What a Perfect Boy "Monk" Is

As you can see "Monk" is one impressive young billy. I admit, he also has the sweetest heart just like his Great Grand Dad "Thor" but with fleece has exceeded all my hopes. He is a Cashgora which means his fleece will brush out like a Cashmere but will have at least double the length of a Cashmere and a sheen that is more like an Angora. The other benefit to this type of fleece is the price tag it yeilds, in past years this quality of fleece fetched $19.50 a half ounce - you heard me right!!!
Each time I go in the barn "Monk" greets me with kind rubs on my leg and kisses on my hands. As I stroke his fantastic fleece and kiss the bridge on his nose, his eyes just melt. He was first born and gently commands the lead of all the goats - a true herdshire in the making. I could sit for hours hugging and petting him and he sure would let me but I must not forget to share the others with you.

Catching you up on the Goaties - Marvelous Mishka

More like Mischief, Messy and My Big Baby!

Mishka is having a great time standing on the hay bales feeding herself. I let her come into the feed room to eat by herself because the other older goats bully her at the feeders and will not let her have a turn. It is hard to believe the length of her locks and if this weather would ever straighten out I will be cutting them soon. I also have to report that the horn that was damaged by Esmerelda awhile ago snapped off while trying to play with the boys (really I think they where just getting to be too horny for her). Luckly, no blood and it was a clean break but now she is glued to my leg even more then in past times if that was possible...

She is such a sweet girl but very needy - I think if she had her way she would still live in the house and sleep in my bed. NO that is not happening but she asks everyday. I admit I do baby her but isn't that what a mother is for???

Another Snow Storm - ENOUGH ALREADY

This is the three snow storm in six days - I love snow but really !!!

Monday morning the weatherman stated that there was NO SNOW for my neck of the plains - so what do you call this??? You know I sure would like a job where you could be wrong most of the time and still get paid - how about you??

I am sorry for not getting back to you all sooner. In between snow storms I have been busy as a one winged bee outside. If I was not picking myself up out of the mud ( wrong end of the body to do any good )that I slipped into while trying to dry out the barns, I was frantically cleaning the chicken coop out so the girls could see clean ground and start Spring (Yeah like that is coming anytime soon) with new bedding. I decided not to share the photo's of the mice I cornered and killed in the coop - for those who read this while eating would not toss their cookies. This is the first year I have ever had mice in the coop and boy was I MAD. I found their nests and killed dozens of babies too. I hate to do that but they carry way too many bad things for the chickens and even my lungs to let them stay. This may sound stupid but I gave them several warnings for the past week that if they did not pick up and leave before I started cleaning it was on them. I know THE FUNNY FARM way of doing things. Really I try not to hurt ay creature but I admit it I KILL SPIDERS - yes, I know they are great for the enivornment but if you come into my house or cross my path I have no choice but to kill you. We have many deadly spiders out here and I am not going and getting my glasses to see what you are - I have to kill you. My karma is going to suffer but I think with all I do otherwise I am still chaulking up more good then bad - at least that is what I tell myself.....

LOOK - Cookies for Me

I baked these lovely little cookies this morning as a reward for going out in the snow storm AGAIN - last measurement was 9 inches deep and that was 11:00 this morning - still coming down hard and heavy. Enough of that on to the COOKIES !

This is a very easy but very yummy cookie.

ROYAL TEA COOKIES
1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Jam or Jelly (any favor that you wish)
Beat butter and sugar slowly until creamy. Add extracts and beat till well blended. Add dry ingred's slowly. Shape into 1 inch balls on a greased sheet. Make a well in the center of the dough ball but do not go to far or the Jam will run out. Place jam or jelly in the center and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Makes about 2 and 1/2 dozen.

I can not wait for my cup of hot herbal tea and a couple of these cookies. The cookie on the right is Fig and on the left is Orange Marmalade ENJOY

HAPPY EASTER

The Easter Bunny is lost in our SNOW STORM

It started to snow around 3 am and is still going strong at 6 pm. These are photos of around 9 am but now the snow has trippled in depth and I just got in from chores and knocking the heavy wet white stuff off the pinon pine in front of the house. I know for some this might have ruined their Easter but I keep thinking it will give a a few more days of no Fire Dangers.

The peace and quite that comes with this storm is a gift I can not fit into a basket and besides it is a great reason not to have to wear an Easter Dress!!

It's all in the effort!!

Look what I found while collecting eggs this morning - one of my sweet girls gave her all but came up with a tiny round egg. That's right ROUND! The tiny round egg is less the an inch high. The eggs my girls produce are extra large so this was very interesting....

I never judge my girls and no one is telling me who worked so hard to produce this tiny creation - What a special gift...

Counting My Blessings

I could not believe the marvelous day I had - 70 degrees with not much wind. Eight birds nests gracing the pine tree outside my kitchen sink window. Sweet new baby goats in the barn coming up to me to give hugs and snugs without me chasing them in the pen. Farm fresh eggs from my hens whipped up to make my famous French Toast for breakfast. Talking to my youngest son on the phone about his bright future. Doing heavy manual labor getting the farm ready to greet Spring in a high stepping fashion. All the while thinking in two days I will turn 50 years young and each day is a true blessing.....

What do you count in your blessings?