The 3 little "Divas"

 Here are the little "divas".  I think I will name them after some of the biggest divas, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross.  These little girls are so sweet. And very special too. I love them.

And Kansas does too. I found this dog cage on CL last week. I went to get it Friday night. It's just perfect for the little divas to go outside with Sandy but be safe from big fat hungry pigs. It would be way too easy for the babies to get into the pig pen which is connected to the goat barn. And it has cattle panels, which a cute little baby goat would fit right through. And I would really hate that to happen. So til they are bigger, or I can, by some miracle, get the pigs moved to the front where I want them to til for me, the babies can stay in this. And Sandy can jump over to get to them. It's only 2' high. And has a little door. And Kansas can protect them too.

So tonight, I noticed the kids are only nursing on one side.  I took Sandy to the milk room and milked out the other side. I strained and put it in a bottle. Went out and fed the littlest diva baby. And she drank over half of it. I guess I'll bottle feed  her a few times a day. She's so small.

3 of them!

Sandy FINALLY had her kids. And she had triplets  And she had ALL GIRLS!!!!!! Girls! 3 girls!!! I keep checking them, just to make sure I'm not dreaming. Because she's ever only had like 3 girls in her 7 years of having kids. This is the 2nd goat that's had triplets here too. The other happened so long ago. And she had 2 boys and 1 girl.

So here they are. A small, medium and large kid, all in order here in this picture. The small one looks like Sandy. The medium dark one has toggles on both sides of her neck. And the biggest white one looks more like a Boer. They are SO cute and adorable. And I love them already.

Sandy is the best mother. She came out of the barn this morning and jumped up on the fence with the other goats for bread. Then she went back out to the barn. I did some things around the yard and later heard a baby in the barn. Ella and ira were outside so I knew something was going on in there.

When I went in, there were 3 kids, all dry and standing up, all full of colostrum. That's how good that goat is. Never ever had a problem with her kidding. She's all fine one minute, then here comes the kids and she's got them all cleaned off and dry and nursing within a few minutes.

Just a little pile of babies, all clean and dry and full. Ready for a nap. That white doe is LOUD. I guess that's the Nubian in her. The dad is Arlo Guthrie, the Boer buck I sold a few months ago. Now I wish I had kept him. Penelope had twin does back in Feb. both his too. So he had 5 doe kids. Should have kept him.

I am so glad that's over and she's ok and all the kids are alive and fine. I was getting a little worried since she kept going on and on. But all is well. And they are ALL GIRLS!

Monday May 13th...

And I still have my down comforter on my bed. It's COLD! And it's MAY! It is blackberry winter here right now. And the temps at night are in the 40's. My garden is a mess. It just can't figure out what to do. It's been cold, wet, rainy, overcast, then dry, hot and humid. Just crazy. I'm going to have to replant okra and kale because it got washed away. I had to replant tomatoes because they were yellow and wilted from all the rain. My kale and collards I planted way back in March are just sitting there, doing nothing. They don't get enough sun where I put them this year. I'll need to replant over on the other side. The cabbage I planted in March has not grown much at all. And radishes, they should have been harvested a month ago. I also planted Provider bush beans from Johnney,s and filed peas and Blue Lake bush beans all on the same day 3 weeks ago. I have seen 3 Provider and about 6 BL beans. And maybe 3 cucumbers. No squash or zucchini at all yet. It's really discouraging too, to see maybe 15 potato plants where I have 8 rows that were planted March 17th. VERY discouraging. But I guess it's like this all over the country right now. And this week, with lows at night in the 40's, the days will be in the 80's. I know that some seeds will be popping up with the sun shining and warmer days. I sure hope so anyway.

I do remember when my daughter Abby was born in '81, getting up at night to feed her, it was so cold. I remember shivering and covering up with her nursing. So maybe it's not so strange.

At least the dandelions are growing really good! I have been making jelly and taking that to market along with the greens and flowers to sell. And there is a  lot more growing out there. I'm going to dick the whole plant, roots and all, and dry them. Then chop up to make a loose tea to sell too. And there are so many more wild plants out there to harvest.

I am also going to start making soap this week. Trying to think up some good combinations to scent them with. I know I'm going to make a Patchouli soap. And some more with bees wax. I am also going to be able to make bees wax candles to sell too.

And I have got to check on the bees again. I had to put sugar water out there for them since it's been so cold. They are all confused too. Poor bees. But they look good and are very active once the sun comes out and warms up a bit.

Sandy still has not had kids yet. I did look on my calendar again and saw another date for May 17th. And that's it. If she doesn't have kids by then, I'll have to call the vet to see what she's swallowed! She can hardly walk right now. Or even get up on the stanchion to eat. Which she isn't really doing much of. She lays around most of the time. But every morning, there she is, sticking her head out the barn door. With no kids.

What's it like at your house these days? Same as mine?

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope you ALL have a very wonderful day, all you mothers out there! You all deserve to be spoiled.

This is for all the wonderful ladies in my life.

This is my mother, Iris. She is THE best mother ever! I love her so much. She is always there when I need her, no matter what. She is the hardest worker too. She just did retire on her 81st birthday. She and my step dad moved up here a few years ago to be closer to us and to doctors and hospitals. Gary, my step dad, had prostate cancer and needed to be nearer to the place where he would be getting radiation. So they found a house that was close. And they love it here. They have the cutest house right in town. And mom has her pretty yard she has filled with flowers and rose bushes and azaleas and so much more. All herself. She mows the yard with a push mower and weed eats too. Rakes leaves. She loves it though. All while looking beautiful! She is always getting compliments on how gorgeous she looks. She's one of those shoppers that can find things that fit ON SALE. And has the perfect shoe size too. She is just amazing. Happy Mother's day, mom! I love you!

