No Pain - No Gain

First picture is the egg, second is with two normal size eggs, third picture is a normal size egg and the last picture is what was inside this marvel...

This morning around 3 am as I went to check in on the last two expecting goat hold outs I was in my head as always and walking like a zombie (way too little sleep for way to many weeks) I was snapped into the world around me by this horrible screaming sound from the chicken coop. Not the best way to wake up as you walk...

I ran to the coop and fumbled with trying to get the door open - we had snow again in the night and the lock froze a bit. The sounds coming from behind the doors sent shivers through me. MY POOR GIRLS - what in the world is going on in there??

I got the door finally open and most of the hens where still on the night perch but there was one hen pacing back and forth in front of the nesting box. I went to her, picked her up to calm her and there in the nest was an egg. Normally they are not laying to early so I picked it up and just gasped...

OH MY GOSH - My Butt HURTS FOR HER!!! I checked her vent to make sure she did not rip something... She was fine from what I can tell but being a Mother I know HOW MUCH THIS MUST HAVE HURT.. Poor Sweet One.

So I brought it in and tried to show the difference in eggs. It is not only twice the size but it is long and oval. After breaking it open there are two full size eggs inside. Normally if there is doubles they are smaller but these are full sized. WOW!! She worked very hard for this egg and I will have to find something special to make with these .

What would you make with such a special yet painful gift???

Almost Gone with the Wind

We had a rough night at the farm - Little Girl in the bathroom developed a rattle in her lungs and was not pooping. Talk about me going into worry mode. I had a vaporizer going just like a did with my oldest son and his croup all those many years ago. Then there was the tummy rubs, making her walk around when she did not wish too, the holding and talking to her to keep her engaged and so I could track her better. So as you can tell there was not much sleeping going on for this gal...

By mid morning she still was not pooping and so I thought how about some time outside in the sunshine and walking with something to look at other then the inside of my house. We stepped outside after a half bottle hoping that with food in the tummy and this new movement would get things started. The sun is out and the temp is warm so we stepped out the shop door in faith!

The little one kept on my heels and I really had to watch that she was not going to be kicked or tripped. The birds where out and looking for food before the next change in the weather. The hens gave the little one a nasty look and she kept behind my feet for protection. The tall grass was too much for her so back on the driveway we went. She was starting to pick up speed when suddenly Mother Nature let go of a big gust of wind and there went my little one. She was being pushed along the dirt driveway and I was chasing after her. Oh My Gosh - this is scaring the poop out of her - REALLY as she was being pushed by the invisible hands of the Wind God's she lifted her tail and out came all that was beening stored. I can not believe this - how in the world did the universe know to do this but I am so thankful. I raced after her and grabbed her up before she could get hurt and put her in a windbreak so she could finish the process that had started. With a sweet little grin on her face of relief I waited till it looked like she had finished. I scooped her up and hugged her tight and long as I walked her back into the house.

We walked back to the bathroom and I placed her in front of the space heater. There she quickly lowered her head and drifted off to sleep. Oh how I wanted that too but back outside to check on the remaining three girls who might at sometime deliver . Maybe I should set them out in the wind - if it worked for poop who is to say it might not work for other things???

This is the first time in 15 years that I am thankful for my Wind - I guess I really need to rethink those things that I grumble about because everything has it purpose.

Change - YUCK

What do you think of when I say the word CHANGE??
Does it strike fear all the way down to your toes? Do you break out in a cold sweat and start biting your nails?? Do you race to the medicine cabinet to get a pill or reach for a liquid refreshment to steady your mind? Do you turn into a big puddle of tears with red eyes and nose that makeup can hide. Or are you one of those who start to giggle, rubbing your hands and get a gleam in your eye for a new adventure?? Are you one of those folks who always finds a silver lining while being hit by lightening?? (O.K. that is just not normal - Right?)

Today was very interesting in the world of change. I needed to break down the pens in the barn in order to be able to get the ladies to really start tracking their kids and to get the kids to start listening to their Mothers. It is vital for this to happen if you want them to be safe, sound and start to learn the roles that will carry them through their lives.

I started slowly but within minutes the fear of change hit the barn like a tidal wave. The girls and kids have had three days with their pen gates open and limited time out in the pasture to start the process but the world was changing and they where not too happy. Now mind you they have not been in their pens more then a month max but to them it was like turning their world upside down. No matter how much I talked to them and moved slowly the noise became deafening. Finally I clapped my hands loudly (I have trained all the animals here that the sound of my clapping is a warning to REALLY pay attention) and got them all to quite down and stand still.

Just then I realized I too go round and round, self talk and sometimes to others when change is in the air for me. Over the years I have become rigid to change, maybe down right fearful. I have worked out my patterns of behavior to where I have left no room for change. I have worked so hard to get control over everything that I have forgotten that we really have no control over anything. Now I am great in emergencies and my plans have plans but I saw myself in those scared Mothers.

Once I removed the panels that where no longer needed and got the girls fresh buckets of water and sweet hay the milling around calmed down and the chatter stopped. How could I get that calm about change - no I am not talking about downing large gin and tonics or eating a pint of ice cream. Is it true that if we have the basic needs met we can handle change better? It is that only through time we can come to terms with it? Is it if others are in the same boat we feel better about of survival or at least we know everyone else is miserable? I don't think there is one right answer but I know that for me right now I am standing on the edge of big changes and wondering where that adventuresome gal went??

