What did you do today?

[Huckleberry]

Well, weekdays for me are always the same routine. Work and then evening chores. I've been trying to keep up with the weeds in the garden this week after work. Tonight I said to hell with it and went in and got down right in the middle of the pile of goats in the field In about a second a had an ober curled up under my arm snoring! What a great way to ease away the stress of the day

[Nanno]

I cleaned goat sheds today in anticipation of Lilly giving birth soon. I'm going to fix a wire gate on one of the PolyDomes so I can lock mama and kids up at night and give them some privacy for the first week or so. I also got Cuzco's tipi shed set up so he can have his own place away from the girls. He was thrilled when he saw that and I think it will help him feel better about coming in at night (he's been stubborn about being locked up lately). I also installed some lights inside the PolyDomes so I can see if there's a nighttime delivery.

[Nanno]

Lilly pulled the light off her PolyDome already. It was the LED stick-on kind and I found it in the straw this afternoon with teeth marks on it, silly girl! I'll have to super glue it back and see if it stays this time. If not, I'm getting a screw!

I rode my horses today, taught a riding lesson, and went to a greenhouse dedication at the elementary school. It's dedicated to a little girl who died in a tragic accident last year when she was helping her dad gather firewood. She was one of my riding lesson students. It's neat to see how her parents are turning this devastating chapter in their lives into a blessing for kids in our community.

Anyone want to hang out in the chat room for a bit?

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

Killed it at work the last couple of days. Finished a full retro in 15 (x2 people) hours instead of the 20 (x2 people) hours we had to get it done in . Was good to be back working but the long layoff left me more outta shape then I figured. Thursday was worse in the attic then it was today and thankfully they had an attic fan which kept it hoovering around 100 degrees up there. But anytime you combine heat,sweat and fiberglass insulation, it gets miserable at any temp. I ran a constant 101.5 temp after work yesterday from being over heated for so long and not being used it. By the end of the summer Ill be more acclimated to it and be able to work into the high 120, low 130s without having the lasting effects like I did Thursday.

Suppose to have some buyers show up this weekend to pick up some prospects. Then we are going to head to Walla Walla to check out a house. 2200 newer built stick house with some nice upgrades, 10 acres w/ 5 acres with water rights. Need to get away from this dry lot and give the goaties something to do during the day

[deschutes dawn]

Today was The Central Oregon Goat Association's goat jamboree. Great day and people came out in droves happy to be with the goaters. I had a great showing for the pack goat 101 class and the boys were perfect gentlemen. I handed out several membership apps for NAPgA and promoted our packing forum here. Could possibly be seeing some new people here asking lots of all the right questions. A loooong day of setting up, taking down, answering all kinds of caprine questions. Almost made me feel like I knew stuff! So tired but feel good about the day. Now for tackling rendy-but not tonight.

[Nanno]

That's awesome! Sounds like a great time! Thanks for all your hard work and dedication. I sure wish we could make it to the Rendy this year!

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

Spent the day in a crawlspace removing someones old undersized and un sealed duct work and then replacing and sealing it with new duct work. This includes a new furnace and heat pump outside. Will spend the rest of tomorrow finishing it up. But after work today, with trailer in tow, heading over to the hay growers to pick up a ton of fresh baled first cutting alfalfa! It looks, smells and feels very nice. Super clean. No weeds or dirt. Am very happy to be able to give the animals what they deserve again! On the down side, I totally forgot how much fresh cut alfalfa makes me itch!!! Sucks being allergic to something I have to handle twice a day

Looking to be a pretty good weekend. Will start off Friday fishing for bass again and if all happens like its suppose to, 3 more buyer will be coming and picking up their prospects!

[Nanno]

Phil's allergic to alfalfa too. It makes his eyes puff up and water, and he starts coughing and sneezing.

My day started off very exciting, but then it suddenly got even MORE exciting. My horses were supposed to get their feet trimmed this morning, but I couldn't find them anywhere. Turns out I'd left a back gate open yesterday when I was hauling brush to the burn pit and the horses had discovered it. That'll teach me to get distracted talking to the plumber! So I spent the morning driving around the town of Rye looking at every horse property to see if my guys had hooked up with any friends. I finally concluded that the tracks I'd seen heading in that direction must have doubled back somewhere, so I went home and started over. Sure enough, the horses had gone back the other way and went through another open gate into my neighbor's billion-and-a-half-acre pasture. So I spent the next hour or two driving in circles around that place peering into endless arroyos, creek bottoms, and enormous stands of scrub oak.

I finally found the horses grazing happily in a place I'd already looked an hour earlier, tied them to the back of my truck, and led them home. I'd brought the cell phone with me (it was actually charged up!) in case the sheriff or anyone called to tell me my horses had been located (or in case they came home on their own). Just as I reached the gate to our driveway, the phone rang and Phil said, "Lilly's water broke 20 minutes ago and no baby yet." He sounded calm, but knowing him as well as I do, I could detect an edge of panic in his voice. He said he'd been trying to call me the entire time but I wouldn't answer. Apparently the cell service ends at the road. I told him I was at the end of the driveway and I'd be right there. And everyone knows the rest!

[Nanno]

Today I went riding, took photos of the new little goatling, brought him into the house to keep me company while I ate lunch, taught a riding lesson, took more pictures of the new little goatling, stood on the top of our ridge and watched a major thunderstorm roam around on the eastern plain, milked Lilly (who was greatly relieved!), and put the goats to bed just in time for that roaming thunderstorm to come crashing over our place. One thunderbolt struck so close that I was running from window to window to make sure horses, dog, and goats were still ok! Not sure yet what it hit, but maybe I'll find out tomorrow. I didn't see any smoldering trees.

Anyone want to chat tonight?

[deschutes dawn]

Tried to get things done today I wasn't able to get to the last couple days. Kitchen cleaned, ironing done, the grand daughter's muddy shoes and clothes washed-she has discovered the wondrous world of mud puddles from watering the garden. Worked on the sights on my back up hunting bow to get ready for a 3-D shoot Sunday. Did more prep for the doe's kidding area. At least two of them are due around the 29th. Set up some temporary fence on the neighbors place to let the packer boys browse. Worked pretty well until they figured out the fence wasn't hot. It's nice to know all the boys have bonded enough to be partners in crime as they took down one end and took their browsing across the road. Easy round up, just shake a can of alfalfa pellets and they come running. Tried to get the girls out there but they just waddle around with their make believe wide load signs looking for the next comfy place to land. A thunderstorm wannabe blew through with a bit of rain and welcome breeze to help offset the humid air and the herd came in to cover. The baby brigade happily stayed out in the rain as long as I was there cleaning runs. Little Latte learned riding in the wheelbarrow while I was pushing was fun. Goofy babies!
Came in, fixed dinner, got online and now time to work on the rendy schedule. Hopefully I can get that finished in the next couple days and send it out.