Here Comes the Rain Again

I haven't heard that song in a long while.  It sure applies to this week.  There is only suppose to be 2 sunny days in the next 10, ouch. This a little video I took of sounds before a rain storm.

Today I'm feeling rather glum with the gray sky.  I'm suppose to head to town to get groceries.  Do I feel like it?  NO!  Daughter's 2 and 3 and their friends will be here this weekend, also the 2 extra we already have here, so I guess we are going to need some vittles to feed them with.  At least Brad will have plenty of help cleaning out the barn tomorrow.  I'm heading to town tomorrow to volunteer my time with the Hanna Rummage Sale.  All proceeds go to the hospital auxillary.

Just came back from the barn.  All looks good down there.  The goats don't really want to go out today, too dreary.  Only a few die hards are actually at the feeders.  Even our bucks haven't ventured out yet. For two days now 2 little kids that were were bottling haven't been drinking from the feeder.  The milk is a little soured but not curdled., but their little bellies seem rounded and full, so I guess mom is producing more milk than she was and they are getting enough from her.  I think I'll make them each a fresh bottle tonight , just to make sure.  It is so hard to tell with some of the babies.  Some are just naturally long and lean.  I think it is time to start watering down the milk for the older bottle babies.  They should be getting weaned soon.  They are down to 2 feedings a day--oh the freedom when I don't have to bottle them anymore.  I can actually be away for the whole day.
I guess I'm off now to clean up and head to town.  Talking to mom this morning and she'd really like to see me today.  Aspirin here I come and maybe my headache will be gone when I get there.

Days Go On

Sad news again today.  B20:  A mama goat with a 3 month old died today.  She succombed to her injurys from her encounter with the hay feeder.  Along with our inexperience as vets.  Otherwise all seems to be going well at the barn.  Our 3 oldest bottle babies are weaned.  They don't know it yet and still come around at feeding time.  Hopefully by the end of this week they will 'get' it.  We have the 2 biggest bottle babies out of the toddler room and getting 2 feeds per day.  Also My Boy is still bottled.  Currently we have 2 moms in the nursery with their babies and 1 in the birthing pen.  B40 and her babies will be dealt with tonight and tomorrow they will go out into the common room.  Our newest B70 will be sent into the nursery.  We still have 5 in the pregnancy room but I'm pretty sure only 1 or 2 are actually pregnant.  We have a couple that are quite skinny and we're hoping that all our troubles are over and we can just grow these babies without any more incident and sell them.  Then we'll decide what we are going to do:  sell the herd totally, sell partially, or breed in 2 cycles.  What we have going now is too much work.

Easter was good.  We had dinner at mom's and the kids did an Easter Egg hunt.:

That was on Good Friday.  Sat we lazed around the house and just did the chores that really needed doing.  Sunday we went into the city and picked up the kids and went to Laura's for dinner.

There we were treated to a great meal and great company.  The youth outnumbered the older, but I guess that is the way.  Shelby even made us homemade ice-cream.  I have to get me one of those machines.

Then life went back to normal.  We got home late, did chores and went to bed.  Monday was just a day at home.

I haven't been crafting much.  I started my April block of the month, but haven't gotten very far.  I have all the materials to start another quilt and would like to.. boy this is addictive.  I put a few stitches in Justine and Eddie's wedding sampler, but I really don't think it will be done in time.  More likely an anniversary one.  I'm stuck on my flower of the month cross stitch due to lack of the proper threads.  That will be corrected on Friday when I go to town.

The wedding is moving ever forward, but my housecleaning is not.  I'm posting a link of a book I'd like to get to maybe help me.

31 Days to Clean

I guess I'll just have to be happy knowing that not too many people are staying at my house during the wedding time.
I think I'll close with that for now.  Laundry and dishes are calling..Not too loudly but calling just the same.

Busy couple weeks

Hello again,
We've been fairly busy the last little bit.  My brother and his family came for almost a week and with that a visit from 2 uncles, an aunt and a cousin.  Also a trip to my mom's for a meal.  The snow has been making chores a disaster.  We've had blowing and drifting snow.  The drift in the alley at the goat pen was over 6 feet high.  We had to plow that out 3 times.  It took well over 2 hours each time.  The poor goats actually were trapped at their hay feeder one day because the snow drifted back in from 9 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon.  Most of that snowy area has melted substancially and things are looking very springy these last few days.   We've also really started to have our last set of babies.. about time.  We've had 8 moms deliver in the last couple weeks.  Only like 10 more to go or so..We are currently having a little bout of colds go through our babies.  We gave some medicine to several and we'll check throughout the week to make sure it isn't progressing.  Our bottle babies are now starting to go out for most of the day.  We let them drink a bit of milk in the morning then bring them out of their pen until about 3:30, then they go back in for the rest of the day and night.  Soon they'll be able to just stay out all day and only drink twice a day.

