Stand & Deliver!

This morning as I was taking the trash down to the big road, a lone tom turkey rushed out from the bushes into the middle of Gray Rock, turned to face me and threw out his feathers and spread his tail.  I was driving the little black truck, and I wasn't sure if I were being hijacked or he thought I was a large female, lookin' good!  He gave ground as I slowly moved forward, but we went through the same routine on my way back to the house.  What's up with that?!  I guess it's nice to know I haven't lost my appeal.

The littlest kids did just fine in their confined quarters overnight.  The big "little" girls have food and water in their house, but there's no room for these niceties in the dog carrier, so it gets me moving earlier to let all the chickens out in the morning.  Bugs are more plentiful, and we'll all get started before the heat of the day. 

When I got Lucy and Ruth in 2000, I read everything on goats I could get my hands on, but still had a thousand questions and made numerous phone calls to my goat gurus, Joyce and Glenn, from whom I'd bought the girls.  They were so patient and helpful.  Glenn is still my go-to guy for banding (castrating) the boys and I should have called him to do the last horn bud burning so Tessie and Nineteen wouldn't have scurs (those gnarly residual horns).  They no longer keep goats; I believe they've moved on to pigs.  After ten years of living with my girls, I've evidently received the mantle of guru.  Over time, I started to get phone calls like the one I got yesterday about a grown wether who just wasn't eating well.  The fields are full of foxtails now, and from experience I know that they can jam up under the upper lip in front of the gums.  That's got to hurt!  Few veterinarians deal with goats; they're considered throw-away animals unless they're show quality.  They're pretty good about birthing problems, which seem to be universal in the animal world, or injuries, but general questions don't get answers.  As I did, one learns more from someone who raises goats and from experience.  Anyhow, I wish the wether well.

If I have to leave the house again soon, I think I'll take the big truck.