.  I suppose this is why folks call my little car a clown car of animals.  It took a fews days, but her name is Jecks Cassia.  She likes when she gets to come out of her pen and hang out with Prissy, the pregnant boer goat who now thinks she is Jecks Cassia's mama.  Yes, Prissy is generally confused, but we love her just the same.  By the way, at 2 months old, she weighed in that night at 38.8 pounds to begin her journey.

For those of you who follow us regularly, you know we recently stood by as Glory brought a little buckling and doeling into the world right before the first of our big wonter storms. (This is a relative term, I know.  For our cousins in Colorado, the big winter storm is much different.)  Glory and her little ones were out with the herd a couple days ago while their pen was cleaned.  It didn't last long, Glory was very concerned the others were too close to her kids, so Bailey put them back in their pen, though not before Olympia learned a new trick with riding on her Mama, and Fly By Night ran circles around the spool.

I cannot get the video to upload, so I guess I will put it up on youtube on our channel.  Will have to post a link to that here later.

Anyhow, with all the rewards that come with what we do, the hard part can be saying goodbye.  Wyatt breeds rare colors of Phoenix poultry, and ends up with more than he really wants or needs, especially in the cockerel department.  As goat breeders, Bailey also raises little ones, socializes them and trains little ones to walk in the show ring, knowing that most will move on to new homes. 

Last year, Rose could not get little Nathan to take to nursing.  In the end, Nathan lived in the house for some time, bottle feeding and going around town with Mama to basketball games and keeping up with the two legged kids.  Yesterday, a wonderful family came to look at prospective goats for their family.  As they all sat in the goat pen looking at personalities, little Nathan demanded attention and let his friendship with Remington show in his silliness.  The sweet woman from this family had her heart set on Nathan.  So Bailey said okay, and filled out the transfer of ownership papers and said goodbye to little Nate as she loaded him in the car. 

Sure, we cried a bit.  The dogs and goats really noticed his departure, too.  It is hard to see a good friend go, but Nathan is off to a wonderful new home as the pet goat of a little girl and her Grandma.  His wonderful personality is a testament to the family approach that makes them a part of our hearts.  So welcome to Jecks Cassia, a quick cuddle to the sweet Olympia and speed demon Fly By Night, and best wishes to Nathan and his new family.  You will all be in our hearts!

With so much to do, it is easy to rush through it all.  We found ourselves doing that yesterday, as the kids finished school for the semester.  I had schoolwork and grading ot do, and we were rushing around.  I still needed to get up to the farm plot, too.  We needed to put on the breaks, so last night I settled in with the books, and Wyatt talked his sister into playing legos with him.  Remington joined them for company.

Tonight I finally worked my way through the schoolwork, and Bailey got lots of little things done.  Wyatt cleaned a couple pens and did a little more decorating.  Then he settled in with his Dad to enjoy the football game.  I looked down a bit ago and saw Wyatt with one arm over his dog, watching the game.

He has since moved on to lay on a reindeer rug next to Hopper, but what a sweet way to settle in and begin the break.  Now time for me to get busy with wrapping some presents and doing some grading!

A Tiny Ambassador

In a hectic schedule, it can be challenging to reach out to others, do the chores and homework, and keep everything rolling.  This is finals week for both Bailey and I, and Wyatt is finishing off his semester, too.  One thing about finals week, though, far fewer after school requirements at the school.  That is good, as it gives us time to get the chores and homework in a little earlier.  With our commute, sleep tends to suffer a good bit.  But today, be rearranged our schedule a bit, shoved the allergy shot off until tomorrow, and added a mission as ambassadors to our day.

Ambassadors?  Okay, one in particular.  My Aunt lives in an assisted living place not far from the school.  One would think we would see her all the time.  I get by as often as I can.  But a 37 year old niece isn't near as fun a visitor as the kids, and last year she got visits from baby Nathan, a pygmy goat that had to go to town with me while he was being bottle fed and I was managing the constant running around my work schedule.  She still talks about how sweet he is!  And how tiny he was, and how he cuddled up to her and just looked at her...