On the craft front...I've been working away at my monthly projects as well as my quilts.  Only 2 more blocks to go on my first block of the month, then I can try sewing it together.  I have class in 2 more days for my newer block of the month.  I also started knitting again.  I'm now making a halter top with cotton yarn (hopefully my child will like it) and I'm making a baby sweater set for my one day--hopefully -- grandchild--when those are done, I'd like to start a knitted dress for my other daughter.
I spent all day Sat. at a fundraiser craft day.  We just sat and visited and crafted all day.  I finally completed Justine's grad pages in her scrapbook.  Only a year late.  Maybe I'll be more with it for Rachel's.

I guess that is all for now.

Happy Spring

Well I posted some pictures on facebook the other day of our beautiful spring weather, like these ones.

But, today I have to post, sadly, another winter type picture.

We are going to be blasted all this week by more snow.  Fortunately it is suppose to be fairly mild as well.
All the wet weather has made all the little baby goats hair curl.  It is quite cute.  Sorry I didn't have my camera to take some pictures.
Our latest happening in the barn was a little gal who got herself caught in the creep feeder.  Her little horns are just long enough to get stuck.  I don't think she'll be trying the feeder anytime soon.
We have currently had 5 newer moms.  They are in a little area all to themselves as their little ones just aren't as big as the others and I don't want to risk an accident.  So far so good with them.  That is about it for farmland..Oh I did buy a couple packets of seeds this week, but considering the amount of snow we still have I don't think I'll be starting them anytime in the near future.

Crafting news.  I got my 2 blocks of the month done for March and also finished a block from my Thimbleberries quilt.  I also ordered some fabric to finish Justine and Eddie's quilt and it has finally arrived.  Now to get going on it to get it finished and to the quilters to be quilted.  I want it done right.  I've been plowing through my SAL's and not getting very far.  I am missing a DMC colour and won't be able to finish it until I get it.  I get quite annoyed when that happens.

We are getting company this week.  My brother and his family, my uncle, my aunt and uncle and my cousin.  Also Danielle is coming home to visit the relatives. So...I guess I'll be cleaning and not getting much else done.
That is it for now.. see you all next time.

Eating Again

Well after 3 days of pretty icky weather, it cleared up and stablized.  The goats finally went out to eat again.  They really don't like the wind.  Brad gave them 4 fresh bales and it should be great today.  On the sad part we lost out latest 2 little twins.  I guess their mama knew something we didn't when she rejected them--although if she hadn't rejected them they might have lived. 

They both died the exact same way a day apart.  I'm not sure why and we can't find anything in any of our readings.  We have another older baby on her way out--isn't drinking.  We think we located her mom and she does have milk--although it doesn't look like much--but she won't drink.  We forced a bottle (didn't take much force as she had no energy to fight) into her, so hopefully she will be alive when we got down there in half hour.  I'm really mad that we didn't investigate the herd we got before we bought.  We just trusted these guys because they were a friend of a friend.  Never again.  Rachel and I are sure that at least half our herd came to us infected and that is what is causing our problems. I also had my video running and caught a bit of our babies playing.

On the quilt front.  I screwed up my wedding quilt.  I changed the colours from the pattern, but didn't write those colour changes down in the pattern and ended up using the wrong piece for the frame around the blocks.  I ran out of course and my store, of course, doesn't have any more.  Then there was the trouble of the piece I was suppose to use for that purpose now has to be used for the other piece's purpose.  Will there be enough?  My quilt lady says 'just enough if you don't mess up'.  I managed to track down 2 yards of the stuff I messed up with and it should be here in a couple weeks.  I had to order it from the States http://www.azquilts.com
It looks like the right piece so cross your fingers.  At any rate that quilt is on hold until the fabric comes in.  So back to my block of the month.  Not sure if I mentioned that I found my missing 3 blocks, so I can carry on with that.  I made a bit of progress on my Stitchalongs.  I framed one--still waiting for that pattern to arrive by mail--and framed and started the second one.  I have misplaced my other SAL for February so I guess today's chore will be finding it.  I have March's sitting here, but can't stitch that without February placed.
Rachel has been home this week for reading week and I've liked her company.  I feel bad that we really haven't done much fun stuff while she's been here, but I guess she knows what our life is like.  I wish she planned to move back home for a bit after school, but she wants to get right out there working and being with friends.
Well off to the barn I go..

