The twins are the new stars and getting along quite well.
I have been trying to get them to follow their mother out to the field in the mornings. Its getting quicker, but don't let them get distracted by a cat or dog!
The hens, in all their boredom, are back to laying eggs full tilt.
Then, they spend the rest of their daylight hours taking dirt baths, or picking in the mud.
VIDEO OF HENS HAVING A DUST BATH
When they are done, I have to fill in their holes for fear of twisting an ankle.
Perhaps these are things you don't want to know about the animals who lay your eggs, but what's a bird to do? Create dust storms? OK.
Jock is thrilled to find so many of his toys that were buried for weeks under the snow. This is his basketball that has been reconfigured by the brush hog. He loves his balls shredded.
The mystery bird was identified for me by at least four people as a turkey vulture indeed. I guess I'd never seen one so white winged, but I go with the unanimous decision. The ones above are starting to come in large flocks again. Not a purty one amongst these guys!
The heavy snows created some extra work with the fences. We had two spots snap, and many saggy wires to be tightened. Also, Saturday morning, we found one of the goat sheds flipped over from the wind, and a metal gate off its hinges and laying in the corral. No one forecasted the winds.
A 500 year flood event has been avoided. This flooding looked like the regular old 100 year flood type.
We have been here 6 1/2 years and this is our seventh major flood.
I think the math is wrong somehow.
VIDEO OF SPRINGS FROM SNOW MELT INTO POND
Our pond is still filled above our flood stage, so to speak. This video shows the same spot I had the clip from a few days ago. Moving much faster than the peaceful dribble it was.
This is the pond at the overflow pipe, and the water is much higher than the pipe, and draining as fast as it can. See little me? The reflection?
The bluebirds are very active and we have two new boxes to put up for them. I hope we haven't started too late.
The two week old doe twins finally have names, thanks to Mary and the African English translator. We have Ella(right in both pictures), and Tisa (second from right, or with darker head). They are bouncy and funny, as all kids this age are. Tisa means "ninth", as she was in our doe birth order, here on the farm.
And for such little things, they eat their share of grain. I think the damp weather and the mud makes them extra hungry.
The kids have three sibling, human kids to play with. 
Then it was past due for the April kids' CDT shots, so that got checked off the list. All the kids then needed to visit Mom for a bit of comfort, but not before watching the other two get their shot.
Zuri and Zahra nursed away their pain. 
Then the older twins needed to get tagged to leave the farm. 
While they were yelling, might as well give them one more thing to yell about, but the pain was quick, and they are all set to move to their new home.
Ella and Tisa have one more day to get all grown up.
He's been kicking up his heels about his new adventure.
Tomorrow he moves in with his new goat roomie and friends nearby. In preparation, he has been tagged so he can legally leave the premises. Goats and sheep need a scrapies tag to identify what farm they came from. That whole bio security thing. Scrapies is mostly a sheep problem that goats can catch from sheep. Its difficult to do, but happens. The problem is, it is a disease like mad cow disease, so the herd would likely be culled.
I was lucky to get Brees and the "big" twins in a very playful mood. 
Enjoy the clips. I'll bore you with all three. 
The choreography is amazing
The herd is getting bigger.
Ella with Sam,...
...and with Isabelle.
Tisa, on the left, and Ella, are getting too big for the young visitors. 
Brees/Wally is getting big for his mom.
Trinity is getting big with her first udder, and first kid(s)! Yeah!
Layla! Can you get any bigger?
I've counted on another 18 days from her last date I had calendared. 
Tax day baby?
Its that secret doe thing working again! 
If you want to know what the horns are really for...itching those stretch marks. 
That's her own hair. The winter coat is coming off on all the goats.
Tisa 
Ella 
The kids are doing well on the field, but we are still having trouble getting the twins all the way out with everyone else. Its only been four days of practice. We're close. 
One of the jobs that pops up after rains and snow, is garbage clean up. Garbage that has been dumped or buried years ago, works its way up to the surface. We have a couple spots where I always come away with my hands full. I need to keep my eyes peeled. There is every size glass shard to injure the goats or dogs feet. Possibly even ours. And the mowers can throw them and injure someone. Its an ugly thought. 
Family portrait: Vinegar with her girls.
I have been trying to get them to follow their mother out to the field in the mornings. Its getting quicker, but don't let them get distracted by a cat or dog!
The hens, in all their boredom, are back to laying eggs full tilt. 
Then, they spend the rest of their daylight hours taking dirt baths, or picking in the mud. 
Perhaps these are things you don't want to know about the animals who lay your eggs, but what's a bird to do? Create dust storms? OK. 
Jock is thrilled to find so many of his toys that were buried for weeks under the snow. This is his basketball that has been reconfigured by the brush hog. He loves his balls shredded.
The mystery bird was identified for me by at least four people as a turkey vulture indeed. I guess I'd never seen one so white winged, but I go with the unanimous decision. The ones above are starting to come in large flocks again. Not a purty one amongst these guys!
The heavy snows created some extra work with the fences. We had two spots snap, and many saggy wires to be tightened. Also, Saturday morning, we found one of the goat sheds flipped over from the wind, and a metal gate off its hinges and laying in the corral. No one forecasted the winds.
A 500 year flood event has been avoided. This flooding looked like the regular old 100 year flood type. 
We have been here 6 1/2 years and this is our seventh major flood. 
This is the pond at the overflow pipe, and the water is much higher than the pipe, and draining as fast as it can. See little me? The reflection?
The bluebirds are very active and we have two new boxes to put up for them. I hope we haven't started too late.
The two week old doe twins finally have names, thanks to Mary and the African English translator. We have Ella(right in both pictures), and Tisa (second from right, or with darker head). They are bouncy and funny, as all kids this age are. Tisa means "ninth", as she was in our doe birth order, here on the farm. 
And for such little things, they eat their share of grain. I think the damp weather and the mud makes them extra hungry.
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