New Baby!!

Our little baby was finally born!!! After waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting, finally, we wait no more.
Now, we have not been camping so far this year, because we have been waiting for this little boy to make his arrival. This was this goat's first baby, so we wanted to be sure that we were here for her. We had no idea when she was due. When we got her we were told she "might" be pregnant. She had been in a herd with a free roaming buck. Hmm. . . she might be pregnant?
Right before the girls and I left for Reno in early May, her udder started filling up. After reading up on what to expect, I was hesitant leaving Fred in charge, but oh well. Please Brownie, don't have it this weekend. Wait until we get back. We got back, and no baby. Whew!
So, we just kept waiting. We made sure someone was always home. Yes, we were excited and anxious. We skipped the Memorial Day camping trip, because her udder was still a little bigger than before.
Then, came our June weekend at Cal Expo for the girls and I. She was still bigger yet. I had read that they could fill up up to 6 weeks prior, but not usually. Father's Day camping trip comes and goes and home we stay. Fred & I did make a quick 3 day trip to Wyoming to pick up Grandma. The girls had the local 4-H leaders phone number in case something happened. But, luckily for them, she didn't present her package yet. Lucky for me, too. I had no intention of missing this event.

So, the story goes like this. We had finished feeding all the animals this past Sunday morning (6/26). Brownie (the mom) was acting pretty funny. I made a note to myself to check on her when I was done with everyone else. Kelsey had "checked" her and said, "Mom, you really need to check her." Well, I went inside after doing the animals and dripping with sweat. I needed a drink first. We were supposed to be taking the kayaks and the canoe to the lake. So, Fred was pretty anxious to get going. So, in my haste, I quickly ate and was getting dressed all the while thinking I need to go check the goat.

Well, I'm halfway dressed and into the house races Kelsey screaming that BROWNIE HAD HER BABY!! On the rest of the clothes go as fast as I could cover up. I grab my goat bag that has been sitting by the door for a month and a half and race out there. She's (the mommy) cleaning him up like a good little mom and doting all over him. It looked like it had just happened. I'm sure it had. (Kelsey had run down there because Brownie was baaing a lot. Hence, she found something laying on the ground.) Anyway, I gently turned him over for a minute to see if it was a boy or girl. He followed suit this year as it seems most of the babies this year are boys. It was so cool to see him learn to stand up, along with a little help. I ended up moving him to a safer learning area. She had him at the top of a very steep hill, and he kept falling down the hill (I actually kept catching him. We waited and waited, but there were no more little goats to come. He eventually decided it was time to eat. We had tried to get him to right away, but he wasn't ready. Boy, nature sure has it's own time table.

Instincts are so amazing and so is the birth of animals. We were sad we missed the birth, but hopefully next year we'll manage to make at least one.

He is so very, very cute!! Now, what are we going to do with this one? . . .

The trampoline has moved again. . .

We have spent so much time and money on
our future garden area this spring. We had to have several large trees taken down that shaded the area too much, dropped wicked pinecones and just made a complete mess. There were a total of 6 in the garden area and then 3 others elsewhere. These were VERY LARGE digger pines. There was a big, big mess to clean up. We advertised on Craig's list and had a great response for the burnable wood. Then we had several large and fun bonfires. Those were pretty scary. We still have 2 trees behind the house that we didn't get to. We'll take care of those this fall. The garden area still has the large stumps that we'll take care of when we can burn again.
So, after the trees were taken down, the leach lines had to be repaired. I think that took about a month at least. Between the scheduling of the tractor and the mechanical problems he had, it really took a long time. We had to dig new lines and lay new pipe. We found out we pretty much had no leach field due to the roots of all the trees and manzanita that had grown there. Those were all cleared and things are working wonderfully now.

Anyway, while the tractor was here, we had him grade a new road that provides an easier turn around for the horse trailer and others. Well, the road goes right where the trampoline was. So, time once again to move that stinkin' trampoline. So, we had him level off an area that was out of the way and pretty shaded most of the time. So he leveled it the best he could as well as taking out the gate to one of the goat pens. He kind of forgets where he is sometimes. Oh well. What can you do?

I think this is at least the third place we've had the trampoline. It will not move again. I've spent so much time getting it level, building rock retaining walls and such. I'm not even done yet, but now I'm waiting for the cooler days of fall, since summer finally arrived.

Good thing the kids love the trampoline. We've had it at least 5 years and they still get so much use out of it. The boys seem to always be on it. Kelsey likes to sleep out there with her friends. I'm sure now that it is getting so hot that all the kids will be sleeping out there. too.

So, as soon as it was moved they were on it again. These pictures are in the new spot. They didn't even wait for us to get it level. We like it where it's at now because we can see it out our window. In all the other spots, we couldn't see it unless we went outside. From this picture, you can't really see where it's at, but it does have a view. The kids had fun taking pictures of themselves with the self timer on their camera. They are soooo funny and cute!

Pioneer Day

This is our second time in the local Pioneer Day Parade. Last year we walked (I don't think we brought bikes). Trevor walked with his Scout Pack last year, also.
This year we decided to bring 3 of the baby goats to walk with us. All week I kept reminding the kids of the parade and to think of a way to show them off. Well, the day came and there were still no ideas. They did need to be clean though. So, I bathed them. Kelsey decided to put bandanas on them. They looked adorable. How can baby goats not look adorable. They were so cute, and everyone seemed to love them.
Now, the parade route is very short, probably no more than 1/2 mile, but one of the little ones decided he was done and just laid down. He wasn't going another step. So, Fred picked him up and carried him the rest of the way to the park. When we reached the park, we cooled them off and rested in the shade while the kids played. Kelsey climbed the climbing wall and the boys jumped in the bounce house, both are always a hit!!
We knew there was no way that little boy was going to walk back to the car, so Fred and boys made the SHORT hike back to the car.
It was a fun experience. Next year the little (won't be little next year) goats will be pulling carts or packing LIGHT packs. They will be too young to have much weight, but they will be going through the motions. Who knows, maybe we'll even have a horse with us. It all depends on how many hands we have available :D! The animals give us all (even Fred sometimes) great pleasure and keep us smiling with their silly antics.