Edith

 Edith is one of the only chickens here that is laying eggs at the moment. This crazy chicken... All of the chickens and the roosters have been using the pen where the baby goats are now for whatever chickens do. The shelter we have for the babies is actually where George was stuck when it snowed. Anyway. There are pine shavings in the shelter now so it’s warm and comfy. This morning I’m all the hoopla with the babies, Edith decides she is going to go hang out in the shelter. It may be because we were working on the area where she usually goes in and out of the shop to lay her egg. This girl lays an egg in the goats shelter. I’m telling, these animals make me laugh. 

Go figure

 Ronnie went out to feed this morning while I was still asleep. He comes back in the house and tells me he needs help because the babies got out. I wish I had pictures but I don’t. I hurry up and get up. I walk out of the house and see the babies at the fence looking at Carlos, Hercules, and Lucky. I’m not sure how long they had been out but like goats do, they didn’t go anywhere. I put some feed in the bucket and after some convincing, they followed me back in. Ronnie and I were looking but could not find anywhere they could get out. We had discussed maybe they jumped on top of the shelter and jumped the fence. I really just didn’t see it since they are so small. Well, while we were trying to figure it out, Buckwheat decides he is leaving and he goes over to a spot that neither of us would have even seen. At the end of the fence where it meets up with the shop there was a small opening that they could get out of. Now that’s fixed. I’ve been out several times this morning checking on them and they are still where they should be. Oh this will be fun. 

New residents

 We have 2 new residents here. They are 2 Nigerian dwarf goat kids.  They are named Buckwheat and Porkey after characters in the Little Rascals.  The names were already there and we liked the names so they will remain.  They are 5 months old. Looks like I might be their 3rd home. They are not too impressed with humans at the moment. I adopted them. Romeo needs some friends, so I adopted these 2 babies. They are not friendly yet but I have no doubt they will get there. They are twins and cannot be without each other. I’m glad I took them both. They need each other and are definitely bonded. They follow each other and they have to be within each other’s sight. I haven’t had kids this young so this will be an experience. I’m up for it. We did not put them in the field where the others are since they are so small and do not know us. We have a spot behind the shop that had a small shelter in it and it is lit up well. Ronnie did a few modifications and I put shavings in the shelter for them. They didn’t use the shelter but they will eventually. I am giving them a few days and then I will introduce Romeo to them. They will be their own herd now. These guys already have personality and are hilarious. I am excited to see them thrive. Once they grow and get used to us, they will have their own pasture also. 

This morning

 I think Noma might be starting to warm up some. She was eating out of my hand a few days ago. This morning I went out to check on Romeo. I walked over to where he was and all of the other animals followed me, including Noma and Pete. This was a huge step this morning. I usually inch my way toward them. This morning, they came to me. I wish I had a picture. I was crouched down talking to Cracker Jack, yes I talk to my animals and I never said I was a sane person. I looked up and Noma is coming toward me, moving goats out of the way to get to me. She stopped close to my face and stared me in the eyes for a few seconds and then she walked away. I didn’t want to scare her with my phone trying to get a pic of how close she was. This may seem like a small thing but to me this is huge. I stood up and walked to her, but she still does not like to be petted or anyone to be close to her if she is up. It does make me curious to why that is but I will never know that. Pete still does not want much to do with me but he is coming closer also. It’s a big step for these animals. 

