Last but NEVER Least

MONICA is her name... The winner of her nameing contest is also MonicaT - Congrat's and her prize is going out Monday morning.

For those who have been following this blog you might recall that Monica is the baby of Masquerade (Mishka's Mother too) who has not taken care of her own babies for the past four years. It was such a thrill to my heart when Masquerade determined that she this time would participate. I will not kid you we both worked at being Mom - I gave bottles while she worked at getting milk in. Then she stood still as I cut some of her massive fiber away from her milk bags so the tiny girl could find them. Last we battled rattling in her lungs. I admit it, many times I stayed in the barn during our bitter snow storms that seemed to come one right after another, to make sure this little girl would thrive. Now, this incredible gal is holding her own with all the little goats and is even throwing a big attitude when things do not go her way. The rattle is almost gone and she is eatting grass and dandelions - also a favorite of her sister Mishka. Monica is a pure Angora and will I hope have the same wonderful long lockets that Mishka carries. We are all thrilled with the mothering skills of Masquerade and the strong will of Monica.

On a side note - Mishka is heartbroken that Masquerade took care of Monica and not her. Mishka would sit next to the pen they where in trying to get her mother to notice her too, but all Masquerade would do is bit her ear and push her away. So poor Mishka became even more of a clinging mess. I could not move without her under foot. Her need for me to hug and snug her grew a million percent but that is what us two legged mothers are for. Poor Mishka...