Totes McGoats

When else can a 41 year old mom say this if not the week that she has acquired goats?  Amine and a neighbor scrambled to get fencing installed and Amine built a barn in two days so we could bring our goats home.  On Monday Adam and Aya and I drove to Brimfield where I got a quick 'how to milk your goat' lesson and then Amy, the farmer, gave them some medicine and we piled them in dog crates in the van.  I never thought I would be a goat owner, but here I am.  I have to say they are pretty cute and friendly.  I love the markings they have and that they follow us around like we are their real family.  they cry for mama when they are out to pasture (check out my farming lingo!), but they are super quiet in their barn, so thankfully not making annoying noises for neighbors all night.  Strangers and acquaintances think the goats are great.  Close friends and family say, "So goats, huh?  What is the deal with the goats?"  To be honest, we aren't sure, we have two young goats and one who is a year old who is already in milk, so here's to hoping our family likes goat milk, because otherwise everyone we know will be getting goat cheese and maybe goat milk soap and of course a baby goat.  No goat stew though!  I think Amine's attention can turn to planting a garden now and hopefully I will finally get a cat again.  Maybe then our little homesteading Benali farm will be complete.  I think I will be happy with dairy, eggs, fruits and veggies.  Here are a few photos of the herd.  According to Adam, Timothy is his "best boy".  He always says "I like Aya, she's my best girl".  Timothy is very sweet, soft like a puppy and the friendliest, so I get where Adam is coming from.  Daisy is the one who is a year old, also very sweet and seems attached to me more than the kids (maybe milking her has bonded us?), anyway I like her a lot.  We are hoping Daphne comes around, because right now she still misses her mama goat and is a little skittish around all of us, but especially the kids.  Daphne is a different type of goat and will supposedly be the best milker once she becomes a mama.

Timothy

She was Bambi, but I have changed her name to Daisy, she just looked like a daisy

This one was Sydney, but I changed her name to Daphne

It's not just me, they are cute, right?

41

My birthday and Mother's Day last week, I treated myself to a photo shoot, Japanese food and Lilac Sunday at the Arboretum.  Jacquie got some great pictures of us, twice a year I make sure I am in front of the camera rather than behind it.  The arboretum was too busy, we parked by Nick's house and it was quite the hike to the lilacs only to find they haven't quite peaked in bloom and a lousy idea to park all the food trucks in a main intersection creating what looked like an airport the day before Thanksgiving.  We sat for a bit, took a few pictures and made the long hike back to the car.  I am afraid we may have to let that tradition go, or pack a picnic and go Saturday rather than Sunday next year.  Amine had been working on the fencing and house for the goats, hopefully we will be able to bring them home Monday.  Somehow my order got a little goofed, I am missing one photo I wanted and I have a different one in its place, but maybe my subconscious chose for me?  Anyway, here are Jacquie's pictures.

And pictures from our yard and Mother's Day:

the other photographer