This morning my husband took my son to school (actually, my son drove my husband) So I was sleeping late but had to get up to call the vet (my horse's leg is getting worse but considering she is 30...)and my hay guy so I didn't get to sleep that long.

My husband and I cleaned out the goat pen today. He, of course didn't want to use the ATV so he hauled the manure in the wheelbarrow. Unfortunately, I didn't tell him to spread it around when he dumped it so tomorrow I will have to do it. Oh, it was so much easier having help, got it done in no time.

Actually, just in time because one of my does started pawing the ground and groaning. I figured I had time so I went to pick up Gary from school since I had to take him to the doctors.

So, really, he drove to the doctor and I was really good (considering he only had 7 hours behind the wheel)no major panic. It even started raining a little.

When I got back home...ta da!...the baby was there. Only one this time which was disappointing because she had three last year. He is a real cutie. Dark brown with black highlights and a what looks like someone threw white paint on his flank. I hate when they are cute. Harder to get rid of. Tried to milk some colostuim since she only had the one and only got about 3 tablespoons out. I was worried something was wrong with her until I felt his round little tummy. I think he will do well.

So now I'm sitting here feeling crummy because of my allergies. My chest is so tight, I think from all the hay I had to move around. Think I'll put some chest gunk on tonight.

Well, hope everyone is well.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2004

Answers

Dee...I envy you!!! Your goat pen is cleaned out and you have a new baby :-)! No babies for me this year and my goat pen is at least a foot deep with bedding, wasted hay and goat berries!!!!

Do you have a hot air vaporizer?? Maybe they don't even call them "vaporizers" anymore! IMO they seem to help the best for chest congestion when used with Vicks Vaporub. We have a "vaporizer" that we used when our son was a baby and Harry's mom used when he was a kid. Works like a charm!!!

Take care of yourself!!!!!

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2004

Boy, did I have some night terrors after that night.

Day two was just as hard. We moved down the manure pile, cut some cedar posts (had to find them in the woods first) Had the vet come and check on my mare's leg. Said the arthritis seems to be in her knee now. Got some Bute (asprin for you unhorse people) that is apple flavored but smelled like cotton candy. She seems to not mind the taste (I was putting molassas in her food for the crushed tablets to stick to so she would eat it. What a mess) Dug up the grass growing in my new garden ledges. Why is it grass grows crummy where you want it but has no trouble growing where you don't. Accidentally dug up some wave patunas that started growing on their own form seed.

Day three I had decided the day before to take it easy but...moved some more dirt to that space between the neighbors with the ATV. Brought up the cedar posts that were still in the woods. Did some straightening and cleaning until the hay delivery came. Finally petered out and sat on the front porch in the sun rereading my Dragon on Pern book. Decided to go out to dinner so I went to check on my one doe before leaving...ta da...another boy! Gee, they are giving me one at a time this year. Nice conformation on this one but he was inbred.

The skunk trap was closed but no skunk yet. Think I will move it inside, the goat could have climbed on it and closed it before the skunk came. Humm...will have to cover it so I don't get hit walking into the barn.

Where is everyone?

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2004

I called in sick to work on Wednesday, I needed a mental health day. I took a long walk around the property thinking about what I want to put where. Now that the grass is still short I can see that there are old junk piles everywhere. It looks like whenever a piece of equipment broke they just left it there to rust. :) I spent a good part of the afternoon in the woods up by the road picking up the trash people had thrown out of their cars. I was a little concerned because I found a couple cans of starter fluid and some empty packages of cold medicine (potential meth ingredients), but they were pretty scattered apart. I think someone just tossed them out of their car window as they drove past. The fence line is intact and it's pretty exposed up there for anyone to set up a meth lab.

This weekend I went to a Fleece Fair. I took a class on how to knit socks. We just made a baby sock in class to learn how to do all of the parts. Now I have a regular size one on the needles that's about halfway done. I'm making it in gray superwash wool. There were some people there with the same last name as Keith so I spent some time talking to them trying to figure out if they were related. They have a flock of Shetland sheep and they specialize in greys and blacks. I love gray wool so I bought a bunch of roving from them, I was very tempted to buy a black fleece but I resisted. They said that if I'm ever interested in getting started with sheep they'd be more than happy to help me out. I'm thinking about it....(Sheepish, throw some cold water on me quick!!!)

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2004

Dee, where do you get flavored Bute? My sister has a horse that's foundered badly. They may have to put it down but are hoping it's going to get better. Their vet told them that the unflavored Bute is all they make. After reading your post, I told them they need to get another vet!

What do you do with a skunk after you catch it in a live trap?

Wildman, (smelling something funny)

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2004

Sherri, A couple of sheep or three isn't too bad. Maybe you could get those baby dolls or some other exitocs that you can make money on.

Wildman, I think that my vet has it made special. If they want to know, I can take the manufacturer off the bottle. She doesn't seem to mind it at all.

Now, the secret to moving a skunk is simple. You cover it with a sheet and they don't spray what they don't see. When you get to where you are going to let it go, you roll the trap over and the doors open (unless you have a newer trap which is a pain in the butt to open) lift the sheet up in front of you and walk away. The skunk doesn't like being out in the open and will take off. I only had one question me (grunting and bouncing on it's front feet)but because I was behind the sheet he didn't see me.

I forgot, how many weeks until all the trees pop? Oh, my head.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2004

Thanks Dee but don't go to any trouble. They get the Bute down the horse and since it taste bad to them, they figure it'd taste bad to the horse. I don't know but I'm not fond of the taste of grass but the horses seem to love it. Sister is the kind that won't give a bruised apple to the horse because she wouldn't eat it herself. That's kinda odd too since if she buys something and finds she doesn't like it, she brings it to us! I guess it's because we're kinda like Mikey, we'll eat anything.

Good information to know about the skunk. I have always been afraid that I'd catch a skunk when I was trying to catch the coons. If I catch a skunk I'll see if my brother in law won't try your suggestion. He had a lady come over to pick up a friend one evening and she wanted to know if he had any skunks around. She said she just loved the smell. Odd lady.

Wildman, (allergic to skunks)

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2004

Sherri,

I think sheep are wonderful so I'm not going to throw any water! If you do get some, PLEASE start out small! The biggest mistake that I made was to get overly enthusiastic too soon. I started out fine: Two ewes and 3 lambs...then decided I needed to breed the ewes again and brought a ram in. One thing led to another, and before you knew it, I had 24 sheep. Hmmm. Now I'm back to 15 and targeting the magic number of 12.

A handfull of sheep is great...easier to shear, worm, trim, and not too expensive to feed; lovely as pets. Great for wool. Oh yeah, let me tell you how long it takes to process a couple of dozen fleeces every year...

Keep us posted. I've been away from the forum for a while. See my other post.

-- Anonymous, April 18, 2004