Reflections: 1st half of 2013

2013 started off wet. We had rain every day here. Floods all over. It was messy. And cold too. Not a good way to start a new year. And it flooded the gardens every time I'd plant them. Never did get a good garden to grow. The fall garden did the best.

I had bought 2 new does in December. One was pregnant. Very pregnant. Trudy had twin kids in Jan. A boy and a girl. She was the first of many to kid and lamb here at Outback Farm this year.

Next was Abby and Penelope. They were in the same stall and had theirs the same morning. I could tell right away who's was who's. So I took Penelope and her twin doe kids to the other stall. Got them all situated and fed. Penelope was a first freshener. I sold her kids at just a few weeks old and milked her every day til last month.

 Abby had twin buck kids. Looked just like her. She was 12 years old when she had them. She had trouble before they were born. And she went down hill after. She never did get better. I put an ad on CL, trying to sell the kids and take some stress off her. They sold that day. But she kept getting worse and worse. I had her put down late on a Sunday night. The saddest day ever. First goat I ever lost. I had her 9 years. I miss her still. She was  the best milker I have ever had.

Then the sheep started lambing. It was wet and so cold. The ewes got sick, one after the other, right after lambing. Had the vet out and got them all straightened out. We had 8 new lambs.

  Fiona didn't want her little red lamb. I found her outside that morning, trying to find her mommy. I had to go get matching sweaters and put them on the girls. She finally would let little Bonnie Belle nurse without trying to kill her. But she could only nurse from the back. She's the prettiest sweetest lamb ever.

I also got pigs. I had them about 3 months. Then sold them to a friend up the road. Didn't miss them at all.

  Got 2 doe rabbits too. I kept them several months. Then after they kept digging out from under the pen too many times, I sold them too. I guess certain things are just not meant to be  for me.

 And I got a hive of bees. I loved those bees. Had them a few months. Then wax moths got in and took over. Lost all the bees. They just left. I will have more in the spring.

That's the first half of 2013. I'll try ti get the last half up tomorrow. It sure was a busy full year here. Lots of good times. And lots of sad times too.

Wishing you all a very happy new year!