windthread

We started by the hoof trimming.  Got 4 done.  They hadn't been on the milking stand for anything other than their own amusement for a while and it was in a NEW place and there was a STRANGER involved.  Like the kids in elementary school…stranger danger.  Instinct in Goats.  Except Snowbunny who likes Everything.  She was first.   The one i wanted to do most was Onday.  But she made it clear that there was No Way.  She would come around from behind, the sides,  even jump on while someone else was being trimmed.  But no.  Not her.  So…4 was good.  It wasn't easy.  They haven't done that in a long while and also they don't know her so there was some pulling and trying to escape.  Not a lot,  but they didn't have Fun.    Jan said she'd come now and then till we got them all done.  I don't know if that might include bucks,  she Really isn't into bucks.  

And then,  TenZen.  So we tried all the ways that might involve some willingness on his part,  some small cooperation,  no.   Goats are very agile.  But then she saw some small pieces of cattle panel leaning against the horse trailer.

took this pic as a visual but it probably won't make sense,  but we each took one,  maybe 4ftx3 1/2ft and when he went in to the corner of the fences by the gate,  we trapped him by holding the panels to close off escape.  I had the lasso and popped it on and TaDa.  Open the gate,  pull and push him out and into the crate that was waiting there.  Let him figure out how to settle his body in a very small space and then Lift into the truck bed.   Maybe 12 miles to Jan's  where we opened the crate and let him jump down…lasso still in place and then pulled and pushed him up and around and through the first fence with him being unenthusiastic but not really stressed  and THEN,  he caught the scent of her does.  He went along,  following those ribbons of scent in the air and when he saw them,  it was a piece of cake.  In he went to the large corral and she opened the gate from the small one where the does were and it went from there.  None of them are in heat right now.  Him being there will "bring it on".  She has a Nigerian,  Joey,  and a Saanen Nigerian cross,  Nuget (sp  like the candy) and then two one year old does of Joey's who may or may not be ready to breed…as in them accepting a buck.   Being how he is,  he chased up to them a little but then backed off.  He is a gentleman.  Some tongue sticking out,  some verbalization but very tentative.  So we watched for a while, leaning against the gate talking all manner of Goat stuff which i love more than life itself,  and it was a warm and Sun Filled day and everything was very much OK.  Everything was more than OK.  It was GOOD.  She gave me a gallon of Goat milk and a dozen eggs and off i went.

HOME.  where i just 

SAT.  Staring.  Just all emptied out.

and i read some more of this woman's words about What She Loves…these Sheep and was in the chapter where she has traveled to New Mexico to learn of the fate of SAE 067,  a single ewe left.  I let her take me out of my day here and into her day there.  Then.  I needed her to do this.

After a while,  i went out to sit on the Back Porch and who was it?, but Onday who was immediately there and insistent on contact,  rubbing,  staring into my face,  smelling my breath,  breathing my breath with me,  sharing her breath

here she comes

 

 

 

 

and her daughter Mercy pushed in a little

 

her sister Oona

 

 

and young Karma,  who doesn't like to be touched,  stood on the milkstand 3 separate times and stared at me…maybe a challenge…to keep trying?

and Mercy, again,  wanting

the crate

 

 

and Nogal.   Alone.  His friend gone.