Busy day
Don't bother me....
I had to drag myself out of bed this morning because we stayed at Peter and Peggy's house until 3:30 in the morning! They are well into their eighties, but every time we visit lately we end up staying there until the wee hours of the morning. We have a lot of fun, but it's never good the next day. We came home at 3:30 in the morning, and I went to the barn to feed, let the dogs out, fed everyone in the house, and about 4:30 AM or so, finally got into bed.
So I got up to the barn this morning to let the goats out and Bucket was running in front of me and I had to look twice. She has started to bag up. It's close. It could be anywhere from one month to three days, but I know she's not a month away. She is between 135 and 137 days right now. So it could be anytime over the next couple weeks or in the next few days. I'll have to watch her closely.
Biscuit is starting to act strange, not sure if she wants to go outside, jumpy, more cuddly with me. She has not really started to bag up but her teats are swelling. So today I had to get their pens ready since they will have to start staying in more often now that it's getting close. Bucket for sure will be early. She bagged up last year and kidded within 48 hours. So we'll see what happens. I'm couldn't be more stressed out about this. But that's normal.
So I got up to the barn this morning to let the goats out and Bucket was running in front of me and I had to look twice. She has started to bag up. It's close. It could be anywhere from one month to three days, but I know she's not a month away. She is between 135 and 137 days right now. So it could be anytime over the next couple weeks or in the next few days. I'll have to watch her closely.
Biscuit is starting to act strange, not sure if she wants to go outside, jumpy, more cuddly with me. She has not really started to bag up but her teats are swelling. So today I had to get their pens ready since they will have to start staying in more often now that it's getting close. Bucket for sure will be early. She bagged up last year and kidded within 48 hours. So we'll see what happens. I'm couldn't be more stressed out about this. But that's normal.
Dozer and Waddles
The two buckling's in the barn had a blast playing and jumping this afternoon. They are growing like weeds and getting stronger everyday. Izzie ignores them most of the time, like two annoying little brothers, but she'll stop to play a little bit once and a while. She's too busy looking for food now that she's figured out hay and grain are edible and both located just outside of her pen in the barn. So when I let her out she samples the hay and looks around to try and locate the grain bins.
It's nearly 40 degrees F today. The snow is heavy, wet, melting. We've got a lot of bare ground. Kevin went back to the Cedar swamp to look for dead cedar trees since we need to start hauling them in for the raised beds and for firewood to keep the sap boiling. I went out to join him after I finished getting pens cleaned out in the barn. The sap is running now and we'll need to start work very soon. We noticed today that the soft Maple tree's buds are starting to pop.
Kevin had been walking around and had found an antler, right near where we got our Christmas tree. We'd been looking there in December because there were multiple rubs and we know Torn Ear hangs out back there. Sure enough now that the snow is melting, there was an antler lying right near the rubs. It is probably 2 years old and it was in an area where the mice had been eating and chewing things up, so the antler did get eaten on the ends by the mice.
One of the smaller rubs
Where the mice had been eating
a bigger rub, and can you see the antler in this picture?
We walked around and enjoy the warm weather. We haven't been back to the cedar swamp for a while. Much to our complete surprise we found an Osprey nest which was never there before. It is a sight to see. I'm really excited because now this spring, I'm going to hide and watch and see if anyone comes to the nest. How neat would that be? I found the perfect spot to hide and watch too.
We found lots of animal tracks, lots of coyote, and even some beaver tracks that were not disturbed. The ice on the pond is still thick. It's one of my favorite ponds on the property.
We walked around and enjoy the warm weather. We haven't been back to the cedar swamp for a while. Much to our complete surprise we found an Osprey nest which was never there before. It is a sight to see. I'm really excited because now this spring, I'm going to hide and watch and see if anyone comes to the nest. How neat would that be? I found the perfect spot to hide and watch too.
We found lots of animal tracks, lots of coyote, and even some beaver tracks that were not disturbed. The ice on the pond is still thick. It's one of my favorite ponds on the property.
Beaver tracks
In the ice
The fluffy part of the cat tails, it's super soft. Makes great firestarter.