And this is my first born, Heather. She has 3 daughters, Chloe, who will be 14 the end of May, Coryn, who is 11 and Kansas, who just turned 10. She is a very hard working woman. Always doing something around here. And is very sensitive and helpful. And she's a great mother. I am proud of her. And I love her very much. Happy Mother's day, Heather! I love you!

This is Abby, my youngest. She and Jason have been married 2 1/2 years now. No kids yet but some day. Right now, they have Daisy. She's so much like a kid. They dress her up for Halloween. She's so spoiled. They have family pictures made with her. She is the best behaved dog out there. And loves everyone she meets. She's my little grand dog. I am so proud of Abby. She works so much and doesn't have much free time, but when something needs to be done, there she is. She is very kind hearted and so sweet. I just love her so much. So I wish her a happy Mother's day too. I love you!

And here is Mrs. T. She is so like a mother to me. She's an amazing lady. 95 years old. She's always saying she's nearly 100 years old. She'll be 96 in July. I was sitting there one day with my camera while she was looking through her memoirs she wrote, snapping pictures of her. This is a picture of her when she was younger. She's a beautiful lady. A real Southern lady in all her ways. She was a teacher for 10 years and an artist and potter. She made some beautiful pottery. I have a lot of her work. She taught my kids art when I home schooled them. I still have some of the things they made. She's a little unsteady now and gets tired and forgetful. But she still keeps us all on our toes for sure! She said yesterday that she's old and not much fun anymore. I had to tell her she is far from dull. She is so funny and me and the other 2 ladies that take care of her have some stories we could tell! I am always going on about something she said or did. She's an amazing lady, Mrs. T. And I love her so much. I wish her a very happy Mother's day. She deserves the best.

Abby

This is my youngest, Abby. It was her birthday yesterday. And I can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. My parents had come up the week before to help with our first child, Heather. Abby was due the 2nd of May. So we waited and waited and waited. And waited some more. All week we waited on that baby to come. But she didn't want to. She was apparently quite happy where she was.

So we went about doing every day things. We loved to go to yard sales and flea markets back then. So that's what we mostly did. Then on Saturday, May 9th, the day before my parents had to leave to go back home,  Abby decided to show herself. And that she did. Very quickly!

We were going to yard sales that morning. I felt a little different. Then things started happening. And fast! We called the doctor. He was at the hospital. He said to come on in, they were having a big baby party. So we went on over. I mean, there were ladies all over that maternity ward, screaming and hollering like crazy! You'd think it hurt or something. When I had Heather, I didn't want any drugs at all. All natural. And she was born after just 12 hours labor. So when I heard all that screaming, I thought it was kind of funny. They took me back in and didn't even have time to do the enema. Right into the delivery room. I remember some of those women glaring at me.

She was born after just a 6 hour very easy labor. And she was just perfect! When Heather was born, she had all this black hair all over her body. Like a little monkey. But Abby was the total opposite. All light and no hair at all. She was a Sherrill all the way. And so beautiful.

All the nurses and doctors were amazed that I got up right away.  Abby had some jaundice, so she had to stay a few extra days. And back then, they let the mother stay too. So I got a lot of rest while there. And this hospital had the best food ever. So it was all good. Daddy was taking care of Heather. I wish I could get some of their baby pictures on here. Because when they took Abby's pictures at the hospital, she was making a peace sign with her right hand. So cute. And it was Mother's Day. So she was my Mother's Day gift. Heather was born the day before my birthday, so she was my birthday gift.

Anyway, happy birthday, Abby! I am SO proud of you and who you have become. I love you so much!

Sourdough starter

Yesterday I got a sourdough starter from a friend. It's a really well established starter. I got home after market and fed it. I wanted to feed it in the morning so fed it again this morning. It was bubbling away already. And really smells like sourdough. I can't wait to make some now. She also gave me a loaf of bread she had made. We swapped goat milk for the bread and starter.

In this picture, you can see how it was already bubbling this morning before I fed it again. And tonight, it's really looking good. I so hope I can keep this going.

Nettles, market and a big fat goat

I was out in the yard yesterday and came across this. I think it's stinging nettle but not really sure because I have never seen it actually growing. It's on the side of the driveway. I hope it is. I would love my own patch of nettles growing right here. I am seeing lots of elderberry bushes popping up all over here too. I just need to invest in bird netting so maybe I can get some of the berries this year. But any thoughts from you foraging folks would be great.

And this is my poor little booth space at the  Main St. farmer's market yesterday. It was a bit breezy which was fine because it was also quite warm there. It's on a busy growing street on the South side of Chattanooga. So lots of business. I sold out of dandelion jelly so am making more today. Also sold a lot of soap which I need to start making more of. My booth smells so good. I get a lot of people because of that. Last week I was on the opposite side where people coming in got to see my booth first. This week I was on the street side and so very different . But made the very same amount of money as last week.

And here is poor big fat waddling Sandy. I just don't know about this girl. The 7th was 155 days according to my calendar so I don't know what is up with her. Tuesday I saw some goo so put her in the stall for the night. Next morning, nothing. So let her out. Yesterday, nothing. This morning, nothing. I have given up worrying and checking on her. If she has kids, that's great. But I am doubting her now. I think she's just a fat pig.

What do y'all think?