A Book Give away from a MJ Farmgirl

Run over to www.notquitejunecleaver.wordpress.com/ and enter in her wonderful book give away. "French General Home Sewn" is being offered along with a great apron. I have been looking at adding this bood to my collection so I hope you will not think of me poorly when I say "I REALLY hope I win" Good to all.

Mom you forgot something - CONTEST TIME

Llama Boy is right - We have two sets of twins without names. Esmaralda's girl and boy and Rebecca's girl and boy. Born on the same day and this tired, bruised old gal just has not had the brain cells to come up with names.....

Sound's like a contest to me Llama Boy - so here are the rules:

1. When responding you need to let me know for which set of twins you are giving the names for.

2. If you have a reason for picking the names (ie., story, favorite lost friend, or whatever)just please do not make it too hard to say. This old gal has too many kids to call in the pasture.

3. Be creative but not too weird - just becaue our name is Larkspur Funny Farm does not mean I wish to scare the little sweet one's with a horrible name.

4. You can enter as many times as you would like - the more the better chance of you winning a prize. I promise I will have great prizes.

5. When leaving your enteries please let me know how I can contact you - promise I do not sell names and such - not that computer savy.

So let's have some fun and help me name these sweet one's. Thanks and good luck!

December 17th is a busy day - another set!

Remember how I thought I was going back to the house, well I could not get this battered body off the ground so I just sat in the dirt awaiting the strenth needed to get back. Lucky that I did, because right after Esmaralda delivered Rebecca started into labor. She was stressed from all of Esmaralda's drama and was pacing back and forth for several hours. Then started the pawing and up/down they get into right before delivery. However, she did not seem to be progressing so again I watched. As I sat in the cold barn I wondered how many babies have I seen born in this barn? Enought to know we where in for a bumpy ride. Rebecca was looking at me with that panic in her eyes. Just then I got to my feet and grabbed the vet kit - out popps a baby and right after that another. Normally this means they are dead. I ran in with towels and kit and picked up the first one to wipe down. I cleared his throat and he took a breath. I gently placed him under the heat lamp and repeated the same procedure with the little girl. She was moving but no sounds. I sat her down and stepped back to let Rebecca take over. She went to work quickly and with such purpose. The whole time she was softly talking to them - slow to get a response she pawed at them - it always makes me shutter when they do that but it works. Up pops the little girl and lets out a cry. Then little boy was up and crying also, not sure on their feet but up... Down on the ground I sat again trying to catch my own breath - by the time I could it was 4:00 pm and time to start chores all over again.

Tonight I am taking a very hot, long bath and having a very stiff drink.... I earn my keep today..

A couple of bumpy days

It is no secret that Esmaralda is not my favorite goat - she has always been very hard on the other goats, rude to me but always a great mother to her kids. Monday was a very hard day with her. It all started during chore time - I always feed the mothers who are in pens with little one's first. I then move on to the mothers who are in the main part of the barn. Esmaralda knows this routine but has never agreed with it. While feeding the mothers she decided to explain to me that she was not wishing to wait - she did that by coming from behind and smashing me into the large metal panels. My ribs, shoulder and hand hit with such a force that it knocked the wind out of me and dropped me to my knees. After catching my breath I managed to grab her and take her to an empty pen. As I almost had her in it she tried to charge again and this time Mishka tried to protect me by running inbetween us - I quickly grabbed Mishka and in doing so go hit again. Now I was mad but also in alot of pain. I tied up the pen and finished my chores. I sat in the barn for about a half hour before heading back into the house. That night the two hour checks where very hard - to take a breath was like a thousand knives. I sat in the barn and listened with my stethoscope to make sure everything sounded O.K. Needless to say Esmaralda was on my S**t List.

Two days pasted and I went to the barn early that morning for chores. Same rountine of which Esmaralda was still complaining. Something about her made me decided to stay in the barn - maybe it was because I still hurt so much that staying was better then walking back. Hours passed and I could see she was in labor. Esmaralda is a quite and fast delivery in past years so when it started to drag on I began to get concerned. Then she screaming and rolling on the ground - this is not typical so I got the vet kit, towels and swallowed my pain. I could see three front feet peaking out - again not good. I put the gloves on and told her that no matter what happened a couple of days ago I was here to help and she needed to let me. I think she understood because I came into the pen, pulled her tail up and pushed gently the head and three front leggs back inside of her. I then had to slide my hand in farther to push the second baby back to let the first present. With one contraction I craddled the babies head between my hands and pulled. Out came the first kid - a pure white girl and Esmaralda started to lick the little one. Before she could even clean it's face the second one was well on it's way out. Several pushs later and out came another pure white kid. This time it is a boy. Since Esmaralda has had twins before I stepped out of the pen, tied the pen and sat down to watch. As I said she is a great Mom and those kids where up and nursing in less then twenty minutes. They are strong, playful and large. Even thou we may have our differences (black and blue ribs to prove it) Esmaralda knows that I would move heaven and earth to assist - now if I can only get myself off the ground I might go back into the house.