New One

Well after a dry two weeks, we've had another mom give us twins.  They are very very little and weak.  I don't expect one of them to make it.  Mom is very skittish and doesn't seem to have an interest in the babies.  I'll check on them in a couple hours to see if anything has changed.  I really don't want anymore bottle babies, but ...
Our little floppy head baby is still holding on, but I'm not sure how much longer she can.  From what we can tell she has extensive nerve damage.  Her legs and always shivering and she has no control over her functions except her head.  She manages to still drink her bottle.  We have several sneaky petes in the barn too always trying to get milk from those who are not their moms.  Some are very skinny and probably need to.  I really wish we had tagged these babies.  We have a mom or two whom I suspect has dried up and we haven't a clue who their babies are to bottle them.
I still have mixed feelings as to whether I want to just downsize our herd and keep them or actually sell everything.  Life would definiately be easier without them, but I do like watching and interacting with the moms.  Maybe we should give it a chance with a smaller herd and maybe we'll like it more.  It could be a difficult decision though as to who stays and who goes.  Some of the moms will be easy to decide upon.  Nature is taking care of some of the culling.  We've lost a few and at least 3 more look like they won't be around too much longer.  We're not sure what is causing it, but hopefully come spring when they can get out and graze things will look better.  I'm sure in about 2 months or so our first babies will be ready to go.  They sure are getting fat and big.  We'll also send a batch of adults that we no longer want then.

I've started Justine and Eddie's quilt.  I'm not sure I'm cutting it right for the amount of fabric, but hopefully it will work out.  I think this one I'll take and have quilted because I would like it done for their wedding.  I'll get the top done in time, but no way will the rest get done. 
I'm missing 3 of my blocks of the month.  I cannot find them anywhere in the house.  I know I have them, but where oh where are they?  I got on a roll stitching those up and now have to stop until they can be located.  My new block of the month is meeting on Tues. next week.  I'm looking forward to getting out I think.  I don't like hauling all my stuff over all the time, but it gives me help and conversation and a change of scenery.  I'm also going to be starting 2 new SALs.  Funky Flowers and EMS Flowers.  There are several of us in my online group that are going to be doing this.  I just need to be a little more organized and set time aside to do them.

Tonight Brad wants me to go with him 1.5 hours away to look at a snowmobile.  I'm not happy with the decision of his to get one, but he feels it will be useful for hunting coyotes.  Sure...
After he told me that all guilt from buying 'stuff' on the weekend went right out the window.  Since we only have enough snow one out of every three years to even use it, I'm sure it will sit in the shed like the motorbike.  Boys and their toys...

Well time for breakfast and tea now, and to check on Taylor to see if he is doing his school work without being told.  hahahahaha

Update

It's been quite a while since I was last on here.. Busy busy.  Taylor and I have been down at the barn 3 times a day to feed and watch for new ones.  We are down to 29 pregnant does.  There may be some in there that aren't pregnant but we won't know until we're down to the last.  A pregnancy test would be easier, but more expensive than waiting.  We now have 15 bottle babies--12 in a pen and 3 out.  We've bought 2 milk feeders, but the babies seem to like having the physical contact of people and they seem to only drink from it if we are there.  That isn't the purpose  :(   We have lost 3 babies recently to malnutrition (we believe)  Brad mentioned the possibility of mouse poop poisoning as there seems to be quite a few mice in the creep feeder.  We haven't figured which is better, the chance of the goats dying from toxemia from the cat poop or dying from eating bad mice poop.  I think we should stick a cat or 2 down there.  The problem would be keeping them in there.  They aren't used to the barn or the goats and I don't think the mice would be enough of a lure to keep them there.  I'm hoping Brad will take our first shipment of goats to the market on March 12.  I figure the bucks and any moms who have dried up or didn't have babies can be sent.  That will clear out several and we can then shift the older/bigger babies and their moms into a different area.  Will he agree?  The babies are now hopping all around and jumping up and down on the little snow banks around the barn.  It is so fun to watch.  I'll have to get a picture or video--maybe later today.

Well craft wise,   I'm trying to catch up on my 2010 block of the month.  I'm on July now.  I'm also working on the 2011 block of the month.  They are doing 2 a month and so far I'm on April.  Still on track.  I joined a few SAL's for cross stitching and it is hard trying to keep up.  We had our book club meeting and it was fairly good.  They haven't yet picked another book, the leader Janice is going to do that.  I also went to my first Homeschool meeting since moving here.  It is in Stettler.  The ladies all seem nice.  It is a fairly laid back group, mostly a social gathering over coffee.  I mentioned that I would like some topics every now and then, not just gabbing.  We'll see if anything comes up.

Well on to the rest of my day.  Happy Valentines in case I'm not on here again before then.