Monday, January 13, 2014

These goats.


I was looking out the bathroom window yesterday morning and saw this. How many times have you seen the same thing? At first, I thought she was just in a deep sleep. I called her a few times and got nothing. I ran back in to get boots on and go check on her. Just the way she was laying, I thought she was dead.


Then she gets up. Scares me every time! And it has happened many times. She was just laying there in a very deep sleep, enjoying that nice warm sun.



So I decided to let the goats out on the other side of the fence, in the over grown vine jungle. They love it over there.


Sandy kept going deeper...



and deeper.... til she almost disappeared altogether. I could hardly see her. Must have been some really good stuff back in there.



That lasted about 10 minutes. Then they went out into the wide open pasture next door. Where they are NOT supposed to be, because it's not ours. But they always come back in to their goat yard to rest. I have good goats.

I counted my hay bales a few days ago. I only have 35 bales left. It's about the middle of January. I have been giving the sheep about 1 1/2 bales a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening. They also get grain and bread in the morning. I have 18 sheep til the end of Jan. 2 of the rams go to the butcher. I just might take the other 2 as well. Then I'll just have 14 ewes. Much more manageable for me right now.

The goats get about 5 flakes, plus grain and bread in the morning too. Then more hay at night. I have 4 does and a buck.

The alpacas get a hay feeder full because they are in the back yard right now and there is not much to graze on. Plus they get grain in the morning.

I have decided to only feed hay in the evening from now on. They are all out grazing what they can all day. Plus I go out and cut privet and honeysuckle and cedar for them all to munch on. And I cannot tell if the sheep are pregnant or just fat butterballs. They are huge. If they are pregnant, it will be a few more months, because there are no udders yet. They should all be pregnant because there are 3 rams out there with them and have been for several months now.

There is SO much to do around here. But hubby has a doctor today and some errands to run. I did get in a cleaning mood this weekend. Unusual for me. Could hardly sit still before I'd get up and go clean something. It sure feels good though.

I hope you all have a great week. And stay warm and dry too.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Blue Sunday

 Just some blue to brighten up your day!

















Have a great day y'all!!!

Friday, January 10, 2014

Warm wool. And husband update.

Just thought I'd post some pictures of some of the wool sheep's fleece. I hope it's good come shearing time. Seems like every time I throw hay, all the wool sheep are right up under it. Hay all over the wool. It just falls right off the hair sheep. But the wool sheep wear hay. And lots of little sticks and brambles and anything else that will grab hold of the wool.

I think this is Amarillo in this picture. Her's is really nice and long right now.



And this is Adelaide. Hers is really crimpy but she tends to get really dirty. And she was sick last year so didn't get any of her wool to keep. I hope I can use it this year.



And little Buttercup. She is filthy and stays this way. I'll be washing her fleece for days! Hers is really long and has good crimp too. She's full Finn and so are Adelaide and Amarillo.


I hope to be able to buy some shears soon. I have seen what Premier has and they are pretty reasonable. I'd like to get new ones. Has anyone ever bought used shears? Would you recommend doing this?

It is now back to slippery slimy mud again here. We are due for about an inch of rain by Saturday but noce and sunny Sunday.

Also thought I might better update everyone on my husband. That fall did a number on his arm. I didn't realize how much. It's just like the skin was pulled back. He also sprained his big toe and the one next to it on his left foot. Don't really know when that happened. He said he dropped a piece of wood on it a few days before. But I didn't notice it til the next day when I changed his bandages on his ankles.

So yesterday, he had 2 appointments. The first at 11 with the wound care doctor. He goes every Thursday and every other time the doctor cuts away dead skin and stuff. It's pretty nasty. But to look at the wounds today and when I first saw them, he's doing really good right now.

His other appt. was at 1 with the skin cancer place. He had a few biopsies done a few weeks before on his left arm. The arm he hangs out the window if his truck. It looks pretty bad and I have been wanting him t go get them both checked out. Turns out he had a few places that needed immediate attention. So the doctor did a huge place on his left forearm. Huge. Right above where his arm was already messed up by the fall. So now, he really is looking like a mummy. His whole left forearm covered in gauze. Both ankles and right foot. His knee. He's a mess. But doing pretty good for an ole dude.