Not so good surprise

 When I got home, it was cold and looking rainy. I was trying to get out and feed and get back inside. I fed the dogs, then the chickens, then the pigs. As I was walking toward the pigs I looked over in the area when the donkeys and goats were. I couldn’t find Romeo. I wasn’t really worried, he sometimes goes off on his own. Since he has been so sick, the other goats are not nice to him. Hercules actually head butts him so badly. I watched Hercules the other day head butt Romeo until he couldn’t get up. Broke my heart. I finished with the pigs and Ronnie was getting hay in the barn for the rest of them. I asked him if Romeo was in the barn. Ronnie said he wasn’t. I started looking for him and then I see him, not moving and on his side alone. My heart dropped. I just knew he was gone. I hurried over there and right before I got there, I heard him bleating at me. He was looking at me. I don’t know how long he had been on his side but his little voice said a while. He sounds really raspy, probably for crying out for help for so long and no one home to help which really breaks my heart. We have a lean to with a rigged up gate which will keep out the rain and he will be warm. Ronnie fixed all of that up tonight. He is in there alone which I hate but he has his own bale of hay and his own water. Maybe that will help him for a few days. Guys, I broke down and am bringing a couple of goats home this weekend for Romeo so he won’t be alone and sad. Pray for this sweet guy. He has been sick so long and now he is finally better and the other goats are trying to hurt him. And pray he makes it a little longer to get his strength back. I’ve got him new friends coming. 

Mattie’s Mountain

 I do not think I have mentioned this here on my blog. I did talk about it in my book. It is also mentioned in the children’s book coming out this year and the next book I will hopefully get out at the end of the year, if I can get it finished that is. This is a long post but hang in with me until the end. In February of 2019, I got a frantic call from a friend of mine. We have been friends since we were 5. We have had each other’s backs through more than I ever care to share. She was calling me to tell me her brother had committed suicide. He had a long fight with drugs and depression. He had lost his fight that day. No one ever wants to go through that. These people are family to me. After this happened, it was like God was telling me I needed to help others in this situation. Long story short, (the long version is in my book on Amazon) I am working on a nonprofit to help with kids and teenagers who have depression and suicidal thought. This is becoming a bigger problem than ever. I would like to help. So, right after Matthew passed away, my husband and I started bringing in animals to our farm. The majority of them have been rescued and all have a story to be heard, same as these kids. I am going to bring these animals and these kids together and help with their pain and depression. I am working on my 501c3 to get this going. I am working on the logistics of how this will work. I will welcome any and all advice. I have written a book to help with some of the cost and it is doing well. I had self published some books that funded me rescuing some donkeys from a kill pen. I believe this is what I am meant to do. I believe these kids need something positive to focus on. I know God has a plan and I’m getting bits and pieces at a time. Today is Matthew’s birthday and I felt like this was a good time to share this. I do have permission and support from his family and they will be involved in this process. Matthew’s story needs to be heard, as well as other stories. If anyone has a story they would like shared, contact me. I feel like big things are coming. Please help me pray about this and what needs to be done. These animals will play a big part in this nonprofit. I’m excited to get things going. I want to thank those of you reading who have helped and who are going to help. 

Sweet Romeo

 You guys, I have been trying to help Romeo for months. I have prayed and prayed and prayed for Romeo. Seriously, since October or November. I thought he had worms, so I wormed him. He continued to have diarrhea. Had the vet to the house who thought it was worms, so I wormed him again. He continued to have problems. Got some meds for coccidiosis in case that was the problem. It wasn’t. He has been so sick. I have tried electrolytes, supplements, etc. It has been so bad. He is so fragile and weak. He is so skinny. I have tried and tried. The other day, I gave him some red cell that is meant for horses. I thought it wouldn’t hurt since we had literally tried everything else. A few days later, I noticed his poop was not as runny. Sorry for the descriptions. Anyway, as the days went on, he seemed to look better. Tonight, I was walking behind him and I saw him poop regularly consistent goat poop. I jumped up and down saying, Thank you, Jesus. I was so excited. He is still really weak and pitiful. In fact, Ronnie and I were worming the rest of the goats tonight and that’s so dramatic in itself. We put the goats in a small fenced area so we could get the meds down them. Hercules head butted Romeo so hard in the side he fell over and could not get up. Ronnie and I thought Hercules killed him. It was so awful. Romeo seems okay now but he wasn’t there for a bit. It’s been rough lately with Romeo. He is so precious and I wasn’t ready to say goodbye and luckily I don’t have to. I’m hoping he is truly on the mend now.