We found loads of dead cedar trees to pull out, but by the time we got done walking around it was 5 PM so we started for home. I had to go put the animals in the barn and Kevin looked for more antlers on his way out.
We found loads of dead cedar trees to pull out, but by the time we got done walking around it was 5 PM so we started for home. I had to go put the animals in the barn and Kevin looked for more antlers on his way out.
All three antlers Kevin found
I felt so bad putting Bucket in her own stall, even though she's next to all her friends, but it had to be done. She's very close and can't be with the other goats as she prepares to kid and most importantly, when she kids. She handled it well, and so did they since they could still see her and touch her.
When I got home from the barn, these characters were standing beside the house.
I have been craving lasagna forever. But I haven't had the time to make it since every time I decide I'm going to, it's to late to start it and I'm too tired. I found this great recipe for "skillet lasagna", which was super easy so I figured I'd give it a try since I had everything I needed. But I didn't have high hopes.
It turned out... so, so, good. I could easily give up making lasanga the normal way and just eat this. I used a big pot because my skillet wouldn't hold everything, but it turned out the same and the noodles cooked well, the flavor was dead on, I mean it was like mom's lasanga in a pot. So good. We both had seconds. We'll be having this again, and again, I'm sure. You can find the recipe here:
http://bigflavors.blogspot.com/2009/03/skillet-lasagna.html
I used some of my fresh tomatoes I had canned and they were wonderful, just as flavorful as when they came out of the garden. Lots of beautiful ricotta cheese... can't go wrong.
Sammy Saanen is getting around really well. His cold continues to nag him and he hates getting his eyes and nose washed by his mama, but he's as patient with me as he can be. He adores the dogs and loves playing and even does goatie jumps and runs, except he slips a lot because the floor is hard to get around on. He thinks he's a dog now, at least that's how he acts. It's a lot of fun watching them play.
Now off to watch the bobsled qualifying and finish my seed order to send away. I'm almost finished with it, just checking it twice. I also found the number of a fella I've bought older laying hens from before... I called him up and he said he had some hens for sale right now. When I say older, they are a year or over, which means they still lay, but lay less. But they will lay plenty of eggs for us. Yesterday I was short one egg for a recipe and that just cannot happen out here. We need some more layers! And he has Reds, which are my favorite.
I felt so bad putting Bucket in her own stall, even though she's next to all her friends, but it had to be done. She's very close and can't be with the other goats as she prepares to kid and most importantly, when she kids. She handled it well, and so did they since they could still see her and touch her.
When I got home from the barn, these characters were standing beside the house.
I have been craving lasagna forever. But I haven't had the time to make it since every time I decide I'm going to, it's to late to start it and I'm too tired. I found this great recipe for "skillet lasagna", which was super easy so I figured I'd give it a try since I had everything I needed. But I didn't have high hopes.
It turned out... so, so, good. I could easily give up making lasanga the normal way and just eat this. I used a big pot because my skillet wouldn't hold everything, but it turned out the same and the noodles cooked well, the flavor was dead on, I mean it was like mom's lasanga in a pot. So good. We both had seconds. We'll be having this again, and again, I'm sure. You can find the recipe here:
http://bigflavors.blogspot.com/2009/03/skillet-lasagna.html
I used some of my fresh tomatoes I had canned and they were wonderful, just as flavorful as when they came out of the garden. Lots of beautiful ricotta cheese... can't go wrong.
Sammy Saanen is getting around really well. His cold continues to nag him and he hates getting his eyes and nose washed by his mama, but he's as patient with me as he can be. He adores the dogs and loves playing and even does goatie jumps and runs, except he slips a lot because the floor is hard to get around on. He thinks he's a dog now, at least that's how he acts. It's a lot of fun watching them play.
Now off to watch the bobsled qualifying and finish my seed order to send away. I'm almost finished with it, just checking it twice. I also found the number of a fella I've bought older laying hens from before... I called him up and he said he had some hens for sale right now. When I say older, they are a year or over, which means they still lay, but lay less. But they will lay plenty of eggs for us. Yesterday I was short one egg for a recipe and that just cannot happen out here. We need some more layers! And he has Reds, which are my favorite.