I am tired of milling around in circles trying to not let change find me...
So here is where I turn to you all - what gets you through Change? How easy are you with Change? What process do you use to get through Change?

Finally Real Food

Now matter how I plan during birthing season not only do I not get to get the required amount of sleep but meals are missed more times then I can count. Since also making major changes to how and what I will eat (no prepacked, processed, chemical coated food) it does make it harder to get the REAL food into this tired body. You can often find in my hand a banana as my dinner or a baggie full of dry rice cereal as I sit in the barn. I know better but really sometimes life here gets way out of control. So today when I found my body vibrating like one of those Magic Fingers Beds in hotels (do they still have those ?) I realized I really had to eat REAL FOOD.

So early this morning after one of the barn checks I started the refried beans and corn. Then this morning I took the organic eggs from my girls and whipped up a Mexican Casserole and finished it off with Salsa Rice. Oh my - I was counting the minutes till everything was done. Pure Heaven and I took my plate with all the mouth watering flavors, the large glass of Pineapple Iced Tea and came upstairs to gobble it up and get more work done. While shoveling in my mouth the incredible food, typing with the other hand so as to not get too far behind in work, I also treated myself to a Netflix movie - Saw VI - I know, bad low rate horror movie. This is just what this tired soul needs - sometimes we just have to feed those demons...

Now, I can carry on without having my body vibrating from lack of real food withdrawals. Oh, got to run - baby bottle time but thanks for letting me share my meal with you, How about you sharing what you are going to be eating today so maybe I can figure something else out besides a banana tonight...

Olivia had a little Gem - Opal

This tiny little Mother is Olivia and she is one of the triplets from Esmeralda last year grouping. I had so hoped she had not gotten bred but I guess my billy can do amazing things through the fence. Anyway it was to late to change things and Monday afternoon she was starting into labor and she was not too quite about it.. She took a very long time to progress in her labor and I was worried we might have a repeat of Monica's delivery. Just as I was getting out all the gear for a problem delivery out pops the very all together baby girl. Screaming and standing the moment she touched the ground.

I quickly sat down and just reminded myself to take a breath or two.. Olivia was really dazed and did not even look at the baby. I started holding my breath again. Crap - no she is not going to do this to this girl. The baby was walking and talking and looking for food. Olivia went to work on pawing the straw - that is a great sign. After an hour of doing that all over the pen and digging up four inches of straw and still not letting this girl nurse I was really getting over the edge nervous. I went in and grabbed Olivia and tried to get the little girl to nurse but she was not going to do it. When I let go of Olivia the baby went right back to trying to nurse. I had to go outside the barn and count to about 100 before stepping back in. Three hours of sitting on my hands and still Olivia was just pawing the straw and moving every time the baby started to get under her.

I decided to go back into the house and give a bottle to the one sitting in the bathroom and make room for another addition. I called my Mother to let her know of the new arrival and then talked to myself as I walked back to the barn. I kept hoping upon hope that she would get it together. She was a daughter of the Devil Goat - what in the world went wrong. As I arrived at the barn door and talked with my pry who was guarding the door I again prayed that I was not going to have another house guest...

As I pulled back the door slowly and entered the barn with my heart beating so hard I thought everyone could hear it - there was the little girl nursing away.. OH MY was she nursing!! So I pulled up my chair and just WATCHED... Olivia was letting this baby nurse and nurse and nurse. I wanted to stand up and clap but I just watched and gave thanks...

So, Another wonderful Mother and a Gem of a new little girl. As for the name it came to me the moment she took her first breath. She is an old soul, a sparkling gem for this farm. She is only a day old and has managed to get everyone of the older kids to come and greet her. Opal is her name.

Eve's Set of Twins

With all that has been going on I forgot to post the information of Eve's set of twins. She will never forgive me for this gross oversight...

On Feb 17 at 3:12 in the morning Eve quietly and quickly delivered her sweet boy. While she went to work and cleaning him and I went in the feed room to get a couple of towels she sat down and went to work on getting the second baby out which is a baby girl. Eve is a shy girl and does not let me get too close so I sat in my chair and pretended not to be watching. Can you guess who her mother is - Yes, the Devil Goat!! Eve has only had a single before so I was a bit worried to see how she would handle two very active kids. One thing I can say about the Devil Goat (Esmeralda) blood line is they are fantastic Mothers. I mean lay down their life, over protective and high efficient Mothers. I do admire that in them.

Eve went to work and got them cleaned and nursing with speed and ease... She got them settled into the hay after filling their bellies and then cleaned up the after birth. I marvel that animals without reading dozens of books on "What to Expect When You're Expecting" or the hundred and one parenting books that we all seem to pour over instead following what our instinct tells us is the right thing. They do not second guess if they fed them enough, tucked them in correctly or if they are being a great parent - they just do it and most do it with great skill and love!!

Eve never leaves her kids wanting for anything - they are the picture of health, happiness and growing like weeds. Such beautiful weeds... GREAT JOB EVE

Monica's Little Girl

Monica was not happy with me trying to take their picture - her foot stomping, snorting and standing in front of the baby took me a good 20 minutes to get just these two pictures. I know they are not the best but I had about 30 blurry ones and only these two you could see that there where goats in the pen inside of ghostly specters dashing around.. The little girl is doing wonderful - playful and eating up a storm... Monica has giving such joy to my heart - I worried after the horrible delivery experience that she would disconnect and I would be raising this one but I could not ask for a better Mother...