Sunday is never a day of rest at the Funny Farm

It is 2:15 pm and very cold today but Eva has decided this is the day. She is also a 2007 girl and very small in size. Eva was a twin but I knew she was carring a single. After a normal progression in her delivery out came a pure white kid. She was nervous during the delivery so she backed her butt into the corner of her pen so I could not see her privates - shy and private is Eva's middle names. She would not move so I could get a close look - I gave her all the space she needed. After about twenty minutes I figured enough was enough, she needed to start cleaning the little thing and get him up. I went into the pen and she leaped to her feet. There in the corner the little guy had managed to get his head caught in the pipe along the barn. I took him out and placed him back in the straw. Eva went to work on cleaning him and he kept crawling along the straw on his knees to reach the corner of the pen. Back he placed his head into the wall and pipe. Back in I went again and moved him. This happened two more times when I finally said "My God you sure aren't an Einstein are you"? Perfect name again. Einstein it is - who knows it might just help you strive for some brains??? Believe me, for the next four days I can not remember how many times I had to get him out from the wall and then be began the task of getting caught between the panels. Really - no Einstein here!!

Well I am happy to report his brain cells are all firing now and he now shows all the kids how to get out of pens, out of fences and into the feed room. I guess that name has served him well. That's my boy - Einstein

Twins - we have Twins

On December 12th at 3:00 pm came the first baby - a creamy white with hints of red - a little girl. She was good sized and sound. Maggie who screams the most out of all the goats had just about broken our ear drums but she went right to work on cleaning the girl. Five minutes into the cleaning she started screaming again. Another baby on the way. The girl was left in the straw to fend for herself. At 3:15 out comes the next baby - a pure black boy with a single white band around is right front foot. Maggie has never had twins before so I was very concerned that she would panic and forget to take care of one. The little girl would not be left behind - she struggled to get back to mom and get the rest of her cleaning. Around and around Maggie went trying to figure out what to do - finally I stepped in and wiped them down a bit and placed them side by side. Maggie got the idea and started in on getting them nursing. The little girl was not acting right - I watched and watched hoping Maggie would not decide to only take care of the one who looked like her - the black boy. With every hour that ticked by my insides became knotted. Then something fantastic happened, the little boy eeked his way to his sister and pushed her at Maggie. He did that again and again until she finally nursed. For the next six days I saw the little girls eyesight become an issue - she would walk around the pen with her eyes completely shut. I could not tell if she was going blind or what - I ran eye drops over each eye three time a day, put ointment in them, check them with lights, you name it. I also treated them herbally and I said prayers over them daily. When I would watch her move around the pen with assurance I hoped for the best but was aware of the worst. One morning her name came to me - Murtel because her face looked like a turtle. Those squinted eyes and that turned up smile - yep, Murtel my sweet turtle. Brothers name just followed, as he walks next to her side always making sure she nurses and sleeps - he reminded me of a cute little old man walking next to a dear family member - Marvin is his name. I am so happy to report that Murtel's eyes are all perfect now and the two of them are still next to each other round the clock - What a pair. Maggie loves both of her kids and is doing fantastic at caring for them.

Twelve days later - Kate is delivering

On December 12th at 9:20 am Kate (which is Eboney's baby from last year) gave birth to a tiny little guy. I had hoped that none of the 2007 girls had been bred because I do not believe in breeding till they are at least two years of age, but the best plans around here do not always work. Kate however was a real trooper, very little drama, hardly a peep from her during the delivery and out came this pure white little guy. She went right to work on cleaning him but I was hearing a slight rattle to his lungs. It looks horrible but very effective, you pick up the little one by the back legs and just as with a human baby you wack them on the back to get all the fluids out. I watched him for the next couple of hours and still was hearing some rattling. When the little guy cried for his mommy he sounded like a Kazoo - WOW what a great name - Kazoo!! What is also so funny about him is when he looks at you and talks he holds his left ear down and his right ear up. Such a silly little one but what a snuggler. Since I had to pick him up so many time to listen to his lungs he became very friendly to human touch. Normally I do not handle them much - I want them to bond with their mothers but when there are medical issues then all bets are off. Kazoo also has fuzzy chops and loves to have them stroked. Heck who wouldn't?? Kate's Kazoo plays all the right tunes to my heart song...