Today, Charlie took the kids to school so I could work on Chemistry in peace.  Wish I could say I was terribly productive.  At about 2:00, I sent the work I had done to my professor in pdf asking for help and began loading up to head for town.  The rain had lightened and this was likely the only chance I would have to let her visit one of the new babies before they were too big, so I brought Olympia with me.

She settled down in the car, only periodically fluffing her towels,

We got to the school, and I wasn't leaving little Olympia in the car by herself, so I took off with her in a towel, trying to find Wyatt Clay in the rainy day release.  He wanted to introduce her to Mrs Reid, his teacher, who came out to say hi.  So sweet, the way the teachers take interest in what these two love so much.  Then we set off to find Bailey.  Olympia and Bailey and Wyatt made a quick round of the schoolteachers at the High School, being called a sheep, a dog, a fainting goat(nope perfectly awake), a dog and lots of other things.  The kids and teachers alike cooed over little Olympia, laughing when she maaed at them.  We said goodbye to Bailey's best friend Kathleen, then piled into the car for a quick hop across the road.

The kids headed in with big smiles for a quick visit...

Auntie was so excited about the kids coming to visit, she almost missed little Olympia.  Sharon, who was on duty, was excited too.  She grew up with goats.  She asked Aunt Leanna to bring her into the dining room where others were playing games.

The ladies had the owners' dog with them.  Teddy didn't know what to make of Olympia, but Olympia thinks dogs exist as her friends, to snuggle up to and be watched over by, so it didn't both her any.  The cameras were busy, everyone was excited and smiling!

Half way home, Wyatt asked if Olympia could ride in his lap.  He quickly passed out with Olympia tucked next to his hip.  She set her chin on his hip and rode home.  Her Mama Glory and brother Fly By Night were even more excited to see her than Aunt Leanna!  It was a great visit, and our little ambassador did a great job cuddling and making people feel great!

The babies were born a week ago tonight!

Enjoyed cuddling Glory's babies today.  Little Olympia came inside to cuddle, then stood on the scale.  She went from 2.4 pounds last Sunday night to 3.6 pounds today.  Then little Fly By Night came up to the house.  He was 2.2 pounds at birth, and has grown to 3.4.  Nice gains!  He also needed his ear to be taped for reshaping, so he hung out for a few minutes to explore!

This is video from when little Fly By Night was inside...

Final set of photos from right after kidding

The doeling and buckling ready for a little rest.

No names yet!

We should see their personalities today- springloaded to be sure!

Quick set of biostats, then back to Mama Glory!

Mama, see me?

Third installments of Glory's Kids

Another round of photos...

Hi Mama, I am done wandering- it is cold!

Hungry...

Cuddling up

And the little ones laying together...

More photos of Glory's little ones

Despite the cold, the buckling and doeling are still doing well this morning!  These are still photos from last night. 

Hard to see this one around Glory's leg, but she is sweet, and the more shy of the two.  She looks a little more like her Daddy.

These kids are sired by Huey- and oh so cute!

Hey, mama, what are you eating?  Can I have that?

Welcome to our world

Well, she waited until the first freeze, and Glory blessed us all with two kids just before midnight.  One more silvery one (the buckling), and a slightly darker one(the doeling).

Both little ones are nursing well, the more silvery one is seeming more adventurous fromt the start.

Glory is a good little Mama, it will be fun to watch these grow!

Playing with copper treatments...

Been playing with heat treatment for different colors in copper.  Looks a little industrial to me, but rather fun and funky! 

Have some great little blue topaz stones to put in the tube settings of the crinkly one.  Love the purple effect directly obove this paragraph!

Gonna pick up some Renaissance wax tomorrow to seal in the colors, set the stones for below after that.  Looking forward to seeing if the colors look different after sealing!